From dancing to health actions, there’s loads on supply on the competition
Surfers doing what they do finest
Except you’re dwelling beneath a rock, you will need to have heard of the Covelong Traditional Surf, Music and Health Pageant.
Again for its ninth version, this occasion since its inception in 2013 (with a pandemic-induced break in 2020 and 2021) has been on the radar of each Indian surfer price their salt. It’s simply as common amongst non-surfers who are available in from Chennai, Bengaluru Hyderabad, Mumbai and so on to witness aggressive browsing up shut, and lounge by the ocean whereas sampling a wide range of flavours from the meals stalls or signing up for the numerous health actions lined up.
“From parkour and gymnastics to silambam and different conventional types of exercises, we’ve seven to eight modules of health actions deliberate this yr,” says Rajeev Vijaykumar, the occasion director for the final 4 years now. The lineup additionally incorporates dance exercises resembling pole dancing, salsa and zumba, and a diverse vary of classes, from sound immersion to a category on strengthening knee joints.
The ever common Wild Warrior Impediment Race is again this time with new challenges. Rajeev says there are as many as 200 amateurs and 30 to 40 professionals who’re set to take part. Trials are on Saturday and the finals will happen on Sunday. The morning may even see enthusiastic runners taking to the seaside for a barefoot 5K run. The spoils of which embody a money award.
There may be palpable pleasure among the many organisers in regards to the bands performing this yr. Selection appears to be the key phrase with genres as numerous as tribal people music to indie-rock being showcased. “We even have a 34-member Tamil choral ensemble,” says Rajeev including that there are 16 bands taking part, with The Soul coming from Sri Lanka. When Chai Met Toast and Avial will probably be headlining the present on Saturday and Sunday night respectively.
Along with a flea market there may even be tattoo artists, kiosks promoting India-made surfboards, garments, dwelling decor and jewelry, amongst others and 35 meals stalls to satiate starvation pangs and hold you hydrated via Chennai’s prolonged summer time days. These embody Beachville Cafe, Kaati Roll Store, Smoking Hog, Kai, Chef Gokul Hygge, Purple Brewery, Little Loco Pops, Tannys Gourmand, Freshlings, Contemporary Crush and Kaaram Mess.
Arun Vasu, president Browsing Federation of India and Tamil Nadu Browsing Affiliation, the proprietor of Surf Turf and chairman of TT Group, expects footfalls to overhaul final yr’s 20,000 guests. “Normally extra crowds come in the direction of the night for the music and meals, however final yr we seen a crowd throughout the day to observe the browsing,” says Arun.
Whereas the Covelong Pageant will happen on August 12 and 13 the browsing heats will start on August 11. “What we’ve performed in another way this time is that we ran an East Coast Professional that began in Mangalore on June 3, adopted by Puducherry two weekends in the past, then Mamallapuram final weekend and we are going to end at Covelong this weekend. It is a nationwide collection. We’ll crown the nationwide champion on the competition,” explains Arun. The winner, together with the highest 10 finishers within the males’s and ladies’s classes, will safe wild card entries to the WSL-Worldwide Surf Open Tamil Nadu that can happen in Mamallapuram from August 14 to twenty and have surfers from 10 nations together with Japan, Australia, and the Philippines.
For the nationwide collection, they’ve obtained round 80 entries over all, for every occasion. Arun is happy with the curiosity the game is garnering. “After the Covelong Pageant, there may be at all times a rise in curiosity in browsing, with many queries and new surfers. Thee at the moment are near 12 surf colleges in Covelong now.”
Covelong Traditional Surf, Music and Health Pageant on August 12 and 13 at Surf Turf, Kovalam, Chennai. For particulars, try surfturfindia on Instagram.