This December, Sri Lanka geared up for the 4 th edition of Red Bull Ride My Wave, held along the
sandy shores of one of Sri Lanka’s best beaches on the Southern Coast, Hikkaduwa. On the 7 th
and 8 th of December, surfers of every skill level competed in this professional surfing
competition, managed and judged by the Surfing Federation Sri Lanka. The competition was
open to both local and international surfers, challenging anyone who had the passion to take
on Sri Lanka’s waves.
Red Bull has repeatedly proven their commitment towards developing sports across the globe,
and they have certainly had a strong influence here in Sri Lanka. Ride My Wave has been no
exception, with past events being held along the East and South Coasts, opening the doors to a
sport that is slowly but steadily growing in popularity within the island. Past winners include the
East Coast Team (2014), Asanka (2015), Lucky D.A. (2016), and Mattia Poirier (2018).
Red Bull Ride My Wave was launched with the aim of fostering the sport, helping local tourism,
and promoting the bond of surf culture with its own twist. After a spectacular 2-day event this
December, it is undeniable that Red Bull has once more achieved their goal. The event was
packed with fun-filled activities and with an atmosphere of feverish excitement as people of all
ages, both local and international, joined together to take on Sri Lanka’s waves or simply join in
on the fun by cheering on Sri Lanka’s surfing enthusiasts. In fact, this year’s event was
completely plastic-free, as Red Bull demonstrated their commitment towards the environment
by minimizing pollution.
True to the spirit of creating surfing history in Sri Lanka, Ride My Wave has provided a platform
for enthusiastic female surfers as well. Female surfers took on the waves this year, breaking
barriers in what has largely been a male-dominated sport. Indeed, Red Bull Ride My Wave has
succeeded in helping create a thriving surfing culture within Sri Lanka, attracting more potential
surfing enthusiasts than ever before.
Nikita Robb emerged as the winner of the Women’s Category, with Nicole Jansen and Sarah
Sagve securing 2 nd and 3 rd place respectively. Lakshitha Madushan emerged victorious from the
Men’s Category, followed by Nadeen Sampath and David Soloman in 2 nd and 3 rd place
respectively. As such, Lakshitha Madushan and Nikita Robb were crowned King and Queen of
the Wave 2019. The 2-day event was filled with fierce competition with 100 participants from
around the world. The judging criteria was incredibly high, where participants were scored on a
0.1 – 10 scale, expertly judged by a panel led by Head Judge Lahiru Wijesekera, an ISA
International Level 1 Judge, with the event being supported by the highly experienced Contest
Director G.P.G. Sandika Thushara, winner of Sri Lanka’s 1st ever National Surfing Championship.
With 30 heats held on each day, the competition consisted of four rounds, which then gave way
to the quarter finals, semifinals, and finals. Participants were judged on their ability to perform radical controlled maneuvers in the critical sections of a wave with speed, power, and flow.
Innovative/Progressive surfing as well as the Combination and Variety of Repertoire (of MAJOR
maneuvers) were further taken into consideration when rewarding points for a surfer’s
performance.
Red Bull Ride My Wave 2019 was immensely successful event in bringing together surfing
communities and enthusiasts across the country on the Southern Coast, working to firmly
establish surfing as a sport in Sri Lanka.
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