From left: The Grand Hotel General Manager Refhan Razeen, Go Ceilão General Manager Amila Gunawardana, Mayor of Nuwara Eliya Chandana Lal Karunarathna, Spinner Founder Yasas Hewage and Australian Migration Consultants Managing Director Manjula Kulatunga

Sri Lanka is the chosen destination for the internationally renowned cycling event called ‘Everesting’. The prestigious event which is considered the pinnacle of performance for a cycling enthusiast, will be creating history this year as it has chosen Sri Lanka as its first ever South Asian destination to host this competition which will be held from 6-7 April at the Raddelle Hill Climb in Nuwara Eliya.

The activity which tests the endurance level of the most avid cyclists, requires the completion of one activity which is the repeated riding on a hill, reaching the maximum height of 8,848m – the equivalent of Mount Everest within a period of twenty four hours without sleep.

Be a part of this pioneer event which is similar to life as the famous quote states that ‘life is like riding a bicycle and to keep balanced, one must keep moving.’ The successful completion of the ride will enable participants to earn the coveted Hells 500 grey striped jersey which has been obtained by a mere 3174 cyclists worldwide, who are indicted into the cyclist Hall of Fame.

The cool climes of Nuwara Eliya provides the ideal setting for the cyclists as the hills will come alive with riders who will be supported throughout their quest to attain greatness. The spectators can also be part of the activities which will include a festival of fashion, music, glamming with unlimited food and beverages to ensure a memorable weekend. The event will also feature a host of motivational speakers and Ayurvedic massages which are bound to make the hills the best place to be during this time of the year.  “It is an honour for Nuwara Eliya to be selected as the destination to host such a world famous event, giving another reason for tourists and locals to visit our city during the season,” remarked Mayor of Nuwara Eliya Chandana Lal Karunaratne.

The country has gained popularity for its tropical hotspots with events of colossal proportion as Everesting, which come under the category of sports tourism being open to the islanders and others from around the world through travel companies such as GoCeilào – the main organiser and promoter of the event.

Go Ceilào Ltd. is a reputed travel company which specialises in inbound and out bound travel, offering clients a wide variety of options from leisure, business, sports and other forms of travel. The attractive packages are tailor- made to suit the client’s unique needs and interests, offering the most authentic and adventurous travel experiences which creates lasting memories.

“It has been a pleasure to associate Sri Lanka with a world class event such as Everesting,” stated Go Ceilào General Manager Amila Gunawardana, adding that the Founder of the event, Andy Van Bergen, would be sponsored by the company.

“Having taken precedence in the European and Australian continents in the past and held in 82 countries, this year’s event will serve as a platform for knowledge sharing and the improvement of the cycling culture in Sri Lanka.”

“We are proud to be associated with a world class event which attracts a niche category and a highly exclusive brand of tourists enthusiastic about sports,” stated Tourism Malaysia Deputy Director for South India and Sri Lanka Logi Dhasan Thanaraj. “Hailing from a nation which promotes sports tourism with a passion I am appreciative of the fact that the region has been brought into the limelight due to this mega event.”

The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya, as one of the partners will accommodate many of the foreign cyclists along with the founder of the event with its General Manager Refhan Razeen stating: “As the most prestigious hotel in the region with a history spanning over a century, we take pride in hosting the decision makers and participants of such an iconic event at our hotel.”“We are determined to ensure that our local community as well receive the best opportunities available to cyclists the world over. We are thrilled to create the standards which are benchmarked around the world and showcase the vast potential available in Sri Lanka for the sport lovers,” said Spinner Founder Yasas Hewage.

This is a result of amazing team work and partnerships that have come together to show case the cycling capital of Sri Lanka to the world.

“We are proud to be the principle sponsors of this pioneering effort which showcases the scope of each cyclist and grants vast opportunities for endurance testing in this era of endless possibilities,” stated  Australian Migration Consultants Director Manjula Kulatunga.

The partners of Everesting include Tangerine Tours, Tourism Malaysia, Sunday Times, Lankadeepa ,Daily Mirror and Hi Magazine, Daily FT, Real FM, Kiss FM,  Lanka Hospitals , Critical Care Health Solutions, Sri Lankan Airlines and Thomas Peer Solution.

Source: http://www.ft.lk/travel-tourism/Everesting-for-the-first-time-in-Sri-Lanka/27-674054