THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Featuring the world-class kayakers and former world champions from across the globe, the sixth Malabar river festival and the first world kayak championship will begin in the waters of Thusharagiri in Kozhikode on July 18, showcasing the prowess of the water sport in which renowned kayakers from across the world will battle it out for top spots at the whitewater championship.
At a press meet, Tourism Minister Kdakampally Surendran said the championship and river festival will bring the Nipah-battered Malabar into a festive mood as the river festival is pulling out all the stops this year to entertain the tourists.
The festival will not just be a local paddling event as world-class athletes from over 25 countries will be going head-to-head in the all-new Malabar World Kayak Championship 2018, the minister said. Featuring challenging courses and thirty of the world’s best kayakers, the Malabar River Festival organised by DTPC Kozhikode and Madras Fun Tools, promises to take extreme water sports in South India to a whole new level.
The championship offers a cash prize of Rs15 lakh and the participation of kayakers like Nouria Newman of France, Aniol Serrasolses of Spain and Dane Jackson of USA will add more colour to the event, he said. The festival will bring in over 150 participants from all over the world. Being the only extreme adventure competition in south India, thousands of watersports enthusiasts are expected to be flocking to Thusharagiri to catch a glimpse of all the adrenalin pumping action.
The event has come as a blessing for the monsoon tourism being organised in the Malabar region, said Rani George, Tourism Secretary. Bringing together a variety of lip-macking delicacies from all across Kerala, Malayora Food Festival organised as part of the event is expected to leave all adventure aficionados drooling.