Adam Rifau Abdul Raheem
With just days to go before the 4th Asian Surfing Championship (ASC) 2025, the Maldives National Surfing Team has launched its final phase of preparations through an intensive training camp in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu which is the very site where Asia’s top surfers will compete from August 3 to 12.
Organized by the Surfing Federation of India (SFI) in partnership with the Asian Surfing Federation (ASF), ASC 2025 stands as the final qualifying event for the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, making this edition a pivotal moment in the region’s surfing narrative.
The Maldivian team arrived earlier this week and began acclimating to the powerful right-hand point break, starting their first training sessions yesterday evening.
The Mahabalipuram point break is a renowned surfing spot in India. The coastal town is also home to A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The location offers wave conditions that closely replicate the competition setup, which provides an ideal environment for heat simulation, wave analysis, and team cohesion drills. “We have superb waves and a small community that is very welcoming to surfers of all levels”, says Ruban, one of the surfers who call Mahabalipuram home.
The ASC not only crowns Asia’s regional surfing champions but also allocates the final qualification slots for the upcoming Asian Games 2026. With 20 nations in contention, Team Maldives is setting its sights beyond participation, aiming to make a serious impact.
This marks a historic chapter for Maldivian surfing, as national athletes join Asia’s most elite pathway toward international recognition.
Backed by dedicated coaching staff, technical experts, and physiotherapists, the team is leaving no stone unturned in its mission to elevate the Maldives on the global surfing stage.
