OKHALDHUNGA: Okhaldhunga Tourism Development Committee in association with Nepal Tourism Board and Khijidemba Rural Municipality successfully arranged an ultra-marathon covering the range 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 under male classification, completing the path race in 3 hours and 49 minutes.

Similarly, in the womens classification, Sunmaya Budha from Jumla bagged the first reward winning the race in 4 hours and 41 minutes.

Tirtha Tamang from Bhojpur (3 hours, 50 minutes) and Arjun Kulung Rai of Solukhumbu (3 hours, 55 minutes) and Mohan Dev Joshi from Baitadi (4 hours and 8 minutes) stood second, third and 4th in male category respectively.

Manju Rawat from Jumla stood second finishing the race in 5 hours and 11 minutes while Priya Rai of Khotang and Nitu Tamang of Sindhupalchowk stood second and 3rd in ladiess classification making it in 5 hours, 11 minutes and 3 seconds and 5 hours and 19 minutes respectively. Two eliminated, 11 injured in Okhaldhunga road mishap Suman Kulung, Sunmaya Budha win Khijidemba ultra-marathon The leading 3 athletes in both males and females classifications got Rs 70,000, Rs 55,000 and Rs 45,000 respectively, Sherpa shared.

There were 58 athletes including one each from the KU and Kenya.

The path of the race follows the gorgeous pastures between Pikey Peak (4,200 m) and Demba (3,150 m) then runs down to Chuplung Banjhyang (2,600 m), with the finishing point in Khijipalathe (2,500 m).

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

The marathon intends to promote adventure tourist along the Pikey region that adjoins Solukhumbu and Okhaldhunga districts, Sherpa stated.

The trail race is not simply a running occasion, but it is really a when in a life time experience where the OTDC will support the regional community by organising different type of programmes such as a health camp, education, awareness programmes for the general public, and home-stay program, he shared.It was an enjoyable race along the open narrow strip of pasture land sandwiched in between a forest of rhododendrons and coniferous plants, individuals stated.

Pikey region has fantastic adventure tourist capacity and various mountains including Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Gaurishankar and Makalu can likewise be viewed from the Pikey peak, Sherpa said, adding that the marathon would be useful to promote the lower belt of Mt Everest area nationally and internationally Amongst local racers from Okhaldhunga, KIrti Rai (4 hours, 18 minutes), Rabindra Tamang (4 hours 19 minutes and Devraj Sunuwa r and Prithilal Rai (4 hrs, 33 minutes each) bagged the very first, 2nd and 3rd position under male category while female racers Padam Kumari Sunuwar (5 hrs, 33 minutes and 1 2nd), Hirumaya Bhujel (6 hours and 19 minutes) and Anita Sunuwar (6 hours and 29 minutes) bagged the very first, 2nd 3rd prize respectively. .

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