4 days ago
Surfer Ramesh first Indian to enter Asian C'ship final
CHENNAI: Saturday will go down as a memorable day for Ramesh Budihal as he became the first-ever surfer from India to reach a final of the Asian Surfing Championship, which is being held at Mahabalipuram.
In a sport where India is still playing catch-up at the world level, Ramesh's feat is a welcome boost for the country. The outcome is bound to add more self-belief in the minds of the rest of aspirants from India.
Ramesh is one of the talents from the coast of Kovalam, Kerala, he made everyone sit up and take notice on the day. The win on Saturday did not come easily and Ramesh had to be at his very best to get the desired result.
"Yeah, I'm really grateful to be in the final. I wasn't expecting to be in the final because I didn't know how I was going to feel in the semifinals. I just wanted to put a score on the board so that I could be in the final and here I am. Now it feels great," said an elated Ramesh.
"It wasn't the start I wanted. Somehow, I got some waves and put a score. I wasn't nervous, I just knew I had to reset my mind in the last few minutes, pick the right wave, and go for it," he added.
Ramesh started the day topping his quarterfinal heat race with a score of 14.84 points ahead of Philippines' Neil Sanches (12.80 points).
In the semifinal, Ramesh continued his solid effort to score 11.43 points to finish second behind Indonesia's Pajar Ariyana 13.83, and it ensured his maiden final berth at the continental event.
Ramesh grew up in Kovalam and was introduced to the sport by the Kovalam Surf Club. From then on, he has had a steady rise and his performances in the Indian Open Surfing and the Mahabs Point Break Challenge had helped him learn vital skills. His solid performance at the ISA World Surfing Games in 2023 had also provided him good exposure. Plus, the two-week-long training with the Indian team in Mahabalipuram helped him prepare for the Asian meet.
''The camp was good preparation for the ASC. Since the meet (Asian championship) was also to be at the same place it (training) was very handy. But we were aware that on a given day, conditions change and we have to adapt. This thought process helped me perform,'' said Ramesh.
He will face tough competition in the final, but whatever the outcome it will be a learning experience for him.
