Srinagar, Feb 17: The 9th National SnowShoe Championship-2025 kicked off in the picturesque winter destination of Sonamarg on Monday, marking another milestone in India’s growing winter sports scene.
Organised by the J&K SnowShoe Association in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and under the aegis of the SnowShoe Federation of India, the event aims to establish Sonamarg as a premier winter sports hub.
The championship was inaugurated by former cricketer-turned-social activist Sayim Mustafa, alongside CEO of Sonamarg Development Authority Gh. Mohammad Bhat. The event has drawn around 110 athletes from 15-17 states and Union Territories, competing in various categories.
Speaking on the occasion, Sayim Mustafa hailed the event as a new beginning for winter sports in Jammu & Kashmir. “It is encouraging to see Sonamarg hosting back-to-back national championships. I welcome all athletes and hope they will promote Sonamarg when they return home,” he said.
SnowShoe Federation of India President Mir Mudassir, accompanied by former international skier Shabir Wani, inspected the race venue and interacted with athletes. Mudassir reiterated the commitment to making Sonamarg a key winter sports destination. “We had proposed to host SnowShoe events of the Khelo India Winter Games here. Snowshoe racing requires no infrastructure upgrades, making it an ideal winter sport even in low-snow conditions. Unfortunately, KIWG 2025 had to be postponed due to less snowfall, but that wouldn’t have been the case with SnowShoe,” he said.
Day 1 Results:
In the men’s long-distance race, Waseem Raja (J&K) clinched gold, Javeed Bashir (J&K) took silver, and Nasrullah Elya (Ladakh) secured bronze.
Ladakh dominated the junior boys’ long-distance race, with Mohammad Baqir winning gold, Asif Ali silver, and Bilal Abbas bronze.
In the senior women’s long-distance race, Dhanalakshmi (Karnataka) won gold, Latha A (Karnataka) silver, and Medeha (J&K) bronze.
J&K swept the junior girls’ long-distance event, with Shaista bagging gold, Yasmeena silver, and Aamina Mukhtar bronze. The championship will continue on Tuesday with sprint and relay races, followed by the medal ceremony in the evening. MLA Kangan, Mian Mehr, is expected to be the chief guest at the closing ceremony.
