International Ultra Marathon in Nepal

POKHARA: Ryan Sandes of South Africa won the 250-km International Ultra Marathon in which 43 out of the total 250 runners pulled out midway from the week-long event.

The race, which covers a distance of 250 km along the foothills of the Annapurna mountain range, is one of several races held world-wide by a Hong Kong based organization, Racing the Planet, since 2002. 

In course of securing top position, the 29-year-old South African claimed pole position on all seven days of the race which began at 7:00 am and concluded by 16:00 in the evening. Stefano of Italy secured second position.

Athletes from France, USA, UK, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Australia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Laos and Vietnam competed in the race. The marathon was participated by 55 Americans, the highest number of runners from a single country. Similarly, 71-year-old British woman Jenifer was the surprise package.

The runners were accompanied by a 10-member doctor team and 42 foreign and 45 Nepali volunteers for emergency rescue in case of accident, according to Racing the Planet. Racing the Planet Nepal is the 30th edition of the race and was held over a week from November 20-26.

The ultra-runners began  the race from Mardikhola of Pokhara, near Fulbari Resort, and traversed four districts – Kaski, Parbat, Baglung and Myagdi – along the Annapurna trail which soars up to a height of 3,200 m and returned to Pokhara after seven days, according to Racing the Planet Nepal´s Director Suman Pandey.

The 250 km race course covers  Kaski, Parvat, Baglung and Myagdi districts in the Annapurna region. Maximum altitude reached during the race will be 3,200 meters / 10,500 feet and total elevation gain across the full course is 9,000 meters / 29,500 feet.Each participant has to pay $3,500 for the ´self supporting race´.

Brit woman sets new record for 320-kilometer trail

Likewise, a British woman has set a new record for completing a 320-kilometer trail run from the Mount Everest base camp to Kathmandu. in two days, 23 hours and 25 minutes.

Cancellation of flights due to bad weather left hundreds of trekkers to the Mount Everest region in Nepal, stranded for one week recently. But such things don’t worry Dr Elizabeth Hawker. The British ultra runner more popular as Lizzy,completed a trail, running from the Everest Base Camp to Kathmandu, a distance of 320 km, in 2 days, 23 hours and 25 minutes—a new world record.

Lizzy ,35, said she was happy to set the record, but added that she had not aimed for it when she arrived in Kathmandu. She said she planned to run the Himalayan trail.However, she had to return to Kathmandu after facing difficulties in the Himalayan trail.

Every year thousands of tourists from all over the world come to the Everest region to trek or climb the world’s highest mountain.Over three thousand trekkers had been left stranded for days at Lukla, the nearest airport from where treks to Everest starts, due to cancellation of flights as a result of inclement weather recently.