The Whitewater village at Umtham in Ri Bhoi came alive with kayakers splashing on the Umtrew after two years’ hiatus. The Kayak Fest 2022 that concluded on October 16 had 60 participants, including seven women kayakers, from 15 countries. Among the participants were 15 local paddlers too who competed in the amateur format.
The international paddlers, many of whom are champions, competed in the extreme slalom and downriver categories on the Umtrew river.
Ian Vincent, the promoter of the organising body Ri Bhoi Water Sports and Tourism Cooperative Society, said though the fifth edition of the fest was held this year after 2019, there were barely any glitches and the Covid-19 was not a deterrence for participants to come to Meghalaya. The Department of Tourism sponsored the event.
As the weather during the three days of the competition was bright and sunny, the kayakers not only competed against each other with zest but enjoyed every moment of the sport. While the overall winner was Matthias Weger from Austria, the crown for the best female kayaker went to Beth Morgan from the UK.
Ian, a pro-kayaker, has been running his training programme in the village for years now. The quaint village is located along the Umtrew, considered one of the best sites for kayaking in the country. The water is released from the Umiam hydro power station every day. Located at 740 m above the sea level, the place has pleasant temperature round the year that makes it even comfortable for kayakers from around the globe.
