WSL’s India comeback brings QS 2000 and Pro Junior surfing to Mahabalipuram
The WSL returns to India for the Shore Temple Classic QS 2000 and inaugural Pro Junior event in Mahabalipuram, opening new pathways for Indian surfers.
The World Surf League will return to India from August 12 to 16 for the inaugural Shore Temple Classic QS 2000 and Pro Junior competitions in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. The five-day event is expected to attract about 120 surfers from 12 countries and create new opportunities for India’s developing athletes.
Key takeaways
- Mahabalipuram will host India’s first combined WSL QS 2000 and Pro Junior event.
- Men’s and women’s competitions will be held in both divisions.
- The QS 2000 winner will earn 2,000 Asia Region ranking points.
- Sixteen wild cards will be reserved for Indian surfers.
- The Surfing Federation of India is exploring future events in Little Andaman and Lakshadweep.
The competition marks the WSL’s return to India after a three-year absence. Mahabalipuram was selected again because its East Coast break generally offers reliable conditions during the season, while the five-day format gives organisers flexibility when weather or surf conditions change.
A pathway to higher-level competition
The QS 2000 will provide ranking points that can help surfers progress through the Asia regional circuit toward the Challenger Series and, eventually, the Championship Tour. The Pro Junior event will give young Indian competitors their first chance to earn WSL junior ranking points on home water.
Surfing Federation of India president Arun Vasu said the federation wants to help Indian athletes gain the international exposure and ranking position required to compete regularly overseas. The combined format is intended to strengthen the pathway from junior competition to the senior ranks.
More opportunities for Indian surfers
India’s first WSL event, held at Mahabalipuram in 2023, was a QS 3000. Although the senior competition is being held at the lower QS 2000 level this time, the addition of the Pro Junior division will widen participation and allow more domestic surfers to benefit.
Sixteen wild cards will be distributed across the four divisions: four each for the men’s and women’s QS 2000 and the men’s and women’s Pro Junior events. The selections are expected to be based on national rankings after the Covelong Classic, scheduled for August 6 to 8.
Potential Indian entrants include Kishore Kumar, Sivaraj Babu and Ramesh Budihal in the men’s field. Kamali Moorthy and Sugar Shanthi Banarse have been among the leading women, while Harish P and Prahlad Sriram are among the junior contenders. The final lineup could change after the Covelong competition.
Momentum after continental success
The event follows India’s encouraging performance at the 2025 Asian Surfing Championships in Mahabalipuram, where Ramesh Budihal won the country’s first individual continental medal—a bronze.
India has also secured two men’s and two women’s surfing quotas for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The proposed team has been submitted to the Indian Olympic Association, with final approval pending.
Plans to expand the WSL calendar
The federation hopes to take international surfing beyond Tamil Nadu. Discussions are underway for a potential WSL event in Little Andaman in March 2027, while Lakshadweep has also expressed interest in hosting an international competition.
Support from the Sports Authority of India has enabled coaching camps, equipment purchases and overseas training and competition opportunities. Indian surfers have trained in Bali and competed in Taiwan, with Japan being considered for a future camp.
Vasu said equipment is no longer India’s main limitation. The larger challenge is maintaining consistent exposure to different waves and conditions—an area the federation aims to address through domestic events, international coaches and overseas preparation.