Mohamed Irushad: National Surfing Champion 2022

Mohamed Irushad becomes this year's National Surfing Champion after beating the Maldivian shortboard surfing legend Hussain Areef.

Irushad took the champion title in the shortboard event under this year's "Rannamaari Challenge 1444". He scored 13.33 points from nine of the waves he surfed, while his highest score for individual waves stood at 7.00 and 6.33 points.

Areef, who is a seven-time National Champion managed 13.27 points in the final heat of the Shortboard Challenge. His best single wave scores were 7.27 and 6.00 points.

Ahmed Agil took third place with a total of 11.50 points in the third heat, and managed to beat Abdulla Areef to secure the third spot.

Agil lost his shot at advancing to the final heat, after facing defeat against Areef in the semi-final heat. It was in this heat the highest points were secured by a surfer for individual waves. Areef secured 8.67 and 8.83 points for two of his best waves, and grabbed a total of 17.50 points. Agil on the other hand secured 15.50 points during the semi-final heat with 7.83 and 7.67 earned to his best waves.

Despite missing his shot at the National Championship finals, Agil still holds the "MTCC Dhivehi Surf League" championship title, which he won earlier this year.

The Rannamaari Challenge is the fifth surf league event held this year. The first, Kalhegalekoda was held at Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll Gahdhoo where Agil finished the event with a quarter-final elimination. He however took championship title in Muleekolhu Raalhugandu and Huraakolhu Raalhugandu challenges, held at Meemu Atoll Muli and Raa Atoll Kinolhas respectively.

Agil secured a semi-finals spot in the Gaamaadhookolhu Challenge in Kaafu Atoll Himmafushi back in October 2022.

Irushad managed to beat Abdulla Areef during the current event's semi-final heat, while Abdulla Areef secured 9.27 points and Irushad managed 13.50 points. Abdulla Areef advanced to the quarter-finals earlier, after beating last year's National Champion Hoodh Ahmed.

Though the junior categories were discarded for the Rannamaari Challenge this year, seven under-16 surfers were given the opportunity by Maldives Surfing Association (MSA) to compete in the National Championship. Out of the under-16 batch, Sayyidhu Salahuddin made it furthest but got eliminated in the quarter-finals.