Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The India Surf Festival, one of India’s biggest board sport events and now in its fourth edition this year, is all set to welcome adventure lovers to a three-day extravaganza of surfing, art, adventure and music at Ramchandi beach on the Puri-Konark Marine Drive from February 6-8.
Besides surfing, the festival will witness exciting activities such as kite-surfing, Stand-Up Paddling (SUP) and long-boarding (skate). The festival will have an electric atmosphere with international bands, musicians, artistes and photographers joining in to make it a memorable affair.
Before the start of the three-day unique festival, all participants and volunteers will undertake a massive cleaning-up exercise at the beach. Soon after, the India SUP cup qualifying round will begin followed by an SUP workshop in the afternoon.
The surf festival’s theme this year is ‘Girl Power’. The festival was kicked off with a ‘Girl Power’ workshop January 31 at Rangers Adventure Foundation on the marine drive. The workshop that saw the participation of three women surfers from Portugal was an initiative by ISF to empower women in India by involving them in adventure, art and music.
“ISF Girl power is an initiative to empower women in India by involving them in adventure, art and music. It will boost the self-confidence of Indian women,” said ISF founder Sanjay Samantaray.
Carolina Pereira, who leads the Girl Power team, is all set to promote eco-surf while another team member Lizzy will display her unique surf paintings. Surfer Mafalda is looking forward to encourage girls to ride the waves during the festival.
Besides, artists Sachin Shetty from Mumbai and Krilly from Australia will hold live painting events at the festival. ISF photographers Sabyasachi Jena, Marina Makhova, Pradeep Javedar and Christopher Witchy will be capturing beautiful moments of the festival on their cameras and will set up a Hungry Lens showcase. The best picture of each day will be displayed in the evening, Samantaray said.
A four-member kite-surfing team from Sri Lanka, which has already arrived here, will demonstrate the sport in all its glory during the water sport event.
Another highlight of the festival will be Thaalavattam, who creates music with instruments made of waste materials.
Till Thursday evening, 45 surfers from India and 18 from foreign countries have arrived at the venue to take part in the event.
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 onto the global surfing map but also project the state among the hottest world beach tourism destinations.
