Themed “Love the Yellow River, Challenge the Limits, Promote Green Development,” this edition attracted over 200 athletes from 36 teams across 16 countries and regions, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Slovakia, Iceland, Canada, Germany, Russia, and China. The event was co-organized by the Swimming Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Chinese Swimming Association, the Qinghai Provincial Sports Bureau, the People’s Government of Haidong City, Qinghai Province, and the Qinghai Provincial Sports Federation. It was jointly hosted by the People’s Government of Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Haidong City, Qinghai Province, and Beijing Jing Times Sports Culture Co., Ltd., with exclusive title sponsorship from Qinghai Huachin Biotechnology Development Co., Ltd.
On the afternoon of the 5th, the challenge began with the preliminaries, where participants were divided into 17 groups. A total of 88 athletes advanced to the finals. This morning at 10:00, the finals officially kicked off, with 88 athletes competing in eight categories: Men’s and Women’s Groups A, B, C, and D. The average water temperature of the Yellow River today was 13.1°C, with a flow rate of 799 m
Alex from the Russian team won the men's Group A championship with a time of 2 minutes, 20.06 seconds. This was his third time coming to Xunhua to participate in the Yellow River Crossing Race. "Last year I got third place, and this year my goal was to win the championship. Now that I've achieved it, I'm overjoyed!"
The team championship of this competition went to the Wuhan Waterline Swimming Team. The team’s 14 athletes ranged in age from 18 to 55. In yesterday’s preliminaries, the team performed excellently, with all members advancing to the finals. In the finals, the swimmers continued to shine, ultimately scoring 306 points to top all teams. The team members believe that the key to winning in such a unique swimming environment is lots of practice and adaptation.
After more than a decade of development, the China Qinghai (Xunhua) International Yellow River Extreme Crossing Challenge has become a highly regarded international sports event brand rich in regional characteristics, showcasing to the world the tremendous development achievements and cultural charm of Qinghai and Haidong. This year’s race has been completely upgraded, introducing the "Yellow River Sports Tourism Festival" centered around the theme of "sports + culture + tourism," striving to create a grand carnival of mass sports activities.
Han Xingbin, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Xunhua County Committee and County Governor, stated that this year marks the 13th edition of the International Yellow River Extreme Crossing Challenge. The event has become a grand festival for local residents. The race has become a golden showcase for promoting Xunhua’s tourism and ethnic culture to the outside world. In the future, efforts will be made to further enhance the influence and brand effect of the event, allowing tourists from around the world to experience and appreciate Xunhua.