Whitewater Challenge starts Nov 27
Kathmandu, Nov 20 - The Nepal Association of Rafting Agents (NARA) is organising the 9th Mountain Dew Himalayan Whitewater Challenge 2009 from Nov. 27 to 29.
The three-day event is scheduled to take place on the Trishuli River and will feature kayak slalom, kayak freestyle and kayak down river race respectively for three days, the organiser told a press conference here on Thursday.
Over 500 domestic and international professional and non-professional participants including a representative from the International Canoe Federation will take part in the event. The Nepali winners in these three events will be awarded US$ 1,500, US$ 500 and US$ 200 respectively. Similarly, international participants will be presented US$ 15,000, US$ 10,000 and US$ 5,000 cash prizes and certificates.
NARA general secretary Ganga Prasad Nepal said that Nepal's Karnali and Sunkoshi rivers had been included in the world's top 10 rivers for adventure rafting.
"Rafting is one of the popular products in adventure tourism worldwide, and organising such programmes will help boost Nepal's rafting industry as a commercial enterprise at both domestic and international levels," he added. "Similarly, the aim of continuing such activities is to produce more Nepali rafting athletes who will participate in Rafting tyf Kayaking, usually known as an international rafting sport," he added.
He said that the decade-long conflict witnessed in the country had pushed the rafting industry towards uncertainty as the number of rafting agencies declined to less than 40.
"However, this adventure tourism product has started to revive in recent days, and it is in dire need of promotion," he added.
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