The first ever Nepalese
National Rafting Championships (04-05 Nov 2008)
Congratulations Paddle Nepal!!
We are proud to report that Nim, Santosh, Som, Surya, Binay
& Raju from Paddle Nepal took first place in the first ever
National Rafting Championship! The competition was organized
by HRGAN and supported by NMA, NTB and the National Sport Council
of Nepal. 6 Teams participated in the event and several hundred
spectators as well as local and international volunteers participated
to help make the weekend a huge success. Teams competed in both
a “down river race” as well as the best of two “slalom
races” over the course of the two days. Several generous
sponsors helped to provide great food, transportation and organization
for the event. Lets all keep our eyes on
Nepal’s new National Raft Team and support them in going
to the World Championships in 2009!
7th Peak UK Whitewater
Himalayan Challenge 2008, November 28-30 (Trishuli River)
Keep checking this page for more info.....
6th Peak UK Whitewater Himalayan Challenge 2007 – RESULTS
Himalayan veterans Dave Allardice, Peter Knowles, Guy Robins
and Gerry Moffatt conceived the idea of a Himalayan White Water
Rodeo late one night in 1992 at the infamous "Rum Doodle"
bar in Kathmandu. This year celebrates fourteen years of the
event. With the combined forces and expertise of Pete Astles
and the Peak UK Team, the Himalayan Challenge has become one
of the most exciting whitewater events in the world. Established
as a get together for international expedition kayakers traveling
to the mighty rivers of the Himalayas, this year the Peak UK
Himalayan Challenge attracted around 200 spectators, competitors
and river runners including some of the best kayakers in the
world from ten countries. This event has remained a testament
to the true spirit of kayaking, and for most, just participating
in the greatest party in the Himalayas is a sufficient draw.
This year’s event took place on the mighty
Bhote Koshi River that drains the 8000m peak of Shisha Pangma.
Located 69 km east of Kathmandu, the Bhote Kosi River has earned
the reputation as one of Nepal's premium white water runs, containing
several sections of quality whitewater.
The Himalayan Whitewater Challenge is all about
fun. This unique event format combines an Extreme Slalom, Downriver
and Freestyle event to find an overall whitewater champion.
Points are calculated and kayaking equipment prizes are awarded
to the Nepalese competitors. Local Nepalese prizes are awarded
to the international competitors including Everest Flights,
Jungle Safaris and more.
On day one, buses loaded with spectators and
competitors arrived at the Bhote Kosi Riverside Resort. After
a hearty lunch and event briefing the 6th Himalayan Challenge
kicked off the Extreme Slalom. After a late and heavy monsoon
season the river was higher and therefore more testing than
usual. The class 4 plus rapid Dazed and Confused was harder
than ever, with pour-overs, boulders and huge holes making the
course all the more interesting. Event organizer Pete Astles
set a great course, which made the most of all the river features
and avoided the nastiest ones!!! The route snaked it’s
way up and downstream through 14 slalom gates with the added
test of a hit me board ( number 6 ) suspended high about a crashing
wave. This hit me board proved the downfall of most, with Great
Britain’s Paul Shepherd being the only paddler to hit
it. Paddlers raced against the clock while 20 second time penalties
were added for any missed obstacles. Great Britain’s Andy
Turton won the International Slalom event with Nim Magar top
Nepali and Prakash Kadei top Junior.
After a great evening of eating Nepali food
and partying at Sukute Beach Camp, paddlers and supporters headed
upstream to Lost Hammer rapid for a very different style of
freestyle event. After the massive monsoon river flows of the
summer, the event organizers struggled to find a single spot
suitable to run a traditional freestyle event. There were plenty
of features, but none accessible for an event or not retentive
enough to hold a fair competition. After a few days of scouting
rapids for waves and holes, event organizer Pete Astles came
up with a great plan. A freestyle event down a 150 meter section
of rapids, which had not one, but five freestyle features, each
very different. 75 second runs started in a river centre pour-over
/ eddyline, where vertical ends were possible, then onto a small
wave / hole, where loops and more fast ends were possible. The
third feature was a big river wide wave, where huge wave wheels
and kick flips launched paddlers into the next spot, a super
fast wave, where spins, shuvits and blunts could be thrown.
Immediately behind the wave was the last and hardest spot –
a huge, chunky, super fast hole, which really sorted the men
from the boys. Paddlers worked their way through prelim’s,
quarters, semis and then onto the grand final, where the top
three athlete’s took one final run for freestyle glory.
Overall Swede, Mats Walstead took the International win throwing
huge aerial wave wheels and loops in his creek boat!! Krishna
Kadei took top Nepali honors with Prakash Kadei top Junior.
After another great evening of eating Nepali
dahl bhat and partying at Sukute Beach Camp, paddlers headed
upstream to Khote Beach for the third and final challenge event
– the Downriver Race. Paddlers raced from a Le Mans style
mass start, ( set off by Nepal’s minister of tourism!!
) head to head down an 8km stretch of challenging class 4 whitewater.
The race was a pretty tough test of endurance, skill and tactics,
all the way to the event base at Sukute Beach where, to cross
the finish line involved a run up the beach to the Peak UK finish
banner. This final dash saw many exciting place changing. Finally,
Sweden’s Mats Walstead took yet another win in his speedy
creek boat. The ever popular Santa Maila Gurung took the local
Nepali win with Parmod Gurung top Junior.
All the event scores were combined, and after
another great lunch and some very long speeches given by various
Nepalese ministers and officials, great prizes were awarded.
Nim Magar took yet another Nepalese National
Championship title and received a new Liquid Logic kayak
for his good work, while his youngest brother Som
Magar came in second place. Young local Prakash Kadei
took the Junior win and gratefully received a Jackson kayak.
Ratu Gurung and Parmod Gurung placed second and third winning
well deserved sets of Robson paddles. Sweden’s Mat’s
Walstead took the International title followed closely by GB’s
Paul Shepherd. Fellow Swede Simon Eriksson took third.
For more info on next year’s event, full
results and images of the event
visit www.peakuk.com
Peak UK Whitewater Himalayan
Challenge 2008 –
The plans are in motion for next year’s Himalayan Challenge.
Full details and exact dates are yet to be determined, though
we are hoping for late November.
Bagmati River Festival
2008 –
