Nepal were condemned to 13th place in the World Rafting Championships slalom category after they were penalised 55 seconds at the Tully River in Queensland on Saturday.

Considered comparatively a weaker side in slalom among four categories – sprint, head-to-head, slalom and down river – Nepal were penalised 50 seconds after skipper Suraj Gurung failed to cross the eighth gate. Nepal were penalised further five points after their boat touched the pole in the 11th gate.

A team could perform twice in slalom and the best time achieved among two will be taken for determining the results. Nepali team of Suraj, Shakti Gurung, Padam Gurung, Dipesh Gurung, Sabin Gurung, Rabil Miya and substitute Sunil Gurung took 118.20 seconds in the first round. Adding the penalised time of 55 seconds they took 173.20 to finish the event to earn 193 points in total.

“It was difficult in the eighth gate after we failed to catch the line (flow of water). We were still in doubt if we would be penalised. But we lost 50 seconds,” said Shakti. “We also came to know later that we were penalised five seconds in the 11th gate.” Skipper Suraj, paddling from third right of the boat, said: “Despite trying our best we failed to take our head through the gate in the eighth although were were better at the other gates.”        

In the second round, Nepal clocked 122.88 seconds but were penalised 85 seconds. Nepal were penalised five seconds each in the first, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, 11th and 14th gates before facing 50-second penalty in 12th for a total timing of 207.88 seconds.  

Norway, Romania and Colombia were behind Nepal in the event contested by 16 teams. Defending champions Brazil clinched gold in slalom clocking 102.72 seconds. Russia (109.71) and China (114.61) secured silver and bronze medals.     

The men’s open event of the World Championships under R6 carries weightage of 10 percent in sprint, 20 percent in head-to-head, 35 percent each in slalom and down river. Nepal had finished fifth in sprint and ninth in head-to-head. Nepal currently stand at the 12th position in overall with 406 points.

Brazil (608), Russia (580) and China (556) are in top three positions.