On April 18, the press conference for the 10th Gobi Challenge for Business Schools along the Silk Road (hereinafter referred to as "Gobi 10") was successfully held at Beijing Olympic Forest Park. As the gold-medal partners of the event, Explorer and its joint-venture brand, the American high-end off-road brand Discovery Expedition, made their joint appearance on site. Partnering with "Gobi 10", they will provide professional outdoor equipment support for the competition.
▲ Qu Xiangdong (left), founder of the Silk Road and chairman of Gobi 10, and Sheng Faqiang, founder and chairman of Explorer, during the interview
The "Gobi Challenge for Business Schools along the Silk Road" has been successfully held for nine editions and has now become the most influential and widely participated outdoor cultural event, as well as the most cohesive platform for business school cultural exchange. The 10th edition of the Gobi Challenge for Business Schools along the Silk Road is organized by the Silk Road, hosted by Beijing ZhiXing Tansuo Culture Communication Co., Ltd., and strongly supported by the Explorer and Discovery Expedition brands. It will officially kick off on May 22 at Suoyangcheng (Tashilhunpo) in Guazhou, Gansu. At that time, EMBA team members from participating business schools will compete for four days and three nights in the Mohayanyi Gobi, trekking across 112 kilometers of uninhabited desert, deeply experiencing the life realm of "harmony between man and nature", and comprehending the spirit of the Silk Road — "ideal, action, perseverance". The executive team of Explorer will also participate in the "Gobi 10" challenge with a brave heart, inspired by the spirit of Xuanzang.
▲ The "Gobi Friends' New Year Fun Run" kicked off "Gobi 10"
To celebrate the 10-year milestone of the event, on April 18, representatives of Gobi Friends started "Gobi 10" with a "New Year Fun Run", vividly showcasing the continuous inheritance and growing legacy of the "Spirit of Xuanzang" from "Gobi 1" to "Gobi 10". This not only highlighted the glorious achievements of the past ten years but also ignited the passionate ambition to carry it forward for the next decade. Sheng Faqiang, founder and chairman of Explorer, led the team to participate in the full "New Year Fun Run", conveying the "Spirit of Xuanzang" and cheering for "Gobi 10".
▲ The "Gobi Friends' New Year Fun Run" conveys the "Spirit of Xuanzang"
▲ Sheng Faqiang, chairman of Explorer, leading the team in the "Gobi Friends' New Year Fun Run"
As a strategic partner of ZhiXing Tansuo and the gold-medal partner of "Gobi 10", Explorer has always upheld the "brave heart", committed to providing safe and comfortable outdoor sports equipment for bold and adventurous outdoor enthusiasts. It enjoys the trust and love of consumers and has ranked first in domestic sales of similar products for seven consecutive years. Meanwhile, Explorer is the "exclusive product of China's South (North) Pole Exploration Team", continuously pursuing technological innovation: measures such as expanding the R&D center, attracting high-end talent, and building a walk-in low-temperature laboratory capable of reaching minus 70 degrees Celsius have enabled Explorer to keep advancing on the path of technological innovation.
The joint-venture brand Discovery Expedition, originating from the American Discovery Channel, possesses a pure exploration culture gene and is closely linked with outdoor sports. In 2013, Discovery Expedition officially entered the Chinese market, starting an extraordinary off-road journey of exploring "the wonders of nature, the mysteries of human culture, and resilient vitality" together with Chinese consumers. In 2014, Discovery Expedition signed Bear Grylls, the star host of the Discovery Channel’s flagship show "Man vs. Wild" and a globally renowned explorer and survival expert, as its brand ambassador, continuing to design and launch high-quality functional off-road equipment for off-road enthusiasts, meeting their professional needs.
▲ The atmosphere at the press conference was lively
The full support from Explorer for "Gobi 10" stems from the high alignment between the Explorer brand and the "Spirit of Xuanzang". At the press conference for "Gobi 10", Sheng Faqiang, chairman of Explorer, and Qu Xiangdong, founder of the Silk Road and chairman of Gobi 10, were jointly interviewed by the media. Sheng Faqiang stated that the Gobi Challenge for Business Schools along the Silk Road supports humanistic values, allowing people to experience perseverance and the value of ideals in the harsh environment of nature, which aligns perfectly with Explorer’s advocacy of the "brave heart". With years of accumulated R&D strength and the qualification as the exclusive equipment supplier for China's South and North Pole expeditions, Explorer has the capability to develop customized equipment for the unique environmental demands of the Gobi.
Additionally, during the media interview, Sheng Faqiang also shared the latest developments at Explorer. With the vision and mission of "becoming a strong promoter of a healthy lifestyle involving mass sports, outdoor activities, and natural travel, and establishing China’s most integrative enterprise platform in the outdoor activity and sports industry", Explorer is comprehensively developing its outdoor ecosystem. Sheng Faqiang said: with Explorer’s control of Greenfield, Jizhimei, and strategic investment in Easy Tour World, the Explorer travel business group has taken initial shape. In the future, Explorer will continue to make more layouts in the three major business groups — outdoor gear, travel, and sports — through mergers, equity participation, and incubation. Centered around changes in user behavior in the "Internet+" era and focused on a healthy lifestyle for the public, Explorer will promote the development of its ecosystem.