As skiing season has come to an end in most of the countries, the National Skiing and Snowboarding Championships will start on the slopes of Himachal’s Lahaul valley at altitude of above 11,000ft from March 26 to 28. The athletes are thrilled to participate in the first of its kind competition in the late March during onset of summer season.
Over 150 athletes from eight state associations, Indian Army, ITBP and individual athletes from many states will throng cold deserts of Lahaul-Spit district known for its prolonged winter season. Both skiing and snowboarding races will be conducted in different categories.
Earlier Himachal Pradesh Winter Games Association (HPWGA), Lahaul-Spiti administration and local clubs of the district were organising the events in first week of April, but now they have decided to conduct the races from March 26 to 28.
The tournament is being organised by Himachal government, HPWGA, Lahaul-Spiti administration, many adventure sports clubs of Lahaul valley in association with Ski and Snowboard India. The event in late winter season was the brainchild of tribal development minister Dr Ram Lal Markanda as he believed this will bring Lahaul valley on the international map of winter sports destination.
HPWGA president Ludar Thakur said this will be a first of its kind winter sports tournament of the country. “All preparations will be made in the next few days. The dates of the event will also be finalised in a couple of days. I have talked to the associations and other teams across the nation who are thrilled to know about such an event in late March which is otherwise the summer season,” he said.
“Weather and environment in Lahaul are completely different from other parts of the country and we shall take its full advantage. In the future, too, we can organise national or international winter sports tournaments here when skiing season ends in other parts of the country.”
The events will be held on the slopes of Pir Panjal mountain range between Koksar and Rohtang pass near Gramphoo. The organisers have finalised a slope covered with deep snow. Koksar is the coldest region of Lahaul valley where the temperature in the winter season plunges below minus 20 degrees C and the region records over 500cm of annual snowfall.
Lahual-Spiti deputy commissioner Pankaj Rai said different committees have been formed for the smooth and better conduct of the national winter sports event. “This skiing event will also be organised under the ongoing Snow Festival of the district. The district will host such national event for the first time and it will help promote the valley as a winter sports destination worldwide,” he said.
This year national winter sports competitions were held at Gulmarg while Himachal could not host any national event due to less snowfall. After cabinet minister from Lahaul, Dr Ram Lal Markanda, showed interest in national level event a few days back, Lahaul-Spiti administration with help of HPWGA and local adventure sports clubs finalised hosting the national skiing and snowboarding championships in the valley.
Markanda said, “We have a large number of huge slopes in Lahaul-Spiti district which need to be promoted. The slope above Koksar at about 11,000ft from sea level will definitely be among highest slopes in the world. The district will soon become the winter sports hub of the country where winter season lasts for over six months. We are promoting ice hockey in Spiti and skiing and snowboarding in Lahaul. Ice climbing is also emerging as a popular winter sport in the district.”
Updated on March 22, 2021
This event has been cancelled following rising cases of Covid-19 in the country as per notification dated March 22, 2021.
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