All posts tagged: Ramesh Budihal

Ramesh Budihal leads Men’s Open semifinalists at Indian Open of Surfing 2026

Ramesh Budihal leads Men’s Open semifinalists at Indian Open of Surfing 2026

The seventh edition of the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026 reached a decisive stage on Saturday as the Men’s Open semifinalists were confirmed following a day of intense competition at Blue Bay Tannirbhavi Eco Beach in Mangaluru. With the event playing a key role in India’s Asian Games selection process, the country’s leading surfers battled challenging conditions to secure places in the final rounds. Ramesh Budihal emerged as the top performer in the Men’s Open quarterfinals, posting an impressive score of 14.83. He was followed by Srikanth D with 13.00, while teenage prospect Kishore Kumar advanced with a score of 11.80. Also booking semifinal spots were Ajeesh Ali (9.93), Sanjay Selvamani (9.57) and Shivaraj Babu (8.76). Earlier in the day, Kishore topped the second-round standings with 14.17 points, ahead of Ajeesh Ali (13.33) and Ramesh Budihal (13.00), as 24 surfers competed for quarterfinal berths. Kamali Moorthy cruises into junior girls final The junior categories also produced strong performances ahead of the final day. In the Under-18 Boys division, Harish P (13.60), Tayin Arun (12.67), …

Kamali Moorthy leads women’s field as Indian Open of Surfing 2026 gets underway

Kamali Moorthy leads women’s field as Indian Open of Surfing 2026 gets underway

The seventh edition of the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026 began on a strong note at Blue Bay Tannirbhavi Eco Beach in Mangaluru, with several of India’s leading surfers advancing through the opening rounds of competition. The three-day championship, which serves as a key event in the National Championship Series and an important part of India’s selection process for the upcoming Asian Games, attracted surfers from across the country under favourable surfing conditions. In the Women’s Open category, Kamali Moorthy, Sugar Shanthi Banarse, Ishita Malaviya, Devi Ramanathan, Saanvi Hegde and Shrishti Selvam secured places in the semi-finals. Kamali emerged as the standout performer of the day, posting the highest score across all divisions with 13.83 points. Sugar followed with 11.00 points as both surfers comfortably advanced to the last four. Top contenders progress in Men’s Open category The Men’s Open division featured 45 surfers competing across 12 heats, with the top two athletes from each heat advancing to the second round. Among the leading performers were Kishore Kumar (12.90), Ramesh Budihal (12.57), Tayin Arun …

Ramesh Budihal leads Men’s Open semifinalists at Indian Open of Surfing 2026

Mangalore set for Surfing showdown as Indian Open of Surfing 2026 begins

Indian surfing arrives at one of the most significant moments in its domestic history this week as the seventh edition of the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026, a key stop on the national surfing circuit, prepares to bring together many of the country’s leading surfers at the Blue Bay Tannirbhavi Eco Beach in Mangalore from May 29 to 31. Set against the backdrop of surfing’s impending debut at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games later this year, the championship carries significance extending far beyond the pursuit of domestic titles. Featuring competitions in the Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Under-18 Boys, Under-18 Girls, Under-14 Boys, and Under-14 Girls categories, the event is expected to attract over 80 athletes from Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Goa in what could prove to be a defining week for several of India’s top surfers. Organised by the Mantra Surf Club and Surfing Swami Foundation under the aegis of the Surfing Federation of India (SFI), the Indian Open has evolved steadily into one of the flagship events on the national …