Organized by the Aviation Radio Model Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Guizhou Provincial Sports Bureau, and the People’s Government of Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture; co-organized by the Guizhou Mountain Outdoor Sports Management Center, the Culture, Sports, Broadcasting, News, and Publishing Bureau of Qianxinan Prefecture, and the People’s Government of Xingyi City; and exclusively operated by Shizhi Sports, the 2017 International Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports Conference — China Hot Air Balloon Club League Guizhou · Xingyi Station, themed “Harmony Between Man and Nature · Healthy Living,” officially kicked off on August 15, 2017. This marked the third time the event was held in Xingyi’s Wanfenglin, Guizhou.
Photo by Zhang Yingxun
The opening ceremony was held at the same location as last year — Jushan Square in downtown Xingyi. At 7:30 PM, as 30 hot air balloons began to ignite and rise, tens of thousands of citizens and tourists spontaneously gathered in the square to witness the grand opening of the China Hot Air Balloon Club League.
Photo by Zhang Yingxun
Attendees included Comrade Ren Hongguo, Party Committee Secretary of the Aviation Radio Model Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China; Comrade Wu Gongyu, Director of the Hot Air Balloon Department of the same center; Comrade Song Guangqiang, Deputy Director of the Guizhou Provincial Sports Bureau; Mr. Liu Dakai, Chairman of Shizhi Sports; Comrade He Dengxiang, Commander of the Qianxinan Prefecture Command of the 2017 International Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports Conference; Comrade Xu Fenglun, Standing Committee Member of the Qianxinan Prefecture Committee and Secretary of the Xingyi Municipal Party Committee; Comrade Wang Lirong, Deputy Director of the Qianxinan Prefecture People’s Congress Standing Committee; Comrade Wu Rong, Director of the Guizhou Mountain Outdoor Sports Management Center; Comrade Xiang Wenming, Deputy Director of the same center; Comrade Cao Jingqiu, Deputy Commander of the Qianxinan Prefecture Command of the 2017 International Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports Conference; Comrade Jiang Shu’an, Director of the Xingyi Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee; Comrade Xiong Hejin, Chairman of the Xingyi Municipal CPPCC; as well as relevant leaders from the Xingyi Municipal Party Committee, Municipal People’s Congress, Municipal Government, and Municipal CPPCC, along with representatives from the court.
Photo by Teng Ke
At the opening ceremony, Comrade Xu Fenglun, Standing Committee Member of the Qianxinan Prefecture Committee and Secretary of the Xingyi Municipal Party Committee, delivered a speech, warmly welcoming all leaders, guests, athletes, and referees present. Comrade Xu stated that since 2015, Xingyi has hosted several editions of the China Hot Air Balloon Club League. Over the past three years of continuous development, the event has become a signature sports activity in Xingyi, fully embodying the concept of mass participation and fitness, and forming a new highlight in the development of mountain outdoor sports tourism in Xingyi, Guizhou. The ceremony concluded with oath-taking by representatives of pilots and referees, and the announcement of the competition’s commencement by Comrade Ren Hongguo, Party Committee Secretary of the Aviation Radio Model Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China.
Comrade Yuan Jianlin, Deputy Secretary of the Xingyi Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of the Xingyi Municipal People’s Government, presided over the opening ceremony.
Comrade Xu Fenglun, Standing Committee Member of the Qianxinan Prefecture Committee and Secretary of the Xingyi Municipal Party Committee, delivered a welcome speech.
Comrade Ren Hongguo, Party Committee Secretary of the Aviation Radio Model Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, announced the opening.
The classic “Balloon Lighting Ceremony” made its debut in an upgraded format at the opening ceremony of the 2017 China Hot Air Balloon Club League Guizhou · Xingyi Station, delivering a visual and auditory spectacle to the audience and visitors. As night fell, 30 colorful hot air balloons from across the country rose one after another. The burners shot out dazzling flames into the balloon envelopes, transforming them into giant lanterns and “glowing musical notes.” Under the pilots’ control, the balloons spun and danced the “waltz” to beautiful music, sharing a carnival celebration of hot air ballooning with the gathered tourists.
Photo by Teng Ke
Photo by Zhang Yingxun
The spectacular torch parade brought the opening ceremony to its climax. On Xingyi’s bustling main roads, trucks loaded with hot air balloons and baskets lined up in a long procession, with burners spewing fire in rhythm with the music. Cross-spraying, bidirectional spraying, and swinging flame effects lit up the night sky of Xingyi, as the blazing, dazzling flames pushed the city’s joyful atmosphere to a boiling point.
Photo by Lian Kangqi
Photo by Lian Kangqi
The Guizhou · Xingyi Station of the China Hot Air Balloon Club League ran from August 15 to August 18. The event strictly followed the rules of the FAI Hot Air Balloon Competition, with results contributing to the 2017 pilots’ competition points. Standard competition events included target dropping, free-floating targets, hare and hounds, flying to the main venue, precision flying, and aerial treasure hunts. Among these, the hare and hounds event was particularly exciting — similar to a game of hide and seek, pilots followed the flight path of a guide balloon, and once it landed, a target was set nearby, which the pilots aimed to hit with markers.
Photo by Zhang Yingxun
It was reported that a series of large-scale public welfare activities would also be held during the event to support the successful hosting of the Guizhou · Xingyi Station of the 2017 International Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports Conference — China Hot Air Balloon Club League. As China’s most professional hot air balloon touring competition, the league not only achieves “building products through competitions, promoting products through competitions, and achieving long-term benefits for the host destination through product operations,” but also allows citizens to truly experience the joy that hot air ballooning brings. This edition of the league further advanced the urban branding of low-altitude tourism and low-altitude sports in Xingyi, Guizhou, and played a significant role in promoting the diversified development and upgrading of “sports + tourism” in the region.