POKHARA, FEB 29 -

Winners for various categories in the Himalayan Rush, the first triathlon in Nepal, were announced following the conclusion of the event on February 25 at Begnas Lake in Pokhara.

Participants in the triathlon comprised of 23 athletes from nine countries including the US, England, Australia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, and India, as well as two Nepalis. The multi-sport event began at 9 am starting with the swim, then the cycle race, ending with the run. The triathlon was divided into two distances: the standard distance (1.5 km swim, 40 km cycle and a 10 km run) and the more intensive sprint distance (750 m swim, 20 km cycle and a 5 km run).

Paul Bolla from Australia and Frances Fox from England won in the standard distance category, while Edward Kent Rogers from the US and Anna Marie Guiney from Ireland topped the sprint distance race.

The organisers of Himalayan Rush, sports and fitness enthusiasts themselves, describe the event as one that they envision filling a “global demand” for sports events in Nepal, targeted at recreational athletes from the country and abroad—a competitive, but still enjoyable experience.

According to Maneesh Shrestha, the co-organiser of Himalayan Rush, “Nepal

provides a unique experience for seasoned and novice recreational athletes, including both a physical challenge and breathtaking views. Himalayan Rush aims to add a unique sporting event to Nepal’s Tourism calendar which will attract a niche market of international tourists and bring them back to Nepal every year.”

“This year’s participants confirm that people are more and more willing and interested in combining sports with travel,” Shrestha says. “Many of our participants are first time visitors to Nepal; they came here for Himalayan Rush and many are going on to explore other adventure sports activities in Nepal over the next few days.”