Four-day 17th National Rafting Championship inaugurated

The 17th National Rafting Championship, a four-day event, was officially inaugurated on the Pandoya-Tatapani stretch of the Sutlej River by Gunbir Singh, a member of the Indian Rafting Federation (TIRF) advisory board, Chairman, the Punjab World Wide Fund For Nature-India, and also the founder of the Punjab Association for Rafting and Adventure Sports (PARAAS).

While inaugurating the event, Gunbir Singh, said, “PARAAS has made a strong start, bringing a substantial team of officials to watch, participate and learn the sport’s techniques under the World Rafting Federation rules.”

“The championship features sporting categories for men, women and mixed teams, all governed by the World Rafting Federation (WRF) rules. Prominent teams competing, include ITBP, NIMAS, Arunachal, ABVIMAS, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir and Karnataka, with new entrants from Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan. Kazakhstan has also sent a full team for demonstration participation. Punjab, currently an observer, is preparing to enter the competition this year,” he said.

“The championship consists of four events that include Down River Race, Slalom, RC Sprint and the Marathon,” he said.

Shaukat Singh Sikand, President, TIRF, emphasised on the importance of safety and well-regulated competitions in adventure sports. He said, “In adventure sports, safety and proper regulation are essential to maintain global standards. We ensure this with support from the World Rafting Federation.”