Latest news with #SurfTurf
New Indian Express
31-07-2025
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Surfing Championship: Where sea meets sports
Kishore's mother was employed at Surf Turf, and one day, he tagged along with her. Talking about his interest in the sport, the 16-year-old says, 'I visited the school after study hours and during weekends. I started off with boogie boarding just for fun, but when I noticed the participants and the competitions held there, I was inspired to take up this sport.' He adds that his game has levelled up in the last three years after his participation in championships held in Bali, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. To this, Indian national team coach, Samai Rebol, adds that in the past year, a lot of kids have been picking up the sport, and most of the players who made it to the Indian surf team are from the fishing community. He says, 'They are very comfortable in the ocean, and it is a very common environment for them.' The community could be 'comfortable' in the ocean, but do they cheer the same when it is a girl riding the waves? The answers may vary. Kamali Moorthy, who has been in the sport for 12 years, says she has been trained hard and even speaks of harder truths. 'I'm the only girl surfer here. The boys are supportive, but it gets lonely sometimes. I've taken classes for girl kids, but the community still doesn't support their participation. They cheer when we win, but do not support us when we fall,' she rues. Her words carry the fatigue of fighting for the waves in the sea and off them while on the shore — yet she stands up and stands out because of her love for the sport. 'I hope one day it [change] will happen,' she says.
New Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Surfer Tayin riding success crest
CHENNAI: AT only 16 years of age, Tayin Arun is at the forefront of a new generation of talented surfers, part of a brand-new movement of Indian surfing. Enjoying an almost meteoric rise in the junior divisions, the surfer broke through to the national surfing team last year, and is now looking to prove his worth with the rest of his teammates at the upcoming ASF Asian Surfing Championships in Mahabalipuram to be held from August 3 to 12. Hailing from Akkarai, Tayin is no stranger to sports. His elder sister Eloksi Arun is a batter for the Tamil Nadu women's cricket team. Reminiscing about his earlier days, Tayin recalls, 'I remember playing many sports as a kid, and surfing seemed to be the sport that I wanted to join. But the infrastucture wasn't developed then. Moreover, many people were scared to send their younger kids out to the sea. So, I only started to learn surfing when I was nine.' Tayin learnt surfing in Kovalam at the Surf Turf, Chennai's first surfing school considered one of the best in the region. This allowed him to not only hone his craft, but also give him exposure and access to surfing equipment. 'Boards are really expensive when you import it, and sometimes not getting access to them can hamper your growth. I used the boards given to me by the TT Group (owned by Arun Vasu, the founder of Surf Turf) for many years because you couldn't get it easily from anywhere else in India," said the young surfer. Today, due to his excellent performances at tournaments such as the Covelong Classics and at the Indian Open of Surfing, he has secured himself sponsorship from the TT Group to get equipment.
