Tamil Nadu's Kamali Moorthy lights up final day of NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026

The championship is one of the premier events on the national surfing calendar and serves as a key selection event for India's squad for the 2026 Asian Games. Another promising surfer from Tamil Nadu, Kishore Kumar, was crowned champion in the Men's Open category, while local favourite Pradeep Pujar secured Karnataka's only title of the championship by winning the Surfing Juniors U-18 Boys title. Harish P and Dhamayanthi Sriram also emerged victorious in the newly introduced U-14 Boys (Groms) and U-14 Girls (Groms)categories,s respectively. The winners walked away with cash prizes, certificates, and mementos.

Following the conclusion of the championship, selections for the Indian surfing team for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will be determined based on results from the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026, the inaugural Andaman Little Pro 2026, coaching camps, performances at international events, and overall rankings.

The championship was organised by the Mantra Surf Club and Surfing Swami Foundation under the aegis of the Surfing Federation of India, with support from the Government of Karnataka and the Karnataka Surfing Association. The New Mangalore Port Authority returned as the title sponsor for the third consecutive year, while Cycle Pure Agarbatti and Deconstruct Skincare came on board as Gold Sponsors, with Deconstruct also serving as the event's Official SPF Partner. Their continued backing reflects the increasing institutional and corporate investment in the growth and development of surfing in India.

Kamali Moorthy successfully defended her title with a sensational comeback performance, clinching the top spot in the Women's Open category with a score of 13.17. Sugar Shanti Banarse finished a close second with 11.73, while Shrishti Selvam finished third with a score of 8.50. Entering the final as the two favourites, Kamali and Sugar lived up to expectations in a closely fought contest. Sugar took an early lead with a strong opening wave, but Kamali, the defending champion and reigning national series winner, held her nerve before producing a decisive scoring ride late in the heat to surge ahead and retain her crown.

Teenage sensation Kishore Kumar of Tamil Nadu lived up to expectations by winning the Men's Open category crown with a score of 15.20. In a fiercely contested final, he finished ahead of Ramesh Budihal (12.87), Sivaraj Babu (11.90) and Srikanth D (9.93).

The championship-deciding heat featured some of the country's finest surfers battling for top honours. While Ramesh made a strong start with two quality waves, Kishore responded with impressive scores on his opening rides and maintained his composure throughout the contest to steadily extend his lead. Sivaraj pushed hard in pursuit of the title, attempting a series of radical manoeuvres, but was unable to complete them cleanly and eventually settled for third place.

After clinching the Men's Open title, Kishore Kumar said, "Winning the Men's Open title at such an important championship is a very special feeling. With the Asian Games on the horizon, I look forward to the team selection process and will stay focused on representing India to the best of my ability."

The home crowd had plenty to cheer about as local favourite Pradeep Pujar produced a brilliant display to capture the Surfing Juniors 18 & Under Male crown and secure the host state's only title of the championship. His penultimate wave, packed with radical manoeuvres and executed with confidence, proved to be the defining moment of the final as he strengthened his lead and finished with a winning score of 12.17. Tamil Nadu's Tayin Arun mounted a strong challenge throughout the heat and claimed the second spot with 11.26 points, while Prahlad Sriram secured the third place with a score of 9.50.

Pradeep Pujar said, "Winning my first national championship title, especially in front of my home crowd, is an incredible feeling and a moment I will always cherish. The competition was very tough, and all the finalists pushed each other to perform at their best. I would like to thank my coach, the Surfing Swami Foundation, my family and everyone who has supported me throughout my journey."

Fresh from her success in the Women's Open category, Kamali Moorthy completed a championship double with a commanding victory in the Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls final. Kamali seized the initiative early with a series of strong rides and never looked back, capitalising on her momentum to post a winning score of 14.83. Karnataka's Saanvi Hegde delighted the home crowd by taking second spot with 5.67 points, while Aadya Singh finished third with a score of 2.73.

Kamali, after completing her double, said, "I'm thrilled to have won both the Women's Open and U-18 Girls' titles at the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026. I would like to thank the Surfing Federation of India, the organisers, sponsors and everyone involved for putting together such a fantastic event. Congratulations to all the winners and competitors who pushed the level of competition so high. With the Asian Games selection process approaching, I'm excited for what's ahead and will continue working hard to earn my place in Team India."

The newly introduced Surfing Juniors U-14 Boys (Groms) and U-14 Girls (Groms) categories showcased India's emerging surfing talent. In the boys' division, Harish P dominated the final with 17.23 points, finishing comfortably ahead of Sheikh Davudh S (12.97) and Prahlad Sriram (8.40). In the girls' division, Dhamayanthi Sriram delivered a composed performance to claim the top spot with 10.50 points, followed by Arabolu Nethra (8.13) and Sanvita Kundar (5.54).

The inaugural U-14 events highlighted the depth of young talent in Indian surfing, with the winners standing out through their consistency, smart wave selection, and high-scoring rides.

The final day of competition began with the semifinals of the Surfing Juniors U-18 Boys' category, where local surfer Pradeep Pujar led the qualifiers with a score of 9.27. He was joined in the final by Tayin Arun (7.77), Prahlad Sriram (7.03) and Yogesh A (6.80), who also booked their places after competitive semifinal heats.

"The successful conclusion of the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026 is a proud moment for Indian surfing and a reflection of the steady growth of the sport along the west coast, particularly in Mangaluru. Pradeep Pujar's U-18 Boys title in front of his home crowd is a testament to the years of hard work put into grassroots development by coaches, clubs, parents and the entire surfing community. His achievement highlights the strong talent pipeline being built in the region. We sincerely thank our title sponsor NMPA, Gold Sponsors Cycle Pure Agarbatti and Deconstruct, as well as the Government of Karnataka, Karnataka Surfing Association, Surfing Federation of India and all our partners and volunteers for their invaluable support in making this championship a success", said Rammohan Paranjape, Vice President, Surfing Federation of India (SFI).

Earlier, the Men's Open semifinals saw the leading contenders battle fiercely as they moved a step closer to strengthening their case for selection to the Indian team for the 2026 Asian Games. Kerala's Ramesh Budihal produced the standout performance of the round, earning the highest score of 12.27 through a series of impressive manoeuvres. Joining him in the final were Tamil Nadu surfers Srikanth D (10.40), Sivaraj Babu (9.67) and Kishore Kumar (9.40).

The Women's Open semifinals delivered one of the most exciting contests of the day, with Tamil Nadu's Kamali Moorthy and Goa's Sugar Shanthi Banarase matching each other wave for wave to post identical scores of 13.00. Fellow Tamil Nadu surfers Shrishti Selvam (7.40) and Devi Ramanathan (6.93) also secured their places in the final. (ANI)