Mangaluru, May 31 (IANS) Tamil Nadu’s gifted teenage surfer Kamali Moorthy made a significant mark by earning India’s surfing quota for the Asian Games and achieving a notable double victory. She won both the Women’s Open and Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls titles at the finals of the seventh Indian Open of Surfing.
This prestigious event on the national surfing schedule also acts as a crucial selection platform for India’s team for the 2026 Asian Games. Additionally, Tamil Nadu’s Kishore Kumar claimed the Men’s Open title, while local favourite Pradeep Pujar took Karnataka’s sole championship with a win in Surfing Juniors U-18 Boys. Harish P and Dhamayanthi Sriram also won the new U-14 Boys (Groms) and U-14 Girls (Groms) categories, respectively. The winners received cash prizes, certificates, and mementoes.
After the championship concludes, the Indian surfing team for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will be selected based on results from the Indian Open of Surfing 2026, the inaugural Andaman Little Pro 2026, coaching camps, international event performances, and overall rankings.
The championship was organised by the Mantra Surf Club and Surfing Swami Foundation, under the Surfing Federation of India. It received support from the Government of Karnataka and the Karnataka Surfing Association. The New Mangalore Port Authority was the title sponsor for the third consecutive year, and Cycle Pure Agarbatti and Deconstruct Skincare joined as Gold Sponsors. Deconstruct also served as the official SPF partner. Their ongoing support highlights the expanding institutional and corporate investment in India’s surfing growth.
Kamali Moorthy defended her title with an impressive comeback, winning the Women’s Open category with a score of 13.17. Sugar Shanti Banarse finished close behind in second place with 11.73, and Shrishti Selvam came in third with 8.50. As the two favourites entering the final, Kamali and Sugar delivered an exciting contest. Sugar started strong with an early wave, but Kamali, the defending champion and current national series winner, stayed composed and executed a crucial scoring ride late in the heat to take the lead and secure her title.
Kishore Kumar, a teenage talent from Tamil Nadu, met expectations by winning the Men’s Open category with a score of 15.20. In a highly competitive final, he beat Ramesh Budihal (12.87), Sivaraj Babu (11.90), and Srikanth D (9.93). The decisive heat showcased some of the best surfers in the country vying for top honours. While Ramesh started strong with two quality waves, Kishore quickly responded with impressive scores on his first rides and kept his composure, gradually extending his lead. Sivaraj aggressively chased the title with daring moves but couldn’t land them cleanly, ultimately finishing third.
After clinching the Men’s Open title, Kishore Kumar said, “Winning the Men’s Open title at such an important championship is a very special feeling. With the Asian Games on the horizon, I look forward to the team selection process and will stay focused on representing India to the best of my ability.”
The home crowd cheered loudly as local favourite Pradeep Pujar delivered an outstanding performance to win the Surfing Juniors 18 & Under Male title and earn the host state’s only championship trophy. His second-to-last wave, featuring bold manoeuvres and executed with confidence, was the highlight of the final, boosting his lead and ending with a score of 12.17. Tamil Nadu’s Tayin Arun put up a strong fight throughout the heat, finishing second with 11.26 points, while Prahlad Sriram took third with 9.50.
Pradeep Pujar said, “Winning my first national championship title, especially in front of my home crowd, is an incredible feeling and a moment I will always cherish. The competition was very tough, and all the finalists pushed each other to perform at their best. I would like to thank my coach, the Surfing Swami Foundation, my family and everyone who has supported me throughout my journey”.
Fresh from her success in the Women’s Open category, Kamali Moorthy achieved a championship double by winning the Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls final with a dominant performance. Kamali took the lead early on with a series of powerful rides and maintained her advantage, ending with a winning score of 14.83. Saanvi Hegde from Karnataka excited local supporters by securing second place with 5.67 points, while Aadya Singh came in third with 2.73 points.
Kamali, after completing her double, said, “I’m thrilled to have won both the Women’s Open and U-18 Girls titles at the Indian Open of Surfing 2026. I would like to thank the Surfing Federation of India, the organisers, sponsors and everyone involved for putting together such a fantastic event. Congratulations to all the winners and competitors who pushed the level of competition so high. With the Asian Games selection process approaching, I’m excited for what’s ahead and will continue working hard to earn my place in Team India.”
The newly introduced Surfing Juniors U-14 Boys (Groms) and U-14 Girls (Groms) categories showcased India’s emerging surfing talent. In the boys’ division, Harish P dominated the final with 17.23 points, finishing comfortably ahead of Sheik Davudh S (12.97) and Prahlad Sriram (8.40). In the girls’ division, Dhamayanthi Sriram delivered a composed performance to claim the top spot with 10.50 points, followed by Arabolu Nethra (8.13) and Sanvita Kundar (5.54). The inaugural U-14 events highlighted the depth of young talent in Indian surfing, with the winners standing out for their consistency, smart wave selection, and high-scoring rides.
The last day of the competition started with the semifinals of the Surfing Juniors U-18 Boys category. Local surfer Pradeep Pujar topped the qualifiers with a score of 9.27. He advanced to the final along with Tayin Arun (7.77), Prahlad Sriram (7.03), and Yogesh A (6.80), all of whom secured their spots after intense semifinal heats.
“The successful conclusion of the Indian Open of Surfing 2026 is a proud moment for Indian surfing and a reflection of the steady growth of the sport along the west coast, particularly in Mangaluru. Pradeep Pujar’s U-18 Boys title in front of his home crowd is a testament to the years of hard work put into grassroots development by coaches, clubs, parents and the entire surfing community. His achievement highlights the strong talent pipeline being built in the region.
“We sincerely thank our title sponsor, Gold Sponsors Cycle Pure Agarbatti and Deconstruct, as well as the Government of Karnataka, Karnataka Surfing Association, Surfing Federation of India and all our partners and volunteers for their invaluable support in making this championship a success,” said Rammohan Paranjape, Vice President, Surfing Federation of India.
Earlier, the Men’s Open semifinals featured intense battles as top contenders aimed to secure their spots on the Indian team for the 2026 Asian Games. Ramesh Budihal from Kerala delivered the best performance of the round, scoring 12.27 with a series of impressive manoeuvres. He advanced to the final along with Tamil Nadu surfers Srikanth D (10.40), Sivaraj Babu (9.67), and Kishore Kumar (9.40).
The Women’s Open semifinals featured an exhilarating match, as Tamil Nadu’s Kamali Moorthy and Goa’s Sugar Shanthi Banarase competed fiercely, both scoring 13.00. Additionally, Tamil Nadu surfers Shrishti Selvam (7.40) and Devi Ramanathan (6.93) qualified for the final.
–IANS
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