Keshav Pathak / Pokhara Sports: With the slogan ‘all seasons for tourism,’ the ‘3rd Annapurna Marathon/Annapurna Century Tourism Festival-2023’ is nearing completion.
The organizer, Annapurna Century Tourism Committee, held a press conference on Thursday in Pokhara to declare the preparations for the ‘3rd Annapurna Marathon/Annapurna Century Tourism Festival-2023’.
The festival, including the Annapurna Marathon, is organized to boost tourism in the Annapurna region. The program had been postponed for both prior years due to COVID’s terrible status, but this year it has been continued as scheduled, as stated by coordinator Lalit Gurung.
In particular, on June 3, 1950, the French mountaineer Maurice Herzog’s team successfully climbed the first Annapurna Mountain and set a world record in the history of climbing mountains higher than 8,000 meters. “Since to commemorate the memory of the same day, we are organizing the Annapurna Marathon”, Gurung says, “it has a separate historical dignity”.
Giving information about the marathon and festival, which will kick off from May 31st to June 3rd with various cultural programs, coordinator Gurung said that 25 runners, including four foreign runners, had registered for the marathon by Thursday. The last date for registration will be till May 29.
The first, second, and third place finishers of the marathon for both men’s and women’s categories will receive cash prizes and medals along with certificates. The men’s runner’s category will receive cash prizes of NRs 150,000, 100,000, and 75,000, respectively. Similarly, according to the organizers, the winners of the women’s category will receive medals and certificates along with cash prizes of NRs 75,000, 50,000, and 25,000, respectively.
On the occasion of Annapurna Climbing Day, i.e., ‘Annapurna Day’ the marathon, which was started in 2018, could not be held last year due to COVID-19. The Annapurna Marathon starts from the Annapurna base camp on May 20th and ends at Ghandruk.
In particular, on June 3, 1950, the French mountaineer Maurice Herzog’s team successfully climbed the first Annapurna Mountain and set a world record in the history of climbing mountains higher than 8,000 meters. “Since to commemorate the memory of the same day, we are organizing the Annapurna Marathon”, Gurung says, “it has a separate historical dignity”.
From this year on, Ultimate Adventure will provide technical support to develop the Annapurna Marathon as an international event. Harikumar Rimal of the Tribhuvan Army won the title of the first edition of the Annapurna Marathon, while Khagendra Bahadur Bhat of Doti won the second edition.
Similarly, in village-level men’s volleyball, the winning team will receive Rs 80,000 in cash and the runners-up will receive Rs 50,000 in cash, while the winners of open men’s basketball will receive Rs 80,000 and Rs 50,000 in cash, along with trophies, medals, and certificates.
The organizers have estimated that the Annapurna Marathon/Annapurna Century Tourism Festival 2080 will cost about 8 million rupees. Annapurna Rural Municipality, Nepal Tourism Board, Chomrong Tourism Management Committee, Annapurna Conservation Area Organization (ACAP)/National Nature Conservation Fund, Ghandruk Tourism Management Committee, Tandapani Tourism Management Committee, Sports Ministry, Annapurna Kathmandu Society Nepal, Guru Anand Foundation, and other tourism-related organizations are going to support the festival.
Bikram Gurung, Chairman of the Ghandruk Hotel Management Committee, said that the 501-member main management committee and 31 different sub-committees have been formed to complete the festival.
