Sri Vijaya Puram, Apr 6 A national-level surfing (wave riding or surfboard) championship will be held at Butler Bay in Little Andaman from April 9 to 12, officials said.
Butler Bay is located nearly 130 km south of Sri Vijaya Puram. This will be the first time that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration is organizing the event on such a large scale.
"The event, being organized by the administration in association with the Surfing Federation of India, is significant as it comes months before India's first-ever participation in surfing at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan," said Vinayak Chamadia, Director, Information, Publicity and Tourism Office (IP&T).
He said, "The championship will feature top surfers from across the country competing in senior divisions of surfing and Stand-Up Paddle (SUP). The event is aimed at promoting the archipelago as an emerging hub for surfing and ocean sports. With its clear waters, coral reefs, and consistent swells, the region has been attracting attention from both athletes and adventure tourism stakeholders."
Butler Bay, known for its reef break, offers long and clean waves conducive to high-performance surfing. Unlike typical mainland beach breaks, the conditions here allow competitors to execute technical maneuvers and extended rides, making it an ideal venue for a national competition.
The championship is also expected to boost local participation while promoting responsible tourism and environmental awareness in line with the island's conservation efforts.
"This is a landmark event for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as we host a national-scale competition at Little Andaman, which will help put the destination on the global surfing and tourism map," Chamadia said.