OKHALDHUNGA, MARCH 3

Okhaldhunga Tourism Development Committee in association with the Nepal Tourism Board and Khijidemba Rural Municipality successfully organised an ultra-marathon covering a distance of 42 kilometres on the lap of Pikey Peak in the Mt Everest region.

According to Ngawa Ngima Sherpa, Chairman of Okhaldhunga Tourism Development Committee, Suman Kulung Rai of Solukhumbu won the ultra trail race in the male category, completing the race in 3 hours and 49 minutes. Similarly, in the female category, Sunmaya Budha of Jumla bagged the first prize completing the race in 4 hours and 41 minutes. Tirtha Tamang of Bhojpur (3 hours, 50 minutes), Arjun Kulung Rai of Solukhumbu (3 hours, 55 minutes) and Mohan Dev Joshi of Baitadi (4 hours and 8 minutes) stood second, third and fourth in the male category respectively.

Likewise, Manju Rawat of Jumla stood second completing the race in 5 hours and 11 minutes while Priya Rai of Khotang and Nitu Tamang of Sindhupalchowk stood second and third in the female category making it in 5 hours, 11 minutes and 3 seconds, and 5 hours and 19 minutes respectively.

Among local racers from Okhaldhunga, Kirti Rai (4 hours, 18 minutes), Rabindra Tamang (4 hours 19 minutes) and Devraj Sunuwar and Prithilal Rai (4 hrs, 33 minutes each) bagged the first, second and third position in the male category, while female runners Padam Kumari Sunuwar (5 hrs, 33 minutes and 1 second), Hirumaya Bhujel ( 6 hours and 19 minutes) and Anita Sunuwar ( 6 hours and 29 minutes) bagged the first, second and third prize respectively.

There were a total of 58 athletes, including one each from Kathmandu University and Kenya. The route of the race follows the beautiful pastures between Pikey Peak (4,200m) and Demba (3,150m) and runs down to Chuplung Banjhyang (2,600m), with the finishing point in Khijipalathe (2,500m).

According to Gambu Sherpa, the ultra-marathon was organised in coordination with Nepal Tourism Board to promote adventure sports in the Pikey region.

'The top three athletes in both male and female categories received Rs 70,000, Rs 55,000 and Rs 45,000 respectively,' Gambu Sherpa said. 'The marathon aims to promote adventure tourism along the Pikey region that adjoins Solukhumbu and Okhaldhunga districts,' he said.

'The trail race is not just a running event, but truly a once-in-alifetime experience where the OTDC will support the local community by organising various kinds of programmes such as health camp, education, awareness programmes for the public, and home-stay programmes,' he shared.

Participants shared that it was a pleasant race along the open narrow strip of pasture land sandwiched between a forest of rhododendron and coniferous plants.

'Pikey region has great potential for adventure tourism. Numerous mountains including Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Gaurishankar and Makalu can also be viewed from Pikey peak,' Sherpa said, adding that the marathon would be helpful in promoting the lower belt of Mt Everest region nationally and internationally.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 4, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.