CHENNAI: Mahabalipuram’s shores erupted in cheers from local onlookers and the fishermen community as Ramesh Budihal became the first Indian to reach the semi-final round of the Asian Surfing Championship in Chennai on Saturday.
Ramesh took control of the quarter-final heat from the outset, opening with a score of 7.00. With less than five minutes remaining, he caught three more waves, scoring 7.67, 3.93 and 4.93 to finish with a total of 14.84. His performance kept him at the top of the standings ahead of Philippines heavyweights Neil Sanchez, who was second with 12.80, and Toby Espejon, who placed third with 11.57.
“This is the moment we have been waiting for. We had to push, we had to earn it, and the waves were absolutely great. I went out there this morning feeling confident, and this is a proud moment for us,” Ramesh told the media after his heat.
Having missed out on qualification for the Asian event last year, Ramesh admitted that the quarter-final was far from easy.
“We had to put a big score on the board. Every time I picked a wave, I hoped it would be a good one. I got a 7.00 early on, which I did not expect, and that gave me the confidence to stick to my plan,” he said.
He added that progressing to the semi-final on home soil would inspire young surfers in India to aim higher.
Later on Saturday, India’s Srikanth D and Kishore Kumar will be competing for semi-final spots against surfers from China, Japan and Korea.