Pokhara hosting three-day paragliding competition from Thursday

POKHARA: Pokhara is hosting the 21st edition of the Nepal Open Paragliding Competition on March 19-21.

Organizing a press meet in Pokhara on Monday, Nepal Airsports Association (NAA) President Anil KC said the competition will feature three events: accuracy (men), accuracy (women), and team competition.

Winners, first runners-up, and second runners-up in the men’s and women’s accuracy categories will receive cash prizes of Rs 150,000, Rs 100,000, and Rs 50,000, respectively, along with medals and certificates. Similarly, the winner, first runner-up, and second runner-up of the team event will be awarded with cash prizes of Rs 75,000, Rs 50,000, and Rs 25,000, respectively, along with medals and certificates.

According to the organizers, an estimated 100 pilots from Nepal and abroad will participate in the competition.

Nepal Paragliding and Hang Gliding Association, Nepal Paragliding Pilots Club, Nepal Tourism Board (Gandaki Province), Pokhara Metropolitan City, the Gandaki Province Sports Council, and the Pokhara Tourism Council, among others, are supporting the event.

Yogesh Bhattarai, the technical director of the event, said teams from the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police will be deployed for security, while Manipal Teaching Hospital will keep a medical team on standby.

Nepal won a silver medal in paragliding at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia in 208.

NAA has also been organizing internationally recognised FAI-category championships, as well as events such as the Paragliding Pre-World Cup and the Asian Continental Paragliding Championship as part of preparations to host the Paragliding World Cup in Nepal.

Competition coordinator Sunil Bahadur Bhattarai said that the event, which will be held for three days over the skies of the picturesque Fewa Lake, will also serve as a selection event for province-level athletes from Gandaki Province.

Paragliding has become a major attraction for domestic as well as international tourists visiting Pokhara. More than 50 paragliding companies are currently affiliated with the association.