Held on Chali and Iravazhinji rivers in Kozhikode district, South India’s only white water kayaking event is taking place after two years of pandemic
hitting the rapids
Nepal’s Kayakar Rupesh Shrestha descended on Chalippuzha (Chali River) during the inaugural canoe slalom event of the International Kayaking Championships that began in Kodenchery, Kerala today. Video Credits: Mithosh Joseph
Held on Chali and Iravazhinji rivers in Kozhikode district, South India’s only white water kayaking event is taking place after two years of pandemic
8th edition of Malabar River FestivalOrganized jointly by the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society, District Tourism Promotion Council, Kozhikode District Panchayat and the Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association, the event began at Kodenchery in Kozhikode district.
Held after a gap of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is South India’s only white water kayaking competition, and this time around 60 plus kayakers are participating. “Previous editions of the competition have featured kayakers from all over the world. However, this time around, there are only three participants outside India, as the two-year pandemic breaks out,” said event coordinator Paulson Arakkal. The version was in 2019.
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Indian crabs domination
Meghalaya’s Kharbor Mwanai greets fans before his splash in Chalippuzha for the canoe slalom event. photo credit: mythos joseph
The inaugural canoe slalom event at Chalipuzha (Chali River) saw the participation of renowned Indian kayakers like Amit Thappa, Nidhi Bharadwaj, Hitesh Kewat and Kuldeep Singh. Nepal’s Rupesh Shrestha and Keshab Gharti also tested the rapids of Chalipuzha today. Lucky Verma (15) from Indore is the youngest participant this year. Meanwhile, Ian Vincent, 60, an Australian kayaking trainer based in Meghalaya, is the oldest participant.
How to reach Kodancherry
Nearby airports: Calicut International Airport (46 km), Kannur International Airport (109 km)
railway station: Calicut (41 km), Koylandi (42 km)
by road: Kochi (215 km), Bangalore (via Mysore, Wayanad: 313 km)
all events are Held on Chalippuzha and Iravazhinjippuzha, two tributaries of Chaliyar River Which flows through Kozhikode. The two rivers that flow down the Western Ghats east of Kozhikode district flow swiftly through the pristine and green areas of the hill villages of Kodenchery and Thiruvambadi panchayats, making them an ideal destination for white water kayaking events. Huh. It was a point by Bhardwaj, a professional canoe polo athlete, representing India in international competitions. “It is one of the best rivers here and I am enjoying it very much”, she said.
international talent
Nidhi Bhardwaj, International Canoe Polo Athlete, talking to The Hindu about the White-Water Kayaking Competition. Video Credits: Mithosh Joseph
Programs and Awards
This year’s festivities will feature competitions in events such as the Kayak Slalom, Boater Cross and Down River Race and the overall champions in the men’s and women’s categories will receive the Rapid King and Rapid Queen titles respectively. The winners of each competition will be given a cash prize of ₹ 1,00,000. The last seven editions of the festival have been very successful in terms of public participation. This year, the organizers have arranged river rafting for the public as well, so that they can get a taste of the rapids. The festival will conclude on Sunday 14th August.
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