Kapkot hosts five-day national paragliding competition

Bageshwar: A five-day National Accuracy Paragliding competition began at Kedareshwar Ground in Kapkot on Thursday, drawing experienced pilots from across the country, including trained personnel from the Indian Army. Officials said the event aims to promote adventure tourism in Uttarakhand's hill districts.The competition is being jointly organised by the tourism department and Fly Himalayas Adventure. Participants are taking off from the Jalekh launch site and attempting precision landings at a marked target point at Kedareshwar Ground.District Magistrate Akanksha Konde and Kapkot MLA Suresh Garia inaugurated the event. Officials said safety arrangements include expert technical teams, medical units, fire services and trained volunteers at both the take-off and landing sites. Special arrangements have also been made for spectators.A total of 92 pilots from different states have registered for the national-level competition, officials said. On the opening day, 84 pilots took part in flights. The field includes five women pilots.Addressing participants, Konde said the event was a matter of pride for the district and would help promote adventure tourism in line with the directions of the chief minister. She said such competitions support tourism and the local economy while creating opportunities for youth, adding that strict adherence to safety protocols was mandatory.Ishwar Singh, a participant from Manipur, said, "Bageshwar's terrain and natural conditions are well-suited for paragliding. Closer integration of the sport with tourism can generate employment for local youth and encourage wider participation."Prize money of Rs 1 lakh, Rs 50,000 and Rs 30,000 has been announced for first, second and third positions respectively. Participants were felicitated during the inaugural programme.Jagdish Joshi, founder of Fly Himalayas Adventure and co-organiser, said Paragliding Accuracy is a competitive sport where pilots aim to land as close as possible to the centre of a designated ground target. The competition is held over several rounds, with the pilot recording the lowest cumulative score declared the winner.Officials said the event is expected to help position Kapkot and Bageshwar as emerging adventure tourism destinations.