Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, October 2

The soldiers of the Thanpir Brigade from the Dharamsala region have proved their mettle in the skyrunning trail race held on the slopes of the Solang Valley, Manali, on September 30.

In a press release issued here on Tuesday, an Army spokesperson said the race had attracted many seasoned runners from all over the world. It was organised by ‘The Hell Race’ group. It included river and stream crossings, single tracks, jungle shepherd trails, pebbles, gravels and navigating through boulders.

A total of 260 runners participated in three categories of 10 km, 30 km and 60 km. The highest altitude of the race was at 3,350 m.

Troops of the Manani Battalion, Thanpir Brigade, DAH Division, laced up once again for the gruelling testing race.

Riflemen Parvesh Magar and Rajendra Nepali secured the first two spots on the podium in the 10-km competition smashing the previous year records.

Rifleman Rajkumar Sherma lit up the 30 km skyrunning competition surging ahead to claim gold and ran uncontested until the finish. Rifleman Durga Bahadur closed the podium securing bronze medal.

The 60-km race saw a stacked field with almost 120 professional runners. Rifleman Suman won laurels in 60-km challenge charging through the finish line at the 5th spot and Rifleman Sandeep Sunar secured the 7th spot.

The Army spokesperson said the race tested the limits of human endurance and the soldiers put up a splendid performance.

“This is the second consecutive spectacular performance this season by the mountain lads and determination displayed is not only commendable but also awe inspiring,” he added.