Asian climbing championship gets green light<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Security fears resulting from numerous anti-U.S. rallies will
\nnot matter when Indonesia hosts the Asian Sport Climbing
\nChampionships for the second time in five years at the eastern
\nPlaza of the Bung Karno Sports Complex this weekend.<\/p>\n
An official of the Indonesian Climbing Federation (FPTI) told
\na media conference on Tuesday that the 10th edition of the annual
\ncompetition would go ahead on Saturday and Sunday as planned.<\/p>\n
\"It is such an honor for FPTI because the Asian Council for
\nCompetition Climbing (ACCC) agreed to sanction the event here,
\ndespite the recent security development,\" chairman of the
\norganizing committee Col. Lodewijk F. Paulus said.<\/p>\n
\"We received questions from country federations about whether
\nwe would be able to guarantee their safety. Once we convinced
\nthem that their security was guaranteed, they confirmed their
\nparticipation.\"<\/p>\n
Paulus, commander of Anti-terror Group V of the Army's Special
\nForce (Kopassus), said the organizing committee would provide a
\nsecurity detail upon arrival at the Soekarno-Hatta airport and
\nduring their stay at Hotel Atlet Century Park, which is near the
\ncompetition venue.<\/p>\n
\"Actually their traveling needs will be limited because the
\nvenue and the hotel are very close to each other. The hotel is
\nalso close to Plaza Senayan if they wish to shop,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Despite his position in the Kopassus elite force, Paulus said
\nthe organizers had entrusted security to the Jakarta Police.<\/p>\n
Indonesia was deprived of the Wismilak Open tennis tournament
\nin Surabaya and saw leading foreign participants skip the Power
\nBali 10K run due to security concerns.<\/p>\n
The US$20,000 sport climbing event will see participants
\ntaking part in speed and difficulty events in both the men's and
\nwomen's divisions.<\/p>\n
So far, FPTI has received confirmation from China, which will
\nsend two climbers. Taiwan has 14 climbers, Hong Kong 16, India
\nfour, Malaysia eight, South Korea 15 and the Philippines 11. Host
\nIndonesia has the privilege of fielding 32 climbers, or double
\nthe maximum quota of participants.<\/p>\n
FPTI is still awaiting confirmation from Iran, Iraq, Japan,
\nSingapore and Thailand.<\/p>\n
Among the participants are Koreans Choo Kui-bok and Goh Mi-sun
\nand Japanese Yuji Hirayama, who topped Asia's difficulty event,
\nsaid Paulus.<\/p>\n
\"Goh always dominates the Asian women's difficulty events
\nwhile Choo and Hirayama are tight competitors in the men's
\ndivision,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indonesia will rely on Ronald Mamarimbing and Etty
\nHendrawati in the speed event. Both Ronald and Etty recently won
\nthe Asian Cup in Kunming, China in September. Etty also won the
\nESPN World Xtreme Games in Virginia last year.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesian climbers always top the speed event, while we can
\nonly enter the top 10 rankings in the difficulty event,\" said
\nFPTI secretary-general Kurnia.<\/p>\n
\"The Asian difficulty event is dominated by climbers from
\nChina, Japan and South Korea.\"<\/p>\n
Kurnia also said the event would help with national selection
\nfor the World Cup, to be held in Malaysia next month.<\/p>\n
As for the Asian championships, FPTI would use its recent
\nrankings list to determine the Indonesian team.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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