At 8:35 a.m. on April 22, China’s first tea-themed marathon — the 2018 Kaihua Longding Spring Tea Half Marathon — officially started with the firing of the starting gun.
The half marathon course covered 21.0975 kilometers and was part of the Zhejiang Province Marathon Points Race. It featured three events: a half marathon (21.0975 km), a mini marathon (8 km), and a spring tea fitness run (5 km). Over 3,000 runners from across the country gathered in Kaihua and ran through national 5A-level scenic spots — the Root Carving Buddhist Kingdom Cultural Tourism Area, the most beautiful highway, the most picturesque tea plantation at Shilipu Tea Garden, and Jiuzui Pond Huai — enjoying the fragrance of tea as they ran.
The half marathon course covered 21.0975 kilometers and was part of the Zhejiang Province Marathon Points Race. It featured three events: a half marathon (21.0975 km), a mini marathon (8 km), and a spring tea fitness run (5 km). Over 3,000 runners from across the country gathered in Kaihua and ran through national 5A-level scenic spots — the Root Carving Buddhist Kingdom Cultural Tourism Area, the most beautiful highway, the most picturesque tea plantation at Shilipu Tea Garden, and Jiuzui Pond Huai — enjoying the fragrance of tea as they ran.
It is reported that this Kaihua Half Marathon is the first ecological sports event in China with a tea theme. Kaihua County has a long history of tea production. Historical records indicate that as early as the Ming Dynasty, Kaihua tea was listed as a tribute. Kaihua is also part of China’s Green Tea Golden Triangle, and the famous “Kaihua Longding” tea is renowned both at home and abroad for its “green dry leaves, clear green liquor, and fresh green leaf base.”
Notably, the section of the course that passes through the Shilipu Tea Garden area will be developed into a Longding Characteristic Town in the future. Once completed, the project will be a “town you can eat,” a “slow life town,” and a “smart town,” where people can not only experience distinctive accommodation but also savor diverse tea cultures and enjoy a unique side of Kaihua.
In the end, Zhang Xiaohang, a student from Jiaxing, won the half marathon with a time of 80 minutes and 12 seconds; Wang Jiale, a sophomore from Zhejiang University of Technology in Shaoxing, took first place in the mini marathon. “It’s my first time in Kaihua. Running through the route, I found the mountains and waters incredibly beautiful — it was full of surprises,” said Wang Yucong, the mini marathon runner-up from Shanghai. He added that Kaihua is a wonderful place, and he plans to keep the scenery in his heart and come back next year.