One of the most anticipated adventure sports events of the state of Meghalaya, the Megha Kayak Festival was flagged off on Thursday, October 12. The Shillong Whitewater Village is hosting the 6th Megha Kayak Festival. The three-day event will continue till Saturday, October 14.
The organizers are undertaking the 6th Megha Kayak Festival in the Umtham locality of Meghalaya. The participants will be competing amongst themselves on the beautiful landscape of the hill state across the beautiful Umtrew River of the state.
The 6th Megha Kayak Festival has 25 international kayakers hailing from various corners of the globe. Including participants from Sri Lanka, Switzerland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the Czech Republic, Australia, Norway, Chile, Mexico, Germany, and France. 8 talented kayakers from Meghalaya and one from Arunachal Pradesh are also competing.
This event aims to test the skills and courage of kayak enthusiasts from across the country. As the course takes the participants through intricate turns and beautiful landscapes. The 6th Megh Kayak Festival is being organized by the Ri Bhoi Water Sports & Tourism Corporation Society Limited. The Department of Sports and Youth Affairs is the main sponsor for this edition of the tournament. The Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association (IKCA) has also partnered for this event.
The organizers have organized the event in two formats. They are the Down River Sprint and the Canoe Slalom Cross. There are several awards for men and women according to age groups and expertise. The registration fee for the event was Rs 5000 with accommodation as well as lunch and dinner. And Rs 3000 for participation without accommodation and dinner, but including lunch. The organizers will be giving away a total prize money of Rs 14,00,000. They will also give out gear to the value of Rs 1,30,000.
Apart from being an excellent opportunity for the competitors, the event aims to showcase the rich heritage of Meghalaya. It also aims to encourage female participation in the sport. And with the growing number of participants and spectators, it is becoming one of the most important watersport tournaments of the country.
