LALITPUR: An 11-member team on Friday left for Japan to participate in the eighth Asian Winter Games slated for February 19-26 in Sapporo.

Manikala Rai will participate in Cross Country Race, while Sangita Lama and Safal Ram Shrestha are scheduled to compete in Alpine Ski event, informed Nepal Olympic Committee in a release on Friday.

Marshal Collomb of France and Osamu Kimura of Japan are the coaches, while Nepal Handball Association President Tej Bahadur Gurung is the chef-de-mission.

National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista, NOC President Jeevan Ram Shrestha, General Secretary Lama Tendi Sherpa, Samim Miya Ansari (wrestling) and Birendra Shrestha (badminton) also accompanied the players to Japan.