|
|
The artificial wall at JRD Tata Sports Complex on Saturday. (Bhola Prasad)
|
Jamshedpur, Sept. 8: More than 50 youths from the rural fringes of Jamshedpur will soon get a chance to scale the artificial wall that is lying idle at JRD Tata Sports Complex.
The youths will be given a chance to try their hand at sport climbing during a three-day camp to be hosted by Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) from September 11.
The camp, which will be hosted by three expert trainers and a coordinator from Calcutta-based Indian Mountaineering Foundation’s east zone committee, will be in line with the upcoming East Zone Sport Climbing Competition that is scheduled to be held in Jamshedpur later this year.
Sport climbing is a form of outdoor climbing. Participants, unlike traditional rock climbing, take the help of permanent anchors, like bolts, that are already attached to the rock to climb to the top.
According to sources, apart from the Calcutta trainers, Everester Binita Soren and two others from TSAF would also be on the training team.
TSAF secretary P.P. Kapadia said they had also sent a request to Tata Steel authorities to let their security personnel take part in the training camp.
“We approached the company’s security department to release their staff for the training. Sport climbing will help them remain alert and agile,” he said.
He added that the trainees would be taught about the rules of sport climbing and the necessary equipment needed for the exercise.
“Youths from Patamda had shown great interest in sport climbing when they were here for a training stint last year. We are inclined to generate interest about sport climbing. But we are yet to make any positive headway in this regard,” Kapadia rued.
The training, he said, would give the youths from the city an upper hand during the East Zone competition in October this year.
“The East Zone committee has approached us to host the event. However, things are yet to be finalised. We will take a call on it after TSAF chief Bachendri Pal returns after an expedition to Ladakh. She is expected to be back by September 14,” he added.
TSAF is also looking at the Jamshedpur Old Girls’ and Guys’ Association (Jogga) to spark interest in the discipline of sport climbing among youngsters in the city.
Jogga is actively involved in conducting inter-school events and TSAF officials are inclined to push for including sport climbing as one discipline in such events. “We will talk to Jogga functionaries in this regard. We have the infrastructure in place. All we need is a little push for the sport to grow,” Kapadia said.
|
