Shillong, April 12: The Kharang Sports & Social Welfare Club (KSSWC) will organise India’s first ever wooden kart race which will be held at the Evergreen Route in Kharang village, East Khasi Hills District on April 30, 2022. The aim is to revive the dying art of making a wooden kart (Balbaring in local language) while promoting it’s usage in modern times.

“We are celebrating the state’s 50th year of statehood and the Club’s 50th anniversary year by organizing various events throughout the year in which the Kart race is one of the highlights of the celebration,” said Banjop Mukhim, the club’s adviser.

As part of the event, the Kharang Sports & Social Welfare Club, which is one of the oldest clubs in the State, is also organizing the state’s first MTB-XCO event with the technical backups from officials of the Meghalaya Cycling Association.

Banjop also added by saying that this is one event where talents from respective organisations can field their best men and women. Everyone from corporates, offices and businesses are invited to participate in the event.

On the technical details, the club’s president Khrawkupar Warjri said that karts with wooden chassis and wooden bodies with tyre diameters not more than 1 feet and tyre thickness not less than 2 inch will be eligible to take part in the event.

Participants will have to bring their kart to the location and submit the forms and registration fee on April 29 at the venue itself and they will be allotted their kit bag and bib numbers.

Meghalaya Cycling Association vice president Banshanlang said the MTB – XCO event is one of the most exciting event to be organised at the club level.

Khyllait, who is part of the technical team to build the track for the cycling event, said this event will give opportunity to the local talents to hone their skills as athletes from other states are also participating in the event.

Khyllait, who represented the state in various regional and national cycling competitions, said, “I assure you this is one of India’s finest track for XCO event.”

The registration forms and copies of the rules can be collected from ProCycling, a bicyle shop near St Edmund’s School, Shillong.