Foreign kayakers who won prizes at this year’s Malabar River Festival are still awaiting their payment, despite the organisers, the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS), assuring them of remuneration within 15 days, leaving them unpaid more than two months after the event.
Athletes from five countries and 10 Indian States had taken part in the festival and the International Whitewater Kayaking Championship held at Pulikkayam and Pulloorampara in upland Kozhikode from August 4 to 6 this year. Ava Christensen of the U.S. was the ‘Rapid Rani’ this year, having bagged the first place in the super finals and extreme slalom events. Mikhail Krutyansky from Israel bagged the third prize in the super final in the men’s category, while Heidi Walsh of the U.K. was the second prize winner in the women’s category of the super finals and the extreme slalom.
“We have provided their travel allowance. It is only the prize money that remains to be paid, due to some technical glitches,” said Binu Kuriakose, Chief Executive Officer of KATPS, that organised the festival.
