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States » SouthPosted at: Apr 5 2025 7:11PM


International Surfing Festival to begin in Varkala on April 10

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 5 (UNI) Tourists and water sports enthusiasts are in for a big treat as the panoramic Edava beach in the town of Varkala, Kerala, is all set to host the second edition of the International Surfing Festival from April 10-13.
The festival is set to be inaugurated by Kerala Minister for Tourism P A Mohamed Riyas on April 10 at 4 pm, with Varkala MLA V Joy presiding over the function.
Kerala MPs Adoor Prakash and AA Rahim, along with Kerala Tourism Director Sikha Surendran, and Anu Kumari, IAS District Collector, Thiruvananthapuram, will attend the inaugural function.
The global surfing event is organised by the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) under the State Tourism Department, in association with the Thiruvananthapuram District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC).
The event will feature competitions in categories like SUP (Stand Up Paddling) Technical Race, Paddle Board Technical Race, and SUP Surfing. Around 60 local and international surfers will participate in the festival.
Technical support for the event will be provided by the Surfing Federation of India and the International Surfing Association (ISA).
The competitions will be organised under the following categories: National Women’s Open, National Men’s Open, National Groms (16 & under – Girls), National Groms (16 & under – Boys), International Men's Open, and International Women's Open.
Winners of the competition under each category will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.
Besides the competition, the Surfing Festival also offers free surfing sessions worth Rs 1 lakh for 50 lucky winners through a special contest.
These individuals will be selected from across five categories such as general public, educational institutions, techies, working professionals, vloggers/content creators/photographers, and influencers.
The event will help attract more tourists to Varkala, which is already present on the international tourism map on account of its beautiful beaches, vibrant cafes and diverse culinary experience, according to Kerala Tourism Minister Mohamed Riyas.
Surfing culture is a part of Varkala. There are many professional surfers, surfing clubs and coaches there, making it the ideal destination to hold an event like an international surfing festival, the Minister added.
The Tourism Department is committed to make Kerala an adventure sports hub and events like the surfing festival will enrich this culture and popularity of such sports, said Tourism Secretary K Biju.
The event aims to firmly position Varkala as a major surfing destination in the country, said Kerala Tourism Director Sikha Surendran.
Varkala has world class accommodation facilities and air, road and rail connectivity that enable tourists to easily reach the destination and have a wholesome experience, including watching events like the surfing festival, she added.
Located about 40 km from the state capital, Varkala is also reputed as one of Kerala’s most visited pilgrim tourism sites.
Those interested in participating in the contest can register through the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfijXjNEXJmKhRvJYEoHhLqkFngFmTBD9ZwZ9LeOSMDxXKTCw/viewform
The Tourism Department will also be organising the Mountain Terrain Biking Championship (MTB Kerala 2025) at Mananthavady in Wayanad in May and the International White Water Kayaking Festival in Kozhikode from July 24-27.

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