Stilt fishing and toddy tapping arts mingled to a sport
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Following the success of the inaugural edition of Red Bull Levels last year in collaboration with Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, the ultimate test of body and mind will return to the south in February.
Inspired by age-old techniques to deliver an all-new experience, they have inculcated stilt fishing and toddy-tapping in an obstacle course unlike anything the world has ever seen before. The 2015 edition of the event saw Sri Lankan thrill-seekers discover the true potential of the heritage that runs in their veins as they unleashed these native superpowers in an exotic spectacle of balance, agility and concentration. With rising tides throughout the day, the course grew challenging every hour, and although many would fall every minute, all competitors had to remain on the ball every second.
The defending champions, Team A350 from SriLankan Airlines have already declared their participation and are looking to win the title for a second year in a row. “The most exciting part about Red Bull Levels is that it’s impossible to practice for it beforehand. Stilt fishing and toddy tapping is something we’ve all grown up watching in Sri Lanka, but never did we think we’d be doing it! You just have to go in, and you have to win. It worked for us last year and we hope it does this year as well!”
This year, sixty teams of four will compete for a grand prize of Rs. 300,000 as they take on the tides and sunshine of Bentota Beach in a race across five traditional fishing stilts of 4ft, 6ft, 8ft, 10ft and 12ft respectively. Each team member will have to cross the water on tightropes connected to each stilt and will qualify to the next round through intense knockout time trials. The Qualifying stages will have a 4-minute and 6-minute time limit, followed by the Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Grand Finals which will be decided upon based on the fastest times recorded.