Srinagar: With the focus to turn Sonamarg into next wintersport destination of Country, Department of Tourism, Kashmir in collaboration with J&K SnowShoe Association is all set to host National SnowShoe Championship at Sonamarg on February 17 and 18.
It will be second time ever that any National level wintersport event would be held in Sonamarg after successfully hosting 8th National SnowShoe Championship last year. However, it will be first time after opening of ZMorh Tunnel that Sonamarg will be holding any mega wintersports event.
The Championship was earlier scheduled to be held in Gulmarg, but Department of Tourism, Kashmir stressed on to hold it in Sonamarg, so the J&K SnowShoe Association swiftly moved event to upcoming next wintersports destination of Country.
“The 9th National SnowShoe Championship would be held in Sonamarg on February 17 and 18. We had to move event from Gulmarg to Sonamarg as Director Tourism Kashmir, Raja Yaqoob Farooq is focused on and pretty clear in his vision to promote other tourist destinations of Kashmir as wintersports hub. As he and his department is fully supporting the event, we swiftly shifted the event to Sonamarg and are now all ready to conduct event,” said Dr Altaf ur Rehman, General Secretary J&K SnowShoe Association.
The event is going to witness participation of around 110 athletes representing 15-17 States/Union Territories of Country which include J&K, Ladakh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarkhandh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Kerala.
To kick start the proceedings of the event, Association held review meeting with Chief Executive Officer Sonamarg Development Authority Gh. Mohammad Bhat and Tourist Officer Sonamarg, Basharat Ahmad on Thursday.
“CEO SDA assured all the help and coordination to turn this event a success. He extended his full fledged support and also spread word across Sonamarg among stakeholders to be part of this event as it will help Sonamarg turn into next wintersport hub of Country,” Dr Altaf said.
In the absence of enough snowfall this season, majority of wintersport events are facing difficulties but SnowShoe is the one activity that doesn’t require any infrastructure upgrade and is least affected by the sudden environment changes.
“We see it as more of a Tourism Activity rather than sports. Though we are promoting sports, but it has major potential as Tourism related activity. It is running or walking on snow and anyone without any training can do it, One just needed few inches of snow and snowshoe to do it. In European Countries SnowShoe is fast picking as major activity and we should explore it as well and take advantage of it in the promotion of winter activity for Tourists. Tourism Department should encourage Hotels, Shops, Outlets to have SnowShoe available on rent basis everywhere and see how it changes Tourism scenario in entire Kashmir. Even in places where we have no wintersports related activity,” said Mir Muddasir President SnowShoe Federation of India.
“Apart from Tourism related activity, we are also focused on to promote the sport. That is the reason, SnowShoe is fastest growing wintersport in India and athletes from plains and coastal areas are joining it in bulk,” he added.
Association said that athletes would be arriving in Kashmir on February 16 and will depart on 19. The inauguration would be held on February 17 while as closing would be on 18.