The 2019 China Mountain Marathon Series - Xinyang Jigongshan Station was successfully held
Running Toward the Mountains – An Extraordinary Journey
On March 31, the 2019 China Mountain Marathon Series - Xinyang Jigongshan Station commenced. The event featured three categories—42KM individual race, 21KM individual race, and 8KM mass fitness race—across six groups. Over 3,000 mountain marathon enthusiasts from across the country gathered at the Jigongshan Scenic Area to take part in this sporting extravaganza.
At 8:30 AM, the opening ceremony was held at the Jigongshan Tourist Distribution Center. Attendees included: Wang Yongfeng, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Mountaineering Association; Yang Zhongjun, Deputy Director of the Henan Provincial Sports Bureau; Shao Chunjie, Vice Mayor of Xinyang Municipal People's Government; Li Wenmao, Head of the New Projects Department of the Chinese Mountaineering Association; Qu Zhe, Deputy Director of the Mass Sports Division of the Henan Provincial Sports Bureau; Shi Dongpeng, renowned Chinese hurdling athlete; Gan Zhe, Deputy Secretary-General of Xinyang Municipal People's Government; Su Xiling, Party Group Secretary and Director of the Xinyang Education and Sports Bureau; Zhao Anhu, Party Committee Secretary and Director of the Jigongshan Management District; Luo Dehua, Party Group Member of the Xinyang Education and Sports Bureau; Guo Zihui, General Manager of Beijing Nantianxing Sports Industry Development Co., Ltd.; as well as participating athletes, judges, staff, and members of the media.
The 2019 China Mountain Marathon Series - Xinyang Jigongshan Station was jointly organized by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, the Henan Provincial Sports Bureau, and the Xinyang Municipal People's Government. It was hosted by the Xinyang Municipal Sports Bureau and the Jigongshan Management District Administrative Committee of Xinyang, with support from the Jigongshan Scenic Area Operation and Management Co., Ltd. of Xinyang. The event was exclusively operated by Beijing Nantianxing Sports Industry Development Co., Ltd., and received media promotion from Paonar Tech (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
At 9:00 AM, the race officially started. Participants set off from the Jigongshan Scenic Area Tourist Distribution Center and ran toward the mountains along the Jigongshan National Hiking and Fitness Trail. As they moved through the course, they enjoyed ever-changing scenery while experiencing the thrill and joy of mountain marathoning, all amid the rugged beauty of Jigongshan, the delicate charm of Taohuazhai, the mystical aura of Longpao Mountain, and the solemn presence of Baoxiao Peak.
In the end, Zhu Kun from Guizhou Province won the men’s championship in the 42KM individual race with a time of 3:20:23; Cao Pengfei from Anhui Province took second place with a time of 3:24:13; and Luo Tao from Guizhou Province secured third place with a time of 3:25:33.
Yang Guangmei from Guizhou Province claimed the women’s title in the 42KM individual race with a time of 3:56:49; Chi Lingjie from Guizhou Province finished as the runner-up with a time of 4:14:49; and Zheng Wenrong from Yunnan Province earned third place with a time of 4:16:59.
In the 21KM individual race, Gao Jinggang from Shaanxi Province won the men’s championship with a time of 1:31:07; Xiao Zuohua from Henan Province took second place with a time of 1:31:32; and Wang Huan from Beijing secured third place with a time of 1:31:56.
Xiong Binbin from Hubei Province won the women’s title with a time of 2:02:26; Zhang Tongdiao from Henan Province came in second with a time of 2:02:29; and Kang A’ke from Henan Province earned third place with a time of 2:12:22.
As the first leg of the 2019 Mountain Marathon Series, the Xinyang Jigongshan Station posed considerable challenges. The 42KM course involved an accumulated elevation gain of over 1,700 meters, with less than 14 kilometers of paved road—the rest being dirt and gravel paths. For instance, the nearly 4,000-meter climb approaching the Baoxiao Peak Square included an elevation gain of around 600 meters, which, for runners who had already covered over 30 kilometers, felt like an intense test of their remaining stamina and willpower.
Despite the demanding course, the spring scenery of Jigongshan was truly enchanting, energizing the athletes. Magnolia, cherry blossoms, peach blossoms, orchids, azaleas, and mountain plum blossoms bloomed in succession, adorning the roads, streams, and mountainsides of Jigongshan. The thoughtfully designed three distinct routes allowed runners of varying skill levels to fully appreciate the area’s unique natural and cultural landscapes—an impressive feat of curation.
In recent years, the Jigongshan Management District has actively implemented a “two zones and one cluster” development strategy to expand the tourism landscape, diversify tourism offerings, and extend the tourism value chain. Leveraging the main Jigongshan scenic area, efforts have focused on creating the “One Park, Thirteen Scenic Spots” initiative and vigorously developing the sports tourism industry. Since the end of 2016, the Jigongshan Scenic Area has initiated the creation of a national 5A-level tourist attraction, advancing hardware upgrades, improving road safety facilities and hiking trails, enhancing road lighting, and developing a smart scenic area.
In particular, with the completion of national-level hiking trails and mountain biking tracks among other sports infrastructure, Jigongshan has successfully hosted a variety of outdoor mountain sports, mountain bike races, and hiking fitness events.The Jigongshan brand for mountain outdoor sports has grown increasingly prominent, drawing a surge in visitors keen on travel, leisure, and sports experiences.
Rooted in the philosophy of “Running Toward the Mountains – An Extraordinary Journey,” the China Mountain Marathon Series encourages runners to unleash themselves and achieve success during the competition. It allows participants to experience the beauty of the motherland’s landscapes and the distinctive natural and cultural features of various regions. Jigongshan boasts abundant mountain and water resources, along with uniquely diverse ecological environments, making it highly suitable for mountain outdoor sports.
The hosting of the Mountain Marathon Series has expanded the influence of Jigongshan’s outdoor sports brand, established the area’s most stunning outdoor sports routes, accelerated the development of the Jigongshan Outdoor Sports and Leisure Town, and created opportunities and a platform for boosting the local sports tourism industry—all achieving positive social impact. Jigongshan will also leverage the Mountain Marathon Series as a springboard to build its outdoor sports experience brand, grounded in competitive and mass sports.
With the Xinyang Jigongshan Station event complete, the 2019 China Mountain Marathon Series has officially begun. Future events include: Zhumadian Yuntai Mountain Station (April 14), Sichuan Guangyuan Station (May 19; registration now open), Hubei Lichuan Station (June 2; registration now open), Huitengxile Grassland Station (TBD), Shandong Wulian Station (September 1), Guangxi Mashan Station (October 20), Guangzhou Conghua Station (October 27), Fujian Zhangzhou Port Station (November 10), Wuhan Xinzhou Station (November 17), and Chongqing Qianjiang Station (December 1). Mountain marathon enthusiasts, plan your schedules and don’t miss the 2019 Mountain Marathon Series events!