2013Year11Month9to10, the only domestic non-stop outdoor multi-discipline cross-country race――“Red Bull24Hour”Beach Challenge will be held on Dapeng Peninsula in Shenzhen. At that time,60teams totaling180athletes will participate in this“uphill-downhill, race-against-time”outdoor comprehensive skills challenge. Within24hours, they will, as teams, complete a series of events including point-to-point navigation, trail running, mountain biking, trekking, kayaking, underwater orienteering, rope skills, and fun challenges. Among these, the mountain section is the newly opened Qiniang Mountain Range in the Shenzhen area, which is the most difficult this year, and the proportion of sea events has also significantly increased. The total length of events such as kayaking and underwater orienteering will account for nearly12events, among which the mountain section is the newly opened Qiniang Mountain Range in the Shenzhen area, which is the most difficult this year, and the proportion of sea events has also significantly increased. The total length of kayaking, underwater orienteering, and other events will make up nearly1/5of the entire race course.
![]()
It is understood that the total length of this year’s race course has been reduced compared to last year’s138kilometers, and the difficulty has further increased. Shi Xin, the race director, stated that“this year’s race better integrates mountain and sea elements, and achieves breakthroughs in both aspects. In particular, the mountain route enters the Qiniang Mountain Range, the most difficult mountainous area in the Shenzhen region — an area that is still restricted. This poses a major challenge for the athletes; additionally, the water event distance has been extended to20kilometers, and the sequence of water events has been moved up to the start of the second day of the race, allowing more teams to embark on a water journey and paddle along the most beautiful coastline.”
In addition, this year’s race has also reduced the number of route markers, requiring teams to determine their own routes, which also places higher technical demands on the athletes. “Starting from2012, the number of route signs and guides has decreased compared to previous years.” Chen Wenda, the chief judge of the race, explained,“In world-class high-level cross-country challenges, team members have to judge their route based on maps, contour maps, andGPSnavigation. Therefore, in this year’s race, apart from providing guides and signs for night events and dangerous sections, all other segments require the athletes to determine their own routes. The goal is to increase the suspense and excitement of the race, while also testing the overall quality of the athletes.”
The "Red Bull24Hour”Cross-Country Challenge is the only domestic race that uses“non-stop”as its format. It is divided into plateau and beach editions. Its popularity among outdoor enthusiasts stems from its clever integration and condensation of almost all outdoor elements into24Within 24 hours: Each team of three must include at least one member of the opposite gender, making teamwork even more crucial; outdoor challenges constantly change, demanding not only physical strength but also judgment and coordination skills; participants will trek through mountains and sail across the sea, with breathtaking scenery along the way; there are daytime sprints and nighttime perseverance under the stars; while all competitors possess high professional standards, quick thinking, humor, and a positive mindset are equally essential to complete intellectual games and fun challenges. As2012Pan Yuanhua, captain of the 201X coastal race champion team Feirui, put it:“"Our team had the highest average age and no advantage in physical fitness, but we made up for it with experience and excellent coordination. We studied every challenge thoroughly and stuck strictly to our own pace—avoiding rash moves in our weak areas and maximizing strengths in our strong suits to achieve zero mistakes, which was key to winning."
11Month9Day17o'clock,2013“Red Bull24Hour”Coastal Challenge professional division race will start at Dameisha Vanke Center, covering a total distance of112.5kilometers, with the finish line at Dapeng Fortress, a Ming Dynasty coastal defense stronghold with a history of600years. The fastest teams are expected to finish in around20hours. In addition to the professional division,“Red Bull24Hour”Coastal Challenge also includes an open division for beginner-level outdoor enthusiasts. The open division race will begin at11Month10Day8o'clock from Dapeng Fortress, where teams will alternate through over10challenges including cross-country running, water crossings, fun run-swim relays, underwater orienteering, rope skills, mountain trekking, mountain biking, and recreational activities, spanning a total of60.2kilometers. The fastest teams are expected to complete the course in about7hours.