Monthly Archive for September, 2020

Wind blows where the surfer goes

Published on 20/09/2020 in front page, press coverage and surf. 0 Comments

Preparations for the forthcoming surfing competition at Arugam bay are perfect according to Hiran Ukwatte the president of the Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka that will play a major role in conducting the event.

Already there are 15 foreigners who have entered to participate in the Open event and some local surfers will be included so that they will be exposed to compete with foreigners.

The main event for local surfers is the National event that has attracted 50-plus competitors. The numbers will be restricted so that the events can be worked off in two days.

“Enthusiasm to surfing among the Sri Lankan community has gathered momentum and already a large number of enthusiastic surfers and crowds are heading to Arugam bay to prepare for the event,” said Ukwatte.

“The beach at Arugam bay is quite wide and can accommodate a large number of spectators. Besides, surfing has become a natural habitat to the people there. Even the people in the South tend to take to surfing naturally. It is like going to bathe in the sea for them,” added Ukwatte.

There are about 50,000 surfers in the whole of Sri Lanka and the Surfing Federation conducts the Nationals in three stocks per year. The first was held in Madhia early this year and the second was held in March in Hikkaduwa and this one in Arugam bay will be the third stock.

These events are held to bestow rankings and those who are really good will receive automatic admission to foreign competitions. The first national surfing event was held in 2018 and the Federation will conduct three stocks for the year to complete the nationals.

“There will not be any trials for selections and the top two rankings will be sent for the Asian Championship while four will be selected for other international events,” said Ukwatte.

“Surfing has become a lifestyle for the people living close to the beaches. Almost all of them go free surfing to enjoy themselves. There are many movements too to manoeuvre in surfing on surf boards of different sizes. Those used in competitions are the short board and many surfers are skilled to tackle the waves accordingly,” said Ukwatte.

source: http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2020/09/20/sports/wind-blows-where-surfer-goes

 

Sports revenue to reach US$ 1 bn within five years: Namal

Published on 12/09/2020 in front page, press coverage, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

Sports will be made a US$ 1 billion revenue-generating subject within the next five years, said Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa.

He was speaking at the launch of the Lanka Sportreizen organised Open/National Surfing Championships which will be held on September 26 and 27, at Arugam Bay.

The Minister said that his plan to convert Sri Lanka Sports to a US$ 1 billion includes the local manufacture and export of sports equipment, sports apparels, and services to the world.

He is also said that hosting water and adventure sports events can also woo high spending tourists to Sri Lanka and hope to work with the Ministry of Tourism in this regard. “It will also be a good destination marketing tool for Sri Lanka.” He also said that professionalism should be introduced to sportsmen and women.

“Today parents specially in rural areas consider a child taking to sports as a burden to the family. This should and will be reversed. The sportsman in a family should not only bring honour to a family but also revenue. The fabric in sports will be changed in this manner,” he assured.

He also said that professionalism would be introduced to sports bodies as well and they will also look at the financing aspect of sports associations.
Lanka Sportsrizen is a leading Destination Management Company in Sri Lanka which has been in the forefront of promoting Tourism through Sports and Adventure has organised the event.

“In fact, we were planning with the World Surf League to conduct a similar event in September in the East which did not happen due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic which brought Worldwide activities including tourism and sports to a standstill, said Chairman LSR Tilak Weerasinghe.

He said this event is organised in order to revive both sports and tourism on the advice of Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Youth and Sports, who himself is a keen surfer.

This event will be conducted with the blessings of the Ministry of Youth & Sports and the Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka to coincide with the World Tourism Day which falls on September 27.

This Event is expected to reawaken the interest that the sporting fraternity has on surfing since the period from January 2020 has not seen any event taking place in the Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Furthermore, stakeholders in the Eastern Province who have been starved of business with the break of the virus will be able to sigh a relief about the future of their livelihoods with the conduct of this event.