Poise: Budihal posted an impressive 12.33 points.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU
Ramesh Budihal led India’s charge on the opening day of the Fourth Asian Surfing Championships 2025, held at the iconic point break in Mamallapuram here on Monday. Budihal posted an impressive 12.33 points, winning his heat by 4.93 points, and cruised comfortably into Round Three.
He was joined by fellow Indians Kishore Kumar, who scored 12.17 (winning by 3.77 points), and D. Srikanth, who advanced with a solid 13.70 (winning margin: 1.44).
Reflecting on his performance and the day’s wave conditions, Budihal said: “I was really disappointed last year — not being part of the Championships hit hard. But this year, I set clear goals and worked hard to reach them.”
“Today, the waves weren’t as consistent as we’d hoped. A week ago, we had a great swell, but now it’s dropped. Still, the conditions were decent — just not predictable. In a heat, you have to adapt and surf with whatever comes your way. I’m happy I made it through,” Budihal added.
Team India will aim to carry this momentum into the next rounds, eyeing a strong finish in what promises to be a high-stakes week of competition.
Published – August 04, 2025 08:49 pm IST
