Bhutanese athletes are still dominating the Snowman Race up north as day two of the race came to a halt at Lhedhi. Lhedhi is 42 kilometres from the first station at Narithang. Except for a slight change in the position, all top three leaders are the same as on day one. Sangay Wangchuk, Gawa Zangpo, and Sangay completed their race in less than seven hours. Meanwhile, six more foreign runners decided not to continue the race today.
Sangay Wangchuk reached Lhedhi in 5 hours and 55 minutes followed closely by Gawa Zangpo who completed the race four minutes later. Sangay came in third as he completed the Day Two race in 6 hours and 16 minutes.
Including the Americans who did not finish the race yesterday, seven foreigners decided not to continue the race. While five runners discontinued the race today from Narithang, an American woman did not finish the race after running the first few kilometres from the Day One camp.
According to the Snowman Race Secretariat, all of them are in good health.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Karma Yangden from Laya was the first woman to reach the Day Two camp in 8 hours and 30 minutes. Lhamo, the youngest runner in the race reached the station in 9 hours and 14 minutes followed by Kinzang Lhamo who completed the Day Two race in 9 hours and 31 minutes.
At the control station in Thimphu, officials from various organisations monitor the runners’ movement and ensure that the athletes reach the aid stations safely every day.
According to the officials, tomorrow’s race will be the most treacherous of them all as the runners will have to ascend the highest peak at Gophula which is at an altitude of over 5,400 meters above sea level.
All runners completed the 42-kilometre stretch safely and were welcomed by students of Lhedhi.
Tshering Dendup/Chenga Dawa
Edited by Phub Gyem
