Milan conquers Chennai waves
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Milan, with his title
Milan Andra Hennadige won the runner-up title at the annual Covelong Surf Point Competition held in Kovalam, Chennai, India. Milan’s achievement comes as a huge boost to Sri Lankan surfing as he only became second best to an Australian competitor, who won the main title.
Milan, 28, a prominent surfer from Arugam Bay, took wings to Chennai, India along with fellow resident Praneeth Sandaruwan to represent Sri Lanka at this competition, where top surfers from all over the world took part.
Arugam Bay’s peak season is on the wind down in Sri Lanka’s famous coastal surfers’ paradise where from May through to October, travelers from all over the world gather to ride the swell, lay in the sun and party until dawn. To Milan this is home. Milan and his team mate Praneeth just returned from India, after a rather successful tour. Milan returns triumphant, winning second place in the competition’s Open event having gone head to head with skilled international surfers. “This is a huge achievement for one of our sons and with their return comes a determination and a more focused view for the future of surfing in Sri Lanka. He received the highest score in the whole contest 9.8 in one wave followed by a round of applause announced by the judges,” Amanda Perera, Milan’s sponsor stated.
This is the second time Sri Lankan surfers competed at Covelong with the support of the Surfing Federation of India. The Indian Federation invites surfers from around the world to compete in national tournaments providing them with accommodation, food and transport. The host Federation’s efforts to make the surfers feel welcomed and involved in the advancement of surfing in India, is lauded by all who took part in the event.
Milan is sponsored by Bay Vista Arugam Bay where he currently works as a surf instructor. Born and raised in Arugam Bay, his enduring love of the ocean is a result of life with the mighty waves being his backyards and surfing and the ocean runs through his lifeblood.
When Milan began surfing at the age of 15, he borrowed surfboards from tourists and other young surfers in the area. A benevolent tourist gifted the young boy with his very first surfboard as he acknowledged the potential. This is the story that most gifted surfers in the area would repeat. Virtually all local surfers of Arugam Bay would have had their first initiation of capturing the ocean’s waves through surfboards gifted or left behind by foreign surfing enthusiasts. They also benefited through the lessons learned from various international coaches who holidayed in the area.
Milan, riding the waves in Chennai
A strong sense of solidarity and camaraderie exists among all who live and surf in the bay and collectively they were the first on the island to be International Surfing Association certified surf instructors. Not in his wildest dreams did Milan imagine that he would be able to support himself with his passion, but the wonderful reality is that this determined young man is now a much sought-after surf instructor in the bay. Happiest when he’s in the ocean with the wind on his face, riding the waves, surfing with his friends, Milan appreciates and values the world of competition for opening his eyes to the current state of surfing education and conservation on his island home.
“Passionate about protecting the environment, Milan laments the results neglect of the oceans have wrought in the neighbouring seas. People who live along the coast have an enduring love of the ocean and to them the mighty water body is their source of contentment and economic prosperity. This sentiment is palpable amongst coastal residents who are more than willing to dedicate their all towards conservation. However they agree in one unified voice that there should be more undertakings to protect the environment by the local authorities,” Perera added.
As tourism in Sri Lanka seems poised to be propelled on a new and exciting trajectory, a large proportion of the island remains unequipped to cope with the volumes of visitors who are eager to discover this island. The future of surfing is bright, with surfing now recognised as a competitive sport in the 2020 Olympics and it is only a matter of time before Sri Lanka is capable of having its own surfing team compete at the Olympics. This above all is the dream for the inherently talented young men along Sri Lanka’s coasts, including Milan. If the necessary support by the authorities is provided to these determined young surfers, there is no doubt that Sri Lanka’s flag will one day fly high at the Olympics with a surfing team the world will need to contend with. This is exactly what Milan initiated at the Covelong Surf Point Competition held in Kovalam from August 25 to 27.