The Surfing Swami Foundation had handpicked the potential surfer kids during the “Mantra Grom Search” for further training. They were trained and closely monitored by Mantra Surf Club in Mulki, The aim of this training was to help them progress under the supervision of surfing coaches for competitions. Coaches helped these kids set their goals and help them understand the Judging criteria.
Finally, the time has come and the boys were thrilled when they got the news that they will be participating in the annual National Surfing Competition. This was their dream come true for them. All the time they had put in for training, traveling up and down to Mulki, and balancing their education, family, and poverty was not easy.
Covelong Point Surfing Competition
Covelong point festival was a great learning experience for all of our boys. It didn’t matter if they won or lost. Our aim was to give them exposure to competing in the big leagues. Surfing against some of the best surfers in the country. This was the opportunity that they had been waiting for. They kept the Surf spirit high and would always wake up early for the sunrise practice session. They would Read the waves and current, Discuss new maneuvers, fine-tune the turns & everyone was always keen on observing and learning new tricks & skills.
The stand out performance was from little guy Subramani, who made it to the semi-finals of the U16 category. Subramani recalls “This is one of my best days so far. The local competitors did not make it easy. I learned a lot from this competition. I will train harder for next year and will finish on the podium” says Subramani with a little cheeky smile.
Overall, They gave a tough competition to all the participants and really put their skills to test at Kovalam. It was a sight to watch all the boys cheer each other on. They proved to us that no matter what the results are, they will give their best in the process to get there. In the end, it’s all about putting your feet back on the ground and starting again.
The boys also tried their hand at weight lifting and CrossFit sessions at CultFit, at the festival & won goodies & t-shirts from Cult-fit & GoPro.
Supporters
This wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support from all quarters.
On behalf of Surfing Swami Foundation, We want to take this opportunity to thank Mantra Surf Club, for their help in coaching these kids for free, and each and everyone who have supported through their financial contribution. Gaurav Hedge, Shaili Seth, Deekshit Rai, and Henry Britto.