Archive for the 'surf' Category

“ASQ” in AbaY ! – From 1st. April

Published on 30/03/2021 in 1st April, From our own Correspondent, front page, people, press coverage, services, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

2021 High Season, Arugam Bay!

Hello Yellow Again!
“Safe & Secure”


In order to revive the badly damaged tourist industry wise authorities have announced sweeping plans to assist all Tourist Board approved  enterprises.


Just in time for the East Coast Main Season, as from the 1st. April the entire Arugam Bay area has been declared to be a designated Tourist Quarantine Bubble. Also known as ASQ.


Below is a summary of the main innovations and concessions:

  1. Tourists must land at designated Mattala Rajapaksa Airport
    It’s just just 2 hours from AbaY
  2. No stops allowed on route to AbaY
    It’s just just 2 hours from AbaY
  3. The Military will re-establish the Old Bridge Control Point
    a. Between the Muslim town of PottuVille and AbaY
    b. The only way in or out of our remote resort = Safe & Secure!
  4. All passengers will be tested and checked in at this point
    a. PHI – Public Health inspectors from PottuVille will attend
    b. PHI – PS| They done an outstanding, excellent job in this area. Not one single C-19 case here!
    c. If negative: FREE entry to the AbaY region will be granted
  5. Tourists are then welcome to stay in ANY establishment in the Bay
  6. Tourists and surfers can freely move around and socialize at any time
  7. No Masks or Muzzles requirement will be enforced
    = As this realistically can not be monitored in a Surf, Fishing and Farming  Community anyhow
  8. To boost Tourism even further
    a. Liquor Licenses will be issued automatically. Free of charge
    b. Duty free shops will be opened in the Bay itself. Unlimited purchases for foreigners!
    c. Parties and events will be allowed at all times. No permits required
    d. Visas are offered to all suitable and interested  surfers and Visitors until end 2021
    e. Special Seasonal East Coast Beer will be supplied. At discount prices.
    f. To create worldwide attention and act as FREE a global promotion:
    g. The Old CORONA is Out – Caruna Extra  is Inn !
    see link below

    Traditional East Coast Beer

    New Non Lion Beer launched just for Arugam Bay (2010)

PS|
A small technical irritation needs to be resolved.
That is what to do when visitors eventually – if or when after a year or so – they decide to leave glorious Arugam Bay?
Departing back to their homeland, once tested negative (for C-19..;-) presents no issues.
But what to do if they wish to remain in Sri Lanka, or are Nationals of this amazing Nation:
A quarantine period of 14 days in …Colombia might be unavoidable 😉

Where to Surf and Where to Hang Out

Published on 01/10/2020 in front page, press coverage, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

What has been Recommended in Arugam Bay

Arugam Bay was a modest fishing village, known for its scenic coastline. What many didn’t know though, was that its ocean had some of the best waves in the world for surfing. This began to change in the 70s, when the first surfers started arriving in the area.

The locals, warm-hearted and friendly, taught these tourists about the lay of the land and made them feel part of the community. In turn, the locals got the chance to learn about its surf culture. And a vibe of learning and sharing grew organically, which gave life to the Arugam Bay we know and love today.

The East coast surf season begins as the North Eastern monsoon ends nearing May, and continues until October. If what you are looking for is a mellow experience with fewer crowds, early on in the season, between late May and July, is better suited for you. If you are a more weather-beaten surfer looking for crankin’ waves, as someone familiar with the lingo might say, then the best months for you are from July to September. This is when most of the breaks are working.

Here are four surf spots, apart from the main surf beach in Arugam Bay, that you absolutely must explore!

Surf spots

Elephant Rock
https://lakpura.com/elephant-rock-point

Nestled about 4 km away from the main point in Arugam Bay, Elephant Rock used to be a lesser-known surf spot in the East Coast.

Its waves break to the right from the vantage of the surfer. These waves are known as a right. They are also pointbreaks, meaning that they wrap around the protruding rock before rolling along the coastline. The height of these waves ranges from 2 to 6 feet.

Its gaining popularity now – not only because of the waves but also because of the views. You can climb the rock to immerse yourself in a stunning sunset, and maybe you’ll even catch a glimpse of the elephants freely roaming around.

A word of caution: avoid the lagoon nearby, because it has crocodiles.

Peanut Farm
Image from https://whiskeypoint.info/

Urani village is the home of the Whiskey Point, the second most sought after surf point in Arugam Bay. It is about 15 km North from the Arugam Bay beach and takes about 30 minutes in a tuk-tuk.

Its right-hand, pointbreak waves can reach between 2 to 6 feet in height and are perfect for beginner and intermediate surfers. During the months of May and October, the village becomes animated with surfers bustling about. In the evenings, music permeates the shoreline as many of the surfers mingle.

Lighthouse

Found along the Komari beach stretch, about an hour’s drive away from Arugam Bay, Lighthouse is a less crowded spot reserved for veteran surfers. Its waves break to the right and come to life in the months of July, August and September. Even if you aren’t a pro-surfer, it is a must-visit, simply because of the spectacular coastal vistas.

A 15-minute walk further to the north from Lighthouse will get you to Green House, another surf point you might want to explore.

Surf schools and hangout spots

The experience of anyone absorbing the surf culture of the East Coast is incomplete without knowing where to learn to surf and where to unwind after a long day or surfing. It’s part and parcel of the “surf culture”! So here are a few spots you don’t want to miss out!

Surf n Sun

This family-run joint is just a few minutes’ walk away from the main surf point in Arugam Bay. It has very humble beginnings and a history that spans three generations.

In the beginning, surfing for them was a way of escaping the war. As time went by, they started surf guiding and showing their visitors some of the secret points they knew.

Today they have ISA qualified surf instructors, all of whom are locals from the village who have been surfing in the local spots since their childhood.

Hideaway

This is another spot that is nearby the main beach in Arugam Bay. This was built in 1979 as a holiday home by the Tissera family and is still run by members of the family. They have gathered unique local knowledge over the years and have many contacts that will enable you to have one of the best experiences of the East Coast.

The fusion and traditional Sri Lankan cuisine they offer is often prepared using organically-grown and locally-sourced produce. Hideaway Blue, their café, has amazing coffee. Oh! And Hide & Chill Bar is one of the most renowned watering holes in the region.

Sababa Surf Cafe

This is an underground, minimalist restaurant, bar and chill-out spot facing the beach at Whiskey Point. You will not find it on social media, but on a Friday, which is the party night at Whiskey Point, Sababa Surf Café is the place to be! And you are sure to have a memorable experience, with DJs playing full-on electronic music till hours way past the dawn.

Lighthouse Beach Hut

Lighthouse Beach Hut, as the name suggests, is located at Lighthouse Point. It is an eco-friendly, simple joint run by Ranga. On one side, it faces the beach, and calming greenery envelops all other sides.

Their restaurant is an excellent hangout spot where you can meet surfers from all around the world, and their rice and curry is prepared using freshly delivered fish, seafood and produce sourced from their very own organic farm.

There are also many other small joints that add to the momentum of the peak of the East Coast season. So go off the beaten path, do a bit of exploring on your own, and uncover colourful secrets of the Arugam Bay culture that only a few may know.

Source:
http://www.pulse.lk/travel/east-coast-surf-culture-where-to-surf-and-where-to-hang/

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.

Arugam Bay Surf Club News

Published on 30/03/2020 in Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, people, press coverage, surf and Surf Federation News. 0 Comments

 

Challenging the status-quo and empowering women in her community

March, 27, 2020

We all have the power to change things. We’re all responsible for building a more just and equitable world and in 2020 challenging the stereotypes and being #EachforEqual is what International Women’s Day reminds us. Here’s a story of someone breaking barriers, changing perceptions, and transforming lives.

Women account for the majority of the global tourism workforce but tend to work in low-paying, informal and low-status positions. But Lathika Lakmali is an impressive woman who challenges the status-quo – while defying cultural boundaries and social norms – to lead and make a name for herself as a Surf Instructor and harnessing tourism as a tool for empowering women in her community.

Traditionally, especially in conservative localities such as Arugambay, women are expected to assume the role of a daughter, sister, wife, mother and care giver. Although Arugambay continues to grow as one of the popular surfing hubs in the East of Sri Lanka, there exist many misguided perceptions with regard to surfing and the tourism industry as a whole. Villagers hold the stereotypical impression that surfers are skimpily clad and party hard brining disrespect to traditional values. It was acceptable for tourists to indulge in the sport, but it definitely didn’t fit with the communities beliefs on what a career was supposed to be and definitely didn’t fit with the role of a woman who are most traditionally limited to the activities in the domestic sphere.

However, Lakmali and her husband who’s the President of the Arugambay Surf Club and one of the 28 ISA certified coaches in Arugambay recognize the opportunities for growth in the industry. And what began as a hobby displayed a possibility of turning into a career, especially with the increase in solo female travelers or women being more comfortable learning how to surf from other women. They believe that they can find a balance with their personal life, the professional life and their interest in surfing in Arugambay. They realized how women were often uncomfortable taking lessons from male instructors. Yet, offering services without a formal license to international travelers remained a concern as tourists want to be sure they will be safe in the water and be able to really learn how to surf a wave from an expert.

A pathway for informal surfers to be formally recognized by the industry with S4IG support

To address this concern, the Skills for Inclusive Growth (S4IG) program funded by the Australian Government’s Aid program in partnership with the Ministry of Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations extended support towards managing visitor expectations by offering tailored programs to strengthen local Surf Clubs to manage and improve their service standards.

It allowed Lakmali to confidently march on and be recognized as an instructor doing something she loves. She can still support her family and support her community and earn an income from her business – surfing. Such initiatives by S4IG encourage more women to enter the tourism industry, seek income opportunities and mentor the next generation of female leaders. It also created a pathway for informal surfers to become internationally recognized, and for more women in the area to consider not only pursuing surfing as a career but to simply be brave enough to indulge in the joy of surfing. Since her participation in the program by S4IG and licensing as an instructor, the Arugambay Surf Club has seen an increase in membership and interest by girls. Tourism gives women many opportunities that allow a blending of roles and responsibilities. Enabling women to engage in paid employment in many different ways and pursue the things they enjoy.

Inspiring generations of surfer girls 

For Lakmali, surfing has now become a family affair. She often takes her daughter – aged 6- with her when she surfs and her husband who is also an ardent surf lover and an S4IG participant as well. He is extremely proud of his wife pursuing her passion and celebrates her success – a truly modern Sri Lankan family. She proves that women can offer something new and exciting to a traditionally male-dominated industry and experience.

She has inspired an entire generation of girls who dream of riding waves of their own one day in the future in surfing and other pursuits. Lakmali aims to extend personalized and deeper travel experiences via female surf lessons that showcase the potential for a career professionally. She is a fine example that women are more than capable of building a new business ecosystem around women in tourism while defying cultural norms and the traditional labour market.

Along with her supportive husband, she plays a strong role in mentoring the next generation of females, like her own daughter, and in the process, is actually changing the face of tourism in Arugambay for the better.

source:
http://bizenglish.adaderana.lk/challenging-the-status-quo-and-empowering-women-in-her-community/

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World surfs in Sri Lanka

Published on 18/09/2019 in AbTa News, Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, surf, Surf competition, Surf Federation News, the bay and Top News. 0 Comments

World surfs in Sri Lanka
‘So Sri Lanka Pro 2019’ in Arugam Bay from September 23 to 29:
M.A. Phakurdeen -Addalaichenai Group Correspondent

The upcoming ‘So Sri Lanka Pro’ professional surfing event set for Arugam Bay, popular for its magnificent surf, has been extremely well received by professional surfers from all over the world.

The international professional surfing competition is to be held in Arugam Bay from September 23 to 29.

With entries still coming in, already around 120 surfers from 24 countries such as Australia, Indonesia, France, Venezuela, Israel, the USA, Portugal, New Zealand, Mexico, Spain, Great Britain, Brazil, South Africa, Costa Rica, Argentina, Japan, Ireland, Chile, Belgium, Peru, India, the Maldives, Malaysia and Sri Lanka have entered the event.

“It is fantastic to see that contestants from many different nationalities have already entered into So Sri Lanka Pro,” said World Surf League (WSL) Contest Director for the event, Will Hayden-Smith. “The event is extremely important for all these surfers with essential qualification points aligned to the world rankings. With great waves also very likely to greet these surfers, they have shown their approval for the event with entries coming in from all over the world.”

Many of these surfers are well known within the world professional surfing ranks and many are serious contenders to represent their nations in the 2020 Japan Olympic Games, where surfing makes its Olympic debut.

One such surfer is the fast-emerging Rio Waida from Indonesia. The powerful youngster was placed third in the WSL World Junior Championships in 2018 and he is already identified as the future star of the sport.

“I am very excited to be coming to Sri Lanka for this great event,” said Waida. “I have heard great things about the waves in Sri Lanka and it is always fantastic for us to have the opportunity to compete in quality surf. I can’t wait!”

So Sri Lanka Pro 2019 will also play as a huge opportunity for some of the local surfers to take on the international professionals as wildcards in the event. This opportunity is something that has been made possible through the WSL and the Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka.

The world-famous tourist resort in Pottuvil, Arugam Bay is going to be a hive of activity as a series of events have been organised from September 23 till the end of the month. This world-qualified ranking event in surfing and World Tourism Day have been planned to be celebrated there.

The ranking event in surfing has been organised in conjunction with the Sri Lanka National Surf Federation under the guidance of the World Surf Federation and elaborate arrangements have been made to accord a warm welcome to surfers from various parts of the world.

The event for local surfers has been scheduled for September 23 and 24, where 32 surfers from various parts of the country have already submitted their entries while the world-qualified ranking event is to be worked out on September 25 and 29, where more than 130 surfers are expected to take part in this event.

A progress review meeting to finalise arrangements and to entrust assignments to respective organisations and personalities held at the Arugam Bay Tristar Hotel auditorium was presided over by District Secretary D.M.L. Bandaranayake with the participation of Additional District Secretary A.M. Latheef, Eastern Province Tourism Bureau Director General A.S.M. Faiz, Pottuvil Divisional Secretariat D.R. Thiraviaraj, Divisional Secretary M.A.C. Nazeel, Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman M.S.M. Waseeth, Chamber of Tourism and Industry President A.M. Jaufer, Arugam Bay Tourism Association Chairman M.H.A. Raheem and high-ranking officers of Tri Forces.

Lanka Sportreizen Chairman Thilak Weerasinghe and President of the Sri Lanka Surfing Federation Hiran Ukwatte briefed the arrangements being made for the event. Officials in charge of electricity, water supply or drinking water, hotel and accommodation for invitees, parking areas, security arrangements, temporary police posts, first aid services, transportation, volunteering, invitees and invitations, solid waste and garbage management, carnival site arrangement, beach cleaning, sanitary facilities, refreshments, media campaign, and promotion and publicity were also discussed at length.

Arugam Bay Tourism Association Chairman M.H.A. Raheem said that there are 226 hotels in Arugam Bay with a capacity of 3,000 rooms to accommodate more than 7,500 tourists from various parts of the world.

“If necessary, additional accommodation facilities too could be arranged. Bookings have already been made and some of the competitors have already arrived and are practicing. This is a good sign,” he said.

“So Sri Lanka Pro 2019 will also play as a huge opportunity for some of the local surfers to take on the international professionals as wildcards in the event. This opportunity is something that has been made possible through the WSL and the Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka. It will be amazing to have the WSL come back to Sri Lanka,” said Sri Lankan Surfing Federation President Hiran Ukwatte.

“We cannot wait to witness a world-class event and watch the positive effect it will have on surf sports in our country and on surf tourism to the area. Arugam Bay is a world-class wave with some fantastic local surfers such as D.A. Lakshitha from Weligama, Praneeth Sandaruwan and Lesitha Prabath from Arugam Bay to name a few. These surfers are looking forward to the opportunity to compete with surfers from all over the world,” he said.

“They will have the opportunity to compete with wildcards in the So Sri Lanka Pro event, which will be an incredible experience for them. At present, the three top surfers of Sri Lanka are competing at the2019 ISA World Surfing GamesinMiyazaki, Japan, which is an Olympic qualifying event. Finally, the tireless efforts of the Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka have made this event happen and I truly believe the event will make the Federation grow in many ways and become an integral part of sport development in this country,” Ukwatte said.

“Meanwhile, beaches are also being cleaned by the Arugam Bay Development Forum (ADF). Members of the ADF, Tri Forces personnel and the public too are participating in shramadana. A large number of foreigners too are voluntarily engaged in this task,” ADF President Hajith said.

Arrangements are also afoot to celebrate World Tourism day on September 27 in Arugam Bay with colourful and cultural events. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and Tourism Bureau of Eastern Province together with the Chamber of Tourism and Industry of Sri Lanka have drawn up all programs.

Eastern Province Tourism Bureau Director General A.S.M. Fayis told the Daily News that the highlight of the day would be the sail and cruise ship from which one could watch whales and dolphins.

Foreigners and locals are allowed to board the ship for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Meanwhile, Chamber of Tourism and Industry President A.M. Jaufer has made all arrangements to give away the awards and certificates to the winners who won the art competition on the theme ‘Creating employment opportunities in tourism’; an Eco Tourism Award will also be presented.

At the same time, the National Youth Services Council has planned a few cultural events with the objective of strengthening communal amity, inter-communal harmony and co-existence.

source:
http://www.dailynews.lk/2019/09/18/features/197202/world-surfs-sri-lanka

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Lankan’s biggest surfing event ever scheduled for June

Published on 04/02/2019 in bars, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, parties, surf, Surf competition and Surf Federation News. 0 Comments

International Surf WQS planned at Arugam Bay this June!

With the growing success of the Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka (SFSL), it will host the World’s most accomplished Surfers in a World Qualifying Series (WQS) competition this June at Arugam Bay.

The SFSL is a member of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka and will play a big part in the proceedings.

Altogether, 145 competitors and 105 officials from 22 countries such as United States, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, France, Japan and Indonesia, to name a few. are billed to participate, with the projected income for Sri Lanka set at US$ 450,000.

Surf Champ. Julian Wilson. Enjoying his winning with a cool Corona @ the Siam View

The World Surf League (WSL) is the home of professional Surfing, and the WQS events are given Star Ratings with this particular event made a 6 Star Event, the highest rating in this series, up with the Hawaiian events and attracting the very best of professional Surfers. In the exciting world of professional Surfing no one is safe on the “tour” and attendance and good results at these events, held worldwide, are vital in keeping the dreams alive of a possible world title one day.

The WQS is the only possible route into the final Championship Tour that decides a world champion from 32 Surfers, but those in the lower rankings of the Championship Tour have to compete in the WQS events to stay on that tour, so expect to see some of the biggest names in Surfing gracing our waves.

The global media presence at the WSL events is massive with an expected 120 million online viewers over an event window. This media exposure would be a huge boost to, not only Arugam Bay and Eastern Sri Lanka, but to the entire Sri Lankan tourism sector. Sri Lanka would be up in the rankings of Hawaii, California and Australia who of course are major venues for WSL events.

WSL events are expect to bring around US$ 450,000 of direct revenue to the area where the competitions are held, but it’s the aftermath of this exposure online that has made a huge and positive impact for many countries that have hosted these events.

So how do they find a winner? Surfers are judged by a panel of 5 professional judges who travel the tour and the Surfer will be judged according to a set criteria, with each wave judged out of a possible maximum 10 in a 20-30 minute period. Of course, they are surfing against their rivals but more than that, they are trying to catch the judges eyes with a solid performance. Its exciting stuff and quite easy to understand. Even the layman can often give a solid opinion on a spectacular surfing display. Surfers compete against one another in groups of 4 until the final exciting rounds where its man-on-man competition until the winner is crowned. They receive considerable prize money too for their efforts.

source (of the text content):
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/190203/sports/lankans-biggest-surfing-event-ever-scheduled-for-june-334099.html

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Arugam discovers new surfing hero

Published on 23/09/2018 in Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, Surf competition, Surf Federation News and Top News. 0 Comments

Lesitha Prabath was crowned national surfing champion of Sri Lanka in Arugam Bay after two days of battling his rivals at the inaugural National Surfing Championship Series 2018.
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Lesitha Prabath on the podium with his trophy

The local 27 year-old from the Arugam Bay Surf Club had to overcome windy conditions and head high sets of waves but convinced the judges by showcasing strong skills of speed, power, flow and a solid aerial. An aerial means the surfer flies through the air above the wave to land again and carry on the ride.

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This gave him the leading points above his fellow competitors Praneeth Sadaruwan (2nd place) Asanka Sanjeewa (3rd place) and Nadeen Sampath (4th place).

Arugam Bay’s amazing weather pattern

Tim Jones, International Surfing Association advisor to the SFSL commented on the outstanding skills of the new national champion: a??Lesitha probably is the most experienced when it comes to contests. He has got solid, strong skills. He is also one of the few competitors that has an air game. In the finals, his understanding of being safe in his surfing when he needed to and taking chances and risks in his surfing when it demanded he did so, was excellent.a??

The three round championship was organized by the recently formed Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka.

In January 2018, Lesitha had already applied his winning formula at the start of the popular series in Hikkaduwa.

Although Lesitha only made it into the semi-finals at the second competition in Kabalana in March, he pushed hard to succeed at his home-break.

For Lesitha it was a special moment in his life and a historical one for the whole nation. a??Of course it was my dream to become the National Surfing Champion of Sri Lanka. I trained for it. Whenever I had free time I came to Main Point.a??

Hiran Ukwatte, first president of the SFSL explained: a??Surfing as a sport has only very recently been introduced by the International Olympic Committee to the Olympic Games. It will feature in the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.

a??In Sri Lanka, surfing was only considered a tourism development activity, enough to get the tourists to visit the country. But when this Olympic moment came it laid the ground to have a National level event for the first time in history.a??

 

Order florinef and pregnancy http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/09/23/sports/sri-lanka-discovers-new-surfing-hero

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5 Secret Asian Places

Published on 21/04/2018 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, blog, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, surf and Surf Federation News. 0 Comments

Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka
is Number ONE Purchase amantadine

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Why has Sri Lanka sprung to the top of so many a??must seea?? lists? Ita??s probably got something to do with its mellow vibes, its lively locals, its fusion of culture, cuisine and natural wonder that stands up to any other destination in the region.

In short, Sri Lanka has got it going on, and of all the amazing spots to drop in on in this place, Arugam Bay just might take the cake. Home to one of the worlda??s most raved-about surf breaks, the golden sands, glittering waters and epic sunsets make for a truly spectacular tropical affair, and with just a single strip of shops and restaurants nearby, Order hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg Arugama??s star has only begun to rise. Pack an extra bag a?? youa??ll need it when you decide to move here for good.

Source:
http://junkee.com/asian-holiday-destinations/154959

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SRI LANKA TOURISM BOARD… Mentions AbaY!

Published on 19/03/2017 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, From our own Correspondent, front page, Humour, surf, Surf Federation News and Top News. 1 Comment

Nice! To see that Order ethionamide side Arugam Bay is being mentioned.
Sad A?that this promotion used totally wrong images. Causing dismay to the entire Surf Community.

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This just in from London. Carve reader Will Robertson sent in this pic of a Sri Lanka tourist board ad which is all over London underground.

a??Ita??s been a while since I last surfed A Bay, but judging from this poster on the wall of the London tube the reef must have shifted and ita??s got a lot more square. And Fanninga??s doing a good job of surfing it switch too.

Ita??s definitely a a??different kind of surfa?? a?? quite literally.

Oh how lazy ad people can miss some fundamentals a?? thought I would share the love.a??

Not sure what is more annoying. Using a wave from a totally different ocean as A Bay (A Bay is actually very fun in its own right). Buy nasonex uk The sacrilege of putting Mick the wrong way round. Or the irony that we actually emailed Sri Lanka tourist board to offer a bit of help before Christmas and they ignored our emails.

If you want a campaign done right, maybe hire surfing art director?

http://www.carvemag.com/2017/03/sri-lanka-tourism-board-fail/#.WMzTHmxuVo4.facebook

Surf Competition in July

Published on 29/06/2015 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, Money Matters, press coverage, surf, Surf competition, Surf Federation News and the bay. 0 Comments

Red Bull Ride my Wave Competition

Benzac ac over the counter Arugam Bay gets ready for Red Bull Ride My Wave
Details and online Entry Form

On 23rd July, Red Bull Ride My Wave returns to the Sri Lankaa??s surf capital, Arugam Bay Casodex 50 mg price .

Red Bull Surf Competition at Arugam Bay

Red Bull Surf Competition at Arugam Bay

Competing surfers will take on the waves in a head to head competition to be crowned champion of Red Bull Ride My Wave 2015.

Driven by the popularity of the 2014 event, this yeara??s edition of Red Bull Ride My Wave will see domestic and international surfers compete over three days on the islanda??s eastern coastline.

Red Bull Ride My Wave will be hosted by officials from the Association of Surfing Professionals, who will run the event as per international surfing rules and regulations, including three days of heats before culminating in the Finals on July 25th

The islanders will play with home advantage, but will no doubt face stiff competition from the international surfers. The combination of home grown and international talent promises to promote Sri Lanka as one of the best surfing destinations.

Red Bull has been actively involved in surfing events for several years, hosting competitions on every continent around the world. Surfing in Sri Lanka has seen a considerable movement from being a healthy pastime and tourism tool to one of professional sport. This has been driven by both passionate surfers within the country and Red Bulla??s very own series of surfing projects. In 2013, Red Bull Sri Lanka held the Local Hero Tour with Peruvian Pro Surfer, Gabriel VillarA?n, who ran workshops and judged an intense competition where 30 young Sri Lankans showcased their talent on the beaches of Arugam Bay. The success of this event set the foundation for an international surfing stage in Sri Lanka, activating the inaugural Red Bull Ride My Wave last year. The competition pitted the sporta??s greatest local surfers from the Eastern and Southern waters against each other in a quest to determine which region was home to the islanda??s best surfers. Hosted by Costa Rican Pro Surfer, Diego Naranjo, the East Coast team emerged victorious and went on to represent Sri Lanka at Red Bull Both Ways in the Maldives, where they placed 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively.

To register for Online episodes adalat sony tv Red Bull Ride My Wave 2015, sign up before July 19th 2015 at

www.redbull.com/ridemywave.

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Healing waters

Published on 23/12/2014 in press coverage, presse-deutsch, surf and the bay. 0 Comments
BeitragVerfasst am: 06.08.2005 08:23A?A?A?A? A?A?Titel:

Surfen in Arugam
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‘Healing watersCarolyn Fry finds that surfing is helping one Sri Lankan resort to get back on its feet after the tsunami

Tuesday August 2, 2005

Alan Stokes takes on the surf at Arugam Bay. Photograph: Carolyn Fry

On a sweeping stretch of cinnamon sand, a crowd turned its eyes to the rolling ocean surf. Local families, holiday-makers and a throng of photographers, film-makers and journalists were gathering to see the 2005 Champion of Champions surf contest in Arugam Bay, south-east Sri Lanka.
As a new day’s sun burned the sand through the fronds of coconut palms, surfers launched themselves into the water to ride the swell in a ballet of curving turns, speeding glides and twists of spray. The Boxing Day tsunami ripped through this sleepy beachside village, but the Indian Ocean’s barrelling waves are helping the community get back on its feet.

The legendary ‘right-handers’ of Arugam Bay have long attracted travelling wave-riders. During the country’s 20-year civil war, a dedicated group of Australian surfers regularly risked being bombed, or shot in cross-fire during violent battles between Tamil Tigers and the army. With the end of the conflict in 2002, more adventurers started to make the 10-hour journey along narrow, pitted roads to the famed beach.

Last year, when the British Professional Surfing Association (BPSA) held the first ever Champions surfing competition in the area it seemed things were finally looking up for this dusty, laid-back cluster of low-rise hotels, palm-roofed cabanas and fishermen’s shacks.

A message posted on the Siam View Hotel’s website at Christmas said: “The 2004 season has been the best the bay has ever seen. Nothing – not even another civil war – can stop the bay’s progress now.”

Hours later, the first of eight waves struck, sucking a metre of sand from the base of palms on Arugam Point, plucking cabanas and their inhabitants from the sand and smashing a thickening cargo of debris through the windows of the buses on the main street.

Simon, owner of the unfortunately named Tsunami Hotel, was managing the Siam View that night. He awoke to find himself underwater with his leg trapped. After breaking his ankle to free himself he was swept through several dwellings by the murky, diesel-tainted current before managing to grasp hold of some building blocks. This stopped Simon being swept out to sea as the water receded back to the horizon. Today, his faded superman tattoo has been supplemented by a fresh turquoise inking of a tsunami, along with the date he survived against all odds.

Following the tsunami, the organisers of the surfing contest were in two minds as to whether it should go ahead this year. A third of Arugam Bay’s 3,000 inhabitants had been killed in the disaster, money pledged by charities was slow in reaching the village and the bridge carrying the main road into Arugam Bay had been breached by the waves, cutting the community off for a short period.

However, when the bridge reopened in April the organisers decided the competition should take place. They felt that bringing 100 people into the village would serve as an impetus to get hotels rebuilt as soon as possible as well as injecting much-needed cash into the local economy.

“Everyone worked very, very hard to put it in place,” said Ralph Pereira, managing director of Travel and Tours Anywhere, which developed the contest in conjunction with Sri Lankan Airlines and the BPSA. “We didn’t know for sure that it would go ahead or whether there would be sufficient hotel rooms until six weeks beforehand.”

Guesthouse owners had certainly been hurrying to rebuild and reopen rooms damaged by the tsunami. At Hideaway Guesthouse, where I was staying, the front part of the garden was still a building site. But the main building, with its colonial tea plantation feel was homely and clean, with plump pink and orange cushions brightening rattan chairs.

Before the tsunami, surfing had been a mainstay of the tourism economy right around Sri Lanka’s southern coastline. The island’s south-west has the best waves from November to April, the south-east from May to September.

When Arugam Bay’s right-handers tailed off with the onset of the monsoon, surfers simply headed west to Hikkaduwa, where plentiful hotels and beach villas stood among lush gardens of banana and bourganvillia.

Recreating this surfers’ paradise in the wake of the tsunami has not been easy; with compensation payments from the government yet to materialise, most tourism enterprises have had to rely on their own funds to rebuild their businesses.

“We lost all our watersports equipment,” explained Thilak Weerasinghe, managing director of Lanka Sportreizen. “I didn’t get a cent, but luckily we had built up the business and can afford to rebuild.”

The Travel Foundation and Association of Independent Tour Operators (Aito) are working with the Sri Lankan government, local communities and environmental groups to help people affected by the tsunami regain their livelihoods by developing responsible tourism initiatives.

A number of projects have been earmarked for assistance, including a plan to create a sustainable fishing village. Visitors will see fish being brought to shore and sold, enabling fishermen to benefit from tourism while maintaining their traditional role in society.

Another scheme aims to revegetate land affected by the tsunami, using native plant species. This will include research into using mangroves for coastal protection. Funding for the projects will come from money already pledged by Aito members and donations from customers.

Back in Arugam Bay, there are plans to use money raised by the UK surfing fraternity to build a community surf foundation. Tsunami Surf Relief UK (TSRUK) has so far raised A?A?30,000 through charity auctions and events and has allocated a third of this to building a new surf centre. As well as being a focal point where local surfers can meet, the foundation will help generate cash by offering board hire and surfing lessons to visiting tourists.

“We felt the community would benefit from having a centre offering surf-board hire and perhaps swimming lessons and life-guarding,” explained Phil Williams, national director of Christian Surfers UK and a trustee of TSRUK. “The break at Arugam Point is world famous for its waves and surfers from around the world go specifically to that area. In the three or four years after the ceasefire and before the tsunami, more and more surfers were coming to A-Bay; it was a much more prosperous place than before they came.”

As the surfing contest hotted up there was something of a party atmosphere on the beach. Dozens of coloured flags rippled in the tropical wind along the path to Arugam Point where glassy turquoise waves curled invitingly around the reef.

Judges assessed surfers on their turns, style and risk-taking, while waiting competitors nervously flexed their muscles, waxed their boards and contemplated their chances of winning the A?A?2,000 prize money.

For the Sri Lankan surfers, many of whom lost friends and family in the tsunami, preparing for the contest helped them overcome their fear of the ocean. As each entered the water, the 100 or so villagers seated beneath the palm trees lining the shore cheered and whistled their support.

“The contest has been hugely important for morale after the tsunami,” said Phil Williams. “It’s sent out the message that, while Arugam Bay isn’t quite yet open for business as usual, it’s back on the tourist trail.”

Way to go

Getting there: Sri Lankan Airlines ( Zestoretic online stopwatch 020-8538 2001

), offers 11 flights a week from Heathrow to Colombo. Fares start at A?A?450 return plus taxesWhere to stay: Travel and Tours Anywhere Ltd (0208 8136622) offers surfing holidays to Arugam Bay and Hikkaduwa. A 15-day holiday to Arugam Bay including flights, transfers and B&B accommodation in a guest house costs from A?A?699pp. 14 days in Hikkaduwa costs from A?A?599pp. Hire of boards and surfing lessons can be arranged

When to go: The waves at Arugam Bay are best between May and September during the dry season. During the off-season, Sri Lanka’s main surf spot on the south-west coast, Hikkaduwa, has good waves

Further information: Sri Lanka Tourist Board ( Buy unisom sleepgels nz 020-7930 2627), arugambay.com’

http://travel.guardian.co.uk/c…..60,00.html

Continue reading ‘Healing waters’

South seeks revenge at Red Bull Ride My Wave a?? second leg

Published on 30/07/2014 in Arugam Bay Surf Club, Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page and surf. 0 Comments

After being shown up on home waters, the best surfers from Sri Lankaa??s South Coast are out to settle the score against their Eastern counterparts in the second and final leg of Red Bull Ride My Wave, which gets under way at three popular surf spots in Arugam Bay
from the 8th to the 10th of August.

8th, 9th and 10th August

Cost effexor Purchase aristocort triamcinolone With an excellent mixture of swell, wind, tide and sunny skies, the South Coast finished with 142.3 points after the opening skirmishes on their territory earlier in the year, well below the Easta??s final tally of 164.8 points. This means they have no option but to go for broke with their best tricks from double barrels to cut backs and sprays. Whilst, the East team which ruled the first leg of Red Bull Ride My Wave held in March, will seek a repeat of their previous dominance in order to complete their surf supremacy over the South team. All this sets the scene for an electric display of surfing. Street price for baclofen Continue reading ‘South seeks revenge at Red Bull Ride My Wave a?? second leg’

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Kite Surfer and the MH370 Mystery

Published on 01/04/2014 in 1st April, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, Fun, Kitesurf, stop over Ideas and Traveler's Reports. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Kite Surfer returns from the Bondives


Kite Surfer and the MH370 Mystery

World Exclusive News

Kite Surf Legend Dill Sill recovering at nearby KaputtoVille hospital.
He wasA?Blown off course and badly crash landed at AbaY today.
He is dilsirious, but he has indicated a possible explanation to what may have happened to the missing Malay flight MH 370

Crashed at AbaY beach - blown way off course

Drifted in from the distant Bondives

Attempted Kite Surfing in the Bondives

World class Kite Surfing legend Mr. Dill Sill seems to have been blown across from the previously unknown island of The Bondives to all the way toA?Arugam Bay.

His somewhat incoherent account is being questioned.
He claims that The Bondives IslandersA?reported a ‘low level flight’
However, his helmet camera has captured this amazing photo.
Which is the last known image of the missing Boeing 777:

Due to the isolation of the Island Nation of The Bondives this has only just now been reported. A group of Natives as well as the one only Police man on the island have seen a large aircraft a few weeks ago.

Did MH370 BonDive nr. AbaY ?A?

(artist’s impression)

Why does this news only come in NOW?

Because:

It happened in the uncharted Islands of The Bondives

You have never heard of them?

No wonder! Here is why:
(Extract from Wikipedia)

The Bondives

Are an island nation in the Southern Indo-Pacific Ocean.

The Bondives are almost unknown. And they not even shown on any maps. The reason has just come to light: Those islands are shifting. Continuously.

The most singular feature of The Bondives geography is its mobility. Similar to the annual shifting of the famous ARUGAM BAY sand bank, The BONDIVES have a constant process of erosion that removes sand from the east coast and deposit it on the west coast, the islands were moving westward at the rate of 1400 meters a year. It is anticipated that the islands would collide with Sri Lanka in 2020. To slow down this movement, boats constantly ferry sand from the east coast back to the west.

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First known mention of the Bondive Islands

:noframe
Flag
:San Serriffe (02).png
Quick Facts
Capital Feemal
Government undemocratic republic
Currency dimes Roman (dR)
Area 692.7 sq km
Population 1,782,724 (1973 census)
Language English (official),Portuguese (official), Gowdy (Flong), Malay,Arabic
Religion Asterism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism
Electricity 190V/42Hz (South African plug)
Internet TLD .ss
Time Zone UTC +6:45

Other destinations

Understand

Map of The Bondives

Long unfairly neglected by travelers, and surprisingly never even mentioned in the backpack bible ‘Loony Planet”, the islands of The Bondives truly offer something for everyone: a rich culture full of fascinating customs, an informative case study for environmentalists and economists, and a treasure trove of unusual tubers for botanists. Now under nominally democratic government, now is the time to discover The Bondives distinctive cuisine, tropical climate and quaint transportation, before the next volcanic eruption occurs.

Economy

The Bondives have been unkindly characterized as a banana republic, although Bondivians themselves have been known to take offense at this suggestion and physically remind the commentator that pineapples are also an important export crop. (Critics must also concede that it’s not really much of a republic, either.) Continue reading ‘Kite Surfer and the MH370 Mystery’

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The rising tide in Lankan surfing

Published on 23/03/2014 in Arugambay Surf Club, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, front page, surf, Surf competition and Surf Federation News. 0 Comments

The Rising Tide in S. L. Surfing

From Arugam Bay with its legions of thunderous marching waves to the enchantingly golden seas and beaches along the southern coastline, surfing in Sri Lanka has seen a sizable structural shift. From existing entirely as a healthy pastime and tourism tool, in recent years it has thrown on a thicker cloak of sporting legitimacy, stitched together by a collection of passionate practitioners and benevolent organizers of surfing projects and competitions.

Sri Lanka on March 15th, 2014

Last week saw the beginning of one such helpful competition, Red Bull Ride My Wave, a unique local surfing tournament which matches up surfers from the countrya??s two renowned hubs for the sport, the eastern and southern coasts.

By doing this the competition aims to discover the islanda??s best surfers, foster friendly rivalry and promote and develop the sport. The competition is being staged in a two-leg format, with the opening round in the south coast ending on March 15 before action resumes in Arugam Bay from August 5-7.

Surfing on unfamiliar waters, the men from the east nevertheless managed to pull off an upset, spearheaded by Asanka, a name synonymous with the sport locally. Asankaa??s imaginative over-water artillery outgunned anything anyone else could pull out of their arsenal and helped him ride away with the opening lega??s top surfer title.

a??I am delighted with the result. It is a reflection of the hard work of each surfer. It was an honour to captain this team,a?? Asanka revealed.

a??This is going to be good for the future of surfing in Sri Lanka. I am also very proud to be named the best surfer from the three heats as there are many good surfers on both teams.a?? Continue reading ‘The rising tide in Lankan surfing’

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A Scotsman at Arugam

Published on 20/01/2014 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, front page, press coverage, surf and Traveler's Reports. 1 Comment

At a frienda??s wedding recently, about halfway through the best mana??s speech, I suddenly realised I was embarrassed about something Ia??d never been embarrassed about before.

Back in the late 1990s, when my family lived in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, my brother and I, still in our teens, took full advantage of the islanda??s enticing surf geography, exploring the reef breaks of Hikkaduwa on the west coast and the endless point break at Arugam Bay Buy phytopharm hoodia gordonii on the east A?Coast.

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A surfer at Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka, in 1998, when the area was outside the government declared safe zone

The journey to Arugam was a bit of a mission, involving a long, noisy overnight bus ride and bleary-eyed stop-and-searches at various military checkpoints on the way into Eastern Province, but at this stage in Sri Lankaa??s history, hostilities between the Tamil Tiger separatists and government forces were at a relatively low ebb, so Arugam, although sandwiched between two parts of the country deemed out of bounds, was considered quite safe. As a result, during the dry summer months, when Colombo and the west coast were battered by monsoonal rains, Arugam was busy with tourists, and in particular surf tourists a?? mostly Australians and a few Brits a?? happy to put up with the gruelling bus journey and basic living conditions in exchange for days on end of perfect, warm-water waves.

Arugam was heaven, but as with all popular surf spots there was a pecking order. When a big set rolled in, the wild-eyed, tangle-haired Aussies living in the jungle on rice, water and whatever bugs they could catch got priority, and everyone else had to wait their turn. There were plenty of waves to go around, but in between sets there was much talk of other spots nearby, almost as good as Arugam but a?? because they were outside the government declared safe zone a?? going completely unridden, day after day, season after season. One of these waves was called Okanda Point, and when my friend Phil flew out from the UK for a little surf safari, we decided wea??d try and ?find it.

The road running south out of Arugam had been closed by the army, so the only way in to Okanda was by boat, and for that wea??d need to find a fisherman who was prepared to take us. Thanks to some subtle enquiries from our friend Gamini, who ran the B&B where we were staying, we found a guy who would ferry us there for a reasonable fee. He hardly spoke any English, so Gamini translated the rules for us before we left: a??Hea??ll take you to Okanda, but no further; he doesna??t want to drop you too close to the shore so youa??ll have to paddle in to the break; hea??ll motor against the current while you surf so he can keep you in sight; and when he starts waving it means hea??s running out of fuel, so youa??ll need to paddle straight back to the boat.a?? We agreed, and ten minutes later, Phil and I were sitting in a little fibreglass skiff, bouncing in and out of a promising five-foot swell and heading a?? technically, at least a?? into a war zone.

Which brings us back to that wedding a?? Phila??s wedding a?? and his brothera??s best mana??s speech. After winding up a choice anecdote about Phila??s early sartorial choices he glugged a bit more champagne and said: a??And then, of course, there was the time Phil and Roger went surfing in a war zonea??a?? Ia??d never had a problem with our Okanda adventure before, but a?? stated baldly like that a?? the whole idea made me cringe. It made us sound like Jeremy Clarkson and AA Gill racing tanks in Iraq. a??Therea??s a war there? Great! Leta??s go and get some extreme kicks!a??

All of a sudden, I felt like the most culturally insensitive guy in the room.

Still, at least Phil and I have the excuse of having been young and naive. Ever since the wedding, Ia??ve become increasingly aware of how the extreme sports industry and associated media are using conflict zones as backdrops for films and magazine articles. Take, for example, this idiotic headline to a recent feature in a national paper about climbing on Nanga Parbat: a??Facing down terrorism on the killer mountaina??. Subtext: climbers are gnarly, but these guys are even gnarlier a?? they climb in a place where terrorists are trying to kill them! Extreme sports are supposed to be about celebrating life, not fetishising death; somehow, somewhere along the line we seem to have forgotten that.

source:
http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/roger-cox-extreme-sports-should-celebrate-life-1-3273325