The Charming Chinese City of Nanchuan’s Jinfo Mountain Hosts the China Famous Mountains Race for the Fourth Time

On June 9, 2018, the China Fitness Mountains · 6th Jinfo Mountain Mountaineering Race was held at Jinfo Mountain, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site and a National 5A-level tourist attraction. Nearly 1,700 mountaineering and fitness enthusiasts from across the country, along with tourists from France and other regions, gathered to celebrate this major sports tourism event for all. This was the 33rd national event in the history of the China Famous Mountains Race and the fourth time it was held at Jinfo Mountain in Chongqing.

The race was jointly organized by the Chinese Mountaineering Association and the Chinese Scenic Areas Association; co-hosted by the Chongqing Municipal Sports Bureau, Chongqing Urban Management Committee, Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development, the People’s Government of Nanchuan District, Chongqing, and Chongqing Tourism Investment Group; and co-organized by the Nanchuan District Sports Bureau, Nanchuan District Commission of Culture and Tourism Development, Jinfo Mountain Administration of Nanchuan District, and Chongqing Shanshui Urban Tourism Development Co., Ltd. It was exclusively operated by Shizhi Sports. On the day of the event, leaders, guests, media representatives, and athletes gathered at the opening ceremony to ignite the fervor of a nationwide mountaineering fitness movement.

According to Wang Jiabin, Secretary-General of the China Famous Mountains Race Organizing Committee, the competition featured three categories: Speed Group, Family Doubles Group, and Fitness Group. The Speed Group race covered a distance of approximately 14 kilometers, starting from the West Gate of Jinfo Mountain Scenic Area and ending at Qianniuping. The course offered both stunning scenery and challenging terrain. This Speed Group attracted top-tier athletes, including well-known Chinese runners Li Zicheng, Wang Guolong, Gao Yongning, and Zheng Wenrong. With both high-level competition and fierce rivalry, the race concluded with Li Zicheng from Zhejiang Province and Zheng Wenrong from Yunnan Province winning first place in the men’s and women’s Speed Groups, respectively.

Following the departure of the Speed Group, who led the way throughout the race, the Fitness Group set off at the sound of the starting gun, sprinting with enthusiasm. The Family and Fitness Group races covered a distance of about 5 kilometers, beginning at the West Gate of Jinfo Mountain Scenic Area and ending at the cable car base station. Compared to the Speed Group, the route had lower difficulty but still combined competitiveness with fun, perfectly merging fitness activities with leisure tourism. Participants in the Family and Fitness Groups encouraged and supported one another as they climbed, filled with laughter and joy along the way. By around 12 noon, the entire race concluded successfully.

It is understood that the China Famous Mountains Race, aimed at promoting national fitness, combines professional competitions with mass sports activities to facilitate the integration of sports and tourism. It has helped establish Jinfo Mountain as a national hub for fitness-focused mountain tourism, enhancing its visibility and reputation. After four consecutive years of events, the race has continuously built the brand of the Jinfo Mountain Mountaineering Competition, accelerating the development of Nanchuan as an “industrial-strong district, famous tourism city, and ecological garden.”

In recent years, under the careful guidance of higher-level authorities, Nanchuan District has conscientiously implemented the National Fitness Regulations, the State Council and municipal government’s National Fitness Plan (2016–2020), and the Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Sports Industry and Promoting Sports Consumption. The district has upgraded its sports facilities, promoted vibrant mass sports activities, steadily improved competitive sports, advanced sports-for-all initiatives, and significantly expanded its sports industry—all contributing to substantial progress in the local sports sector.

In addition, Nanchuan boasts exceptional tourism resources, including the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site and National 5A-level attraction Jinfo Mountain, as well as renowned resorts such as the Twelve Golden Flowers Grand View Garden, Shenlong Gorge, and Shanwangping. With superior ecology and year-round appeal, these destinations are highly favored by tourists. Thanks to its captivating tourism and cultural charm, Nanchuan District was selected as one of the first cities in the second season of the “Charming Chinese City” program. The hosting of the China Famous Mountains Race in Nanchuan provided visitors with an excellent opportunity to experience Jinfo culture and the unique allure of Nanchuan through activities such as mountaineering, sightseeing, culinary experiences, and cultural exchanges. At the same time, various promotional efforts presented this Charming Chinese City comprehensively to audiences across the nation and around the world, helping more people learn about and aspire to visit Nanchuan.

The China Famous Mountains Race has created a comprehensive leisure sports platform integrating elements of sports, tourism, culture, and ecology. We look forward to even more exciting events in the future.

(Text: Zhang Wei, Dong Jiawen, Nanchuan District Sports Bureau / Photos: Wang Jiabin, Wang Hongquan)