The National Rafting Marathon Competition has officially commenced, marking a historic moment for adventure sports in Nepal. Organized by the Gandaki Province Sports Development Council, the Ultra Rafting Marathon began on Wednesday, bringing together elite rafting teams to compete in an intense 50-kilometer race.
The competition starts at the Trishuli River, linking Bhumlichowk in Gandaki Rural Municipality and Fisling in Ichchakamana Rural Municipality of Chitwan, and concludes at the Narayani River in Devghat, Chitwan. According to Basanta Raj Dawadi, the council’s adventure sports coordinator, the marathon is a two-day event. “Participants arrived in Simaltal today and will complete the race at Devghat tomorrow,” he stated. The winners will be determined based on the shortest time taken to complete the course.
A total of six teams are competing in this prestigious event, including two teams from Gandaki Province, two teams from the Nepali Army, and one team each from Koshi and Bagmati Provinces. The top four finishers will receive cash prizes of Rs 60,000, Rs 40,000, Rs 20,000, and Rs 10,000, respectively, along with medals and certificates. Additionally, the winners will earn a spot in future national sports selection competitions.
Dawadi emphasized that this is the first-ever Ultra Rafting Marathon organized in Nepal, introduced as part of the council’s annual adventure competition program. The event not only promotes rafting as an extreme adventure sport but also highlights Nepal’s vast potential for water-based tourism and competitive outdoor sports.
