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Yak Attack Mountain Bike competition: Canadian rider Wallace completes three-peat
Canadian biker Cory Wallace claimed the title of the Yak Attack, the highest altitude mountain bike competition, for the third time in a row.bookmark
Aash Gurung
Published at : November 13, 2018
Updated at : November 13, 2018 08:56
Lamjung
Canadian biker Cory Wallace claimed the title of the Yak Attack, the highest altitude mountain bike competition, for the third time in a row.
The 38-year-old Canadian clocked total of 12 hours 30 minutes 50 seconds to complete the 221km international race which runs through Thorang La, the mountain pass located at 5416m over five stages. Wallace had secured top spot in the 2016 and 2017 editions as well. “It gives me immense pleasure to win the race for the third time in a row,” said the Canadian in Pokhara on Sunday.
A total of 32 international riders, including four female, from 14 countries had competed in the event. Besides nine participants from Nepal, bikers from Canada, America, Austria, Costa Rica, Colombia, France, Australia, Italy, Spain, Ecuador, Germany, England, Switzerland and South Africa had tried their luck.
Nepal’s 24-year-old rider Buddhi Bahadur Tamang finished second clocking 13:31:46 and Okesh Bajracharya stood third with timing of 13:35:01. Tamang, who got injured during a training two weeks prior to the event, said that he could have thrown tough challenge for the title had he not got injured. “I got injured nearly two weeks before race began and had to depend upon liquid food for eight days. I felt I was running low on energy,” said Tamang.
The toughest section and highest altitude route of 27km, which falls in the fourth stage, saw stiff competition between Wallace and Tamang. The former clocked 2:21:03 to finish one second ahead of Tamang in a stage that started from Thorang La Phedi and finished at Kagbeni going through Thorang La Pass. “The fourth stage really was a thrilling competition between Wallace and Tamang,” said Ajay Pandit Chhetri, the race manager and director of Mountain Bike (MTB) Nepal. Chhetri who competed in all 11 previous editions did not compete in the current event as he took the managerial responsibility.
In the women’s event, Australia’s Karen Hill secured top finish in her debut clocking 17:59:21. “I have not participated much in the international bike competitions though I have raced in India and East Timor. It is my first race in Nepal and I am really pleased with the first place finish,” said the 31-year-old who finished ninth overall. Nepal’s lone female biker Laxmi Magar, also the defending champion, finished the 221km distance in 19:18:25 to secure second position.
It was sixth participation of Magar in the Yak Attack who was also the winner of the Asian Championship held last year in Sri Lanka. She stood 14th overall. Dutch biker Nienke Oostra was distant third at 26:36:58 and finished 26th overall.
The top three finishers in both the men’s and women’s category were rewarded with purse of $ 1,000, $ 500 and $ 250. Harka Lama of Nepal secured first position in above 40-year age category and Belgium’s Pierre Castagne took top spot in above 50-year age category.
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