New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) India’s surfing campaign is entering a significant phase at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and national head coach Samai Reboul already has his sights set beyond the continental event, with the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 emerging as the ultimate long-term target.

A former surfer and trained coach, the Frenchman was appointed head coach by the Surfing Federation of India in 2024. He will guide a four-member Indian squad at the Asian Games, where surfing will make its debut as one of six new sports. The competition will be held at Pacific Long Beach from September 25.

India will field two surfers each in the men’s and women’s shortboard events. Kishore Kumar and Sivaraj Babu will compete in the men’s section, while Tamil Nadu’s Kamali Moorty and Goa’s Sugar Shanti Banarse will represent India in the women’s event.

The Asian Games will also provide quota opportunities for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, giving the Indian contingent an added incentive.

Reboul, 41, has lived in Auroville, Puducherry, for more than half his life and considers himself Indian despite holding a French passport.

“My father is French and mother is Basque. They first heard about Sri Aurobindo and Auroville through friends while living in remote northern Spain. They were immediately intrigued. My father first came on his own to see what it was all about and within a short time of coming back we had our bags packed and were moving to India,” Samai told SAI Media.

His connection with surfing began in Auroville, where the ocean became an important part of his life.

“It didn’t take us long to find friends and feel at home. Surfing played a big role in giving me a place to feel comfortable in. Being in the ocean felt like home and I would spend as much time as I could in the water, much to the annoyance of my parents and teachers,” says Samai.

Reboul previously worked as an instructor and managed Kallialay Surf School for more than a decade, while also earning his ISA coaching and judging qualifications.

“Getting there was the result of a natural progression that happened through a combination of passion, experience and chance. I worked as an instructor and managed Kallialay Surf School for more than 10 years. Through this experience, I always wanted to develop and grow as an instructor and I gained my ISA coaching and judging qualifications,” said Samai.

He subsequently guided India to a historic bronze at the Asian Surfing Championships in Thulusdhoo, Maldives. The achievement, he believes, demonstrated the potential of Indian surfers.

The Asian Games will now provide another major test.

“When a sport enters an event like the Asian Games, it gets a completely different level of recognition. For the athletes, it means they can represent a developing surfing nation on one of the biggest sporting stages in Asia. For young people watching in India, it also showcases surfing as a serious sporting pathway. As a coach, it is also a great responsibility. We have been working towards this for some time, and now the athletes have the opportunity to show what Indian surfing can do,” Samai stated.

With India boasting more than 7,000 kilometres of coastline, Reboul believes the foundations for the sport’s growth are already in place, but sustained investment and time will be crucial.

“What we need now is time and investment. Surfing cultures take time to develop. India is building that now. We are seeing better competitions, better coaching, more young surfers coming through and more athletes getting international experience. The fact that India qualified for the 2026 Asian Games is itself an important step in that development. I would say we are clearly moving in the right direction,” said the head coach.

Reboul also welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on surfing as a sport in which India can aspire to compete at the Olympic level.

“The Olympics is definitely part of the long-term vision, but to get there an important objective is to create sustainable pathways for Indian surfers to develop from a young age and eventually compete at the highest international level. The 2026 Asian Games are an important step.

“After that, we need to build towards the 2028 Olympics and beyond. For me, success would be having Indian surfers who are regularly competing internationally, travelling with the needed support, understanding professional competition and being capable of qualifying for major events. If we do that properly, Olympic qualification, the ultimate goal, becomes a consequence of a strong system rather than a one-off objective,” said Samai.

His Auroville upbringing has also shaped his philosophy as a coach. Reboul sees a natural connection between spirituality and surfing, particularly in the way athletes learn to adapt to forces beyond their control.

“For me, the connection between spirituality and surfing is very strong. The ocean is very good at reminding us that we are not in control. You can prepare perfectly, paddle out and then the waves can be completely different from what you expected. So, you learn to adapt. You learn patience. You learn to observe.

“To surf well, you need to be completely present. You cannot be thinking about yesterday or tomorrow — you are entirely focused on reading the wave and responding to what is happening in that exact moment. Known as a flow state, it allows one to reach a deep state of meditation,” explained Samai.

With India making its Asian Games debut in surfing, Reboul and his young squad now have an opportunity to showcase how far the sport has progressed — while taking another step towards the larger Olympic ambition.

--IANS

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