We can make Chennai the water sports destination: Veera

Weekend mornings here are dotted with surfers and paddlers. In the last one decade or so, water sports along the East Coast Road (ECR) in Chennai has picked up quite well. Thanks to the schools that have opened in and around Kovalam that are attracting water sports enthusiasts from across the globe. Actor Veera of Rajathandhiram fame, who is passionate about standup paddling, tells us what’s unique about our coastline, how it has become a hotspot for water sports and more.“I tried my hands at surfing about four years ago. It was love at first sight. I fell in love with the ocean. Later, I started doing paddling at Covelong Point Surf School,” recalls Veera.
It’s a hotspot water sports destination
Veera says that the coastline along the Bay of Bengal attracts tourists from around the globe, for, it has good conditions all through the year for different water sports. “From a tourism point of view, we’ve a fantastic coastline of about 150km. We’ve fantastic beaches, beautiful waves and superb conditions at different points. Nearly three to four months of active surfing happens here. Then, there are about two months of fantastic wind, which helps in wind surfing. I really think that Chennai is the right destination to get into water sports. People from across the globe, including sportsmen like Matthew Hayden and Jonty Rhodes frequently come here and surf. We have people from Europe, Bali and South-East Asia coming all round the year to enjoy the sun, water and the beaches here.”
Training takes it to the next level
In the last few years there has been a steady rise in the number of water sports schools along the ECR. “Now, in Kovalam alone, there are as many as three active surf schools. One is Covelong Point Surf School, another is Ocean Delight and then, there is Bay of Life. Hundreds of people come to each of these schools from the city to surf over the weekends. People of all age groups come here. What we say is that anybody can surf. Apart from surfing and standup paddling, there are other water sports like kayaking, diving, wind surfing and kite surfing. The diving school Barefoot Scuba is a PADI-affiliated diving school at the Covelong Point. There’s a lot of myth that the ocean is unsafe. But believe me, it isn’t. I feel the safest in the ocean. I am sure everybody will feel the same.”
Sports for a change
The big change that water sports brought about is in the lifestyle of people in the nearby villages. Many from the fishermen community are professional surfers now. “We’ve so many local village boys who have turned surfers now. Their livelihood has changed and their personalities have developed. Many of them are doing well in international water sport events. I really see India doing well in the 2020 Olympics as surfing will make its debut in the Games. I wish one of our boys go on to win.”