KATHMANDU: The third edition of the Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Open Lead Climbing Competition is scheduled to be held at Astrek Climbing Wall in Thamel on May 28 and 29. 

According to the organisers, the final round will fall on Everest Day, marking 73 years since Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary made their historic first ascent on May 29, 1953.

Jointly organised by the US Nepal Climbers Association (USNCA) and the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA), the competition this year introduces lead climbing for the first time, replacing the top-rope format used in the previous two editions, according to Jangbu Sherpa, President at US Nepal Climber Asociation Inc. 

Lead climbing, where athletes clip their rope into protection points as they climb, is considered significantly more technical and demanding, and the shift signals a maturation of competitive climbing culture in Nepal.

The event will feature men's and women's categories, with cash prizes of Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000, and Rs 20,000 for the top three finishers in each. 

Organisers expect around 40 male and 15 female competitors, with 22 men and 10 women already registered.

NMA President Fur Gelje Sherpa is scheduled to inaugurate the competition on the morning of May 28, while parliamentarian and celebrated mountaineer Mingma Gyabu Sherpa will reportedly attend the final round and prize ceremony on May 29.

NNMGA President Tulsi Singh Gurung said the event is conceived as a confluence of history, sport, and the spirit of adventure, one that breaks from the convention of marking Everest Day only through formal ceremonies. Organisers hope the competition will help grow Nepal's adventure sports culture domestically and internationally, and inspire a new generation toward mountaineering.

Registration closes today at Astrek Climbing Wall, Thamel, or the NNMGA office in Gairidhara.