The third edition of the International Mountain Cross-Country Race is set to take place in Pokhara, with the aim of further strengthening ties between Nepal and neighboring China through sports. The event, titled “Run for Shared Prosperity,” will see athletes from both Nepal and China compete, as announced during a press conference in Pokhara.
The race, scheduled from November 6 to 8 (Kartik 22-24), is being organized by the Nepal Tourism Board, Gandaki Province Government, and Pokhara Metropolitan City, with the Himalayan Tourism Forum overseeing the event’s execution. The opening ceremony will take place on November 7.
Several organizations, including the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, Yunnan Provincial Sports Bureau, Yunnan Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, and the Silk Road Cities Alliance, will support the event.
Chinese athletes are expected to arrive in Pokhara on November 6 via a charter flight from Kunming, according to Bishwashankar Palikhe, the coordinator of the event and chairman of the Himalayan Tourism Forum. Participants will cover a distance of 50 kilometers through a combination of running, cycling, and boating.
Competitors can participate in various categories: team groups, challenge individual groups, student races, and the “Happy Run.” The team group will include 30 mixed teams, each requiring at least one member of the opposite gender. Of the 90 athletes in this group, 10 will be from China and 20 from Nepal. Participants will face a 50-kilometer course that includes trail running, cycling, and rowing, with an elevation of 2,258 meters.
Prizes for the top teams include NPR 458,500 for the first place, NPR 343,800 for the second, NPR 229,200 for the third, NPR 152,800 for the fourth, and NPR 95,500 for the fifth.
In the challenge individual group, 80 Chinese and 120 Nepali athletes will compete, totaling 200 participants. They will cover a trail of 50 kilometers with an elevation of 2,366 meters. The top 10 male and female athletes will receive cash prizes, medals, and certificates. First-place winners in this category will receive NPR 152,800, while the second and third places will be awarded NPR 114,600 and NPR 76,400, respectively.
The student race, covering a 5-kilometer distance, will feature 500 participants, with the top male and female winners each receiving NPR 30,000. Second and third-place winners will be awarded NPR 25,000 and NPR 20,000, respectively.
According to coordinator Palikhe, the event will not only promote tourism in Pokhara but also help enhance the operations of Pokhara International Airport.
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