Country Garden? The 2016 Huangshan Taiping Lake Triathlon International Elite Race concluded at the summit of Huangshan ...

After yesterday’s30degree high-temperature battle,Today (6month11day), the Country Garden?2016year Huangshan Taiping Lake Triathlon International Elite Race and National Triathlon Points Race commenced the second and most thrilling day of competition—the International Elite Race—in the light drizzle of Huangshan. Nearly a hundred athletes from both China and abroad fought hard on the toughest course for10hours, ultimately conquering Huangshan with unwavering determination to complete the total113-kilometer race. The relay team from the Weihai Triathlon Club, composed of Han Bing, Li Yang, and Xu Hai, were the first to reach the finish line at Huangshan’s North Sea. In the individual category, Zeng Wenbo from the Changsha Clockwise Cycling Team was the first to cross the finish line.

   Today’s International Elite Race featured, for the first time in a domestic triathlon event, an uphill running segment during the race, and this race also set the record for the greatest elevation change in a domestic triathlon. The final21kilometers of the run required a climb of2000meters, presenting a significant challenge to the athletes. Compared to yesterday’s temperatures exceeding30degrees, the light rain in Huangshan this morning brought both joy and concern to the athletes. While the swimming and running segments were relatively cooler, the slippery road conditions posed considerable difficulties for cyclists, especially on downhill sections where everyone had to proceed with extreme caution. Nevertheless, several athletes, including top rider Li Pengcheng, experienced falls.

  At7:30am, Wang Junhua, Standing Committee Member of Huangshan District Party Committee, Deputy Director of Taiping Lake Scenic Area Management Committee, and Secretary of Taiping Lake Town Party Committee, announced the start of the race.8:00 sharp, the athletes plunged into the waters of Taiping Lake, commencing the1.9-kilometer swim. Han Bing from Weihai Triathlon, who led the swim segment in yesterday’s points race, once again demonstrated formidable strength, emerging from the water ahead of Beijing’s renowned female swimmer Zhang Jie. Zhang Jie and Li Pengcheng closely followed, entering the first transition area.

  During the cycling leg, Li Pengcheng, who successfully advanced to theKONArace last year, encountered significant challenges riding in the rain. He fell during a turn, falling behind Li Yang, the top cyclist of the relay team, and arrived second at the second transition area. Meanwhile, Zeng Wenbo, who had been far behind Li Pengcheng in the swim segment, emerged as the race’s biggest dark horse. After transitioning to the run, Zeng Wenbo—particularly skilled in running uphill—surged past Li Pengcheng on the21-kilometer mountain road with steps, ultimately crossing the finish line first at Huangshan’s North Sea with a time of5hours,14minutes,58seconds, becoming the first individual athlete to finish. Due to being in a different age group, Li Pengcheng, representing the Dragging the Whole Family Club, still claimed the championship in the5-to-21-year-old age category with a time of29hours,18-24minutes,4seconds. In the relay category, the team from Weihai Triathlon composed of Han Bing, Li Yang, and Xu Hai finished with a time of49minutes56seconds to win the championship. In the women's individual category, due to the challenging course, only4athletes registered to compete today. Ultimately, Zhang Jie, competing in her first triathlon, was the first among the female participants to complete the113-kilometer race with a time of7hours,15minutes, and33seconds. 

  After the athletes reached the finish line at Huangshan's North Sea, Liu Yong, Deputy Secretary-General of Huangshan Municipal Government, Fan Qingtang, Deputy Party Committee Secretary of Huangshan Scenic Area Management Committee, Fang Wenhui, District Chief of Huangshan District, Pei Bin, Deputy Director of the Political Department of Huangshan Scenic Area Management Committee, Wang Junhua, Standing Committee Member of Huangshan District Party Committee, Deputy Director of Taipinghu Scenic Area Management Committee, Secretary of Taipinghu Town Party Committee, along with leaders from Huangshan City and District Sports Bureau, and Huangshan Extreme Culture & Sports Communication Co., Ltd., were present at the finish line to award the athletes. After the race, the athletes, still seemingly reluctant to leave, gathered to climb up to Bright Summit to take commemorative photos, hoping to capture more of Huangshan’s scenery in their cameras and memories. All the participants were deeply moved by the beauty of Huangshan, and many expressed their desire to return next year.