India’s developing competitive stand up paddling scene has been back in action, with two events taking place along the Tamil Nadu coastline in the space of just over a week. The Point Break Challenge was held at Mahabalipuram from 30 July to 1 August, followed just days later by the Covelong Classic at Kovalam from 6–8 August. Both formed part of the Surfing Federation of India’s 2026 competition programme, bringing surfing and SUP competition together and providing another look at the growth of paddle sport in the country.
Point Break Challenge – Mahabalipuram
The first event took competitors to Mahabalipuram, a location that has become increasingly important within India’s surf scene.
Alongside the surfing divisions, SUP formed part of the Point Break Challenge programme, giving India’s paddlers another opportunity to compete on the national circuit.
Mahabalipuram itself is becoming an established competition venue. The town hosted the Asian Surfing Championships in 2025, bringing some of Asia’s best surfers to the Tamil Nadu coastline and helping put the region on the international surf map.
From there, attention moved a short distance down the coast to Kovalam for the Covelong Classic.
Covelong Classic 2026
Running from 6–8 August, the Covelong Classic once again combined surfing with stand up paddle competition, including a Men’s SUP Technical division.
Familiar names from the Indian SUP scene were among those competing, including Sekar Patchai and Dinesh Selvamani, as another round of national-level racing was completed.
Covelong also has some history when it comes to SUP. The 2025 event included both men’s and women’s SUP Technical racing as well as U17 boys’ and girls’ categories, providing younger paddlers with an opportunity to experience competition.
Building a Competitive SUP Scene
Taken individually, these are relatively small events on the international SUP calendar. Together, however, they offer an interesting glimpse at how the sport is developing in India.
The Surfing Federation of India has continued to build a national competition structure around both surfing and SUP, with events taking place at different coastal locations and an increasing focus on creating opportunities for athletes to compete and progress.
India already has paddlers who have competed internationally, with Sekar Patchai among those to have represented the country at ISA level. Creating a stronger domestic competition pathway gives the next generation somewhere to begin that journey.
With a vast coastline, strong coastal communities and an increasingly organised competition structure, India remains a particularly interesting part of the world for SUP to develop.
The Point Break Challenge and Covelong Classic may only represent two stops on that journey, but they’re another sign of a competitive SUP community continuing to find its feet — and one we’ll be keeping an eye on.