Top Asian paddlers to make a splash at Megha Kayak Festival from Oct 14 in Ri-Bhoi

Shillong, Oct 12: Top paddlers from Asia will hit the white waters of the hilly rivers and splash waves of excitement at the Megha Kayak Festival, slated to be held at the Shillong White Water Village, Umtham, in Ri-Bhoi district, from October 14.

The seventh edition of the festival will be held over four days at the picturesque venue and all eyes will be set on the top Asian paddlers who will compete in the inaugural Asian Extreme Kayak Championship in the festival.

Some highlights of the championship will be the ‘downriver sprint’ and the ‘canoe slalom cross’ for men and women of all ages and skills. The first event is a sprint down the river by individual kayakers, where speed and timing will be the key factors. The canoe slalom cross will feature multiple kayaking competitors who will navigate through gates and obstacles in the river.

The Asian Extreme Kayak Championship marks a new chapter for the festival, introducing the ‘extreme sprint’ and ‘enduro’ formats that will push athletes to their limits on the challenging Umtrew rapids.

Extreme sprint is a race among kayakers with gates and obstacles placed upstream and downstream. Enduro, as the name suggests, is a long-distance race testing the stamina and skills of the kayaking competitors.

Since its inception, the Megha Kayak Fest has attracted top paddlers – both amateurs and professionals – from around the world. Over 80 competitors from India, Nepal, and the UK had participated in the previous editions of the festival.

The event is being organised by the Ri-Bhoi Water Sports and Tourism Corporation Society Limited with support from the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, along with the Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association. The registration for participants will take place at the Shillong White Water Village.

Meanwhile, the organisers said that in keeping with the festival’s dedication to gender equality and inclusiveness in adventure sports, the prize money will remain the same for all categories. The first prize will be Rs 30,000 for the downriver sprint, kayak cross race, and kayak cross and a cash prize of Rs 75,000 for the overall winner.

The first prize for the extreme kayak sprint and enduro events in both male and female categories, will be Rs 30,000. The Meghalaya is seeking to make the State a hub of adventure tourism through this event, officials said.