Goa to host national rope skipping meet

Panaji, Oct 27: Reigning champions Uttar Pradesh and runners-up Madhya Pradesh will be among 20 states vying for top honours in the two-day 8th National Rope Skipping Championship to be held from October 30 at Porvorim in North Goa.

Rope Skipping Association of Goa (RSAG) president Rajkumar Desai, who is also organising chairman for the meet, told reporters here today that about 350 participants from 20 states have already confirmed their participation.

The championship will be held on a knock-out basis for both boys and girls under 11, 14 and 17 years age group. Even seniors in the age group of 60-65 will be allowed to participate, Mr Desai added.

Both, team and individual events, will be held.

There are several different catagroies of jumping like speed, freestyle, wheels (or Chinese wheels), team freestyle and double Dutch. The ropes used for specific jumping techniques includes the single rope, the beaded rope and double Dutch rope. To prevent skippers from being hit by a rope, slipping or tripping woooden floors, rubberized surfaces, tiles, indoor-outdoor carpet surfaces are preferred.

Rope Skipping Federation of India (RSFI) general secretary Bhim Sen Verma, who was also present on the occasion, said the RSFI aims at promoting this event in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as ''we are receiving good resposne from these countries''.

India will participate in the World Championship to be held in June 2008 in South Africa, he informed.

Former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will be the chief guest for the opening ceremony on October 30.

UNI