The Maldives Bodyboarding Association (MBBA), on Wednesday, kicked off the MTCC Burunu Shikaaru Bodyboarding Challenge 2022, launching the organization’s inaugural Maldives National Bodyboarding League, in Malé City.
Marking the return of MBBA’s maiden competition after a 7-year hiatus since 2015, the event’s launch brought a much-welcomed change in atmosphere at the locally renowned wave-break Raalhugandu. With 39 athletes competing in the Mens Open category alongside a few of the 13 bodyboarders from the Junior Mens, the event also sees four fierce women participating in the country’s historical Womens Open bodyboarding category.
Although choppy conditions presented themselves from time to time, competitors were generally greeted to clean conditions, with set waves rolling in at solid at two-foot range, paired with gentle offshore winds. The event commenced with an extremely competitive first round of the‘Mens Open, followed by the Junior Mens and the Womens Open, before finally concluding the day one with three Repo Heats from Round 2 of the Mens Open.
Buzzing with stoke and adrenaline, some of the athletes brought their ‘wow-factor’, stunning judges and spectators alike with a display of diverse and innovative maneuvers. Special mentions include Ali Khushruwan Ahmed (Kuda Ayya), for successfully securing the champion trophy during the past three Burunu Shikaaru challenges, and bagged the highest single wave score of the day with 6.73 points, followed by Mohamed Reeshan in close second with his score of 6.13 points on a single wave.
With the implementation of a digital scoring system alongside livestreaming & broadcasting capabilities, MBBA hopes the events will become more and more streamlined and accessible for all, fueling future generations of athletes to further engage with the sport.
As a large majority of bodyboarders in the island nation reside in capital Malé city, Raalhugandu, in particular, is known to be ‘the’ proving grounds for Maldivian surf community, and is responsible for the training and development of several local international gold-medalists and top-ranking athletes. xxx
