Hot Snow Ignites Winter: Powering the 2016-2017 Toread Super Snow Skiing Grand Prix — Heilongjiang Yabuli Station ...

On December 31, marking the end of the year and also the second stop of the 2016-2017 Toread Super Snow Skiing Grand Prix, nearly 100 skiing enthusiasts gathered at the Heilongjiang Yabuli Ski Resort to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one through skiing, kicking off a new chapter in the ice and snow sports event themed "Hot Snow Ignites Winter, Powering the Winter Olympics."

Photo: Opening ceremony site

Innovative model kicks off a nationwide "Powering the Winter Olympics" journey in the ice and snow era

With the success of Beijing’s 2022 Winter Olympics bid and growing public attention to health, more and more people are focusing on ice and snow sports. The well-known domestic outdoor brand Toread, together with the Bird’s Nest, Shizhi Sports, and other brand partners, jointly created the "Hot Snow Ignites Winter, Powering the Winter Olympics" Ice and Snow Alliance. This initiative encourages the public to actively participate in outdoor activities and strongly supports the development of ice and snow sports in China, contributing to the Winter Olympics through concrete actions. By creating an innovative model of "training camp + competition," it aims to cultivate reserve talent for ice and snow sports, promote the popularization of ice and snow events, and allow more people to experience the joy of ice and snow sports.

To further implement the 13th Five-Year Plan goal of "popularizing ice and snow sports and actively hosting the Winter Olympics," following the precedent set at the Chongli Dolomiti Station on December 17, the "training camp + competition" model was first tried to integrate national ice and snow resources, successfully driving the economic development of the host ski resort. The organizers perfectly combined the "Ice and Snow Training Camp" and the "Super Snow Skiing Grand Prix," adhering to the three core concepts of Beijing’s Winter Olympics bid: "athlete-centered, sustainable development, and frugal event organization," and strived to organize a nationally coordinated, interactive, and entertaining mass event.

Photo: Opening ceremony site

On December 30, the 2016-2017 Toread Super Snow Skiing Grand Prix · Heilongjiang Yabuli Station held a pre-event promotion meeting. Ning Xuanye, Product Specialization Manager of Toread’s Mountaineering Division, stated: "The 'Hot Snow Ignites Winter, Powering the Winter Olympics' Ice and Snow Alliance, established by Toread, the Bird’s Nest, and Shizhi Sports, will integrate national ice and snow resources. Through the innovation of training camp + competition, it aims to attract more attention to ice and snow sports and support the Winter Olympics with practical actions." Subsequently, Wang Dongdong, Market Manager of the Heilongjiang Provincial Government Yabuli Ski Tourist Resort Management Committee, and Jin Zhe, Project Director of Shizhi Sports, gave detailed introductions to the ski resort resources and company projects, along with their plans for the new year. After the meeting, the Ice and Snow Training Camp commenced at the Heilongjiang Yabuli Ski Resort. Targeted at beginners, it included a well-planned curriculum to popularize ice and snow knowledge, combined with fun, practical experiences, while also promoting the healthy value of having a "brave heart," allowing more people to enjoy the pleasure brought by ice and snow sports and cultivating reserve talent for the sport.

Photo: Ning Xuanye, Product Specialization Manager of Toread’s Mountaineering Division, speaking at the promotion meeting

Hot Snow Ignites Winter, electrifying the "Oriental Little Paris"

Upon arriving in Harbin, the warmth of the sun seems cooled by the snow, never quite heating up, and the invasion of the cold wind is truly an alternative experience. At the same time, you’re drawn in by this city known as the "Oriental Little Paris," where crystal-clear ice sculptures can be seen everywhere on the streets. Leveraging the advantages of Harbin’s ice and snow season, the charm of ice and snow culture is fully displayed. The competition events were men's/women's snowboard giant slalom and men's/women's alpine skiing giant slalom. According to competition rules, each participant had one opportunity to familiarize themselves with the course. It is understood that this event was jointly organized by the well-known domestic outdoor brand Toread, the Bird’s Nest, and Shizhi Sports, hosted by the Heilongjiang Yabuli Ski Resort, and exclusively operated by Shizhi Sports.

Photo: Competition site

On December 31, Zhang, General Manager of the New Yabuli Ski Resort, and Zhang Meng from the Toread Brand Center announced the official start of the 2016-2017 Toread Super Snow Skiing Grand Prix. On the day of the competition, the Yabuli Ski Resort gathered over a hundred participants and spectators, creating an extraordinary atmosphere of "Hot Snow Ignites Winter." The course resembled a silver-white ribbon inlaid in the mountains, shining brilliantly under the sunlight. The participants were all highly skilled, swiftly gliding down the silver-white ribbon like eagles. Skiing is not just a sport, but more about courage and challenge. Becoming one with this white world feels like a dream. After intense and exciting competition, the champions of the men’s and women’s alpine skiing giant slalom emerged—they were local contestants Dong Ziyang and Jia Jing from Harbin. After a brief break, the men’s and women’s snowboard giant slalom began. The snowboards under the participants’ feet seemed to come alive, nimbly avoiding gates, drawing bursts of applause from the crowd. In the end, Guo Hongjun and Li Yi won the men’s and women’s snowboard giant slalom championships, respectively. After the competition, one participant said in an interview: "I am very passionate about skiing. I hope to contribute to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics through this competition. Also, using skiing to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new is a shared dream of every skiing enthusiast."

Photo: Award ceremony site

Jilin Beidahu, challenging E10

To further implement the core spirit of "Hot Snow Ignites Winter, Powering the Winter Olympics," the 2016-2017 Toread Super Snow Skiing Grand Prix will head to the Jilin Beidahu Ski Resort on January 7 to take on the E10 course, bringing more skiing enthusiasts to support the Winter Olympics with concrete actions.

Additionally, this event is supported by professional outdoor and skiing registration platforms. Participants can complete online registration by filling in their information via the Ski Assistant APP, GOSKI, and Lezan.