Kathmandu: Skate Land, skate parks based in Gokarna and Kapan, is set to host the first-ever National Mini Skate Marathon in Kathmandu on September 20.

Announcing the event at a press conference in Tripureshwar on Tuesday, Skate Land founder and event organiser Abraham Rai shared that the 5-kilometer marathon will begin from Alaport, Sundarijal, and conclude at Gokarna Training Chowk.

Organised in collaboration with the Nepal Skating and Skateboarding Association (NSSA), the event is expected to draw around 200 participants including international skaters from India and Dubai. Skaters aged 14 and above are eligible to compete.

According to Rai, the primary goal of the event is to promote and professionalise skating in Nepal. “This is the first mini skate marathon in the country and we consider it an experimental initiative. A successful outcome could pave the way for full-length skate marathons in the future,” he said.

NSSA President Achyut Khanal emphasised the sport’s growing popularity in Nepal. “Skating is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. We currently have a database of over 2,500 skaters, and there are more than 300 skate parks nationwide and 106 of them in Kathmandu alone,” he said.

The winner of the event will receive a cash prize of Rs 50,000, along with skate shoes and safety gear. The first runner-up will be awarded Rs 30,000 and skate shoes while the second runner-up will take home Rs 15,000 and safety gear along with medals and certificates.