A 168-kilometer mountain trail with a cumulative elevation gain of 7,799 meters is an almost insurmountable task for most people. But for runners who love off-road challenges and immersing themselves in nature, it’s a rare opportunity for an extreme adventure — as well as a journey of discovering nature and oneself. On July 14, the Columbia168 Super Trail Race 2017 · Chongli Station, hosted by the Zhangjiakou Sports Bureau, the People's Government of Chongli District, and Beijing Sanfo Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., and organized by the Chongli District Sports Bureau and Beijing Sanfo Outdoor Sports Management Co., Ltd., with brand sponsorship from Columbia, kicked off at the Chongli Awards Plaza. Over 2,000 trail runners battled through the peaks of Chongli in a thrilling competition.
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Start Panorama
The Columbia168 Super Trail Race 2017 Chongli Station is another major event by Sanfo Events following the 2016 Arxan 100. It is also currently the longest-distance trail race organized within Chongli and the closest to Beijing. The full course spans 168 kilometers, featuring three categories: 168km, 88km, and 50km. Finishers in these categories can earn 6, 4, and 2 ITRA (International Trail Running Association) points respectively. Through professional course design, medical rescue, trail signage, and event support systems, Sanfo Events has created a landmark IP for professional mid-to-advanced ultra-long-distance trail running. This allows more people to conquer more beautiful landscapes on the map with their own footsteps and run unique trails.
Distant View Along the Route
Scenery Along the Route
The title sponsor of this event, Columbia, is a globally renowned outdoor brand leader. For 80 years, it has consistently developed its own technologies and tested products in real outdoor conditions. With over 15 exclusive high-end technologies for warmth, cooling, waterproofing, and protection, Columbia meets the diverse needs of outdoor enthusiasts in various environments. In recent years, Columbia has been committed to promoting trail running. Internationally, Columbia has been the main sponsor of the world’s top trail running event, UTMB, since last year, and will continue in that role this year. Domestically, it has continuously sponsored multiple trail events, such as Huangshan 168 in March, China’s first 330 trail race in May, Dali 100 in October, and Three Gorges 168 in November. Columbia also has a powerful “Columbia Trail Running Team” that has achieved remarkable results in both domestic and international trail races — for example, the women’s and men’s champions of UTMB China last year were both Columbia team athletes. Through these events, more people have come to know and love trail running. The gear and prizes for Columbia 168 are fully supported by its professional trail running brand, Montrail. The most professional event paired with the most professional equipment offers domestic runners a feast of ultra-long-distance trail running.
88km Category Third Place – Xu Linju
Go Big or Go Home – Tough Runs and Breathtaking Views Combined
Chongli District is 80% mountainous, with a forest coverage rate of over 50%. From east to west, it features undulating mountains with peaks mostly between 1,500 and 2,000 meters above sea level — truly “mountain after mountain, endless; valleys within valleys, countless.” It boasts naturally superior resources for trail running. The 168km race course is over 80% natural mountain terrain, with an elevation drop of about 880 meters and a cumulative climb of 7,799 meters. The cutoff times for the 168km, 88km, and 50km categories are 50 hours, 28 hours, and 15 hours respectively. The course offers excellent visibility and incorporates a variety of terrains such as forest paths, alpine meadows, wind farm ridge trails, semi-maintained footpaths, and more. The gently undulating mountain sections deliver a slow-burning challenge, while crossing wind farms, flower-filled forests, and running under starry skies offer thrills that perfectly embody the primal trail running spirit where the ability to endure pain rivals the desire to explore. Notably, both the start and finish lines are located at the 2022 Winter Olympics Awards Plaza. The route covers nearly all scenic spots and Olympic ski venues in Chongli, and along the way, runners can enjoy the rolling views of the ancient Great Wall. This uniquely blends China’s traditional Great Wall culture with modern international Olympic culture, adding a rich highlight to the 2022 Beijing-Zhangjiakou Winter Olympics and igniting the Olympic fervor in Chongli this summer.
Awards Plaza
Precise Course Signage Enhances Runner Experience
The signage system for this race was planned and designed from the early stages of course surveying. It includes reflective trail markers, fixed junction signs, public section kilometer markers, category-specific kilometer markers, countdown kilometer flags, and course guide flags. The system takes into account varying environmental requirements for signage and includes emergency plans for both natural and man-made losses. Kilometer markers are placed every 5 kilometers, and countdown markers every 1 kilometer, ensuring precise navigation, high-quality guidance, and minimizing the risk of runners straying off course.
Two Decades of Professional Dedication – Comprehensive Event Support
A robust medical support system composed of a professional helicopter rescue team, medical emergency rescue unit, Blue Sky Rescue, pace runners, and medical volunteers provides timely and professional medical services along the entire course and at all aid stations, working together to ensure runner safety. To maximize safety, the organizing committee equipped 168km and 88km runners with GPS tracking devices — professional GPS equipment provided by “Gobi Eye” — which monitor runners’ movements in real time. In case of emergencies, the location can be quickly pinpointed for rapid rescue. The committee also set up withdrawal and recovery points at cutoff locations, with shuttle buses performing recovery operations in a loop every 30 minutes.
Men’s Trail Running Shoes 1
Men’s Trail Running Shoes 2
Women’s Trail Running Shoes
Trail Running Stars Gather in Chongli – The “Columbia Team” at Chongli’s Peak Draws All Eyes
Many “Columbia Team” athletes among the registered participants, including Huangshan 168 champion Li Kuo, 2016 Ninghai 100 women’s champion and 2017 Da Wutai mixed doubles champion Sister Xiong Xu Linju, as well as well-known figures in the running community like Olive, Pumpkin, and Monster, are all strong contenders for the title. The organizing committee specially appointed Columbia Team’s Li Kuo as the athlete representative for the opening ceremony, where he gave a speech. As a dark horse in the trail running world, Li Kuo has already won multiple domestic trail race championships this year. As expected, the Columbia Team performed outstandingly in the CB168 Super Trail Race. Columbia-signed athlete Li Tiejun, the top favorite for the 168km category, won the men’s 168km championship with a time of 28:42:36. Trail running dark horse Li Kuo claimed the 88km men’s title with 10:09:20, Sister Xu Linju took third place in the 88km women’s category with 13:13:40, invited athlete Wei Xueyan secured second place in the 50km women’s category with 7:38:25, and the victories kept coming. At the peak of Chongli, they became celebrated heroes of trail running.
Runner Sprinting
88km Category Champion – Li Kuo
168km Category Champion – Li Tiejun
88km Category Champion – Li Kuo
Medal
88km Category Champion – Li Kuo
Generous race rewards – even the last finisher is a hero
The design concept and inspiration for the medals and trophies of the Columbia168 Ultra Trail Race come entirely from the natural beauty unique to Chongli and the grueling 168-kilometer distance. Every participant who completes the 168km race will receive an exclusive trophy, while those who finish the 88km and 50km distances will be awarded an exclusive medal. Custom-made quick-dry finisher vests and finisher towels are also given as special rewards. It’s reported that even the last finisher in the 168km category receives a special award established by the organizing committee, honoring the off-road heroes who demonstrate "the sporting spirit of perseverance to complete the race."
A scientific support system serves as a powerful energy boost for participants
Watermelons, cucumbers, bananas, cherry tomatoes, canned goods; bread, jam, coffee, dried fruits; steamed buns, flower rolls, instant noodles, pickled vegetables, egg drop soup, grits soup, ham sausages, eggs; beer, cola, energy gels, functional drinks – nearly 30 types of supplies are available in abundance, distributed across 18 aid stations based on the physical needs of athletes during different race categories and stages. It’s understood that Chongli’s specialty food, mutton soup, made a surprise appearance in the support system, becoming a distinctive source of motivation for participants to successfully complete the race. JD.com, the event’s sole e-commerce partner, provided on-site supplies for the race, helping ensure the successful completion of the event for all athletes.