Myanmar has the coastline, the warm waters, and even the waves (at least for five months a year): now it has surfing.
Stymied by decades of military-imposed isolation and poor infrastructure, a grassroots surf culture is steadily growing west of Pathein in the resort town of Ngwe Saung.
Last September saw local teenagers compete in Myanmar’s first national surfing championships on the Bay of Bengal, in the backyard of Ngwe Saung Yacht Club and Resort.
Some of their parents had never seen a surfboard before, but the dream was to build a national team that would compete in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and perhaps the Olympics.
Less than a year later and Myanmar’s surf scene has caught its biggest wave yet.
Weeks after the inaugural competition, the SEA Games Council for the first time approved surfing as a sport in the 30th SEA Games, which takes place in the Philippines this December.
The government then officially recognized the fledgling Surf Association of Myanmar (SAM) as part of the Myanmar Yachting Federation, meaning it could compete in the games.
Now all that’s missing is the surfers—they will be chosen at the country’s second national tournament on May 25-26 in Ngwe Saung. And every Myanmar person is invited to compete.
SAM founder Phone Kyaw Moe Myint said: “This is my childhood dream come true and to any who loves this sport. It took hard work and dedication to get this far and now we have a chance to call ourselves national athletes through surfing. Super stoked about this!”
Some stiff surfing competition awaits at the SEA Games, with the Philippines and Indonesia likely contenders for gold. Considering the sport has just reached Myanmar, it would be a major surprise if the country brought home a medal for surfing.
But the grounds for success are being laid, and with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics around the corner, who knows what the future holds.
Registration for the tournament is open until May 22. For more information and registration, contact [email protected].
