Dongji Boat Adventure · National Ice Sailing Open Creates a Sports + Tourism Carnival

(Luwawa)Sail an ice boat once a year, and enjoy smooth sailing all year round. From January 2nd to 3rd, the Dongji Boat Adventure · National Ice Sailing Open was held at the Heilongjiang waters in Binjiang Park, Fuyuan City, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang Province. More than 20 sailing enthusiasts from eight cities across the country, as well as hundreds of local residents from Fuyuan, participated in the event.

The event was jointly organized by the Chinese Yachting Association, the Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Bureau, and the People’s Government of Jiamusi City, and hosted by the People’s Government of Fuyuan City and the Heixiazi Island Management Committee. Navigation Online and Qiantang Sports were responsible for the operational execution of the event, with sponsorship provided by Roujiang Wine Industry and the Deep Blue Project. This competition also served as the opening event of the Chinese Yachting Association for the year 2020, symbolizing that in the new year, Chinese sailing will ride the “east wind” from the nation’s easternmost point to achieve smooth progress and sail far and wide.

In recent years, Heilongjiang Province has leveraged its unique climatic and natural resource advantages. While vigorously developing traditional winter sports, it has also turned its attention to the revitalized sport of ice sailing.

The Chinese Yachting Association has been actively promoting the popularization of sailing in recent years, with the hope that sailboats can be seen across the country all year round. In the snowy and icy northeast region, promoting ice sailing is a strategic choice. Zhang Xiaodong, Chairman of the Chinese Yachting Association, stated that since the association became an independent entity, it has carried out extensive work in promoting and popularizing sailing. The goal is to break the long-standing perception of sailing as a high-barrier activity—whether due to technical or financial challenges—and make sailing accessible, visible, and enjoyable for the general public. Ice sailing is a relatively easy type of sailing to master.

Tian Shouwei, the chief judge of this competition, noted that Heilongjiang once had a strong foundation in sailing and was one of the earlier regions in China to develop sailing and windsurfing. The region’s uniquely favorable winter ice and snow environment is highly conducive to the development of ice sailing. Operating an ice sailboat is simple—ordinary people can learn to maneuver one after just a few hours of training. The age range is also very broad; according to the rules of this event, children aged 10 and above to seniors aged 65 can participate. To maximize the promotion of ice sailing, the event adopted a free training system, allowing participants to receive complimentary training provided by the organizing committee before the competition, thereby enabling more people to easily enjoy the fun of sailing. Over a hundred participants attended the training sessions and experienced the endless joy of sailing.

This competition perfectly combines sports with tourism, even featuring distinctive prizes. The first-place winner received a local specialty: a sturgeon over ten kilograms in weight. Other winners were awarded prizes such as entrance tickets to Heixiazi Island scenic area and Russian double-tour packages. “This competition is not just an event, but a travel product designed for sailors to celebrate the New Year together,” said Hong Yunlai, CEO of Navigation Online, the event’s executive organizer.

The Dongji Boat Adventure · National Ice Sailing Open took place on the frozen surface of the Heilongjiang River in Fuyuan. Fuyuan City is the easternmost county-level administrative region in China’s mainland and the first place to welcome the sunrise into the country, hence its reputation as the “Easternmost Point of China.” In summer, the area enjoys abundant water resources and a cool climate, while in winter, it becomes a world of ice and snow. The frozen river surface here is one of the few suitable venues in China for ice sailing. The vast river area requires minimal preparation to meet the competition needs of ice sailing. Meanwhile, Fuyuan’s rich tourism resources have created significant comprehensive effects in driving both “sports + tourism” through the event.