On December 10, 2016, the first stop of the 2016-2017 “XimaluTu” Cup China Alpine Skiing Tour—the Wanlong Stop—officially commenced. The event is organized by the Chinese Ski Association and hosted by Hebei Wanlong Resort Paradise, Jilin Songhua Lake Resort, Hebei Taiwu Ski Town, and Heilongjiang Yabuli Ski Resort. It aims to establish a high-quality national alpine skiing competition, promote the development of China’s ice and snow industry, and kick off the movement of 300 million people participating in ice and snow sports.
Five major stops, a thousand elites compete fiercely
Alpine skiing, similar to other ice sports originating in Europe, is divided into two parts: speed events and technical events. The speed series includes downhill and super-G, combining speed and technique. Athletes twist and turn left and right while skiing, delivering thrilling performances that are highly popular with audiences. It is understood that the China Alpine Skiing Tour is divided into a Masters Group and an Elite Group, with competition events including men's giant slalom and women's giant slalom.
This China Alpine Skiing Tour follows the latest version of the FIS Alpine Skiing Competition Rules approved by the Winter Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China. There are a total of five stops, with nearly a thousand elites competing in the individual stops. Both the women’s and men’s groups ski on the same course, with the women starting first and the men following. The second run does not involve redesigning the course. The Elite Group starts first, followed by the Masters Group; women start before men.
Starting order for the first run of the first stop: A draw is held among the top 15 participants from the previous year’s “XimaluTu” Cup China Alpine Skiing Tour rankings based on points. Other participants are ordered by their point totals, while those without points are ordered by online registration time. Starting order for the second run: The top 30 performers from the first run start in reverse order. For other stops, the first run starting order is determined by this year’s race points and registration order, with participants who have points starting first. The second run starting order: The top 30 performers from the first run start in reverse order. Currently, the participant leading in points will start wearing a yellow bib.
Competitors earn corresponding race points at each stop. The organizers have introduced double points and point-doubling mechanisms this year to encourage participation across multiple stops. In addition to the winner of each stop, the competitor with the highest cumulative points at the end will be awarded the honor of annual overall champion. Those eligible for the second run will be ranked by their combined total scores from both runs and receive corresponding race points. Other participants are ranked based on their first-run scores and awarded corresponding race points.
The top eight male and female competitors in each stop will be ranked. The top three will receive prize money, medals, and certificates, while the fourth to eighth places will receive certificates. Prize money for the top three at each stop is as follows: Masters Group—1st place: RMB 2,500, 2nd place: RMB 1,000, 3rd place: RMB 500; Elite Group—1st place: RMB 3,000, 2nd place: RMB 2,000, 3rd place: RMB 1,000.
Annual point rankings will see the top three male and female participants in the Elite Group awarded trophies and certificates. The annual awards ceremony will take place after the final stop. Points are distributed as follows: 1st place: 1000 points, 2nd place: 80% of 1st place, 3rd place: 90% of 2nd place, 4th place onward: 95% of the previous rank, and so on... 100th place: 4.97 points. Frequent participation in stops earns more points. The first stop earns points based on ranking. Each subsequent stop doubles the single-stop ranking points: 2nd stop = 1.1x, 3rd stop = 1.3x, 4th stop = 1.5x. The final stop offers double points regardless of prior participation. The top six in the annual total points ranking will receive prize money: Elite Group—1st place: RMB 5,000, 2nd place: RMB 4,000, 3rd place: RMB 3,000, 4th place: RMB 2,000, 5th place: RMB 1,000, 6th place: RMB 500. Prizes are provided by XimaluTu (China) Outdoor Products Co., Ltd.
Two authoritative organizations host a top-tier event
Alpine skiing originated in the Alps region and is also known as “Alpine skiing” or “mountain skiing.” The China Alpine Skiing Tour is managed by the Winter Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and organized by the Chinese Ski Association. As an official national event and the highest-level domestic skiing competition, its judging panel comes from FIS-sanctioned races and the FIS Far East Cup, using internationally certified timing equipment. The Chinese Ski Association assigns its most accomplished alpine skiing competition managers and technical officials to oversee organization and management. The arbitration committee consists of technical delegates, race directors, and chief judges to ensure professionalism and fairness. The event is recognized by the Chinese Ski Association, offering ranking points, which attracts China’s top-tier athletes.
The Winter Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China is a directly affiliated public institution under the administration, with comprehensive administrative functions over winter sports in China. Its primary mission is to organize and guide the development of winter sports nationwide, promote their popularity and advancement, and conduct mass sports activities and business operations based on project characteristics and facilities. The Chinese Ski Association is a national civil organization for skiing in China. Originally part of the National Winter Sports Association established in the 1950s, it became an independent organization in 1981. It is one of the individual sport associations under the All-China Sports Federation, recognized by the Chinese Olympic Committee, and the sole legitimate organization representing China in international skiing federations and related global or regional snow sports events.
A 52-year-old brand provides strong support
CIMALP (XimaluTu) was founded in France in 1964, with roots tracing back to a silk underwear textile factory established in 1890 by the MARSANNE family in France, known for producing thermal innerwear. CIMALP (China) Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., while preserving its authentic French heritage, continuously innovates in design and brand philosophy to fully commit to the Chinese market. It develops and customizes new windproof, waterproof, cold-resistant down jackets and other quick-dry series suitable for mid-to-high-end customers seeking “extreme sports, urban outdoor” styles. Building upon its French headquarters' model of “joint R&D, joint procurement, joint production, and joint sales,” the company tailors differentiated products to various regional cultures—“special groups, special needs, special designs, special customization”—offering mid-to-high-end extreme/fashion outdoor gear tailored for the Chinese market. It artfully blends classic and modern elements, and perfectly harmonizes extremes with romance. With a rich French essence, CIMALP (XimaluTu) interprets the perfect fusion of century-old heritage and cutting-edge fashion.
Yuan, General Manager of CIMALP (China) Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., said: “CIMALP (XimaluTu) insists on high quality as its foundation, emphasizing the integration of technology and fashion, and leads outdoor trends through customized fashionable outdoor products. Features such as durable anti-static, antibacterial, fast moisture absorption, and quick-drying properties all use BULESIGN-certified, eco-friendly, high-quality materials from around the world. From the inside out, it offers wearers a safe and comfortable experience.” For the China Alpine Skiing Tour, CIMALP (XimaluTu) has specially launched a series of fashionable skiwear made with lightweight, abrasion-resistant, and tear-resistant high-tech fabrics. The surface is treated with Teflon for oil and stain resistance. It also features YKK waterproof zippers, underarm ventilation zippers, heat-reflective linings, adjustable waistbands, ankle abrasion-proof fabric, ankle zippers, and windproof cuffs. The windproof balaclava effectively blocks snow and wind from hitting the face, fully supporting the advancement of skiing in China and contributing technological and fashionable strength to skiing’s popularization.
Popularizing skiing among 300 million people, a 3 trillion yuan vision
As a key branded event of the “Mass Ice and Snow Season,” the Chinese Ski Association continues to collaborate with CCTV to broadcast the competition and invites print and online media to provide a professional platform for ice and snow enthusiasts. It promotes alpine skiing, improves the skills of enthusiasts, and fosters public enthusiasm for ice and snow sports, jointly creating a spectacular scene of China’s alpine skiing events and contributing to the ambitious goal of involving 300 million people in ice and snow activities. The organizing committee opened the online registration channel on November 29, 2016, and welcomes skiers to sign up enthusiastically. Visit the registration platform (follow the WeChat public account “我要赛” or download the 我要赛 APP).
The State Council issued the “Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Fitness and Leisure Industry,” stating that by 2025, the total scale of China’s fitness and leisure industry will reach 3 trillion yuan. The ice and snow sector is taking the lead. In November, four departments including the General Administration of Sport of China and the NDRC jointly released the “Ice and Snow Sports Development Plan (2016-2025),” the “National Ice and Snow Facilities Construction Plan (2016-2022),” and the General Administration of Sport of China issued the “Plan for Promoting and Popularizing Mass Winter Sports (2016-2020).” A key goal of these plans is to achieve 300 million participants in ice and snow sports, and China’s alpine snow sports have clearly made a strong start.