Calcutta: International sport-climbing will finally make its debut in the country, with the Asia Cup-India 2004, from November 19 to 21 at the Nehru Mountaineering Institute, Uttarkashi in Uttaranchal.
The Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (Uttarkashi)-organised meet will be held under the aegis of the International Council for Competition Climbing (ICC), which is a part of the Union Internationale des Associations d? Alpinisme (UIAA) ? the world apex body of climbing.
According to information reaching here, Ake Nilsson of Sweden will be the president of the jury. Nilsson is director, rules and regulations, ICC. The chief route-setter-cum-forerunner will be Kenji Iiyama of Japan.
Sport climbers from all over Asia will be seen in action on the newly-built 15.5m international-grade wall.
Mountaineering is a sport that has been avidly followed and pursued in this country. In this, Indian climbers have proved themselves on a par with the best in the world. They have also set records in rock-climbing, some yet to be broken.
However, sport climbing ? where climbing is done on specially designed artificial ?walls? (something like the one in the Salt Lake Stadium compound but way more sophisticated) ? was introduced only about 15 years back and India have progressed steadily in this.
Ten national championships on this have already been organised by the IMF and last year the exciting speed climbing was introduced. The first Indian international exposure in this was in 1991 when the World Cup was held in Tokyo.
Last year, India won two medals at an international meet for the first time. Bangalore?s M.N. Vatsala became the first Indian sport climber to win internationally when she bagged two silver medals ? in the speed and difficulty categories ? in last year?s World Cup in France.
The cream of India?s sport climbing talent will be on show during the Asia Cup. India will field, besides Vatsala, C.M. Praveen, who was placed sixth in difficulty category and seventh in speed category at the last World Cup. There will be other competitors as well.
Prize money includes $1,500 for the first spot in the difficulty category for both men and women, $1,000 for the second spot and $700 for the third spot.
