Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), April 11: The Little Andaman Pro 2026, a national-level surfing championship hosted by Andaman and Nicobar Tourism in association with the Surfing Federation of India, continued to gather momentum on its second day, drawing a significant number of spectators to the shores of Little Andaman.
The event, which began on April 9 in the waters of Little Andaman, has witnessed participation from around 86 surfers, including international competitors, competing across multiple categories. The turnout on Day 2 reflected growing public interest, as crowds gathered to witness the ongoing surfing and stand-up paddleboard competitions, reinforcing the islands’ position as an emerging surfing destination in India.
Competitions are being held in categories including Men’s Open Surfing Shortboard, Women’s Open Surfing Shortboard, Men’s Open Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP), and Women’s Open Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP), with athletes competing in successive rounds.
In the Surfing Men’s Open Round 1, Sivaraj Babu delivered a leading performance with a score of 15.17, securing a win margin of 11.1 in his heat. Kishore Kumar followed with a score of 15.00, winning his heat by 7.97, while Ramesh Budihal topped his heat with a score of 13.67 and a margin of 7.94.
In the Surfing Women’s Open Round 1, Shrishti Selvam recorded a score of 9.50, winning her heat by 5.34. Sugar Shanti Banarse also led her heat with a score of 9.63 and a winning margin of 6.39, emerging among the early leaders in the competition.
The SUP Sprint Men’s Quarterfinals saw Sekar Pachai post the fastest timing of 1:04.70. Dinesh Selvamani followed with 1:05.89, while Selvarasan Nagamuthu clocked 1:09.19, each securing wins in their respective heats.
In the SUP Technical Men’s Semifinal Heat 1, Rajesh D led with a time of 6:08.02. Dinesh Selvamani finished at 6:14.28, and Selvarasan Nagamuthu at 6:14.63, as all three advanced further in the competition.
Organisers have scheduled further rounds for Day 3, with Surfing Men’s Open Round 2 and Round 3, along with the Surfing Women’s Open Quarterfinals, set to take place at the Main Bank. At the same time, the Secondary Bank will host the SUP Sprint Men’s Semifinals and the SUP Technical Men’s Semifinal Heat 2.
The championship combines sport with cultural and community engagement, positioning itself as a key event in the national surfing calendar. The event will conclude with a prize distribution ceremony followed by live music performances, marking the culmination of the competition.
