Attending the opening ceremony were XU Chuan, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China; ZHI Yixian, Discipline Inspection Secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Sports Bureau; WANG Xiaolin, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hanzhong Municipal Party Committee and Head of the Organization Department; LI Wenmao, Director of the New Projects Department of the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China; CHEN Zheng, Secretary-General of the Shaanxi Mountaineering Association; XU Qiwen, Secretary of the Liuba County Committee of the Communist Party of China; and MA Hongwei, County Governor of Liuba County, among other relevant officials.
Xu Chuan noted that Liuba County boasts abundant mountainous resources and a profound historical and cultural heritage. Through sports events, it will promote local economic development, advance the development of mountaineering and outdoor sports in China, and further establish Liuba as a model zone for mountain vacationing and an outdoor sports base in China.
The race course design of this competition incorporated the pristine terrain and landforms of the Qinling Mountains, as well as Liuba County’s unique alpine meadows and "tian tan" (natural pits) landscapes. This not only made the event highly visually appealing but also gave athletes the rare experience of running through a natural forest oxygen bar—a true “lung-cleansing” journey. On June 14, as the competition kicked off, the 2014 Liuba County Mass Fitness Activities also commenced. Events such as the 8th Zibai Mountain Hiking Festival and the Plank Road Rafting Festival were launched simultaneously, making this a highlight of the overall event. On that day, nearly 3,000 people participated in fitness activities including rafting, mass hiking, and mountain speed racing. The event successfully achieved wide public participation, strong fitness benefits, and good spectator appeal, encouraging the public to engage in national fitness activities and laying a foundation for building a Qinling Mountain sports economy circle.
The 2014 China Hanzhong Liuba National Mountain Speed Challenge is the first national-level event of its kind to be held in the heart of the Qinling Mountains. The staging of this event represents a concentrated showcase of Liuba County’s pleasant ecological environment, stunning natural scenery, and rich cultural legacy rooted in the Han and Three Kingdoms periods. It will further enhance the county’s visibility and reputation both nationally and globally, and will play a positive role in boosting tourism in Liuba County and the Qinling Mountain region.