Giants vie for supremacy, chasing dreams on the grassland | The 2019 China Mountain Marathon Series - Huitengxile Grassland Station successfully concluded...

On July 28, the 2019 China Mountain Marathon Series - Huitengxile Grassland Station, jointly organized by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, the Sports Bureau of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the People's Government of Ulanqab City, hosted by the People's Government of Chahar Right Middle Banner, co-organized by Inner Mongolia Huitengxile Tourism Culture Co., Ltd., and exclusively operated by Beijing Nantianxing Sports Industry Development Co., Ltd. with media promotion by Running.com.cn Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., was held at the Huitengxile Grassland Tourist Area (Huanghuagou) in Inner Mongolia.

The event featured three categories: a 42km individual mountain marathon, a 21km individual mountain marathon, and a 7km mass fitness race, attracting over 2,000 mountain marathon enthusiasts from across the country who gathered on the grassland to share this sporting extravaganza.

At 8:00 AM, the competition officially commenced with a grand opening ceremony at the Ogedei Square. Attendees included Wang Yongfeng, Deputy Director of the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, Vice President of the Chinese Mountaineering Association, and Captain of the National Mountaineering Team; Gao Sen, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and County Chief of Chahar Right Middle Banner; Tang Hongfang, Deputy District Chief of Qianjiang District, Chongqing; Qian Hong, renowned swimmer and winner of 51 world championships and Olympic gold medals; Wen Biao, Party Group Secretary of the Wulanchabu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, and Sports; Wang Jun, Standing Committee Member and Minister of Propaganda Department of the Chahar Right Middle Banner Party Committee; Duger, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chahar Right Middle Banner People’s Congress; Dong Xueqing, Deputy County Chief of Chahar Right Middle Banner; Zheng Dongping, Deputy County Chief of Chahar Right Middle Banner; Wu Renqimuge, Vice Chairman of the Chahar Right Middle Banner CPPCC; Guo Zihui, General Manager of Beijing Nantianxing Sports Industry Development Co., Ltd.; and Cai Yong, General Manager of Inner Mongolia Huitengxile Tourism Culture Co., Ltd. Also present were responsible officials from relevant national, autonomous region, municipal, and banner-level departments, as well as members of the Mountain Marathon Organizing Committee.

▲ Opening Ceremony

At 8:30 AM, Wen Biao, Gao Sen, Wang Jun, Duger, Dong Xueqing, Zheng Dongping, and Wu Renqimuge jointly sounded the starting horn. Wang Yongfeng, Tang Hongfang, Qian Hong, Cai Yong, and Guo Zihui led the race, followed by over 2,000 energetic participants who dashed towards the boundless beauty of the Huitengxile Grassland, commencing the fierce competition of the mountain marathon.

▲ Leaders and Guests Lead the Race

▲ Runners Start the Race

The race started at the racetrack in the South Service Area of Ogedei. The start and finish lines for the 42km individual, 21km individual, and 7km mass fitness races were the same. The course passed through scenic spots such as the Colorful Flower Fields, Millennium Birch Forest, and Ogedei Flower Grassland, allowing participants to run freely across this stunning grassland landscape, with breathtaking views all around. The 42km individual race featured an accumulated elevation gain of over 800 meters, offering a moderate level of difficulty.

▲ Runners Sprinting Freely

After an intense competition, Zhang Zhenlong from Inner Mongolia claimed the men's championship in the 42km individual race with a time of 2:46:47, while Luo Tao from Guizhou and Liang Jing from Anhui secured the second and third places, respectively.

▲ 42km Men’s Category Award Ceremony

Tao Yanru from Beijing won the women's championship in the 42km individual race with a time of 3:25:40, followed by Yao Yuzhou from Anhui and Xiang Fuzhao from Chongqing, who took the second and third places.

 

Gao Jinggang from Shaanxi won the men's championship in the 21km individual race with a time of 1:27:15, while Han Siming from Shanxi and Cui Hongyu from Heilongjiang secured the second and third places.

 

Chen Xiaoqun from Hunan won the women's championship in the 21km individual race with a time of 2:04:53, while Xiong Binbin from Hubei and Zhao Yu from Inner Mongolia took the second and third places.

▲ Award Ceremony

Huitengxile, meaning "Cool Mountain Ridge" in Mongolian, has an average altitude of 2,100 meters and spans approximately 600 square kilometers. With an annual maximum average temperature not exceeding 18°C, it is known as the "Paradise Grassland · Cool Amusement Park." Boasting majestic landscapes, rolling hills, and fields of blooming flowers, it is China’s most uniquely shaped and scenically rich grassland, the most beautiful flower-covered grassland in Inner Mongolia, the core experience area of China’s Grassland Summer Capital, the highest-altitude grassland in China, one of the world’s three major alpine meadow flower grasslands, and the Inner Mongolian grassland closest to the capital, Beijing.

▲ Vast Huitengxile Grassland

Having developed over three years, the Huitengxile Grassland Station has become one of the most coveted events for mountain marathon enthusiasts, thanks to its picturesque scenery of "heads in the blue sky and white clouds, feet on endless green grass." In recent years, the area has continuously enhanced the brand visibility and influence of both Wulanchabu City and the scenic spot by hosting major sports tourism events such as the China Mountain Marathon Series and rock climbing competitions, as well as large-scale outdoor cultural activities like the Grassland Kite Music Festival and Grassland Beer Music Festival.

▲ Runners Roaming the Course

The much-anticipated Huitengxile Grassland Station of the China Mountain Marathon Series has now concluded. Soon, we will welcome the sixth event of the 2019 China Mountain Marathon Series, the Wulian Station in Shandong. From September 1st, head to China’s Stone City and the Fruit Homeland for an unforgettable mountain marathon adventure. We can’t wait to see you there—don’t miss out!