A layer of fog shrouded the hill top of Seti Devi VDC just before the start of the match, reducing visibility but at the same time adding excitement. [break]
The riders made foray into the steep slope at the starting point one at a time knowing that they might fall down in the 1.72-km risky route. But determination kept them moving. Determination is the most important aspect for a downhill rider, says Suraj Pandey, winner of the championship.
Practice and skills also play an important role, according to the 35-year-old rider who fell twice in the race but still managed to finish first.
Pandey completed the race in 3 minutes 33.15 seconds. Kumar Pun trailed behind at 3 minutes 44.09 seconds to finish as the runner-up and Nirakar Yakthumba secured the third spot with a timing of 3 minutes 51.44 seconds.
Pun is quite new to downhill race but not to cycling. He entered this thrilling race three months ago from BMX stunts, which he has been involved in since his childhood days in Singapore.
“I was suggested downhill race,” said Pun, and he has proved his worth. “But BMX is my specialty,” he added.
Chimmi Gurung, president of Nepal Cycling Association (NCA), said that they were compelled to organize the event in rainy season in order to select a player for the Asian Championship, which is around the corner. Ten participants dropped out due to rain, according to Gurung.
Besides the 12 men, two women - Kripa Shrestha and Janaki Shrestha -also competed in half the distance of the downhill race.
This is the first national tournament with the introduction of points system recognized by Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), which gives the riders license to compete in international races and also gives them rankings.
The winner will be participating in the Asian Championship to be held in Korea from September 26. However, Pandey is reluctant to compete in Korea as he has recently ventured in a new business and has lots of responsibilities to fulfill.
Pandey has been involved in cycling for the past three years and has been supporting the development of the sport. He is the founding member of Chain Inc, an NGO which organized a similar event about two months ago. The NGO has also been imparting training to school children with the aim of developing cycling from the base.
It is interest that drives Pandey in this sport. His entry into the sport at a relatively old age gives a message that it is never too late to achieve victory. But it also reflects the lack of opportunity or its awareness in the country.
When asked about his late entry into the sport, Pandey said he spent his youth days playing guitar as he did not have any idea about downhill race. “As a youth here, you have to find things to do yourself,” he said.
However runner-up Pun believes that opportunities are slowly building up.
As far as Pandey is concerned, he doesn´t wan´t his children to miss the opportunities that he did. So he´s involved in the development of the sport.
“It´s all about setting a good example,” said Pandey.
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