CHENNAI : The sixth edition of Covelong Point Surf, Music and Yoga Festival will begin next Friday in Kovalam. Chennai-based TT Group is the principal presenter for the annual event that will span three days. Covelong Point Surfing Championship is recognised by Surfing Federation of India (SFI). Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes, an avid surfer, will also be seen in action at the event. Over 100 surfers from Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Kerala — alongside some of the top surfers from Australia, France, and the US — will be seen in action.
The competition will comprise seven categories: novice (U-12), groms (U-16), junior (17-22 years), senior (23-30 years), masters (31 years and above), women (all ages), and open (foreign nationals). This year, the competition will also see participation from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. SFI has also has put in place an exchange programme with the Sri Lankan surfing federation.
Sekar Pitchai and Ajeesh Ali will be the flag-bearers for Tamil Nadu in seniors and groms categories. The women’s event is expected to witness a tight contest between Auroville’s Suhasini Damian and Mangaluru’s Sinchana Gowda. “As a sport, surfing has seen tremendous growth over the last few years. We are trying to become a respectable surfing contingent in Southeast Asia in the next five years. We plan to enter into more exchange programmes with Asian countries and give more exposure to our junior surfers,” said Ram Mohan Paranjpe, SFI vice-president.
“Looking at the quality of surfers that we have produced over the years, I am sure it won’t be long before we will have a roster of surfers knocking on top glories on the international scene. I am very confident of an extremely competitive field this year as well,” he added.
The festival also includes musical performances across a wide array of genres. Some bands that are slated to perform are Indus Creed, Saptha, and F16s. Renowned acro-yoga instructor Shakti Shilpa, Divya Srinivasan, and Rohini Manohar are a few names who will be conducting yoga sessions during the festival. The last edition witnessed a footfall of nearly 15,000. A hub for surfers, yogis, and artists alike, the event will also feature a flea market, food stalls, art installations and beach-side activities and sports.