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Dates announced for Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy 2015

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2 Thila

Clear your calendars! The first three competitors for the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy 2015have been announced, and it’s the hottest line-up yet.

Headlining the event’s fifth consecutive year, free-surfer Dave “Rasta” Rastovich returns to defend his 2014 title, joined by fearless big-wave legend Shane Dorian and record-setting “surf goddess” Sofia Mulanovich – plus three more world champs yet to be announced.

Surfing enthusiasts the world over won’t want to miss the shoulder-rubbing action that this boutique, invitation-only event brings: a unique chance to stay on a 12 acre (5 hectare) island and share an exclusive “surf tour” experience with six of the sport’s biggest names at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa.

The event is organised in conjunction with luxury surf pioneers Tropicsurf (the pros behind Kuda Huraa’s surf courses and trips) and run from the 39 metre (128 foot) Four Seasons Explorer. Guests can obtain day passes to enjoy the action on board as well as well as mingle with the competitors at post-surf cocktail parties.

Event co-ordinator Mark Winson of Tropicsurf comments, “Each year I see the Champions Trophy concept grow to another level. A reputation for flawless waves and high performance surfing again has the world’s elite surfers banging down the door to be one of the six contenders. I think Rasta will have his work cut out for him defending the title considering the competition’s unique age-based handicap. To give the likes of Shane Dorian a head start to a heat will have a big impact.”

The SCT is unique in many ways, from determining a surfer’s heat based on their age to a test of skill across three different divisions: single-fin, twin-fin, and triple-fin thruster. This year sees a free-surfer, a big-wave rider, and a hard-charging female challenger in the mix for the USD 25,000 prize money, with excitement building as to who will claim the last three spots.  Introducing the first three SCT 2015 competitors:

Rasta Surfing

Dave “Rasta” Rastovich (AUS)

Hitting the ocean scene as a nipper (young Australian lifesaver), Rasta went on to surf up a wave of wins: U/16 World Grommet Titles in Bali, Pro Junior Burleigh Heads and finals of Billabong World Junior Championships. Turning his back on the traditional pro route, he carved a career that has included recognition as the world’s first pro freesurfer; winning the open class Molokai to Oahu Hawaiian inter-island paddle race (world champs of long-distance open ocean paddling); and setting up Surfers for Cetaceans, dedicated to the conservation and protection of the marine life he shares the water with.

Commenting on his return to defend his 2014 SCT title, Rasta says, “This is a surfing event that ensures everyone has a good time. We all progress our surfing together, go diving, enjoy amazing food and drinks, and get to retreat to luxury at the end of every surf and sun soaked day. I can’t believe I get to re-live the dream of being in this event again this year.”

Shane Dorian (HAW)

One of the world’s best big-wave surfers, Dorian hails from Kona, Hawaii.  He began surfing at the age of 5, turning pro at 17 and steadily climbed the world ranks, reaching his career best #4 in 2000. Carving his own surfing style – raised-chin, down-turned hands, splayed fingers – Dorian was considered one of the best all-rounders when he retired from the tour in 2003.  Far from quitting surfing, the ever-fearless tuberider shifted his focus to big-wave surfing, winning six Billabong XXL big-wave awards between 2005 and 2013 and achieving the ultimate kudos for the near impossible: slaying a world-record setting 57-footer at Jaws, Maui’s monster break, in 2011.

“I can’t wait to get back to the Maldives,” Shane says. “I love it there and am excited to enjoy a week atFour Seasons with my wife Lisa. The chance to score some waves with five other invitees will be awesome!”

Sofia Mulanovich (PER)

The first Peruvian surfer to win an Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour event; the first South American to win a world title; the first South American surfer to be inducted into the Surfer’s Hall of Fame; and the first surfer to defeat Layne Beachley from her six year dominance of the sport – Sofia Mulanovich is surfing elite.  With surfing traditionally being a male-dominated sport in Peru, she grew up competing against the boys, entering her first pro contests at 13. A blue-eyed beauty with a hard-charging style, she’s sure to give this year’s SCT line-up a real run for their money.

Commenting on her place in the competition, Sofia says, “I have always wanted to go to the Maldives. I imagine it’s just like being in paradise.  I’m super excited that I now have the opportunity to surf there and stay at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa. It’s a dream come true – I can’t wait!”

 

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COMO Maalifushi highlights uncrowded surf access across southern atolls

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COMO Maalifushi presents a considered approach to surfing in the Maldives—one shaped by access, expertise, and the quiet privilege of space.

Located in the remote Thaa Atoll, the resort offers entry to a network of lesser-travelled breaks across the southern atolls, where consistent Indian Ocean swells meet uncrowded line-ups. Here, surfing unfolds without urgency—guided by natural rhythm rather than routine.

At the core of the experience is COMO Maalifushi’s long-standing partnership with Tropicsurf, daily sessions are shaped by real-time ocean conditions, with coaching that adapts intuitively to each guest—whether taking to the water for the first time or refining technique across more complex reef formations.

Guests are given access to a curated selection of breaks across Thaa Atoll, Laamu Atoll and Dhaalu Atoll—each offering a distinct character. From the long, forgiving rides of Farms to the more technical, fast-moving rights of ‘Machine’, the programme is designed to evolve with both conditions and capability.

“Surfing at COMO Maalifushi is defined by its sense of space and possibility,” says Peter Nilsson, Managing Director, COMO Maldives. “Our location allows access to some of the Maldives’ most consistent yet uncrowded waves, and through our partnership with Tropicsurf, we’re able to offer an experience that is both highly personalised and quietly exceptional—true to COMO’s way of doing things.”

The season, which runs from April through October, brings steady swells from the southern Indian Ocean. Yet beyond seasonality, it is the absence of crowds that defines the experience—allowing guests to engage with the ocean on their own terms.

Surfing at COMO Maalifushi sits naturally within the wider rhythm of the island. Time in the water is balanced with restorative treatments at the COMO Shambhala Retreat, unhurried dining, and the simplicity of island life—creating a sense of flow between activity and stillness.

Here, surfing is guided with care, framed by nature, and experienced without excess.

For more information, please visit the resort’s website

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Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa to stage 14th edition of Surfing Champions Trophy

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The Indian Ocean provides consistent surf conditions throughout the year, but each September, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa hosts the Surfing Champions Trophy at the Sultans break. The event is scheduled to return from 4 to 11 September 2026, bringing together professional surfers, guests and spectators.

Now in its 14th edition, the Surfing Champions Trophy is an invitation-only event featuring professional surfers competing across three board disciplines: single fin, twin fin and thruster. The competition takes place at Sultans, a reef break in North Malé Atoll, with Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa serving as the base for participants, officials and attending guests.

The line-up for the 2026 edition will be announced in stages in the coming months.

The event was first held in 2011, with Mark Occhilupo winning all three divisions and the Grand Champions Final. Since then, previous winners have included Damien Hardman (2012), Taylor Knox (2013), Dave Rastovich (2014), Shane Dorian (2015), Taj Burrow (2016, 2017 and 2024), Josh Kerr (2018 and 2019), Kelly Slater (2022), and Joel Parkinson (2023).

Over the years, the competition has also featured a range of international surfers, including Carissa Moore, Maya Gabeira, Tom Curren, Rob Machado, Layne Beachley, Bethany Hamilton, Mikey February, Jeremy Flores and Jadson Andre.

The 2025 edition saw Tahitian surfer Michel Bourez secure victory despite sustaining a hamstring injury during the event. He won both the thruster division and the Grand Champions Final, achieving the only perfect score of the competition in the closing moments of the final. Other participants included Owen Wright, Jesse Mendes, Craig Anderson and Maldivian wildcard Ismail Rasheed.

In parallel with the event, the resort offers the “Surf’s Up” package, which includes coaching sessions with Tropicsurf professionals, guided surf trips, daily yoga sessions, spa treatments, and accommodation with transfers. The package is available to guests seeking to participate in surf-related activities during the event period.

Updates on the 2026 competition, including participant announcements, will be released through official channels of the Surfing Champions Trophy and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa.

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Eri Maldives offers accessible reef diving and snorkelling

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Eri Maldives is located within the waters of North Malé Atoll and is surrounded by a house reef accessible to both beginner and experienced divers. With four direct reef entry points and shore access, the resort offers opportunities for snorkelling, introductory dives and certified diving.

The house reef supports a range of marine life, including white-tip and black-tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, hawksbill turtles, mobula rays and spotted eagle rays, as well as schools of reef fish. The accessibility of the reef allows guests to explore the area over multiple days, providing opportunities to observe marine behaviour and habitats over time.

Turtle encounters

Hawksbill turtles are among the most frequently observed species on the reef. The resort’s dive team has identified 14 individual turtles, each recognised by shell patterns and physical features. These include turtles known as Rosie, Cara and Anna, which have been documented through repeated sightings.

The resort maintains records of these turtles, allowing returning guests to identify individuals over time. Guests may also contribute to this initiative by naming newly identified turtles that have not previously been recorded.

Manta ray season

From December to April, manta rays are known to visit cleaning stations at Bodu Hithi Thila, located approximately one hour by boat from the resort. During this period, ocean conditions support plankton flows that attract mantas to the area, where they can be observed feeding or visiting cleaning stations.

Night diving experiences

Night snorkelling and diving activities provide a different perspective on reef activity. Species such as reef sharks, trevallies, moray eels and nurse sharks become more active after dark, offering guests the opportunity to observe nocturnal marine behaviour.

At Eri Maldives, marine experiences form a central part of the guest offering, with the house reef providing consistent opportunities for exploration. The resort’s dive programme is designed to support repeated interaction with the marine environment, allowing guests to experience a range of underwater activity throughout their stay.

Accommodation is available in studio and beach villa categories, with full board packages offered for direct bookings, subject to availability.

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