Japan completes clean sweep with four titles at WSL Shore Temple Classic in Mamallapuram

Japan claimed the top spot in every division at the World Surf League Shore Temple Classic QS 2000 and Pro Junior (JQS) at Mamallapuram beach on Saturday, securing four titles across Open and Pro Junior categories. The winners were Ikko Watanabe (Open men), Mirai Ikeda (Open women), Yuma Nagasawa (Pro Junior men) and Hinata Shimizu (Pro Junior women).

The event combined WSL QS 2000 and Pro Junior competition at Mamallapuram beach under skies that cleared after an overcast start, producing tightly contested finals. Japanese surfers dominated the day’s podiums, finishing ahead of international entrants in each deciding heat. Thailand’s Isabel Higgs was the only non-Japanese finalist mentioned among the day’s top placings.

In the Open men’s final, Ikko Watanabe posted a 17.10 total to defeat compatriot Tenshi Iwami by 0.33, recording the highest final score of the Shore Temple Classic. Watanabe’s margin and score decided the headline result in the men’s open division.

Mirai Ikeda took the Open women’s crown with a 14.00 total, outscoring Thailand’s Isabel Higgs by 1.60. Ikeda had earlier placed fourth in the women’s Pro Junior final.

The Pro Junior titles went to Yuma Nagasawa in the men’s class and Hinata Shimizu in the women’s class, with Nagasawa scoring 14.17 and Shimizu 14.23. Those results completed Japan’s sweep of the event’s principal trophies.

Ty Sorati, tour director for WSL Asia-Pacific (APAC), participated in the closing ceremony. Arun Vasu is identified in event reports as president of the Asian Surfing Federation and the Surfing Federation of India.

Arun Vasu hinted that two WSLs could be hosted next year and that the Andaman islands has been confirmed as the host for one of them.