Canoe Mattoni in a Carnival Rhythm

This year the Canoe Mattoni had thousands of coloured patterns dancing in a carnival whirl. An exclusive weekend programme on the Karlovy Vary colonnades had the top sport competitions alternating with concerts and theatre buffooneries. As early as on Friday, the Canoe Mattoni Fest was started by performances of Lucie Bílá and the Kryštof Ensemble on the stage in front of the Thermal Hotel.

These top musical performers were replaced on Saturday with the world-best white-water contestants. They were competing for the points in the World Cup in the rapids of the turbulent Teplá River. Thousands of spectators were cheering them on from the banks of the river and from grandstands. Many popular faces of the Czech television led by Halina Pawlowska and Diana Kobzanová were among the fans. It was only during the evening party, held also in the carnival spirit in the elegant environment of the Mill Colonnade that Patrik Berger, the newly-signed football player of Sparta Prague or Yemi AD - the dancer, showed up.

Sunday brought the greatest novelty in this year’s programme, of the Eleventh year of Canoe Mattoni. The Mattoni water carnival was preceded by the 1st Karlovy Vary Water Carnival. A stream of jugglers, quaint masks and musicians swamped the town from the early morning and soon after noon the competition of untraditional vessels broke loose. The winner, Čmoudík, the water dragon received an ample award of 200 thousand CZK. It was true to its name (Puffer) and was belching flames in every direction all the way through the race.