SRINAGAR: After the successful hosting of the Formula 4 car race, Jammu and Kashmir is gearing up to host its maiden marathon and adventure race.
This was revealed during a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, here at the Civil Secretariat.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary of Home, Commissioner Secretary of H&UDD, Commissioner Secretary of Tourism, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Secretary of Youth Services and Sports, Ladakh Marathon founder, Chewing Motup Goba and other officers.
The Chief Secretary said that Kashmir has all the necessary ingredients to make it an ideal world-class marathon and racing adventure destination. He said that hosting adventure sports will provide a platform for our youth to perform at national and international events. He made the mentioning of successful conduct of the first-ever Formula-4 car show on the banks of Dal Lake Srinagar in March 2024.
He directed the concerned officers to create roadmaps and timeline-based goals for hosting an international marathon in Kashmir and start preparations in this regard. If all goes as planned, the marathon will be held in October this year in Kashmir and in Jammu in March 2025, coinciding with favourable weather conditions, he added. He said that the aim should be to make the Kashmir Marathon event recognised as a running event both domestically and globally.
He asked the officers to prioritise huge participation from other countries in the marathon. He also asked them to explore the possibility of hosting an adventure race in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that hosting adventure sports will have a multiplier impact on economic stimulation through tourism and local business engagement and promotion of JK as a premier adventure sports destination on the global stage.
Chewing Motup Goba, the brain behind the Ladakh Marathon who has a vast expertise in the field of adventure, will be organising the Marathon and adventure race in Jammu and Kashmir.
He gave a detailed presentation on the road map to be followed for hosting the marathon and the preparations to be made in this regard. He proposed that the marathon will be held from Polo View upto Nishat Garden. He said that by starting a marathon, Kashmir can leverage its unique terrain and cultural heritage to attract runners and tourists, boosting the visibility and economy of the region.
He said that Kashmir has the potential to become a leading global destination for adventure sports with proper planning and execution. He said that running events have seen exponential growth over the past few decades, becoming a global phenomenon that attracts millions of participants annually. He proposed two running disciplines marathon (42 km) and half marathon (21 km).
He said that the adventure race will be a multi-disciplinary sporting event including activities such as trail running/running, swimming, boat racing and cycling/mountain biking.
