The Department of Tourism plans to open a permanent academy for adventure water sports at Pulikkayam in Kodencheri, one of the venues for the Malabar River Festival.
Giving away the prizes to the winners in the 9th edition of the festival at Pulloorampara on Sunday, Minister for Tourism P.A. Mohamed Riyas said that the end of July will be reserved for the Malabar River Festival (MRF) in the tourism calendar of the State so that national and international kayakers can prepare in advance for the event. The Minister had inaugurated the International Kayaking Centre at Pulikkayam earlier on the day.
Mr. Riyas shared the plan for a similar kayaking festival on Seethathodu at Konni in Pathanamthitta district. He said that having the olympic selection trials as part of MRF raised the glory of it this season.
The Minister’s declaration of Pathankayam as a tourist destination came as a shot in the arm for tourism in upland Kozhikode. The waterfall at Pathankayam was closed down for tourists following several drownings. The Minister assured that appropriate safety arrangements will be made before the destination is reopened.
On the competition front, Amit Thapa of India retained his title of Rapid Raja while the Rapid Rani title had a new claimant in Ava Christensen of USA. Mr. Thapa and Ms. Christensen paddled with 18 other kayakers as part of the Super Final titled Malabar Express, a kilometre-long down river race from Kocharipara to Kurunkayam. The kayakers had an arousing welcome at the Elanthakadavu bridge where hundreds of people waited for hours to witness the final race.
Manish Singh Rawat (India) and Mikhail Krutyansky (Israel) bagged the second and third positions in the down river race in the men’s category while Heidi Walsh (UK) and Elizabeth Rose Vincent (India) bagged the positions respectively in the women’s category.
The finals of the Extreme slalom/ Kayak Cross (pro) event were postponed on Saturday due to flash floods in river Iruvazhinji. Mr. Thapa and Ms. Christensen were the winners of the event too. Manish Singh Rawat and Daman Singh of India bagged the second and third positions in the men’s category while Ms. Walsh and Ms. Vincent left no scope for surprise in the women’s category. Naina Adhikari of India finished fourth.
