Yaseen makes history, becomes Maldives surfing champion at 15

Fifteen-year-old Yaseen Ahmed Nashid made history yesterday by clinching the National Surf League's Rannamari Challenge title in both the Open and Junior categories, along with the overall Junior League Championship for the year.

This marks the first time a junior surfer has won the Open category championship in a Maldives Surfing Association (MSA) tournament. It is also Yaseen's first Junior League title. In addition to these three major achievements, Yaseen was also part of the Malé team that won the Rannamari Challenge's Maruhaba Cup.

Yaseen secured the Open category championship in yesterday's final heat against experienced surfer Ahmed Hisham Shaheem from Thulusdhoo, scoring a total of 16 points. This included an impressive 7.50 points on his 8th wave and 8.50 points on his 9th wave. Hisham scored a total of 12.57 points (7.00 and 5.57).

In the semi-finals, Yaseen defeated Kayaan Abdulla Areef with a score of 16.67 points, winning by a difference of 5.4 points. Hisham reached the final by defeating Sayyid Salahuddeen in the semi-final with a total of 13.50 points, winning by a narrow margin of 1.5 points.

Yaseen is a repeat champion, having won the Junior category of the Rannamari Challenge last year as well. This year, he won the Junior final against Yoosuf Kayaan Hamdhaan Zaki with a score of 10.26 points, Kayaan scored 9.30 points.

In the Junior semi-finals, Yaseen won against Nooh Mohamed Dhuneim Irshad with 13.33 points, achieving a 5.76-point difference. Kayaan, in his semi-final, defeated last year's League Champion Mohamed Inaan Abdul Hannan with 10.33 points, winning by just 0.43 points.

MSA determined the overall League Champion based on the scores from the two highest-scoring tournaments out of the three held this year. Yaseen secured two tournament victories this year: the Rannamari Challenge and the Junior championship at the L. Maabaidhoo tournament. Sayyid won the championship at the first Muleekolhu tournament.

Yaseen also competed in the Open category throughout the season and finished the League ranked second in the Senior Rankings. He reached the Quarter Finals of the first Muleekolhu  tournament and competed in the final of the "Karandhoo" event held in Maabaidhoo.