Guangxi Mashan: The 5th National Youth Climbing Championship Concludes Successfully

The 5th National Youth Climbing Championship Concludes Successfully

　　The young athletes who participated in the competition were aged between 7 and 13. They were divided into seven age groups: U7 (7 years old), U8 (8 years old), U9 (9 years old), U10 (10 years old), U11 (11 years old), U12 (12 years old), and U13 (13 years old). Each age group was further split into male and female categories. The competition included three events: difficulty climbing, speed climbing, and bouldering, with both preliminary and final rounds. According to the “National Youth Climbing Competition Points System” introduced this year by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, the top 20 athletes in the overall individual rankings of this event will earn corresponding points, which will be weighted and counted toward their annual individual totals.

　　After three days of intense competition, Qiu Ziheng, Huang Hanjun, Tan You Tian, Huang Heming, Li Meini, Chen Boxuan, Li Meiying, Yang Kairui, Hu Shutong, Wang Bingtang, Zhu Xinwen, Yang Lihao, Li Siying, and Xu Ziqi won the overall championships in their respective age groups. A total of 27 athletes from Mashan County participated in the competition. Cheng Fangling, a talented young climber who joined the Mashan National Youth Team in January this year, achieved 6th place in bouldering and 7th place in difficulty climbing.

　　Huang Heming, a young participant from Shenzhen, won the overall championship in the boys’ 8-year-old age group. He said he has been climbing for over two years and that this was his second time competing in Mashan. Though happy to take first place, he felt there was still room for improvement. He admitted making small mistakes in each event due to mental pressure and resolved to train harder to achieve better results in the future.

　　The CPC Mashan County Committee and the People’s Government of Mashan County placed high importance on this event. To ensure its success, relevant departments and employees gave up their National Day holidays to meticulously organize the event, handle publicity, logistics, security, and food safety, providing warm and attentive services. Over 2,000 spectators watched the competition on-site. One local child, only 6 years old, watched the entire event attentively, cheering enthusiastically for the athletes. Although young, he is already deeply fascinated by climbing and often practices on natural rock faces in his spare time. He enjoys tackling challenging routes and hopes to turn 7 soon so he can join the competitions. His mother supports his passion, believing the sport builds both physical strength and resilience—offering multiple benefits. Thanks to such community support, from government officials to teachers and everyday citizens, climbing has grown from obscurity to widespread enthusiasm in Mashan. The continuous development of climbing routes and walls, along with regular competitions, has naturally fostered local love for the sport.

　　The NYCC is the highest-level and most prestigious youth climbing competition in China. Since its first separate hosting in 2015 after splitting from the National Youth Climbing Championship, the event has rapidly expanded in scale and improved in overall competitive standards. As a key event within the youth U-series competition system, the organizing committee is committed to enhancing both organizational and service quality. This year’s route-setting team was led by continental route-setter Wang Dingguo and national route-setter Wang Qinghua, who designed routes tailored to the physical abilities and skills of young athletes. The judging panel, headed by national judge Bai Ling, ensured fair and impartial officiating.

　　During the event, leaders from the Climbing Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Mountaineering Association visited Mashan County for an exchange meeting. Together, they discussed the development of the climbing sports industry, the enhancement of Mashan’s “sports + culture-tourism + poverty alleviation + county development” model, and the construction of a climbing sports town. Additionally, the organizing committee held a forum on youth climbing development, involving coaches, parents, and club representatives to gather diverse opinions and jointly plan for the future of youth climbing.

　　Since 2009, when youth climbing promotion activities were piloted nationwide, a comprehensive youth climbing development system has gradually taken shape. This includes initiatives such as the “Climbing Hope Star” program, “Climbing in Schools,” youth climbing competitions, and youth climbing training systems. Seizing the opportunity presented by the booming sport, the Chinese Mountaineering Association has integrated resources and united various stakeholders to continuously refine the youth climbing development system and promote its growth.

　　This National Youth Climbing Championship not only effectively accelerated the development of school-based climbing programs and the climbing sports industry in Mashan but also directly boosted the local tourism, accommodation, and catering sectors. Not only did local residents have the rare opportunity to watch a national-level event on their doorstep during the National Day holiday, but a large number of tourists also flocked to Mashan to enjoy both the competition and the scenery. Chen, a parent from Beijing accompanying her child, said: “Bringing my child to Mashan for the NYCC has been a wonderful experience. The ecological environment here is beautiful, the scenery is gorgeous, the people are warm and welcoming, and there’s so much delicious food. I never expected Guangxi to have such a lovely place. The event services were incredibly thoughtful, taking care of everything from food to accommodation and transportation. It’s truly remarkable that a county working to overcome poverty could host such a high-level national event, with such professional climbing facilities and kids who are so passionate about the sport. We’ll definitely come back again if we get the chance.”

　　Mashan County is the first and only “National Model County for Promoting Climbing in Schools.” By hosting the 5th NYCC, Mashan has further enhanced its capacity to organize top-tier events. This competition has also enriched the内涵 of Mashan’s “sports+” model, making the trend of leveraging sports to drive integrated industrial development even more evident. From October 18 to 21 this year, Mashan will continue to host and organize a series of events including the Tour of Guangxi WorldTour (Mashan stage), the China-ASEAN Mountain Marathon, and the 13th Cultural Tourism and Food Festival. These efforts will further advance Mashan’s “sports + culture-tourism + poverty alleviation + county development” model, promoting the integrated growth of agriculture, culture, sports, and tourism, as well as the convergence of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. The whole county is striving to lift itself out of poverty in 2019 and join the rest of the nation in achieving moderate prosperity.

　　This competition was hosted by the Chinese Mountaineering Association and the Department of Sports of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, organized by the Youth Committee of the Chinese Mountaineering Association, the Nanning Municipal Sports Bureau, the CPC Mashan County Committee, and the People’s Government of Mashan County, and executed by China Climbing Sports Industry (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and China Climbing A-Cheng Climbing School. It was supported by brands such as China Sports Lottery and KAILAS.

　　Photos provided by: the Organizing Committee, Zhao Jungang, and Lu Lihong