Staff Reporter
JAMMU: The two-day State Sport Climbing Championship, organised by Mountaineering Association of J and K and sponsored by J and K State Sports Council (JKSSC), shall start tomorrow at Sprawling Buds School, here. The event shall be inaugurated at 11:00 AM by the Member Legislative Council (MLC), Ashok Khajuria, who has consented to be Chief Guest. He will be accompanied by former MLA, Ashwani Sharma Chairman Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) North Zone Committee, New Delhi, S Bhattacharjee, Advisor of Tawi Trekkers J and K, Prof. Lalit Magotra, Assistant Director, Jammu Doordarshan, Sanjeet Khajuria, Joint Secretary, JKSSC, Shiv Kumar Sharma and Divisional Sports Officer JKSSC, Rajan Sharma, a handout issued by the Association here today informed. The competitions shall be held in eight categories of Men, Women (born in 1999,1998 and earlier), Boys, Girls (born in 2000, 2001 and 2002), Sub Junior Boys /Girls (born in 2003 and 2004) and Mini Boys / Girls (born in 2005 and after). Except for Mini Boys and Girls who shall participate in ‘Lead Climbing’ only, participants in all other categories shall compete both in ‘Lead Climbing’ as well as ‘Speed Climbing.’ Individually, almost all the prominent climbers of J and K including the national and zonal champions have confirmed their participation for the event and a keen tussle is on the cards in almost all the categories. About 200 climbers from various districts of the State are likely to vie for honors in the two day competition. A qualified national judge in sport climbing and Joint Secretary, Mountaineering Association of J and K, Shawetica Khajuria shall be the Organising Secretary as well as President of the Jury of the competition. Other technical and logistic support has been provided by IMF North Zone Committee, New Delhi. The association has made elaborate boarding, lodging and transport arrangements for the outstation participants and officials to make the event a memorable one.