Darjeeling, May 26: Mountaineering buffs from Nepal have joined those from across India in Darjeeling to take a shot at the 2nd Tenzing Norgay Open Sport Climbing Competition being held to mark the golden jubilee celebration of man’s conquest of Everest.

The tournament organised by Tenzing Norgay Club has drawn participants from Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Manipur and Calcutta.

For the first time Nepal, home of the legendary Sherpas, is also taking part in a climbing competition in India.

Jamling Tenzing Norgay, the president of the club, said: “The youths in the hills are showing interest in adventure sports. Even in a place like Darjeeling our club already boasts of 30 members.”

Rabin Rai, a member of the club, even represented the country at the World Championship at Chamonix, in France last year.

Around 50 participants, of whom 20 are females, will compete in the two- day contest being held at the artificial wall at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institue.

Participants from Nepal were enthusiastic about taking part in wall climbing, a sport that is not yet established in their country.

“It is really interesting to take part in such an event. We have not climbed artificial walls before though we have climbed a number of Himalayan peaks. This sport is not very popular back home though there are around 16 wall climbers in our country,” said Lakhpa and Gyalbo Sherpa from Nepal.