18-07-2025
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.
