India secured two quotas for the upcoming Asian Games 2026 from the Asian Surfing Championships 2025, which concluded in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday.
The slots – one each in men’s and women’s shortboard – were awarded based on ranking points earned at the continental meet, which served as the final qualifying event for Asian Games 2026.
Indonesia topped the overall men’s rankings at the Asian Surfing Championships with 1980 points, followed by the Republic of Korea (1800) and India (1785).
Indian women (1200 points) finished eighth in the standings, topped by Japan (1860), Indonesia (1670) in second and Thailand (1608) in third. Over 150 surfers from 20 countries competed in Mahabalipuram.
With this, India have now bagged the maximum four quotas for the Asian Games 2026, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where surfing will make its debut. India’s first two quotas came at the 2024 edition of the championships in the Maldives.
Earlier in Mahabalipuram, Indian surfers delivered another historic first as Ramesh Budihal clinched bronze in the open men’s event – the country’s maiden individual medal at the Asian Surfing Championships in the event. He and Kishore Kumar also became the first Indians to reach the semi-finals at the continental meet.
This was the first time India hosted the Asian Surfing Championships. A total of 48 quotas – 24 each for men and women – were on offer, with each nation allowed a maximum of two surfers per gender at the Asian Games.
India fielded a 12-member squad which competed across four categories – men’s open, women’s open, men’s under-18, and women’s under-18.
The top four finishers in both open categories also earned berths for the Surf City El Salvador ALAS Global Finals, to be held in Punta Mango, El Salvador, from November 17 to 23.
Surfing made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 with two medal events – men’s shortboard and women’s shortboard. The same events were part of the Paris 2024 Olympics as well.
