World Surfing c'ship qualifier at Arugam Bay
(By: Dasun Edirisinghe)

ASP 6-Star Mens event
Arugam Bay Point, Sri Lanka
18 - 24 June 2010

Arugam Bay, on the eastern coast, has been selected as the venue for the World surfing championship qualifier, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau said yesterday.

SLTPB Managing Director Dileep Mudadeniya said the event, titled 'Sri Lankan Pro Surf 2010' would draw competitors from around the world.

The event, being organized by the SLTPB with Sri Lankan Airlines, will be held from June 21 to 27, Mudadeniya said.

He said that the World Qualifying Surfing Series competition had been held annually in the Maldives and has now come to Sri Lanka due to the end the 30-year-long civil war.

According to Mudadeniya, about 140 world class competitors representing Australia, USA, Germany, Portugal, Costa Rica, Ireland, Italy, Indonesia, Hawaii, South Africa, England, Japan, France, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, New Zealand will participate in the event.

"We have received about 250,000 tourists for the first quarter of this year, which is an increase of 50 per cent over last year's arrivals," he said adding that the increase was due to the relaxation of travel advisories by several country's after the war in Sri Lanka ended in May 2009.

Courtesy : The Island