Excelsior Sports Correspondent
LEH, Feb 21: The exotic Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon is officially registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Highest Frozen Lake Half Marathon, setting a new achievement for UT Ladakh.
LAHDC Leh in collaboration with Adventure Sports Foundation of Ladakh (ASFL) organized India’s first and the world’s highest frozen lake half marathon at Frozen Pangong Lake, which witnessed the participation of around 75 runners from across the world. The 21.9 km half marathon commenced from Lukung village and concluded at Maan village.
Elated over Ladakh scripting a historic moment by setting a world record, the chief guest CEC LAHDC Leh, Adv Tashi Gyalson lauded the collective effort of the entire organizing team, including ASFL and District Administration with its various departments like UTDRF, Health, PHE, PWD, Wildlife and Forest.
He also expressed gratitude for the support from the Army, ITBP, BRO, LMGA, and also the PRI members, youth associations, and villagers from the surrounding villages of Pangong in making the event a grand success.
“The Pangong Marathon is in sync with the vision and goal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vibrant Village Programme which aims to develop the border villages,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Executive Councillor, RDD, Tashi Namgyal Yakzee shared that the Hill Council had always deliberated on extending the potential of the tourism sector by promoting it as a year-long tourist destination. He added that the initiation of the Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon is an attempt to promote the scope of tourism in the eastern border villages of Ladakh beyond the limited summer season of tourism.
DC Leh, Shrikant Suse added that the Pangong marathon was organised as a part of the ‘Vibrant Village Programme of GoI’, aims to promote sustainable winter tourism in the border villages to accelerate the pace of development.
The DC also expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of all the stakeholders involved in successfully organising the marathon.
Earlier in his welcome address, ASFL founder Chamba Tsetan highlighted the objective of conceptualizing and organising the Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon, while Councillor Chushul Konchok Stanzin delivered the vote of thanks.
The winners of the Pangong Frozen Lake Half Marathon in the men’s category were Rigzen Gyurmeth with a timing of 1:54:24; Muneeb with a clock timing of 1:59:03 and Arshad with timing 2:00:19, whereas in women, Tsering Zangmo completed the marathon with timing 2:38:40; while Padma Rigzin with a timing of 2:46:57 and Chuskit Angmo finished the marathon with 3:00:22 timing.
During the event, an Ice-Hockey exhibition match was played between the Lalok and Chushul teams along with colourful cultural performances by the villagers and the children from the nearby villages.
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