The canoeing competition for the international women's adventure sports festival, Raid Amazones, officially began in Kalutara on Thursday (05). Minister of Tourism Vijitha Herath was on the scene to flag off the race and encourage the athletes.
According to Sri Lanka Tourism, the course both started and ended at Malli's Seafood Restaurant. The 2026 edition of the competition returned to Sri Lanka on November 02 after a two-year break and is scheduled to continue through November 10.
Thrills Across Kalutara
This year's contest brings together 300 French female athletes along with 55 international staff members. Ground handling is being managed by Connaissance De Ceylan (Pvt) Ltd.
Staged across the Kalutara area, the festival tests strength and endurance with events like trail running, canoeing, cycling, running and treasure hunts.
The competitors touched down at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on November 02. They were greeted with traditional dancing and cultural items. In a nod to women's empowerment, the group travelled on a flight handled entirely by an all-female crew.
Promoting Island Tourism
Alexandre Debanne of ZBO France created Raid Amazones in 2001 as an all-women multi-sport adventure challenge mixing endurance races, cultural outings and travel promotion. Sri Lanka has hosted the challenge before, in 2004, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023, drawing more than 250 overseas participants every time.
Tourism authorities stated the event aims to put the spotlight on the island's beaches, scenery, cultural sites and local towns. It focuses on European travellers from France, Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
Sri Lanka Tourism noted that the 2023 edition brought publicity worth around USD 50 million, covering over 300 global media articles, a reach of one million people, more than 65,000 engagements and 650,000 video views. Officials look forward to similar global coverage this time around.
What happens next
The Raid Amazones event will continue in the Kalutara area until November 10.
