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MOST BRITISH NEWSPAPERS PRAISE THE SRI
LANKAN YOUNG MAN, THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD SURF STANDING ON HIS HEAD
By Walter Jayawardhana
A dark skinned 22 year old Sri Lankan young man virtually unknown
in his home country, Sri Lanka is hitting headlines in almost every
newspaper in England as the one who has achieved no Briton could succeed
in doing.
Describing the cause for his celebrity status the mass circulated
, The Sun newspaper said , “Dulip, 22, stunned fellow surfers when
he first mounted his board and performed a headstand while riding the
waves.”
Duleep Kokuhennedige, who lived by the Southern coast , with his family
, was not only unknown but also lost everything by the “Boxing
Day Tsunami”back at home which occurred December 26 2004 is today
becoming popular increasingly as a tourist attraction at the English
seaside town of Dorset.
Despite he invented the trick of surfing standing on his head in his
native Sri Lanka where the sport is not that popular he received instant
fame due to his acrobatic stunt in England where the popular summer
sport of the Sri Lankan is catching headlines as no one else is able
to emulate him in Britain.
The mass circulated Sun described the brave young man as follows:
“Dulip can stay upside down - when most can’t even stand up
- and ride a wave for up to 15 seconds before it breaks and flips him
over.
“The builder has tried to teach his friends how to surf upside
down but none of them have been able to do the stunt he invented.
“Sri Lankan-born Dulip first found he could do a headstand while
teaching youngsters how to surf following the Asian Tsunami in 2004.
“On his first attempt he was able to stay upside down on his
board for a few seconds.
“Dulip continued to practice the act after he moved to Britain
in 2005 and now spends most of his time in the sea surfing on his head.
“He said that although he attracts a lot of attention he is not
a show-off.
Dulip, from Bournemouth, said: “I lost everything in the Tsunami
but decided to volunteer and help others by teaching them how to surf
during the bad times.
“I love Bournemouth as it has lots of surfers but I have found
people paying me a lot of attention because of my headstands.
“Fellow surfer Ross Broad, 19, said: “I couldn’t believe
it when I first saw Dulip stand on his head.
“Most of us are just happy to stand on our boards for a few seconds
let alone do it upside down.
“Others have tried to copy it but have ended up flat on their
face.
“He’s a real star and attracts crowds whenever he does it.”
“Dulip is now looking forward to the imminent completion of Europe’s
first artificial surf reef which is currently being built in Bournemouth.
“When it is finished next month the underwater reef will double
the number of annual surfing days in the resort and provide waves as
big as those found on Malibu Beach.
The Daily Mirror newspaper writing in praise of the Sri Lankan said:
“This surfer's a flippin' marvel... doing stunts on his board upside
down.
“Acrobatic Dulip Kokuhannadige, 22, has been attracting waves
of admirers to the beach to see him surf while standing on his head.
Sri Lankan-born Dulip, who moved to Bournemouth three years ago, can
ride a wave in his eccentric topsy-turvy style for up to 15 seconds
before it breaks and flips him over.
“He said : "I can stay up for the duration of a good wave
which can take me all the way onto the beach. My face doesn't get too
wet until the wave breaks, then the Bournemouth three years ago, can
ride a wave in his eccentric topsy-turvy style for up to 15 seconds
before it breaks and flips him over.”
The newspaper pointed out that Dulip is getting more lucky since at
Dorset they are building Europe’s first artificial reef to surf
: Quoting him the newspaper said, "I can stay up for the duration
of a good wave which can take me all the way onto the beach. My face
doesn't get too wet until the wave breaks, then the water does go up
my nose. I have found people paying me a lot of attention because of
my headstands. I don't like showing off but I get lots of people coming
to watch."
“And things will get even better for Dulip and pals. Europe's first
artificial reef is being built in Bournemouth - creating waves as big
as those in Malibu.
The more conservative Daily Telegraph newspaper said: “Mr Kokuhannadige
has tried to teach his friends how to surf upside down but none of them
have been able to do the stunt.
“Fellow surfer Ross Broad, 19, said: "Most of us are just
happy to stand on our boards for a few seconds let alone do it upside
down."
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