Shabista Shabir & Sabiya Nabi to represent India in Asian ski championship

Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department Tuesday felicitated two young female skiers from Valley with International Ski Federation (FIS) approved ski sets for their participation in the Junior Asian Alpine Ski Championships to be held in Iran from March 1.
Director tourism Kashmir, Mahmood A Shah handed over two ski sets to each skier who left today for Delhi to report to the Winter Games Federation of India were from they would fly to Iran for the championship. Deputy Director Tourism Peerzada Zahoor was also present at the occasion.
Shabista Shabir and Sabiya Nabi both hailing from Tangmarg did well in the selection trials and were selected to represent India for the Asian Championship.
India is fielding its contingent comprising of boys and girls who are in the age group borne between 1993 and2001 in the said Championship, to be held in Iran in March this year.
The selection trials for Asian Junior Alpine Ski Championship were held at Gulmarg on February 3rd and 4th. Nearly 30 athletes representing different affiliated Units of Winter Games Federation of India including J&K, HP, Uttarakhand, Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM), High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), Army and Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports took part in Slalom and Giant Slalom trials during which Shabista and Sabiya were selected.
The trials were held by WGFI in association with Winter Games Association of J&K, IISM and HAWS with logistic support from Tourism Department.
Both Shabista and Sabiya have participated in five national championships so far representing the state.
Director tourism Kashmir Mahmood A Shah said the department had procured 25 ski sets for past few years for the skiers for international events.
“The ski equipment is very expensive and is mostly procured from European countries. Our players who mostly come from middle class families can’t afford costly equipment for international events and the equipment which are approved by FIS. We had procured 25 ski sets for boys during the past few years. But we did not have ski equipment for girls. The girls approached us and we had to procure the ski sets for the girls from Austria which we got only yesterday,” said Director Tourism.
Both the girls thanked Department of tourism for facilitating them with the required set of ski sets and other gear so that they could participate in the international event.