Cycling
High-altitude marathon and mountain biking championship held in Sikkim
Seventy cyclists and 100 endurance runners completed the distance of 42 km in around three hours
Mountain Biking in Sikkim (Representational Image)
A high-altitude marathon and mountain biking championship was held for the first time in Sikkim on Sunday. The competitions started at the Tashi View Point in Gangtok and culminated at Tsomgo Lake, which is at an altitude of 12,400 feet.
Seventy cyclists and 100 endurance runners completed the distance of 42 km in around three hours, the organisers said. The event was flagged off by Dronacharya awardee Sandhya Gurung.
"This is a great initiative for the state as well as the region since it provides a much-needed platform for upcoming athletes," Gurung said. The event was organised by rehabilitation centre Serenity Home, along with Hill Bike and The Pedal Chain.
This year, the competition was restricted to participants from the region but in the future, the event would go national and global, said Uday Rai, the organiser of the event.
The oldest participant was a 60-year-old marathon runner, while the youngest was a 13-year-old cyclist, he said. The winners were given cash awards and the other participants received medals and certificates.
