After returning from the World Championships in France, Nim came home to Nepal with new experiences — and many stories to share.
For a while, life returned to something closer to normal. He went back to guiding and paddling Nepal’s rivers, sharing what he had learned with fellow paddlers and friends.
But the momentum of those years was building.
Later that same year, the Himalayan Rodeo returned.
Like the earlier Rodeos, the competition focused entirely on freestyle kayaking — paddlers demonstrating their skill and creativity in the river’s features rather than racing downstream.
This time the event had attracted even more attention from the international paddling community. The Rodeo was supported by Perception Kayaks, along with several well-known figures from the world of whitewater.
Among them were Peter Knowles, legendary expedition kayaker and author of the influential guidebook Whitewater Nepal; David Allardice, co-owner of Ultimate Descents; and Sam Benedict, the kayak designer for Perception at the time.
The event brought Nepali and international paddlers together once again on Himalayan whitewater.
And once again, Nim won the competition.
As part of the prize, Nim received a Perception 3D kayak — another valuable piece of equipment for a young Nepali paddler at a time when access to modern boats was still limited.
Along with the Eskimo Kendo he had won earlier, the 3D became part of a small but growing collection of boats — the beginnings of a fleet that would one day help launch Paddle Nepal.
A photograph from that day captures the moment: Sam Benedict handing the Perception 3D kayak prize to Nim after his Rodeo win, with Peter Knowles and David Allardice sharing the celebration.
These early Rodeo gatherings helped connect Nepal’s paddlers with the wider global whitewater community — and laid the groundwork for what would later evolve into the Peak UK Himalayan Whitewater Challenge.
More than two decades later, the event is still going strong. In fact, this week marks the 24th Himalayan Whitewater Challenge, and Nim is there once again — serving as Technical Coordinator, a role he has held for over a decade.
(To be continued…)
More about Nim’s winning streak — and the Himalayan Whitewater Challenge — to come.
This reflection is part of Paddle Nepal’s 20-year journey on Nepal’s rivers.
