World’s FIRST Stand-Up Paddle Championship to be held in Mangaluru/Dakshina Kannada at Sasihithlu Beach 8-10 March 2024. This FIRST of it’s kind Stand Up Paddling taking place here has put the Karnataka state, Dakshina Kannada and Mangaluru on the World Map, having organized the Unique Event
Mangaluru: It’s indeed a proud moment for Mangaloreans and people of Dakshina Kannada and Karnataka State to witness the World’s Best Stand Up Paddlers Converge in Mangalore for India’s first-ever International Stand-Up Paddling Event* Men and Women’s World No. 2 and the reigning SUP Junior Champion along with the top-ranked international Stand-Up Paddlers to be seen in action at India Paddle Festival. Mangalore’s Sasihithlu Beach has been selected centre of attraction from 08th-10th March, where in the past many Surfing and other similar competitions have been held, and the participants have expressed the fullest satisfaction and joy to take part in those championships at the Sasihithlu Beach.
It is learnt that Bollywood superstar Sunil Shetty could be the Brand Ambassador for the event. World’s best Stand Up Paddlers, including the likes of Fernando Perez and Esperanza Barreras, current World No. 2 in Men and Women’s categories, along with Bianca Toncelli, reigning SUP Junior Champion, and Sekar Patchai, the reigning national champion, are set to electrify the country’s first-ever International Stand-Up Paddling event, India Paddle Festival, starting on 8 March 2024, and inauguration will be at 10 am. Mangalore’s scenic Sasihithlu Beach will be the centre of attraction for the next three days as a total of 45 plus stand-up paddlers from across the world will be seen in action in four categories – Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Junior U-16 Boys, and Girls.
Presented by the Karnataka Government and organized by the Surfing Swami Foundation, the three-day India Paddle Festival is sanctioned by the Association of PaddleSurf Professionals World Tour (APP), the official professional World Championship Tour for the sport of Stand-Up Paddling. The India Paddle Festival will be a mix of sports, culture and entertainment, the details which were announced at a Press Conference held at Avtar Hotel Convention Centre, Attavar, Mangaluru on Wednesday, 7 March 2024., which was attended by Tristan Boxford, CEO, APP World Tour’ Eji Suzuki- Race Director from Japan; Rammohan Paranjape- Event Director and Kishore Kumar, alo Event Director, both of Surfing Swami Foundation, Mulky; Gaurav Hegde and Yathish Baikampady; and Sharan Shetty- all three Event Organizers.
L-R : Yathish Baikampady; Gaurav Hegde; Rammohan Paranjape; Kishore Kumar; Eji Suzuki; Tristan Boxford; and Sharan Shetty
Tristan Boxford, CEO, of APP World Tour, said, “Day 1 on 8 March will commence with a Yoga session, followed by a Community/Pro SUP Paddle session. The main event on the same day will be the Juniors Race, scheduled for the evening. The crowd will be entertained by the screening of XYZ (movie), which is part of the film festival that will be conducted on all three days of the event. The heats and finals of the technical races for both men and women will be held on Day 2, which is on 9 March. The main attraction of the India Paddle Festival, the sprint races, will be held on the final day (10 March) along with the finals of the community race.”
The Association of Paddle Surf Professionals World Tour (APP) announced its entry in India with the country’s first-ever International Stand-Up Paddling championship last month. The India Paddle Festival will be the first step in an exciting new development journey for the organization as a significant growth of the sport in the region over the coming years. Presented by Karnataka Tourism, and organised by the Surfing Swami Foundation, the India Paddle Festival will welcome a selection of top athletes from the APP World Tour, as well as other aspiring professionals from the region.
SPECIAL ATTRACTION WILL BE FOR THE FIRST TIME THE MANTRA ADVENTURE FILM FESTIVAL:
The Mantra Adventure Film Festival, presented by GoPro, as part of the India Paddle Festival, will showcase thrilling documentaries that weave together the worlds of adventure sports and environmental responsibility. About 15 films will be screened at the Sasihithlu Beach on March 8 and 9. Rammohan Paranjape, director of the Surfing Swami Foundation speaking at the press meet said, “The film festival will exhibit 15 handpicked adventure films, showcasing different adventure or action sports from India. This is a unique platform in India, especially after the pandemic. It will witness the extraordinary efforts of athletes and environmentalists fighting for a cleaner future and will inspire people to join the movement. Most of the filmmakers and athletes, who are part of the movie, will be present. Through these inspiring narratives, the festival aims to unite the global audience in their shared passion for adventure, while also highlighting the pressing need to protect and preserve our planet for future generations. It is a powerful testament to the harmonious coexistence of extreme sports and environmental responsibility.”
SPANISH DUO STAND-UP PADDLERS FERNANDO PEREZ and Ms ESPERANZA BARRERAS WILL BE THE STAR ATTRACTION:
Spanish stand-up paddlers Fernando Perez and Ms Esperanza Barreras, the men’s and women’s World No 2, respectively, will be the highlight in the strong line-up that will vie for top honours in the upcoming India Paddle Festival. India’s challenge will be spearheaded by Sekar Patchai, the reigning national champion, along with Manikandan D and Akash J Shetty. Barreras — a four-time International Surfing Association (ISA) SUP world champion, the 2022 European Champion, and a three-time International Canoe Federation (ICF) world champion — will be the biggest name in the women’s open category. In the men’s open category, the spotlight will be on current world No. 2, Fernando Perez of Spain.
Perez, the APP Korea 2023 champion, secured a seventh-place finish in ISA long-distance and ICF long-distance competitions. Antonio Morillo of Spain and Pluem Koman of Thailand, currently ranked 16th and 17th, respectively, will also vie for top honours in the men’s open category. Bianca Toncelli, the rising star from Italy and the current SUP junior champion, has been making waves in the world of paddle boarding. She finished in the top 5 at the 2023 Gran Canaria Pro Euro Tour SUP and will lead the charge in the U-16 girls’ category. Ranked No. 1 in India and 18th in the SUP World Rankings (ISA) in 2018, Sekar Patchai will lead the Indian contingent as he competes in the men’s open category. He is also a 25-time national stand-up paddling champion. Manikandan D, who is among the top 2 SUP athletes in the country, will also be vying for top honours in the men’s open category.
