Sixty-five people, including 37 foreigners, nonetheless, dared to take up the challenge in the Himalayan While Water Challenge held from November 27-29. The event was organized with an aim to develop Nepal as the destination for adventurous sports, said Gopal Prasad Kharel, president of Nepal Association of Rafting Agents (NARA). The rafting and kayaking contest was organized by Nepal Association of Rafting Agents (NARA) with support from Nepal Tourism Board and Nepal Rafting and Canoeing Association.
The event featured slalom, freestyle rodeo and down river race in men´s and women´s categories. Adventurous men and women from 13 countries, including Nepal, Japan, United States of America, United Kingdom, Holland, France, Switzerland, Norway, Germany and Canada, participated in the event.
In Nepali men´s category, Santa Maila Gurung, Nim Bahadur Magar and Santosh Magar clinched the top three spots in overall competitions. Likewise, Susmita Sunwar, Anu Shrestha and Sita Thapa finished top three in overall categories for women.
In international men´s overall, Sean Bozkewycz of Australia, Tuscany Foot of United Kingdom and Teruhiko Katsuragawa of Japan finished top three while in international women´s overall Sveta Timofeeca of Russia, Monica Gorkey of America and Ashley Courtney of Canada secured the first, second and third positions, respectively.
The national winners received canoeing kits while international winners were awarded with tour and adventure packages. “It was a really tough competition and a great fun. The water currents were thrilling. Down-river race was the toughest,” Bozkewycz said after the event.
Mahendra Singh Thapa, the event coordinator, recalled the first competition he organized in 1992 and said the number of participants has increased a lot since then. “There were only seven peddlers in the first edition with only one Nepali participant, but over time the number has sharply increased,” he said, adding, there are currently more than 500 Nepali kayakers.
The International Canoeing Federation (ICF) sent Gosselin Pierrick, a French national, for the competition. Pierrick, a Slalom expert who is working in Malaysia to develop Slalom in Asia, will help ICF chalk out strategies for the development of water sports in Nepal. “Technical support is imperative,” he said. “However, we will also discuss future plans and support for Nepal.”
Peirrick believes Trishuli is almost perfect for water sports. “The river is close to perfect for such sports,” he said praising Nepali peddlers as the best in Asian countries.
The ICF is also all set to invite Nepali peddlers in international competitions. Susmita, 23, participated in such events in Spain and Switzerland in August 2009.
“The Nepali winner here will get chance to participate in international event and the ICF will bear all the costs,” said Surya Prasad Joshi, the vice president of Nepal Rafting and Canoeing Association.
The pioneer
Swesish Inka Trollsas, 34, has devoted much time for the development of water sports in Nepal. Trollsas, who set up Himalayan River Girls, a kayak club, six years ago in Pokhara, believes Nepal is one of the best destinations for kayaks.
Trollsas, who came to Nepal some nine years ago, learned water sports here and is proud of her club for producing six Nepali women kayaks. “Among few Nepali women in water sports, six are my products,” she said.
“There were no girls involved in water sports before I set up the club,” Trollsas said. “I want to continue the club and help girls as they don´t get as much opportunity as boys.”
According to Trollsas, Karnali is the best river for water sports. She claimed to be the first to teach kayaking to Nepali women. Talking about risks involved in kayking, she remarked rather amusingly, “It´s safer than traveling in local bus.”
What´s what?
Slalom is a water sports in which a peddler needs to enter through 2 meters wide door on a canoeing boat. Altogether 15 artificial doors, each at a distance of 300 meters, were erected on the part of the Trishuli River where the current was high. The winner was adjudged on the basis of time a peddler took to complete his task.
Free-style Rodeo is played where the current of water is high and whirlpool is strong. In this game, the winner is adjudged on the basis of stunts and showmanship. The one who displays more attractive stunts with his one man boat and stays in the whirlpool for the longest time is adjudged the winner.
Down-river Race performed in Trishuli is 17 km long race which started from Majhumtar, Dhading and finished in Kurintar, Dhading.
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