The Asian Surfing Championships in cooperation with the Maldives Surfing Association and the Maldives Body Boarding Association are proud to announce the addition of the inaugural Maldives Open 2014 to the 2014 ASC tour schedule as an ASC Grade 3 event with a total prize purse of $15,000 over the three divisions of Men’s Open, Women’s, and Body Boarding. The event will take place from September 3-7 at Lohis Point and will be hosted by the Adaaran Hudhuran Fushi Resort.
Lohis Point at the Adaaran Hudhuran Fushi Resort is a machine-like lefthand wave that peels perfectly down the coral reef for often hundreds of meters, and has been the site of ASP World Qualifying Series (the world’s top professional surfing organization) events in the past due to its quality, consistency, and accessibility. Offering up barrel sections as well as steep wall sections for carves, lip hacks, and the occasional punt section, this wave will allow the competitors to display their full repertoire of maneuvers during their heats, and often all on the same wave.
Whether viewing the action from a purpose-build wooden deck, where event officials and spectators can see every move the competitors make as if watching the world’s biggest wide-screen TV, or being one of the competitors stoked on surfing this world class wave in the crystal clear Maldivian water with just a couple of other surfers in the water, Lohis Point is an outstanding location for the inaugural Maldives Open.
“This place is simply amazing,” exclaimed ASC President Tipi Jabrik on his visit to the island. “Looking out at this wave from this deck and seeing these perfect waves, and then realizing I’m on a tiny island in the middle of the Indian Ocean but with a complete resort with every kind of food and accommodation level, snorkeling, a soccer field and many other activities…even Indonesian masseuses in the spa! This is my first trip here to the Maldives and I can’t wait to come back for the event. In fact, I’ll even bring my family along when I come back for the event,” he added.
The idea for the Maldives Open 2014 was originally proposed to the Maldives Minister of Tourism Mr. Ahmed Adeeb in early 2014 by Abdulla “Fuku” Areef, who although a surfer himself is the president of the Maldives Body Boarding Association. The idea was accepted by the Minister Adeeb with the request that the MBBA as the local event organizer and the ASC as the international sanctioning organization sign a 5-year MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) in order to ensure the goals of growing the sport of surfing and body boarding in the Maldives by having yearly events are accomplished.
With the cooperation of the Maldives Surfing Association, co-organizer and the national governing body of surfing (who also counts both surfers and body boarders in its membership), the MOU was signed in Male on Tuesday July 8th at the government offices by Minister Adeeb, Abdulla Areef (MBBA), and Tim Hain (ASC).
In his speech before the signing, ASC General Manager Tim Hain first thanked Minister Adeeb for his vision, commitment and support of surfing in the Maldives and by extension the entire Asian region, and then thanked the MBBA and the MSA for their hard work in bringing this event to fruition after years of effort.
Next, Minister Adeeb informed the media and the audience what his goals were for funding the event in support of surfing and body boarding in the Maldives. Essentially, his first goal is to provide more opportunities for the local youth in water sports, second is to promote the Maldives as a surfing tourism destination, and third is to encourage the exploration and discovery of new surf spots in the islands for development.
The Maldives Open 2014 is a Maldives Tourism Ministry funded event with the Maldives Body Boarding Association and the Maldives Surfing Association as co-organizers, and the Adaaran Hudhuran Fushi Resort as the host and a primary sponsor. The event is also being supported by Red Bull and is awaiting final confirmation from other sponsors.
To register for the event please email [email protected], and stay tuned for the details on travel packages and prices for the Maldives Open 2014.
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