The Western Venue of the 2017 National Double Ninth Fitness Hiking Conference - Lanzhou Anning Station Concludes Successfully

       On the morning of October 28, 2017, the "2017 National Double Ninth Fitness Hiking Conference Western Venue - Lanzhou Anning 'China Sports Lottery Cup' Jiuzhou Terrace Hiking Event," themed "Meet the Double Ninth Festival, Climb High to Embrace the Land," was grandly held at the Jiuzhou Terrace Scenic Area in Anning District, Lanzhou City. Luo Shen, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Mountaineering Association and Director of the Olympic Preparation Office of the Chinese Mountaineering Association; Qian Wanjie, Deputy Director of the Gansu Provincial Sports Bureau; Li WanHong, Vice President of Northwest Normal University; Bi Yang, Vice President of Gansu Agricultural University; Wu Zhifeng, Director of the Mass Sports Department of the Gansu Provincial Sports Bureau; Liu Sheng, Principal of the Gansu Provincial Aviation Sports School and Executive Vice Chairman of the Gansu Provincial Mountaineering Association; Huang Xiaoling, Chairman of the Anning District CPPCC of Lanzhou; Xue Lei, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Anning District Committee of Lanzhou; Zhang Lei, Deputy Director of the Lanzhou Municipal Sports Bureau; Wei Yunbang, Deputy Commander of the Lanzhou North-South Mountains Command; and Ling Yu, Director and Vice President of Beijing Shizhi Landscape Sports Culture Communication Co., Ltd., attended the launch ceremony.

       The event featured competitive, youth, middle-aged, and senior groups, with all participants competing as individuals. The competitive group primarily targeted athletes and hiking or trail running enthusiasts, requiring participants aged between 18 and 60. Results were based on finish times, with the top 20 athletes in each group receiving prize money. The youth, middle-aged, and senior groups required participants aged 18–35, 35–55, and 55–65 respectively. The top 10 participants in each group received prizes, and all participants received souvenirs.

 

       Notably, the newly built Jiuzhou Terrace Fitness Hiking Trail was a highlight of the event. The entire trail is divided into four types: stone-paved hiking paths, permeable brick paths, wooden boardwalks, and artistic concrete paths. Stretching 2,240 meters from the main entrance of the Wensu Pavilion of the Complete Library in Four Branches of Literature to the top of Jiuzhou Terrace, the trail has an average width of 1.5 meters and a total elevation gain of 654.4 meters. It includes a complete system of maps, risk warnings, safety measures, and environmental protection features. Signposts are placed every 0.5 kilometers and at major nodes, displaying latitude and longitude, altitude, GPS coordinates, and designated entry/exit points, viewpoints, and rest areas. The layout follows a "one axis, two loops, eight nodes" design, making it a fully open, national-standard fitness hiking trail.

 

       After a morning of intense competition, athlete Gao Yongning won the men’s competitive group championship with a time of 18 minutes and 43 seconds, while Wang Tao and He Fujun took second and third place respectively. In the women’s competitive group, Xiao Jing claimed first place with a time of 23 minutes and 19 seconds, followed by Tian Wanhua and Zhang Jingxia in second and third.

       In addition to the exciting competition, to further promote the traditional Chinese virtues of respecting and honoring the elderly, the Anning District Government held a “Longevity Banquet for the Virtuous” event on the afternoon of October 28 at the Renshou Mountain Scenic Area and Guotai Anning Grand Hotel. Around 100 local seniors over the age of 80 participated in activities including the Blessed Health Walk, Centenarian Photo Session, Longevity Banquet, and cultural performances.

 

       The successful hosting of the "2017 National Double Ninth Fitness Hiking Conference Western Venue - Lanzhou Anning 'China Sports Lottery Cup' Jiuzhou Terrace Hiking Event" holds significant importance for Anning District in advancing the cause of “national fitness” and exploring a development path that deeply integrates sports, culture, tourism, and ecology with Anning’s unique characteristics. The event combined the traditional Chinese custom of climbing on the Double Ninth Festival with the new trend of national fitness, promoted knowledge about hiking and outdoor mountain sports, facilitated the transformation and upgrading of cultural tourism, accelerated the development of national fitness, supported the growth of competitive and mass sports, showcased Anning’s beautiful natural environment, helped establish Anning as a new destination for sports tourism, and played a positive role in promoting the tourism image of Anning and even Lanzhou.

 

       It is reported that this event was jointly organized by the General Administration of Sport of China, the All-China Sports Federation, the Publicity Department of the CPC Lanzhou Municipal Committee, and the People’s Government of Anning District, Lanzhou; co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Anning District Committee, the Culture and Sports Bureau of Anning District, Lanzhou, the Ecological Construction Management Bureau of Anning District, Lanzhou; co-organized by the Gansu Provincial Mountaineering Association, the Lanzhou Sports Federation, and the Civil Affairs Bureau of Anning District, Lanzhou; and exclusively operated by Shizhi Sports.