Karnataka surfers bag seven medals at National Stand-Up Paddling Race Championship

Praveen Pujar and Ashok Pujar bagged medals at the National Stand-Up Paddling Race Championship, Palk Bay SUP Challenge 2024 on Sunday, September 29.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Surfers from Karnataka made a strong impression at the National Stand-Up Paddling Race Championship, Palk Bay SUP Challenge 2024, held in Rameswaram on Saturday and Sunday (September 28 and 29) by clinching seven medals.

Akash Pujar claimed first place with a comfortable lead in the Under-16 category, while his younger brother, Praveen Pujar, delivered a thrilling performance to secure third place, narrowly missing second place by two seconds in the National Under-16 Technical Race. The Pujar brothers have been training for two years at the Surfing Swami Foundation, Mulki-Mangaluru.

Early Sunday morning, Akash Pujar made history by becoming the first Under-16 athlete to win a medal in the National Men’s 12-km race division in India by securing third place. In the Under-16 200-m sprint race, Praveen Pujar took second place, while Akash Pujar, despite an early fall, finished in third place.

Akash Shetty, National Athlete and the Stand-Up Paddle coach for the Surfing Swami Foundation said, “The medals are a reward for all the hard work we’ve put in over the past two years. We specifically prepared and trained for the challenging conditions in Rameswaram, never stopping our practice even during the monsoon, despite rain, wind, and storms.”

In the women’s category, Tanvi Jagadish from Kadal Surf bagged two gold medals and one silver in the long-distance race, technical race, and sprint race, respectively.

Surfing Swami foundation chairman Dhananjay Shetty emphasised the importance of the coming years. “The next few years are crucial and exciting as we focus on grassroots athletes. We have planned an outreach programme to nurture and identify talent in Stand-Up Paddling and Surfing along the coast of Karnataka. I take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to Mantra Surf Club, sponsors, and well-wishers for their continuous support in promoting the sport and its athletes.”

The National Championship was organised by Tamil Nadu Surfing Association and recognised by the Surfing Federation of India.