“Every choice in life is an unknown journey,” this profound statement was vividly demonstrated during the first Ironman Flight Competition.6Month20The competition, which concluded on [day] at the Zangma Mountain Scenic Area in Qingdao, Shandong Province, took an unexpected turn when weather interference compelled participants to decide their own method of continuing. This surprise choice from Mother Nature made the event even more exciting.
Contestants successfully landed at the pre-set drop zone
In the “Ironman Flight” competition, pilots cover long distances through a combination of flying and hiking along a set route, with the fastest time within the allotted period winning. The event integrates factors such as flight, meteorology, geography, and wilderness survival, placing high demands on the all-around abilities of participants. According to the competition rules, after setting off, contestants must carry17kilograms of parachute gear and first climb a5kmmountain trail to complete the first leg. For the second leg, they can choose to fly from the takeoff point along a predetermined route for8km, make a turnaround, then fly another7kmto reach the finish line, or opt to hike back to the endpoint via the walking route for25km.
Competitors who reached the takeoff point carefully observed the terrain and wind direction, hoping to take flight
Wang Jianwei, a member of the National Gliding Team, won the championship with outstanding stamina and decisive judgment
After nearly four hours of waiting, the contestants finally took off from the launch site
At 10 a.m. that day, participants set off from the starting point, climbing steep mountain paths to reach the takeoff point at an altitude of350meters, completing the first full5kmcross-country leg.12Contestant Wang Jianwei reached the takeoff point in just50minutes, closely followed by contestant Zhang Feng in7. Due to the morning’s4level north wind—and with the landing zone located southeast of the takeoff point—both athletes determined that flying conditions were not favorable. Based on the meteorological report provided by the organizing committee, the wind was not expected to shift to a flight-friendly southeasterly direction for another two hours. After ten minutes of discussion at the takeoff point, Wang Jianwei and Zhang Feng decided to forgo flying and complete the remaining leg on foot.
After making their decision, Wang Jianwei and Zhang Feng chose to continue the race by hiking to the finish
With no wind arriving for a long time, several contestants began kneeling to pray to the wind god
Paragliders themselves have no power source,yet they are able to fly,thanks in part to the special shape created when the canopy fills with air,It all depends on the pilot's control,combining aerodynamic forces in the atmosphere to fly, requiring external forces such as updrafts to gain sufficient altitude for better control of direction and speed. Zhang Wei, the overall flight commander of this competition, said after the event that the mountain ridge where the takeoff point was located runs from north to south, with the takeoff spot at the southern end. "When the north wind blows, the wind basically comes along the ridge, so there’s no updraft. Also, in the morning, due to insufficient sunlight, there wasn’t enough thermal air in the atmosphere, and on top of that, the wind was stronger than allowed. Therefore, if we had taken off under those conditions, it would have been impossible to complete the race — the parachutes and pilots would have simply been blown away."
The first China Ironman Flight Challenge kicked off at Zangma Mountain International Tourism Resort in Qingdao
To wait or not to wait — this clear choice was laid out before every participant. Choosing to wait might result in quickly reaching the finish line by flying, or it could mean wasting time in vain; choosing not to wait meant carrying17kilograms of weight to complete25kmof hiking, and if the wind improved during that period, they would be overtaken by those who chose to fly
Wang Jianwei and Zhang Feng, relying on their excellent physical strength, became the first to reach the takeoff point. They discussed whether they could take off by flying
In the end, apart from Wang Jianwei and Zhang Feng, the remaining participants chose to stay and wait for the wind to change. Everyone kept a close eye on the wind socks at the mountaintop, judging wind direction and speed by the direction the socks were blowing and how taut they were. Time ticked by minute by minute, and by the afternoon1:30, the wind still hadn’t improved as forecasted. Several participants started kneeling down to pray to the wind god. "If we came all this way and couldn’t fly, it would be such a pity."
At this very moment, Wang Jianwei and Zhang Feng, who were choosing to hike on foot through the mountains, were also enduring great hardship. Having hiked nearly20kilometers with a heavy load, Wang Jianwei developed large blisters on the soles of his feet, and the intense pain forced him to stop for a brief rest. Meanwhile, Zhang Feng was struggling internally — should he just walk to the finish? Should he really give up on flying? "To be honest, I was really torn, very unwilling," Zhang Feng said after the event. In the end, after having hiked more than20kilometers, Zhang Feng couldn't suppress his desire to fly and returned to the mountaintop to choose to complete the second leg by flying.
2o’clock20and a bit, the wind finally shifted to the southeast, with a strength of around2on the Beaufort scale. The participants at the mountaintop cheered. Putting on their helmets and fastening their parachute packs, they took off one after another. At this moment, the only participant still hiking on foot, Wang Jianwei, was just1kilometers away from the finish line.
Finally, gliders appeared in the sky, getting closer and clearer to the finish line. While everyone’s eyes were fixed on the sky, waiting for the first glider to land, Wang Jianwei quietly dashed across the finish line first. "I’m very satisfied with my performance," said Wang Jianwei after winning the championship. "The hardest part of today’s race was the physical endurance, because after all, I was carrying nearly20kgkilograms and completed30kmkilometers of cross-country hiking. But I was lucky to have made the right decision at the mountaintop."
As for Wang Jianwei’s outcome of “winning without flying,” the other participants also expressed their agreement. "Wang Jianwei’s physical strength and flying skills are both top-notch, and combined with his decisive judgment today, that’s the charm of this competition."
Wang Jianwei wins the championship of the first China Ironman Flight Challenge