Surfers practise, line up on beach to display their skills

 Playing with waters is not new for 15-year-old Karunya from Chilimbi. After taking to swimming eight years ago, she is all set to test her mettle ‘high on tide’ in surfing at the three-day Indian Open of Surfing 2017 which starts at Sasihithlu beach from Friday.

Unlike others, what makes it exquisite further about Karunya is, she is a good friend of Sinchana Gowda, a home-grown surfer of repute, who indeed inspired her to hit the coast. They were going to swimming and competing together, when Karunya learnt about her friend’s tryst with surfing. Moreover, it was due to her mother Suvarnalatha’s coaxing, she eventually joined Stoked Surfing Club at Tannneerbhavi beach here, in November 2015, she recalled in a jiffy.

On the eve of the event on Thursday, she was found practising hard with Sinchana and other teammates from the club. Not forgeting to mention the name of Sathya sir and Partha sir whom she owes her due credit for teaching her surfing skills, Karunya turns voluble on dives and waves, when DH asked her about.

 “Look at that...ploughing inside the tide, it’s called ‘dug diving’, make a jump and swiftly turn to your right, it’s ‘cut back’ and  360 degrees is the ‘mother of all’, with turning your body around. While waves are categorised as ‘barrel’ for rising like a hood, and also blue and green for its colour and ‘A’ force for breaking after a distance.

What made Suvarnalatha to force her ward into surfing was the success stories she came across. Her father Sudheer S, a manager at Bharat Cooperative Bank in Moodbidri, could not say no, only to further her enthusiasm.

As Karunya waits for her yet-to-be announced CBSE Class 10 results, she will be taking part in the women’s category, during the surfing contest beginning Friday.

Akhilan, aged 12 years, is the youngest among 15-member team of surfers from Salty Bone Divers from Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu who have landed at Sashihithlu.

He is being trained under Manimaran, a 23-year-old avid surfer, who has several events to his credit ever since he took to waters as a 10-year-old boy.

Abdul Razzaq and Yuvaraj, aged 12 years and 13 years respectively, are eager to make their debut, according to their coach Manikandhan, most known as ‘Appu’ among those in realm.

Appu from Ocean Delight in Kovalam in Tamil Nadu, had romped home, finishing second in two categories last year at Sashihithlu.

Suhasini Damian, 25, is among several surfers from Kalliallay (meaning Stone Waves in Tamil) Surf School in Pondicherry. A native of Auroville, she is waiting to test her skills on board, eversince she learnt about Sasihithlu a year ago. She could not make it to the contest here in its maiden year, but has made it a point  this time, she adds.

Having an experience of six years, Suhasini started from Kollam, participating in five competitions till date.

With a degree in fashion designing, Suhasini has her own swimwear brand ‘4Shore’.
Her father Herbert is a German and mother Selvi (a native of Pondicherry), is into organic farming.