The birth of two leagues—rollerblading and parkour—unlocks endless possibilities for extreme sports
—The 2019 Press Conference of the Chinese Extreme Sports Association Concludes Successfully in Beijing
On the afternoon of March 21, 2019, under bright spring skies, the press conference of the Chinese Extreme Sports Association and the launch ceremony of the "China Parkour League" and "China Extreme Roller Skating League" were held at the Xian Nongtan Stadium in Beijing. Leaders and guests including Wang Xuan, Chairman of the Chinese Extreme Sports Association, Han Jiling, Secretary-General of the Chinese Extreme Sports Association, Tang Bin, Director of the Competitive Sports Department of the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau, and Ling Yu, General Manager of Shizhi Sports, attended the event, jointly witnessing the opening of a new chapter for extreme sports in China.
It is reported that the theme of this press conference was "Infinite Unknowns, Infinite Possibilities." Compared to traditional sports, extreme sports not only pursue the physiological limits of "higher, faster, stronger" in competitive athletics, but also emphasize the joy, thrill, achievement, and satisfaction gained when overcoming psychological barriers. Recognized worldwide as the "sports of the future," extreme sports have garnered widespread attention. Introduced to China in the early 1990s, extreme sports have developed into a significant movement in just a few decades, with an expanding participant base year by year. "The Chinese Extreme Sports Association will strive to fulfill its guiding role, providing better policy support, public opinion environments, and fair industry operating conditions for extreme sports," emphasized Wang Xuan, Chairman of the Chinese Extreme Sports Association, during the press conference.
At the press conference, the brand-new logo of the Chinese Extreme Sports Association made its official debut. The logo primarily features an equilateral triangle and the letter X, combined with the English abbreviation of the association, "CESA." The equilateral triangle symbolizes the convergence and balanced development of the three unique attributes of extreme sports: culture, spirit, and athleticism. The X represents the infinite unknowns in extreme sports, leading us to explore uncharted worlds, as well as the infinite possibilities, guiding us to discover the beauty of the unknown. The new logo adopts the national flag colors of red and yellow, using a vivid trophy visual to illustrate the essence and dynamism of extreme sports, conveying the sport’s unique charm. It signifies that those who love extreme sports, by constantly breaking free from traditional constraints and maximizing their physical and mental potential, challenge themselves and ultimately achieve self-fulfillment.
It is understood that 2019 marks the starting year of the Chinese Extreme Sports Association's transition to substantive operational management. The association has integrated various resources and will successively launch two leagues (the China Parkour League and the China Extreme Roller Skating League), one series (the Yichang Extreme Rafting Series), five types of emerging specialty events (Slamball, arm wrestling, frisbee, forest extreme games, and outdoor triathlons), as well as a comprehensive extreme sports event—the "China Extreme Games." Through these events, the association aims to promote the orderly and vigorous development of extreme sports in China. At the press conference, Han Jiling, Secretary-General of the Chinese Extreme Sports Association, introduced the overview of the two leagues for the first time.
The China Parkour League is a top-tier national parkour-themed points competition aimed at accelerating the development of national sports culture, promoting parkour and extreme sports culture, enhancing public health awareness, and improving overall health levels. It is held annually in major cities across the country. The league consists of two main components: professional competitions and themed activities. In terms of professional competitions, the league includes three categories: parkour speed racing, parkour skill competitions, and parkour chase races. With a wide variety of stylish moves, the competitions are highly entertaining and visually appealing, serving as an excellent platform for top parkour athletes and teams nationwide to compete, exchange skills, and share experiences.
The other event, the China Extreme Roller Skating League, is the only high-level national points competition for extreme sports open to the general public. With the mission of "promoting, popularizing, and standardizing extreme roller skating," the league is dedicated to nurturing elite skaters and advancing the sport. The league plans to hold six competitions per year, leveraging continuous support from national media to expand its influence, further boost the visibility and popularity of extreme roller skating, and while improving public fitness through extreme sports, also focus on talent development in preparation for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
It is worth mentioning that both leagues offer substantial prize money, with annual total awards exceeding 500,000 RMB. Among them, the China Parkour League offers over 60,000 RMB in prize money per event, while the China Extreme Roller Skating League offers over 80,000 RMB per event.
Finally, the press conference reached its climax. Leaders and guests including Wang Xuan, Chairman of the Chinese Extreme Sports Association, Han Jiling, Secretary-General, Wu Wenjie of the Shandong Sports Federation Secretariat, Huang Hongjun of the Beijing Xian Nongtan Sports School, Guan Jianbin, General Manager of Beijing Panshi Youdao, and Ling Yu, General Manager of Shizhi Sports, jointly launched the two national-level events—the "China Parkour League" and the "China Extreme Roller Skating League." With the birth of these two leagues, the development of extreme sports in China will reach a new milestone. As highly entertaining sporting events, these competitions will not only welcome broader development opportunities but will also further contribute to achieving new goals in the sports competition and performance industry. With the injection of more extreme sports events, the great strategy of building a "Healthy China" will take a more robust step forward.
The "China Parkour League" and "China Extreme Roller Skating League" are organized by the Chinese Extreme Sports Association and exclusively operated by Shizhi Sports. Combining exclusivity, entertainment, challenge, and participation, these two events hold significant and practical importance for both the comprehensive development of the extreme sports field and the promotion and influence of public fitness awareness. Let us await their progress together.
To ensure the smooth and successful execution of subsequent competitions, the Chinese Extreme Sports Association conducted a two-day national extreme sports referees training course following the press conference, aiming to guarantee the stable operation of future events. Professionals including international extreme sports referees, well-known clubs, and association secretaries participated.