Naltar Ski Tournament

[ghazi52]

Naltar Ski Tournament

While the Pakistan Super League (PSL) usually steals the accolades for bringing international sports back to Pakistan, beyond the glitzy cricket event other sporting events are steadily returning to Pakistan as well. The recently concluded Chief of the Air Staff International Karakoram Alpine Ski Cup, held in the majestic Naltar Valley Pakistan Air Force (PAF) ski resort, is another milestone in Pakistan’s gradual grind towards security and the organisers of the event deserve the same praise that we usually reserve for our cricket board.

The fact that the tournament participants were mostly women from diverse nations such as Pakistan, Greece, Afghanistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan, goes to show the country’s progress towards stability. The fact that the participants expressed their desire to visit Pakistan’s mountains again in winter to race is a further testament still.

With Pakistan opening itself up to foreign tourism with the relaxing of visa requirements, sporting events like this would be instrumental in drawing attention to the country’s physical beauty and tourism potential.

Hence, the government should aim to make this ski tournament an annual event, hoping to make it bigger and better with every iteration. With the plethora of locations available in the north to hold such events it shouldn’t prove difficult. Pakistan should look at the fact that the majority of the Middle East’s snow-sports enthusiasts head to Iran or even Lebanon to satisfy their requirements and recognize that a huge market exists in the regional vicinity that it can tap into.

Furthermore, while ski tournament in Naltar was dominated by the Ukrainian delegation, Pakistani players, including Mohammad Karim, Umama Wali, and Jia Ali also performed very well in the competition. Regular tournaments drawing intentional participants and improvement in our existing facilities will help grow this native talent manifold.

 

[ghazi52]

Foreign players vow to visit again as Naltar ski contest ends
February 02, 2019

A skier in action on the slopes of PAF Ski Resort Naltar. — APP

GILGIT: The Chief of the Air Staff International Karakoram Alpine Ski Cup, which saw participation of 40 skiers from 13 countries, concluded in Naltar PAF ski resort on Friday.

The participants, mostly women, were from Pakistan, Greece, Afghanistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan.

These athletes took part in the slalom and giant slalom categories of the FIS (Federation of International Ski) races.

Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Commander Force Command Northern Areas Maj Gen Ehsan Mehmood Khan and Air Vice Marshal Sarfaraz Khan attended the closing ceremony along with other civil and military officials. They distributed medals and trophies among the winners of the different categories of the tournament.

The foreign players appreciated the arrangements made for the event and expressed their desire to visit again to race in the majestic mountains of Pakistan.

The competition was dominated by Ukrainian skiers, who clinched two positions each in men and women slalom races. Tsibelenko Levko and Narichyn Andriy remained unassailable in the men’s slalom category, while Tikun Tetyana and Anastasia Gorbunova remained invincible in the women’s categories.

Usta Berkin from Turkey was the only player who could overthrow Ukraine’s dominance by winning the men’s giant slalom category.

Pakistani players, including Mohammad Karim, Umama Wali, and Jia Ali also performed very well in the competition.

Skiers from associations of Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Civil Aviation Authority, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, GB scouts participated in different categories of the sport.

A large number of fans of international and national players witnessed the ski cup, amid freezing temperatures.

Talking to reporters after the event, international skiers said GB was beautiful and its landscape was very picturesque.

They said it was an interesting experience for them and the people were very hospitable, adding that they would recommend their countrymen to visit the region.

Samia, 22, from Ukraine said she had a great experience participating in the ski competition. “The weather here is good for winter competitions. I recommend everyone to visit Pakistan, it is a really beautiful country,” she said.

Jia Ali, 21, from GB said she was participating in an international ski competition for the second time. “If local girls are provided opportunities to ski they can perform at international level,” she said.

 

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[koolio]

Just look at the negative Indian comments in the comment section, their obsession with Pakistan never ends.

 

[bananarepublic]

Just look at the negative Indian comments in the comment section, their obsession with Pakistan never ends.

the ski resort should be either be in hands of the civilian government or privatized

 

[koolio]

the ski resort should be either be in hands of the civilian government or privatized

I agree, I think the military was using Naltar ski area at the start for training army serviceman, but since this ski area has further developed over the years it offers so much potential for tourists and people like me who can snowboard, If they can carpet the Naltar road from Gilgit, have a ski and snowboard hire shop, develop high standard and affordable accommodation, it would be a gem of a place.

 

[bananarepublic]

I agree, I think the military was using Naltar ski area at the start for training army serviceman, but since this ski area has further developed over the years it offers so much potential for tourists and people like me who can snowboard, If they can carpet the Naltar road from Gilgit, have a ski and snowboard hire shop, develop high standard and affordable accommodation, it would be a gem of a place.

the Army already has one in astore which is used to train serviceman, this is just a resort and should be in hands of government

 

[ghazi52]

Skiing in Naltar this winter

 

[ghazi52]

International skiers take to slopes in Pakistan
February 11, 2019

Anastasiia Gorbunova says she used to believe Pakistan was a 'pretty dangerous country. PHOTO: AFP

NALTAR: Skiers descend in long, rhythmic swoops down pristine white slopes in the northern part of the country, braking in a spray of snow.

Dozens of athletes took part at a rare international competition in Pakistan, which boasts some of the world’s highest mountains but remains off-piste for most winter sports enthusiasts after years of conflict and a lack of infrastructure.

Nestled in the Karakoram mountain range, the Naltar Ski Resort has been at the heart of Pakistan’s efforts to draw winter sport tourists since the first international competition was held there in 2015.

PHOTO: AFP

“Pakistan has a lot of things to learn but with every year it’s getting better,” said Ukrainian skier Anastasiia Gorbunova, who admitted she used to think it was a “pretty dangerous country”.

“Now I know it’s a cliche because as I saw, people are sweet, they are nice, they try to make you feel like you’re at home and I appreciate that.”

Security has dramatically improved across Pakistan following a crackdown on militant groups in recent years.

PHOTO: AFP

Authorities recently reopened another resort in the nearby Swat Valley that had been closed for years by insurgent activity, while other ski facilities are being developed elsewhere in the country.

Laura Moore, a representative of the International Ski Federation with the Azerbaijan team, said Pakistan boasted unrivalled ski conditions.

But she added that lengthy road travel and the regular grounding of flights during inclement weather made access to ski fields a tricky prospect – “off-piste and maybe with a helicopter”.

PHOTO: AFP

“I think it’s definitely more for the adventurer,” Moore said.

Pakistan is home to several peaks higher than 8,000 metres including K2, the second-tallest mountain in the world.

Skiers at the Naltar event were hosted by the Pakistan Air Force, who own the ski resort and facilitated their transport from Islamabad.

“Not all countries have mountains like this,” Berkin Usta, a Turkish skier who won the men’s Grand Slalom event. “It’s really good.”

 

[ghazi52]

‘Pakistan boasts top conditions for skiing’
February 11, 2019

Security has dramatically improved across Pakistan following a crackdown on militant groups in recent years.

Authorities recently reopened another resort in the nearby Swat Valley that had been closed for years by insurgent activity, while other ski facilities are being developed elsewhere in the country.

“Not all countries have mountains like this,” Berkin Usta, a Turkish skier who won the men’s Grand Slalom event. “It’s really good.”

 

[ghazi52]

'Pakistan's getting better every year': International skiers all praise after Naltar ski competition

"I think it's definitely more for the adventurer," comments one international skier.


Skiers descend in long, rhythmic swoops down pristine white slopes in the northern areas, braking in a spray of snow as soldiers carrying semi-automatic weapons watch impassively.

A security official looks on during the CAS Karakoram International Alpine Ski Cup at the Naltar Ski Resort. ─ AFP


Dozens of athletes recently took part at the rare international competition in the country, which boasts some of the world's highest mountains but remains off-piste for most winter sports enthusiasts after years of conflict and a lack of infrastructure.

Nestled in the Karakoram mountain range, the Naltar Ski Resort has been at the heart of Pakistan's efforts to draw winter sport tourists since the first international competition was held there in 2015.

Ukrainian skier Anastasia Gorbunova takes part in the CAS Karakoram International Alpine Ski Cup. ─ AFP


"Pakistan has a lot of things to learn but with every year it's getting better," said Ukrainian skier Anastasiia Gorbunova, who admitted she used to think it was a pretty dangerous country.

Children ski on a snow-covered street ─ with wooden sticks set up to practice the slalom ─ next to their homes near the slopes. ─ AFP


"Now I know it's a cliche because as I saw, people are sweet, they are nice, they try to make you feel like you're at home and I appreciate that."

Security has dramatically improved across the country following a crackdown on militant groups in recent years.

Authorities recently re-opened another resort in the nearby Swat Valley that had been closed for years by insurgent activity, while other ski facilities are being developed elsewhere in the country.

Laura Moore, a representative of the International Ski Federation with the Azerbaijan team, said Pakistan boasted unrivalled ski conditions.

International skiers practice ahead of the competing in the CAS Karakoram International Alpine Ski Cup . ─ AFP


But she added that lengthy road travel and the regular grounding of flights during inclement weather made access to ski fields a tricky prospect — "off-piste and maybe with a helicopter".

"I think it's definitely more for the adventurer," Moore said at Sunday's competition.

Pakistan is home to several peaks higher than 8,000 metres including K2, the second-tallest mountain in the world. Skiers at the Naltar event were hosted by the Pakistan Air Force, who own the ski resort and facilitated their transport from the capital Islamabad.

"Not all countries have mountains like this," Berkin Usta, a Turkish skier who won the men's Grand Slalom event. "It's really good."

Turkish skier Berkin Usta takes part in the CAS Karakoram International Alpine Ski Cup. ─ AFP

Azerbaijan skier Nurlan Abdulov takes part in the CAS Karakoram International Alpine Ski Cup. ─ AFP

 

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