The Mountain Cross-country Challenge kicked off in Shibadong Village, Huayuan County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture on November 3. It is the first national-level sports event held in Xiangxi Prefecture.
The challenge was divided into the Red Inheritance Group, the Red Challenge Group, and the Red Revitalization Group with a running distance of 10, 24, and 42 kilometers respectively, meeting the diverse needs of athletes and attracting more than 1,000 participants from 15 provinces and cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Liaoning.
“There are 5 supply points, with professional medical runners and photography runners recruited to provide full support,” said Wang Wei, general manager of Hunan Lingying Sports Industry Co., Ltd. Elite runners with high points from the International Trail Running Association were also invited to participate in the competition, making it more exciting.
A runner from Zhejiang got to know Shibadong Village for this competition. The beautiful natural scenery and pleasant climate conditions made her feel very comfortable. “Shibadong Village has undergone dramatic changes, and I will come here specifically for sightseeing when I have time,” she said.
An athlete from Guizhou won the first place in the men’s 42-kilometer race with a highest altitude of 1,020 meters. He said, “Enthusiastic villagers sent me supplies, and cheered for me along the way, and the scenery along the track is very beautiful, making me full of motivation.” After the competition, he would visit Shibadong Village and Biancheng.
“Shibadong Village, with abundant mountainous resources, profound Red culture, and complete infrastructure, has the conditions to carry out national-level cross-country competitions. We hope to promote Red tourism through sports events, and attract more people to Shibadong Village to experience the great achievements of China’s poverty alleviation and rural revitalization up close. In the future, more national-level sports events will be held in Xiangxi,” said Chief Judge Zhao Qian.
As a Red landmark in the new era, the cultural and tourism industry in Shibadong Village is thriving. In order to make the Red tourism more popular, Huayuan County has made efforts to explore the new forms of cultural tourism through sports events, promote the integrated development of tourism and sports, and expand the sports consumption market. It has won honors such as the Advanced Collective of National Traditional Ethnic Minority Sports Games and the Advanced Collective of Traditional Ethnic Minority Sports Work in Hunan.
Chinese source: hunantoday
