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Gandaki: The Nepal-China International Mountain Cross Country Competition has kicked off in Pokhara today. The event is a joint initiative of the Embassy of China in Kathmandu, Pokhara Metropolitan City, and the Nepal Tourism Board.

Under the slogan Race for Shared Prosperity, the event is being held in four categories, including group and individual competition, a happy run, and a student run. A total of 20 groups are competing in the group competition category.

The competition involves a distance of 40 kilometers to be covered by running, cycling, and boating.

The winner of the group category will also win a cash prize of Rs. 360,000. The second will get Rs 288,000, the third will win Rs 216,000, and the fourth will get Rs 144,000.

Likewise, the winners in the individual male and female categories will each receive a prize of Rs 144,000, while the second and third will win Rs 108,000 and 54,000, respectively.

Starting from Barahighat in Lakeside, the race involves a distance passing through Birouta, Furse Khola, Ramadi, Ulleri, Bhumdi, Lukunswarna, and Lichibot to end at Barahighat.

Similarly, the winner of the five-kilometer student race competition will receive Rs. 25,000, followed by the second prize of Rs 20,000 and the third prize of Rs 15,000.

Earlier, Chief Minister of Gandaki Surendra Raj Pandey, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song, and Mayor of Pokhara Dhanraj Acharya jointly inaugurated the event.

At the opening ceremony, Chief Minister Pandey expressed his belief that the competition would help to increase the popularity of Pokhara worldwide and also contribute to the development of sports tourism.

The Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Song, said that such an event will make a special contribution to strengthening the age-old relationship between Nepal and China. The Nepal China Dragon Boat Festival has already been held in Pokhara, which, he said, has helped to bring more Chinese tourists to the lake city.