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Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy 2012 Begins
Maldives Promotion House – In an, ’80s flashback, legendary surfers Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo (Aus), Tom Curren (USA), Damien ‘Dooma’ Hardman (Aus) and Martin ‘Pottz’ Potter (GB) relived their historic rivalries with the same intensity on the first day of the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy 2012. Rounding out the ensemble cast is 2007 ASP Longboard champion Phil Rajzman (Brz).
On day one of the competition, all five former world champions dueled it out in the single-fin division in beautiful four-foot, offshore surf at Sultan’s Point, Maldives.
After a solid morning of competition, the final featured Hardman versus Potter. From the outset it was as if the two rivals hadn’t missed a beat from their heyday. Potter surfing with the raw aggression that made him one of the most feared surfers in his heyday, while Hardman applied his calculated, strategic and vertical approach that led him to two world titles. After a back and forth duel, ultimately it was Hardman that edged out Potter for the single-fin victory.
“I thought it would have been more relaxed out there but it reverted to the old days, it was a bit scary,” said Hardman post single-fin victory.
“Everyone got competitive, but it was good surfing against those guys again, they are all still surfing great,”
“And I finally got ‘Pottz’ back from when he beat me at Bells Beach in 1989, that was the last time we competed against each other,” added 46 year-old Hardman.
Hardman, who claimed USD3000 for the win joked.
“It’s the first prize money I have won in 12 years so I can put pro-surfer on my departure card now.”
Potter, 46, who held the lead with five minutes remaining, admitted to a priority error which Hardman utilized to lock in a 7.10 score and claimed victory.
“You can never make a mistake when surfing against ‘Dooma’, he will capitalize on it every time,” said Potter, who won USD1000 for the runner-up placing.
Enroute to the final, Hardman narrowly edged out a fluid Curren in semifinal one.
“It was like old times, it was really good, except that I lost my heat,” said Curren.
“I was really trying to surf like Cheyne Horan, back in 1981 he had his designs really together so I was trying to do the same top to bottom surfing as he did back then,” added Curren.
The high scoring second semi saw Potter take an early lead with a heat high 9.07 ride. Occhilupo quickly answered back with an 8.10 but fell short on the siren to end his winning run in the Maldives.
“It wasn’t the result I was hoping for but it was good to see ‘Dooma’ get a win after his run of bad luck here last year,” said Occhilupo.
“We still have a few divisions to go so it’s not over yet” added Occhilupo.
The inaugural event, held in 2011, was a clean sweep for ‘Occy’ who won all three divisions of Single Fin, Twin Fin and Thrusters, before defeating world longboard champion Josh Constable (Aus), 30, in the Grand Champions Final to take home $19,000 of the $25,000 purse on offer.
The Four Seasons Explorer luxury catamaran provided the ultimate headquarters for the day as surf guide organization Tropicsurf coordinated the iconic tournament. With three-decks and 39 metre (128 foot) on offer for competitors, event crew and spectators, luxury was the call of the day.
Starting the event was the single-fin era (1970’s), to be followed on day two, the twin-fin (late ’70s and early ’80s), and ultimately finished by the Thruster (’80s onwards) division. With a $25,000 USD prize purse up for grabs, the all-star cast have spent their down time living it up at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa.
On his road to his three world championships, Curren’s clashes with young, upstart Mark Occhilupo became the stuff of legend. To this day, any surfer worth his or her salt has these shattering moments engrained in the lore of the sport as they were plastered across magazine pages and immortalized in videos.
Unfortunately 2005 ASP Women’s World Champion Chelsea Hedges was forced to withdraw after suffering a collapsed lung while training for the event.
The surf forecast looks promising throughout the week-long waiting period and the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy looks to add to its already historic legacy. Tropicsurf organizers will reassess conditions again tomorrow morning for a 7am call for the Twin Fin Division.
For the latest updates on the event, visit: www.surfingchampionstrophy.com
RESULTS
Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy 2012 Single Fin
FINAL
Damien Hardman (Aus) 13.43 def. Martin Pottter (GB) 13.07
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
SFl Hardman 13.90 Tom Curren (USA) 13.16
SF2 Potter 16:40 Mark Occhilupo (Aus) 15:57
ROUND ONE RESULTS
HT1Tom Curren (USA) 13.66, Mark Occhilupo (Aus) 9.77, Damien Hardman (Aus) 9.67
HT2 Martin Potter (GB) 15.83 Damien Hardman (Aus) 15.74 Phil Rajzman (Brz) 11.53
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Noku Maldives strengthens reef protection through coral propagation
Noku Maldives, Vignette Collection has announced the launch of its Coral Propagation Programme, a new reef enhancement initiative guided by the brand’s purpose-led pillar, Means for Good.
Set within the tranquil waters of Noonu Atoll, Noku Maldives is home to a naturally vibrant marine environment — and this programme reflects the resort’s long-term commitment to nurturing it with care, intention, and respect for the ocean that surrounds the island.
Supporting Natural Growth, One Fragment at a Time
At the heart of the initiative is a gentle and nature-led method using “fragments of opportunity” — naturally broken coral fragments that are collected and carefully secured onto coral frames to encourage healthy regrowth. These fragments are stabilised in an environment that supports their development, allowing new coral to establish and flourish over time.
Designed with both short-term progress and lasting impact in mind, the Coral Propagation Programme will monitor key indicators of success within its first year, including stronger, healthier coral growth and increased fish activity around the coral frames — a positive sign that biodiversity is thriving and marine life is naturally gathering around these new habitats.
Over time, the initiative aims to support the natural expansion of reef habitats by creating structured micro-environments that encourage marine life and contribute to the long-term resilience of the surrounding reef ecosystem.
A Wider Commitment to Ocean Stewardship
The Coral Propagation Programme forms part of Noku Maldives’ broader conservation focus — including the protection of one of the island’s most distinctive natural features: its lush and thriving seagrass meadows.
Unlike many destinations where seagrass is removed or covered, Noku Maldives has chosen to protect and celebrate this important ecosystem. As part of its participation in the Maldives Resilient Reef Industry Circle, the resort has pledged to safeguard at least 80% of its seagrass area, recognising its vital role in supporting marine biodiversity and strengthening environmental resilience.
Seagrass meadows are essential to the lagoon’s natural balance. They provide a nursery habitat for juvenile fish species, help stabilise sediment and reduce beach erosion, and are widely recognised as powerful natural carbon sinks — absorbing CO₂ up to 35 times faster than rainforests. Seagrass also plays a key role in supporting green sea turtles, who rely on it as a primary food source and can graze up to 2 kilograms per day.
Noku Maldives will continue ongoing seagrass monitoring through regular assessments of species composition, blade height, algae content, and ecosystem health markers measured across set quadrats. Of the eight seagrass species found in the Maldives, four have already been identified within the resort’s lagoon — a promising indicator of biodiversity and habitat richness.
A Stay That Leaves Something Behind
Through Means for Good, Noku Maldives, Vignette Collection invites guests to connect with the destination in a way that feels meaningful — where luxury is not only experienced, but thoughtfully shared with the place that makes it possible.
The Coral Propagation Programme is a step forward in ensuring that the island’s reefs, lagoon life, and underwater landscapes remain protected for generations to come — a living symbol of what happens when nature is given the space, care, and time to return.
For more information and reservations, please visit the hotel website or email us at noku.reservations@ihg.com.
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Siyam World hosts Fernando Torres and Mark Noble for festive football camps
Siyam World Maldives created the setting for two memorable football experiences during the festive season, as Fernando Torres and Mark Noble led a series of camps that transformed the holidays into shared moments of play, discovery and connection. With phones set aside and screens forgotten, more than fifty young players became fully absorbed in movement, laughter and island life.
Over two days, former World Cup winner Fernando Torres hosted an exclusive children’s football camp for resort guests, welcoming more than fifty players aged between four and fourteen. Mornings that began by the lagoon gradually shifted to the football pitch, as relaxed holiday routines evolved into informal training sessions filled with energy and enjoyment.
Torres, widely known as El Niño, brought the same enthusiasm that defined his career with Spain and Chelsea, tempered with humour and an easygoing approach suited to the island setting. He played alongside the children, encouraged the youngest participants and offered guidance without interrupting the sense of fun. One moment captured the tone of the camp when a four-year-old attempted to nutmeg him. The attempt failed, but the laughter that followed set the mood for the sessions that continued into the afternoon.
Torres remarked that children are less concerned with reputation than with the simple pleasure of playing the game, noting that this was when the experience felt most genuine. Parents observed from the sidelines as the sessions unfolded, gradually realising that the camp had become a highlight of their family holiday.

One guest, visiting from London, said the family had arrived for the sunshine and water park, and had not expected their eight-year-old to be playing football with a former World Cup winner. She added that her son had not removed his signed jersey since.
Earlier in December, Siyam World welcomed former West Ham United captain Mark Noble for a five-day football programme. Known for his long career and leadership at the club, Noble led daily sessions that focused on teamwork, simple technique and encouragement, exchanging formal settings for cones, drills and steady guidance.
By the end of the programme, the camp had taken on the character of an informal family memory rather than a structured course. For the children, it was several days of football. For parents, it became a defining moment of their stay, remembered through shared photographs, stories and moments that lingered beyond the holiday.
Together, the two camps reflected Siyam World Maldives’ growing emphasis on immersive, sport-led experiences, where internationally recognised athletes meet the informal rhythm of island life. The approach aims to create opportunities for families to connect through experiences that feel natural, joyful and quietly distinctive, adding another dimension to the resort’s family offering.
Excursions
Discover Raa Atoll: Ifuru Island Maldives adds new dive packages for 2026
Ifuru Island Maldives has introduced a new collection of curated dive packages, inviting guests to explore the exceptional underwater world of the Maldives through programmes designed for beginners, aspiring divers and certified enthusiasts alike.
Located in the pristine waters of Raa Atoll, Ifuru Island Maldives provides access to vibrant house reefs, calm lagoon conditions and several of the region’s most celebrated dive sites, including the renowned Ifuru Thila. The newly launched dive packages are crafted to combine professional training, guided exploration and the convenience of a premium island stay.
The collection begins with an introductory diving experience tailored for first-time divers seeking to discover the underwater world in a safe and relaxed setting. Guests undergo lagoon-based training before progressing to the house reef, offering an ideal entry point into scuba diving with no prior experience required.
For guests ready to advance further, the resort offers a globally recognised scuba certification course. Designed for confident swimmers and snorkellers, the programme includes professional instruction, open water dives and an internationally valid certification, opening access to dive destinations worldwide.
Certified divers can choose a three-day dive escape that highlights the best sites in Raa Atoll. Featuring guided morning dives across renowned locations, the experience showcases the atoll’s rich marine biodiversity, striking reef structures and clear waters.
“Diving is an essential part of the Maldivian experience, and we wanted to create a collection that feels both accessible and exceptional,” said Marcel Sawyer, General Manager of Ifuru Island Maldives. “Whether it marks a guest’s first dive or their next significant underwater journey, these packages are crafted to offer confidence, comfort and memorable experiences beneath the surface.”
All dive packages may be booked alongside the resort’s premium accommodation offerings, including the Exclusively Yours Premium All-Inclusive meal plan, daily resort touches, complimentary non-motorised water sports, snorkelling equipment and return domestic flight transfers for qualifying stays.
The dive packages are available for booking and travel throughout 2026 and must be confirmed ahead of arrival. Package rates apply in addition to accommodation and are subject to availability.
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