The seventh edition of the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026 began on a strong note at Blue Bay Tannirbhavi Eco Beach in Mangaluru, with several of India’s leading surfers advancing through the opening rounds of competition.
The three-day championship, which serves as a key event in the National Championship Series and an important part of India’s selection process for the upcoming Asian Games, attracted surfers from across the country under favourable surfing conditions.
In the Women’s Open category, Kamali Moorthy, Sugar Shanthi Banarse, Ishita Malaviya, Devi Ramanathan, Saanvi Hegde and Shrishti Selvam secured places in the semi-finals.
Kamali emerged as the standout performer of the day, posting the highest score across all divisions with 13.83 points. Sugar followed with 11.00 points as both surfers comfortably advanced to the last four.
Top contenders progress in Men’s Open category
The Men’s Open division featured 45 surfers competing across 12 heats, with the top two athletes from each heat advancing to the second round.
Among the leading performers were Kishore Kumar (12.90), Ramesh Budihal (12.57), Tayin Arun (12.10), Sanjaikumar S (11.84), Ajeesh Ali (11.74), Akilan S (11.66) and Shivaraj Babu (11.33).
The junior divisions also witnessed competitive action. In the Under-18 Boys category, Harish P, Tayin Arun, Som Sethi and Prahlad Sriram were among those progressing to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, the newly introduced Under-14 Boys competition completed its quarter-final stage, with Harish P, Sheik Davudh S, Yogesh A and Prahlad Sriram among the surfers advancing to the semi-finals.
Mr. Shamanth Kumar, Secretary, Karnataka Surfing Association, said, “The response from surfers and the local community has been extremely positive. The conditions on the opening day were excellent and set the tone for a great championship. This championship plays a very important role in the national ranking system and India’s preparations for future international events, including the Asian Games.”
Mr. Saurabh Verma, Manager, Athlete Relations, Sports Authority of India, said, “The growth of surfing in India over the last few years has been remarkable. Platforms like this championship are helping athletes gain valuable competitive exposure.”
The championship, organised by the Mantra Surf Club and Surfing Swami Foundation under the aegis of the Surfing Federation of India, will continue through Saturday with several title contenders still in contention ahead of the final day.
Comments are closed.