Himalayan Mountain Bike Race Series 2001 launched

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KATHMANDU, Oct 4 – After successful inauguration last year, the second Himalayan Mountain Bike Championship—Action Asia Himalayan Mountain Bike Race Series 2001—is all set to return with much stronger appeal and world of possibilities in this form of adventure sports in Nepal.

The three-race event, which is being organised by Himalayan Mountain Bike in association with Radisson Hotel, Qatar Airways and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), scheduled to take place over three weekends—November 10, 18 and 24, was officially launched Thursday amid a great fanfare.

According to the race director, Peter Stewart, the event is expected to draw some 200 riders, including some of the riders with international repute.

"This is going to be an exciting event…," said Stewart at a press conference. "It will not just be a bike feast but a great feast of Nepal itself. All of this has the potential to showcase Nepal in the largest overseas network broadcasts in Nepal’s sporting history."

The first of the three races will hit the road from the Raniban South gate and finish in Kakani, after traveling the distance of 23.5kms. The second race will measure a distance of around 14kms beginning from Nagarkot to Sankhu while the Lubhu-Lakuri Bhanjung-Lubhu measuring 10-20kms will round up the event.

The races, comprising five different categories: open event, women’s event, senior’s (over 40) junior’s (under 16) and inter-school competition. An estimated cost of Rs 2.5 million is expected to be incurred to organize the whole event.

There will be a range of cash prizes, trophies, air tickets, mountain bikes up for grabs in each of the three races. The winner in the open class will become richer by Rs 15,000 and receive a return air-ticket both for a domestic travel and for Europe besides the trophy. The second and third placed riders will bag Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively. The winner among women competitors will collect Rs 10,000 and a domestic air-ticket.

Likewise, fabulous cash rewards have been set aside for top three riders in the remaining categories—masters, junior, and school.

Earlier, addressing the conference, the chief executive officer of Nepal Tourism Board, Pradeep Raj Pandey, said: "Tourism in Nepal is associated with adventure."

"What else would better portray Nepal as an adventure destination than sports?" he added. "This may even address the recent down turn in tourism industry."

Underlining the growing number of Australian visitors to Nepal in recent times, the Australian Ambassador to Nepal, Crispin Conroy, said: "This sort of tourism is going to be very important for Nepal."

Among those present on the occasion included Ambassador of Federal Republic of Germany to Nepal Rudi Lemp, director of NTB, president of Women in Sports Sita Pandey, general-manager of Radisson Hotel Kent Davidson.

According to the organisers, a planned international coverage of the event will allow over 30 million household around the world to watch the event on television making it one of the most visible sporting events ever staged in Nepal.

Apart from 10 international networks confirmed by Transworld International (TWI), the organisers plan to put the race on air through National Geographic Channel and Sportworld to get the wider audience in Europe.

Naxal Rehab Centre win gold

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KATHMANDU, Oct 4 – The Naxal Rehabilitation Centre won the football gold medal following their 6-1 win over Bhairahawa Rehabilitation Centre in the School-level Special Games organised by Nepal Para-Olympic Committee on Wednesday.

The football matches held at the premises of Dashrath Stadium among the deaf participants saw Pokhara Rehabilitation Centre claiming the third position.

In the javelin throw for the boys over 12 years, Dan Bahadur Thapa of Meudihawa won the gold, while Pratap Chaudhary of Naxal and Nathu Thakur of Majhuni were placed second and third respectively.

Likewise, Anil Maharjan bagged the gold in 800m race for over 12 years old category and Karun Shrestha won the silver medal. Prakash Pokharel of the Naxal clinched the third position.

Mahesh Dulal of Jhapa
won 100m race for mentally retarded boys above 12 years . Keshab Tibrewar and Kapil Budathoki came second and third respectively.

Sarita Acharya claimed gold medal after completing the 50m race in 4:48sec in the full blind girls’ above 12 years category. Likewise, Damar Shahi of Banke came up with gold in the full blind high-jump.

Similarly, Devendra Maharjan of Naxal and Archana Saiju clinched the shotput gold for full blind in the boys and girls category respectively. Tulsi Thapa of Baglung also managed gold in partial blind of the same event.

The final day of the Special Games, to be held at the City Hall on Friday, will feature cultural programme.

Nepal win at St Andrews

KATHMANDU, Oct 4 (PR)– Nepal left their mark in the first ever attempt at St. Andrews—the golfing mecca—as the pair of Binod Shrestha and Prem Sachdev won the Famous Grouse International Shotgun Foursome Golf tournament on Wednesday.

According to a report received here, the duo carded 74 to win the tournament, becoming the first non-British team to record a win at the championship in the tournament’s 16-year-old history. Shrestha and Sachdev had qualified as winners at the Fomous Grouse Shotgun Foursome Golf Championship held at Gorkarna Golf Club in November last year.

Apart from Nepal, the tournament featured amateur golfers from India, Turkey, USA, Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.

Tri-Chandra, Golkopakha score easy wins

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KATHMANDU, Oct 4 - The final league matches under the second Amrit Trophy Basketball (ATB) Championship concluded Thursday with Tri-Chandra Mutiple Campus, Galkopakha Youth Club registering convincing wins.

With the tournament’s quarterfinals line-up already drawn, the matches seemed to have lost much of their lustre, though.

In the Pool B tie of the day, Tri-Chandra (TC) Campus defeated Public Youth Campus (PYC) 64-36. PYC, the leaders in the first quarter, were completely outplayed in the latter quarters as they failed to check the TC scorers.

At the beginning of the second quarter, TC pressed hard to reap rich reward accounting for 19 points as against PYC’s 6. The third and fourth quarters saw the scoreboard read 20-10 and 14-8 in favour of TC.

Subash Shrestha was the highest scorer for TC with 33 points while Kshitiz Shrestha scored 22 points for the losing team.

In the other matches of the day, Galkopakha Youth Club (GYC) flogged Myagdi 55-35 as Deepak Thapa scored 18 points for GYC. Raj Pun scored 10 for Myagdi.

Likewise, Peace Zone Youth Club (PZYC) defeated SOS in a closely contested Pool D match by 57-50. Despite Gorakh KC’s 26 points, SOS could not avoid the defeat. For the winners, Rabindra Khadgi scored 24 points.

In the last match of the preliminary round, Brigade Boys Club (BBC)— already into last eight— emerged as the winner defeating Wilson Academy 47-41 of Pool D.

Anup Karki of the BBC was the highest scorer of the match with 17 points while Amit Tulachan of Wilson scored 12 points— highest for his team.

In the opening quarterfinal match, Gyanodaya will take on Knights on October 7, followed by the one between Ace Institute of Management (AIM) and Unique A in the same day.

On the 8th, 10’ers and Brigade Boys Club (BBC) will fight for a place in last four while the defending champions, Lincoln School lock horns with Ascol Juniors in the other.