Mangaluru, May 30 : Some of the top names of Indian surfing Srikanth D., Surya P., Ajeesh Ali, Sivaraj Babu, Surya P., Kamali Moorthy, Ishita Malviya, and Srishti Selvam will be seen in action in the 5th edition of the Indian Open of Surfing (IOS), starting on Friday at the iconic Sasihithlu Beach here.

The coastal city of Mangaluru will once again witness the spectacle of surfing prowess during the nation's premier surfing competition. Organised by the Surfing Swami Foundation and hosted by the Mantra Surf Club under the aegis of the Surfing Federation of India, this highly-anticipated event will bring together the country's top-ranked surfers at the iconic Sasihithlu Beach to showcase their skills in the three-day championship.

The IOS will feature intense rivalries between surfers from the East and West coasts, with crucial ranking points on the line that will determine the surfers' standings at the end of the season.

The event has received major support from the New Mangalore Port Authority, which has been announced as the title sponsor for the first time. The Karnataka Government has extended its support to the event for the fifth consecutive year.

The three-day surfing extravaganza will feature intense competition across four categories: Men's Open, Women's Open, Groms (U-16 Boys), and Groms (U-16 Girls).

In the Men's Open category, all eyes will be on Harish M., Srikanth D., and Sivaraj Babu, who performed well at the recently held International Surfing Festival Kerala 2024, the first national championship of the calendar year.

Kamali Moorthy, Sandhya Arun, Ishita Malviya, and Shrishti Selvam are expected to give tough competition in the Women's Open category, given their recent performances. In the U-16 Boys category, Tayin Arun, Prahlad Sriram, and Som Sethi will be vying for top honours, while local surfers Tanishka Mendon and Sanvi Hegde promise an exciting display of skill and talent in the U-16 Girls category.

Ajeesh Ali, who represented India at the 2023 ISA World Surfing Games in El Salvador, could pose a significant threat to the competitors in the Men's Open category.

'We are geared up for the fifth edition of the Indian Open of Surfing, and I can promise you top-class competition and entertainment over the three-day challenge. The country's top surfers have arrived in Mangaluru and are determined to showcase their talents and skills by winning the titles. Additionally, the recent weather in the city has added fuel to the competition, making the waves both challenging and conducive to surfing at the same time," Rammohan Paranjape, VP, Surfing Federation of India & Partner, Mantra Surf Club.

The competition, recognised by the International Surfing Federation, the global governing body for the sport, serves as a stepping stone for Indian surfers to hone their skills and prepare for national and international events, with the inclusion of surfing as an Olympic sport further boosting the sport's recognition globally.

Indian Open of Surfing will be the 2nd stop of the National Championship series of the 2024 calendar year, following the International Surfing Festival Kerala 2024, held in March at the beautiful cliff beach of Varkala.

/IANS