Kovalam near Chennai hosts India’s first night surf event

Expert surfers in Kovalam manoeuvered waves under the night sky in India’s first-ever night surf spectacle

Kovalam’s Pearl beach basks in a resplendent glow. Not of the rising sun this time, but of large floodlights erected on the shore, that put the ocean and its rippling frothy waves under the spotlight.

At India’s first-ever experimental night surfing event, Kovalam’s surfing stars manoeuvered quickly thinning waves, with the moon (and spectators lounging on the beach) as their witness. From the shore, each wave break made for a spectacle as the surfers, clad in reds, blues and whites caught the waves in quick succession. As the night darkened and the winds slowed down, the athletes also encountered long periods of waiting. Earlier in the afternoon, the surfers balanced the waves, striking poses for the grand spectacle.

Titled Big Air Flo 2024, the event was a spectacle more than a competition, and largely experimental since this was the first time Indian surfers were trying to tame moonlit waves.

“It is an idea we have had for years. The event was meant for people who love the sport. Everyone is out here to enjoy,” said Arun Vasu, president, Surfing Federation of India. Held in collaboration with Red Bull and TT Group, the event had Irish big wave surfer Conor Maguire on the shores of Kovalam, interacting with Kovalam’s ever-burgeoning surfing community over the weekend. “The idea was that he shares his experiences with the surfing community and learn from each other,” Arun said. The event was spread over two nights of surfing and a morning of expression, and air acts. The majority of surfers were from Kovalam and Mamallapuram, apart from athletes from Karnataka, and the Maldives. 

Arun said thatin a festival setting, almost 80% come for the music, leaving the sport largely ignored . This time, on a Friday night, families settled on the shores to catch the action on water, as children built sandcastles on the side. Collective cheers arose every time a surfer managed to catch a wave.

For the athletes, surfing at night poses different challenges. Through the day, tides vary. The wind is off-shore and so the waves hold better during the first half of the day which is why early mornings are preferred for surfing. By afternoon, on the other hand, the sea breeze comes in, and the waves get a little tricky, said Arun. 

“What is tricky is that even with the floodlights, sometimes we cannot judge the wave coming in. We may not see the swell unless it’s right in front of you. It is blank for a while,” said Srikanth, who is preparing for a tournament in Reunion Island next year. Surfing at night is not beginner-friendly. “This was a new experience for me, as in the night the waves were calmer and smaller,” said the athlete, who has been surfing for the last 10 years.