2016Year12Month1morning, the press conference for the Kailas China Climbing Club League — “Jiantou Cup”2015-2016Season Finals, hosted by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, was grandly held at the Business Center of the Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone in Xinjiang. The official competition time and location for the finals were announced, where over40high-level climbing teams from across the country will compete for the first-ever “China Climbing King” title, presenting a spectacular competitive climbing feast. Guests attending the press conference included Mr. Luo Shen, Director of the Climbing and Ice Climbing Department of the Chinese Mountaineering Association; Mr. Yang Xinli, Deputy Director of the Sports Bureau of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; Mr. Liu Xianyong, Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department of the Urumqi Municipal Committee; Mr. Chen Gang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee, Director of the Management Committee, and District Chief of the Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (Toutunhe District); Mr. Zhang Guozheng, General Manager of the Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone Construction Investment and Development Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Song Peng of Shizhi SportsCEOamong others.
Rock Climbing Enters the Olympics
Can China’s “Wall Ballet” Amaze the World?
When it comes to rock climbing, people often think of vitality, challenge, perseverance, and courage—qualities that have made the sport especially popular among young people. With competitive climbing officially included as an event in the Tokyo Olympics, the sport has entered its own Olympic era, taking center stage on the highest and broadest platform to showcase its unique and outstanding character to the world.
Althoughrock climbing started relatively late in China, in recent years the concept of national fitness has gained increasing traction, and Chinese society is moving toward a “big sports” and mass participation model. As a sport that combines competition, challenge, and performance, rock climbing—known as the “ballet on the wall”—is winning over more and more Chinese enthusiasts, with growing social attention. At the same time, China’s mountainous terrain, abundant geographical resources, and the generally lightweight physiques of its people provide ideal conditions for the development of the sport.
With the Rio Olympics in Brazil having just concluded, and the next Games still4years away, winning Olympic gold has become both a goal and a dream for the climbing community. In the meantime, how China promotes and popularizes the sport, as well as develops climbing talent, becomes a critical issue—and a key factor in whether we can seize the current opportunity to join the world’s leading ranks in climbing.
Innovative Model
The China Climbing League Leads a New Trend in the Sport
2015The China Climbing Club League successfully held its first competition in Yanqing, Beijing. Since its launch, the league has quickly become one of the most closely watched events in China’s climbing scene due to its high standards and professional organization. To allow more climbers to participate,2016the league introduced a more open competition format this year, adopting a brand-new “National Open Qualifiers+Year-End Finals” model. Through intense qualifiers at nearly50climbing gyms nationwide, the league brings together its target audience and engages a wider, more participatory, and more influential audience, offering climbing enthusiasts the chance to step into the public eye and seize opportunities to realize their potential.
Focusing on clubs as its entry point and core strategy, the China Climbing Club League aims to unite the previously scattered and niche climbing community, providing them with a major platform to showcase themselves and exchange skills. In doing so, it also seeks to discover and nurture more outstanding climbers, thereby playing a significant role in elevating the overall level of climbing in China and driving the vigorous development of the sport nationwide.
Therefore, as the ultimate showdown of the first season, the Kailas China Climbing Club League — “Jiantou Cup”2015-2016Season Finals holds great significance. It is not only a high-level climbing competition but also a grand celebration of climbing that involves the whole nation.
Finals Are Near
Who Will Win the First “China Climbing King” Title?
At the press conference, attending guests jointly unveiled the climbing wall for the Kailas China Climbing Club League — “Jiantou Cup”2015-2016Season Finals, officially announcing that the event will kick off on12month16day at the Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone Cultural and Sports Center in Xinjiang. The Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone Cultural and Sports Center is one of the landmark buildings in the Urumqi area, with a construction area of47770With an area of ▁square meters and three floors in total, the venue features multiple activity zones, providing an excellent competitive environment and top-notch facilities for the league's participants. In recent years, rock climbing has been gaining increasing popularity in Urumqi and has garnered significant attention. The finals of the China Climbing League have been held in the Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone—this marks the first time a national-level climbing competition has taken place in Xinjiang. The high-standard venue services, facilities, and climbing walls in the competition arena underscore the development of outdoor sports in the region and also signify the emergence of sports tourism in Urumqi and across Xinjiang. This development is expected to have a profound impact on the region’s future industrial structure and economic growth.
It is reported that the competition will last for three days. Clubs that successfully pass the preliminary selection will advance to the breakout rounds leading up to the finals, but ultimately only the top16teams will have the opportunity to compete in the“China Climbing King”challenge.
"After the preliminary selection, our club began formulating training plans for the finals quite early. With less than15days to go, everyone is making final adjustments and hoping for strong performances at the finals,"”said an athlete representative after the press conference.
It is understood that the KAILAS China Climbing Club League — “Jiantou Cup”2015-2016Annual Finals will continue its longstanding values by engaging more climbing enthusiasts, allowing them to enjoy the sport and enhance their experience, while increasing overall participation value. As such, the league will feature a “Climb for Joy” themed carnival, including family-friendly climbing experiences, interactive rock climbing workshops, and other thematic activities. The initiative aims to promote awareness of health and fitness and encourage active community participation.