MANGALURU: City’s Stand Up Paddling sensation Tanvi Jagadish is all set to own the foreign waters once again. The 18-year-old will be India’s sole participant in two international stand up paddling events to be held in the next two months.
While Tanvi is the only person to represent India in the
Singapore
Ocean Cup, scheduled for November 17 and 18, the Stand Up Paddling federation may send another surfer along with her for the
Paris
SUP Crossing to be held in the second week of December.
Buoyed with six consecutive international medals to her credit, Tanvi is confident of making it big in the two events as well. With her eyes glued on the 2024 Stand Up Paddling world cup, Tanvi is leaving no stone unturned to make the most of the opportunities that come before her.
"I love my sport so much that I am up from bed as early as 3.3oam," Tanvi told TOI. What follows is an hour of meditation and some yoga before she hits the shores at Mulki latest by 5.30am. To ensure she makes optimum use of time, she has even shifted from her residence at NITK to her grandmother’s house at Mulki, located at a distance of 10-minute walk from the Mantra Surf Club – an institute that is a default with stand up paddling here.
Tanvi said she spends four – five hours a day in the waters and a few hours off the shore in preparation. She is currently trained by Hayden Rhodes, who has been helping people athletes around the world in improving their human performance while Stand Up Paddling and
snowboarding
for over two decades.
No government supportAs stand up paddling is still at a nascent stage in India, the government has hardly been contributing towards promoting the water sport. Lack of funding has already cost Tanvi dearer, as she has to let go the golden opportunity of participating in the World Cup to be held in China next month. Also, as an individual sporting events in the country are expensive, Tanvi is looking for sponsors so she could focus on bringing further laurels to the country.