By Biswabhusan Mohapatra
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 30: The countdown has begun for the much-awaited annual India Surf Festival (ISF)-2015 extravaganza. The biggest board sport event is set to kick off with surfing, music, art and adventure activities from February 14 to 16 at Ramachandi beach on the Puri-Konark Marine Drive.
Surfers from across the country as well as abroad are expected to participate in the event in large numbers, as well as musicians, artistes, and famous lensmen whose presence will jazz up the atmosphere at the beach during the three-day festival.
ISF founder Sanjay Samantray briefed mediapersons on the unique festival here Friday. “The festival is all about showing the worldwide audience the state’s massive potential for board sport activities such as surfing, kite-surfing, stand-up paddling (SUP) and long boarding (skate),” Samantray said.
Four surfers from India and 12 from other countries will participate in the SUP competition which has a cash prize of $1,000, Samantray said, adding the highlight of the event will be the SUP Ball, as India is the third country in the world to witness the game after Australia and the United Kingdom.
“The objective behind the festival is to make people realise the significance of low-water sports and to make it an open festival, not just confined to sports enthusiasts. As it is a very new and unique festival in India, the public are also free to participate in the event and experience the joy. The festival will promote kite-boarding and SUP in a big way by inviting people to take part,” Samantray said.
The festival will also provide a platform for famous photographers from India and abroad along with photography enthusiasts from the state to display their creativity. Named ‘Hungry Lens’, the initiative will strive to foster competitive spirit in the photographer community.
ISF-2015 is poised to be included in the Asian Surfing Championship (ASC) tour, a move that would not only catapult Ramchandi beach and the long Orissa coastline into the global surfing map but also project the state among the hottest world surf tourism destinations.
The important part of the festival is this year’s theme called ‘Girl Power’. “The reason behind selecting the theme is that we wanted to showcase the many things that girls today are capable of, such as in the fields of music, surfing, art, painting and many more,” Samantray said.
The festival will start with a workshop by three women surfers from Portugal – Carolina, Lissa and Mafalda.
“We are here to impart surfing lessons to children, apart from giving them training on live painting and music. I am very glad to be part of the festival,” said Carolina.
As many as 100 surfers from 14 countries including India will be joining the festival this year along with music bands, digital artists, designers and performers.
ISF 2015 expects to draw more than 5,000 visitors over its three-day duration.
