Now Reading: Japan dominates Shore Temple Classic, Kishore Kumar eliminated
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Japan dominates Shore Temple Classic, Kishore Kumar eliminated
Japanese surfers continued their dominance at the Shore Temple Classic QS 2000 and Pro Junior at Mahabalipuram Beach on Thursday. Ryuichi Inoue posted the highest score of the Men’s QS 2000 Round…
The Story in Brief
Japanese surfers continued their dominance at the Shore Temple Classic QS 2000 and Pro Junior at Mahabalipuram Beach on Thursday. Ryuichi Inoue posted the highest score of the Men’s QS 2000 Round of 32 with 13.17, while Shohei Kato produced the best effort in the Round of 16 with 14.50. Tenshi Iwami (13.90) and Ikko Watanabe (12.73) also advanced. India’s Kishore Kumar progressed from the Round of 32 with a 10.00 but scored 9.13 in the Round of 16 and missed the quarterfinals.
In the Women’s QS 2000, Japan’s Mirai Ikeda topped the Round of 16 with 13.60, followed by compatriot Sara Wakita (13.17). In the Women’s Pro Junior, Anri Matsuno (Japan) registered the highest quarterfinal score of 14.00. India’s P. Kamali also competed in the quarterfinals, scoring 5.73. The event marks the World Surf League’s return to India after three years.
The Indian Opinion
The hype around India as a surfing destination often overshadows the reality that Japan remains the dominant force in Asian waves. While local surfers like Kishore Kumar and Kamali compete admirably, the gap in training and competitive experience is clear. The narrative that hosting events automatically lifts Indian surfing ignores the need for sustained grassroots programmes and athlete support. The real test will be how many Indian surfers qualify for the Asian Games debut in September and whether they can move beyond early-round exits elsewhere.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, sportstar.thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
