CHENNAI: A 10th-class boy prodigy from a traditional fishing hamlet near Chennai will be India’s wildcard entry in the International Surf Open, part of the World Surfing League (WSL), at Mahabalipuram from August 14-20.Kishore Kumar, a 15-year-old from Kovalam village, has been rising up the national rankings and won two medals at the recently concluded Indian Open of Surfing in Karnataka. He came first both in Groms (under 16) as well as the Open category.
Arun Vasu, president of Surfing Federation of India (SFI) and Tamil Nadu Surf Association, told TNIE Kumar was being groomed and his development was being closely monitored for past two years. “He was sent for special training in Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia, where the waves are different. Kumar will be the youngest and one of 12 wildcard entries in the WSL Qualifying Series (QS) 3000 event.” Ahead of the event, Kumar will be testing his skills in the Asian Surfing Championship in Maldives next month.
Kumar told TNIE that he started surfing at the age of 10. “My father is fisherman and works as a life-guard at Surf Turf school run by Vasu. I used to go, observe and learn.” Samai Kalayellay, who organised a coaching camp for seven athletes from TN ahead of Indian Open in Karnataka said, “Kumar is a special talent and has a bright future. There are few others from Tamil Nadu - Kamali Moorthy, who won two medals in Indian Open, and 18-year-old Srikanth - who are equally good.”