When the wind meets the waves

First timers, seasoned veterans and in-betweeners enjoyed sun, sea and surf at the inaugural edition of India Open of Surfing

Sometime ago, Roopesh Shetty and his group of 15 bikers had driven to the remotely located Sasihithlu Beach as part of their weekend ride.

The bumpy road had deterred them from revisiting the pristine beach. All changed on Sunday morning, when Roopesh and the Flying Bandits group visited the beach.

k"The road is much improved," Roopesh said, impressed with the smooth ride to the beach on the 5 km-long narrow beach road from Mukka junction on the Mangaluru-Udupi stretch of National Highway 66.

There were others like Roopesh who visited the beach during the three days of the India Open of Surfing that ended on Sunday. The response was so overwhelming that there was a traffic jam on Saturday that led organisers to regulate traffic on Sunday on the beach road. Rammohan Paranjape, the Vice President of Surfing Federation of India is happy with the turnout of people at the beach. Not only have they succeeded in introducing the beach to tourists, Paranjape says the three-day event has also created interest in people about surfing. "There were several Mangaloreans who visited the beach for the first time."

Paranjape says there were several queries on training facility for surfing, which is slowly catching up among the youth. Mantra Surf Club has been training youngsters on this beach where the Shambhavi and Nandini Rivers join the sea. Stoked Surfers Club in Tannirbhavi beach run by swimming coach and master surfer Partha Varanasi and The Shaka Surf Club in Kodi Bengere by master surfers Ishita Malviya and Tushar Patiyana are also into training. A good number of surfers from these clubs were among the 95 surfers who took part in the three-day India Open of Surfing held for the first time in the state. "We are serious about holding many such natural and adventure sports activities along the beaches of the state and boosting tourism activity," said Tourism Minister R.V. Deshpande. The Tourism Department organised the event in association with Surfing Federation of India, Mantra Surf Club and Dakshina Kannada district administration.

While welcoming initiatives of the Tourism Department, Varnasi says it is also necessary for people of the coastal region to open up to new cultures. Veteran swimmer and Arjuna awardee Manjula Bhargava, who witnessed surfing on the beach, is glad about the positive image that the three-day event has lent to the city. "There is a negative impression of the city (because of moral policing) world over. We need more such activities to change the image of our city," she says.