Ganga Kayak Festival

Gathering of the kayaking community from across the country for a fun-filled, competitive day on the river.

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Opening ceremony: Feb 17th TBD
Prize Ceremony: Feb 19th at TBD

The Ganges River Kayak Festival in Rishikesh is an annual event that takes place along the banks of the river in the northern Indian city of Rishikesh. It is an international festival that brings together kayakers, paddlers, and adventure enthusiasts from around the world to celebrate kayaking, rafting, and other water-based activities. The festival typically lasts for several days and features a range of events, including competitions, demonstrations, and workshops.

Rishikesh is well-known for its scenic beauty and is considered the 'Yoga Capital of the World.' The festival takes advantage of the city's stunning natural setting, with events taking place on the Ganges River, surrounded by towering mountains, lush green forests, and breathtaking waterfalls. Participants have the opportunity to explore the area, try their hand at new water sports, and immerse themselves in the local culture and traditions.

The festival is also known for its focus on environmental conservation, with organizers and participants taking steps to minimize their impact on the local ecosystem. They use environmentally-friendly products, recycle and properly dispose of waste, and work to protect the delicate balance of the region's ecosystem. This helps to promote a culture of environmental responsibility and highlights the importance of preserving the natural beauty of the area.

In conclusion, the Ganges River Kayak Festival in Rishikesh is a unique and thrilling event that offers something for everyone. Whether you are an experienced kayaker or a newcomer to the sport, the festival provides a fantastic opportunity to learn, explore, and have fun. With its breathtaking natural setting, exciting events, and focus on environmental conservation, the Ganges River Kayak Festival in Rishikesh is an experience you won't want to miss.

Women Open Category
Mass Boater Cross (All)
Beginners Open Category
Slalom, Sprint, Boater Cross (Pros)

Sprint: Starts from above the golf course rapid on the river left with a seal launch off the 6-meter high ramp. There will be a compulsory boof on the top center and touch me a banner with hand on the river right. To finish the race, the athlete must touch the banner with their hand on the rock in the left eddy below golf course. Each athlete completes 2 laps with the fastest lap time counting.
Giant Slalom: Starts from above the golf course rapid on the river left with a seal launch off the 6mtr high ramp. There will be several downstream & upstream gates on both sides of the river. To finish the race, the athlete must touch the banner on the rock in the left eddy below golf course. Each athlete gets only 1 lap each.
Boater cross: The top 32 athletes from the Sprint and Giant slalom events (combined time) will qualify for the Boater Cross. There will be heats of 4 kayakers. It starts from the seal launch off the 6mtr high ramp. There will be a compulsory boof on the top center and touch me banner on the river right. To finish the race, the athlete must touch the banner on the rock in the left eddy below golf course. The top 2 from each heat will move onto the next round and so on. The top 4 athletes will qualify for the Super Final round and the battle for the Boater Cross title.
Best Indian paddler of the year award: Top 4 overall Indian athletes will qualify for this category based on a combined ranking from the Sprint, Giant slalom and Boater cross and will battle for the honor. When the start signal fires the athletes will swim from river right above golf course to river left and get in their kayak on the ramp and sprint down to the finish line (same racecourse as a sprint).
Intermediate/Beginners (Open Category): Starts from above the golf course rapid on the river left with a seal launch off the 6mtr high ramp. To finish the race, the athlete must touch the banner on the rock in the left eddy below golf course. Each athlete completes 2 laps with the fastest lap time counting. The fastest 8 athletes will qualify for the boater cross super final. Boater cross super final will start with the seal launch from the 6mtr high ramp all the way to the finish line below Golf Course rapid. There will be no gates for this category.
Junior (Open category): Starts from above the golf course rapid on the river left with a seal launch off the 6mtr high ramp. To finish the race, the athlete must touch the banner on the rock in the left eddy below golf course. Each athlete completes 2 laps with the fastest lap time counting. The fastest 4 athletes will qualify for the boater cross super final. Boater cross super final will start with the seal launch from the 6mtr high ramp all the way to the finish line below Golf Course rapid. There will be no gates for this category.
Women (Open category): Starts from above the golf course rapid on the river left with a seal launch off the 6mtr high ramp. Sprint down to 'touch me' banner on the river right. To finish the race, the athlete must touch the banner on the rock in the left eddy below golf course. Each athlete completes 2 laps with the fastest lap time counting. The fastest 8 athletes will qualify for the boater cross and top 4 for the super final. Boater cross super final will start with the seal launch from the 6mtr high ramp all the way to the finish line below Golf Course rapid. There will be no gates for this category.
Mass boater cross (for all): Athletes will start together from river right above golf course rapid. It will be a Le-mans style start. Once the start signal fires the athlete will need to run over, enter their kayak, put their spray deck on, and sprint down to the finish point below golf course on the left. There will be some surprises obstacles which will be disclosed on the day of the event.