The highly anticipated third stop of the Dhivehi Surf League kicked off at Maafushi Island, Kaafu Atoll, on Wednesday.
The men’s open division of the third tournament, Gaamadhookolhu, will witness a formidable lineup of 46 skilled surfers, while the junior category will feature 18 talented athletes, all vying for glory in their respective divisions.
Men’s Division
Hussain Arif (Ibu), will be making his return to the waves in the men’s division after recovering from an injury sustained during the 2019 Gold Challenge. Ibu emerged victorious in the last event and will now face tough competition in the first heat of the open section against Mohammed Rifas Abdul Razzaq, Mohammed Suman, and Moosa Ahmed.
Another prominent surfer Hood Ahmed (Hoobz), who reached the final in the previous tournament and also participated in the World Surfing Games, will encounter Azli Naseem, Ahmed Fairu, and Ismail Madhu Ahmed in the first-round heat.
The reigning Dhivehi Surf League champion, Ahmed Agil (Ammadey), will compete against Abdullah Arshad (Billu) and Ahmed Afiu, as he seeks to defend the title.
Junior Division
Some notable surfers will not be participating in the Gaamadhookolhu event. Mohamed Inan Abdul Hannan, the second-place finisher in last year’s junior category in Himmafushi, will not compete in this event. Additionally, Mohamed Zayan (Choppu), the reigning junior division champion, will be absent from this event.
In the junior section, Mohamed Suman and Ahmed Arum Mohamed will face off in an intense heat, while Shanif Shafiq, the junior champion of the previous Mulikolhu Raalhugandu, will take on Noah Mohammed Dunaim Irshad and Ismail Wifaq Latheef.
This year’s league introduces the selection of a junior champion, unlike the previous edition. Currently, Yaseen Ahmed Nasheed holds the top position in the rankings, followed by Kayan Abdulla Arif and Mohammed Inan Abdul Hannan. Choppu and Shanif are in fourth and fifth in the rankings respectively.
Following the Gaamadhookolhu tournament, all eyes will be on the Asian Surfing Championships in Thulusdhoo, scheduled from July 8th to 17th.
The fourth event of the Dhivehi Surf League, the ‘Hurakolhu Raalhuge’ will be held in Kinolhas, Raa Atoll, from July 8 to 17.