E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, DEC 14 -

The Asian Canoe Confederation (ACC) and the International Canoe Federation (ICF) have expressed their desire to promote the sport in Nepal due to country’s promising natural infrastructure.

ACC President Masanori Shoken Narita, who is also the board member of the ICF and the general secretary of Japan Canoe Federation, along with the technical director of ICF, Csaba Szanto of Hungary, extended talks with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in this regard on Monday.

The ministry responded positively to their request, saying it would do everything possible to meet the goal. In the first phase, the ACC is willing to donate 20 boats to Nepal and then train Nepali coaches.  The ACC has already readied the equipment and is waiting for the final decision from the Nepali side regarding the shipment and the customs duty of the equipments.

“We have the stuffs ready but we need a decision from the Nepal Rafting and Canoe Association on how to dispatch the good,” said Narita with the help of an interpreter.

Though this is Narita’s first time in Nepal, he can already see the prospects of the sport here. Nepal being a mountainous country is home to hundreds of high altitude rivers and lakes that are suitable for the sport. Furthermore, Narita is of the view that out of the 37 Asian nations associated with the ACC, Nepal can easily become one of the favourite destinations for the sport with proper promotions.

High altitude rivers - those above 2000m - are usually wild in nature, making it risky for the sport, but in Nepal most of such rivers are calm and are suitable for the sport, said Narita, who is also contemplating sending Japanese coaches to train in Nepal than Mexico, where the Japan Canoe Federation currently sends. “We are currently sending our coaches to Mexico but we have more suitable places in Asia,” opined Narita.

The Nepal Rafting and Canoeing Association General Secretary Kumar Ranabhat said the association was wowed by the idea of promoting the sport in the country and would leave no stone unturned for its development. The ministry, he said, had vowed to provide a place to store the equipment the governing body had promised, while they would expedite correspondence with the related bodies for the shipment of the boats.

The international bodies are more interested in developing still white-water canoeing in Nepal, which the country is yet to witness, said Ranabhat. “We are just limited to white-water canoeing in Nepal, while still-water has yet to be introduced.

Accompanying Narita is ITF Technical Director Csaba Szanto, who introduced the sport in Nepal some 15 years back. Szanto understands the Nepali terrain well and is also aware of the factors impeding the sport’s progress. He knows the international bodies alone cannot help the situation improve unless the people pull up their socks.

 

Posted on: 2010-12-14 08:56

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