The Departments of Youth Affairs and Tourism, in association with the General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure (GETHNAA), will organise the ‘Kali Kayak Festival’ at Aveda village in Joida taluk of Uttara Kannada district from June 2 to 4.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports, said this was the first time, the State government was holding the festival on the Kali. “The is an initiative to place the State on the international stage with respect to adventure sports circuit,” he said.
The Kali is dam-fed with the Supa dam close by and possessed a 10-km stretch on which white water kayaking competition will be held. The event will be divided into three categories: beginners – to attract participants who have never kayaked; intermediate – for recreational kayakers and budding athletes; pro–for professional kayakers. Already 127 persons had registered in the kayaking competition, including 12 registrations from foreign countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
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Mr. Madhwaraj said the Department of Youth Affairs will also be promoting adventure sports in a major way in the State in association with the GETHNAA. The department had already drawn up a tentative calendar for promotion of adventure sports activities, which will begin with the KKF.
This will be followed by Bangalore Boulder Championship (August 4, 5), Sailing Regatta at Vani Vilas Sagar, Chitradurga (August 26, 27), Dasara Sahasotsava (September 19 to 30), Badami Rock Festival (October 27 to 29), Nandi Adventure Festival (December 16, 17), Udupi Adventure Festival (December 16, 17), Yadgir Adventure Festival (Jan 6, 7, 2018), Avathi Bouldering Festival (Jan 20, 21, 2018), and Asia Cup Sport Climbing Competition (February 9, 10, 2018.