Raid Amazones canoeing event gets underway in Kalutara

The canoeing competition of the international women-only adventure sports event Le Raid Amazones got underway in Kalutara yesterday, with Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath flagging off the event.

The competition began and ended at Malli’s Seafood Restaurant, with Minister Herath attending to encourage the participants.

The 2026 edition of the event commenced in Sri Lanka on November 2 after a two-year hiatus and will continue until November 10.

This year’s event features 250 French women and 55 international staff members. Connaissance De Ceylan (Pvt) Ltd is the official ground handling partner.

The event is centred mainly in Kalutara, with competitions also scheduled in Galle and Bentota. Participants will take part in trail running, canoeing, cycling and running events designed to test their endurance and physical strength.

A treasure hunt near the historic Galle Fort is also among the activities.

Sri Lanka Tourism said the competition routes had been designed to showcase Kalutara’s natural landscapes, coastal attractions, cultural heritage and local communities.

Sri Lanka Railways has arranged a special scenic train journey from Kalutara to Galle exclusively for participants, with entertainment planned during the journey.

The participants arrived in Sri Lanka on November 2 aboard a SriLankan Airlines flight operated by an all-female cabin crew. They were welcomed at Bandaranaike International Airport with traditional dance performances and other cultural activities.

Founded in 2001 by Alexandre Debanne of ZBO France, Le Raid Amazones combines adventure sports, cultural experiences and tourism promotion.

Sri Lanka has previously hosted the event in 2004, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023.

Sri Lanka Tourism said the event would help promote the country as an international destination for adventure and sports tourism while generating global publicity.

The 2023 edition reportedly generated publicity valued at around US$50 million, including more than 300 international media articles, a reach of one million people, over 65,000 engagements and 650,000 video views.