CHENNAI : What you notice first at the Covelong Point Surf.Music.Yoga Festival is that every year, there is a steady increase in the number of people — be it surfers riding the waves or those who come to enjoy some Indian blues and rock music, by the ocean.While surfing is still the most important part of the festival, the bands and a wide variety of food stalls along with yoga workshops and other leisure activities make it unique. It is no longer just a platform for surfers to showcase their talent. “We started the surf school seven years ago. We started the festival to promote the surf school. Initially, it was small, but it has grown over the years and become part of Chennai’s calendar,” said Arun Vasu, chairman and MD, TT Logistics and Cargo and one of the co-founders of the festival.
“The village has close to 200 surfers now. Covelong had the largest team this time. We also had people from Mamallapuram, Puducherry, Kerala, Visakhapatnam and many more places. A 10-member team from Sri Lanka was here as well as part of an exchange programme,” he said.
As the festival is growing popular for the fun element, some might wonder if the actual purpose of the event — to promote surfing in the country — will be lost. However, that is not the case. With the sport being included in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the team has intensified its efforts to train the kids for the next level.
“It’s still early for India and they need the exposure because wave conditions here and wave conditions across the world vary. This year, we are planning to send a team to Bali and Phuket. We have identified about five to six boys. Most of the World Surfing League tournaments happen in Bali,” Vasu said.
Whether or not India takes part at the Tokyo Games is not sure so far. The chances are bleak according to Ram Mohan Paranjape, vice-president of Surfing Federation of India (SFI). “We are hopeful for 2024. And if India does send a team, there will be a high representation from Covelong,” Paranjape said.
Results
Women’s Category (All Age Open): 1 Sinchana D Gowda, 2 Suhasini Damian, 3 Rebecca Davis;
12 & Under category:
1 Srikant D, 2 Naveen Kumar R, 3 Vishal; roms Category (16 & Under): 1 Sivaraj, 2 Nithish Varun, 3 Harish Muthu;Junior Category: 1 Ramesh Budihal, 2 Surya P, 3 Sathish S
Masters Category (31 Yrs & Above): 1 Sathosh Moorthy, 2
Murthy Megavan, 3 Mukesh Panjanatham Senior’s Category: 1 Raghul Paneer, 2 Dharini Selvakumar,
3 Bignesh V; Men’s Open Category: 1 Perceval Fayon, 2 Lakshita Madhusan, 3 Lesitha Prabath.