20 teams to participate in the tourney slated for first week of January

Along with surfing, Mangaluru is likely to become the go-to destination of the state for lagori too. As the First Lagori Tulunadu Cup 2017 organised by Pathway Mangaluru in June this year with the participation of nearly 20 teams of 12 players each from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod was a huge success, the Amateur Lagori Association of India has asked the Pathway to organise the Senior National Lagori tournament for men and women in the first week of January in Mangaluru.

Deepak Ganguli from Pathway told BM, “The association was impressed by the manner in which the district-level tourney was conducted and hence asked us to hold the seventh national level tourney under the Amateur Federation of India. The event will be held in the Karavali Utsav grounds. The sixth edition was held in Rajasthan.”

He said they were expecting at least 15-20 states to participate and were hopeful that at least three players from Mangaluru will be representing the Karnataka men’s team. Before the national tourney, a selection camp will be held in Mangaluru, which will see the participation of at least 200 players (men) from across the state. In an attempt to popularise the game, plans are to hold premier league matches on beachside. “The top 15 players will represent Karnataka in the national match and our aim is to have at least one player from Mangaluru for the World Cup to be held in May next year at Mumbai,” said Ganguli.

Pathway has received queries from women players wanting to participate. “As the Association has informed that the state team (women’s) has already been finalised, we are likely to hold district level matches for women next year,” he said.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Others / by Bangalore Mirror Bureau / October 25th, 2017