World kayaking champion in State for kayak festival

Umtrew: Aniol Serrasolses of Spain was at the Umtrew River, Kyrdemkulai for the annual Meghalaya Whitewater Kayaking Fest organized jointly by Campfire Trails and Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) on Sunday.
Serrasolses says he won the world title just two weeks ago at Austria by a whisker. He had heard from kayaker friends from the UK and other countries about the superbly challenging rivers of Meghalaya and had come to explore these rivers. “I will be here for a week and then travel to Assam to check out the rivers there too,” the kayaker says adding that Meghalaya is a beautiful state and its people are extremely hospitable.
Stating that Meghalaya has a huge potential for kayaking,   Serrasolses says that this is something which the state and people should capitalise on.
Sunday saw twenty international participants and eighteen Indian kayakers take part in the competition held on the Umtrew River with its whitewater rapids.  Several spectators from Shillong and also the local people watched and cheered for the kayakers.
Zorba Laloo of Campfire Trails said no publicity was given for the competition but avid kayakers from across the globe arrived to take part because they heard of it through word of mouth.
“This could be an annual event during this season and we are grateful to the Tourism Department for enabling this to happen without a hitch,” he added.