On September 21, 2013, the 2nd Yanbian Vätternrundan International Cycling Tourism Festival officially kicked off at the Golden Azalea Square in Yanji City. The festival was jointly organized by the Provincial Tourism Bureau and the Prefectural Government, and hosted by the Prefectural Tourism Bureau, the Yanji Municipal Government, the Hunchun Municipal Government, the Tumen Municipal Government, the Longjing Municipal Government, and Changchun Nordisk Vasa Management Service Co., Ltd. It attracted over 500 participants from 21 countries including China, Sweden, Germany, the UK, the US, Russia, Denmark, and Belgium. It was not only a grand cycling event but also helped drive the development of tourism in the Yanbian region.
As the official partner and designated apparel sponsor of the Vätternrundan event, the Nordic fashion outdoor sports brand STONEHAM joined forces with the festival to carry out a series of promotional activities. Two founders of ST traveled to Yanji to support the Yanbian Vätternrundan Cycling Race. Fredrik Persson, Product Director of ST and CEO of ST in China, who is also a Swedish national skiing champion, actively introduced and promoted the products, highlighting that while ST focuses on skiwear, it is also actively expanding into cycling and broader outdoor sports categories. This also demonstrated ST’s firm confidence in entering the Chinese outdoor sports market.
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Peter Larsson, Global Marketing Director of STONEHAM and a six-time Cross-Country Skiing World Cup champion as well as former coach of the Canadian national team, also actively participated in the cycling race. He stood out in his striking blue ST cycling jersey.
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STONEHAM is tailored for high-end individuals with unique insights into sporty lifestyle trends. While emphasizing functionality and practicality, the brand also incorporates meticulous aesthetic design, promoting a new philosophy of life — light luxury. Since its founding in 2009, its product range has expanded from initial skiing gear to running, cycling, and outdoor collections, meeting year-round athletic needs. Currently, STONEHAM’s sales network spans 19 countries and regions worldwide.
The Yanbian Vätternrundan International Cycling Tourism Festival featured races on September 21, including a “150 km long distance,” “73 km medium distance,” and “44 km short distance,” as well as events on September 22 — a “68 km long distance” and “46 km short distance.” Competitions were divided into men’s and women’s categories. Participants set off from Yanji, passed through Longjing and Tumen, and arrived in Hunchun. The award ceremony and closing ceremony were held at 16:30 on September 22 at the Century Square in Hunchun City.
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Although the race had concluded, its spirit lived on: “Ride on, towards ecological civilization!” On the 23rd, enthusiastic cyclists from around the world joined the organizers for a friendly match in the ecologically advanced Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. STONEHAM’s Global Marketing Director, Peter Larsson, led the team on a 50-km cross-country ride from the Kuanhe Port, finishing in Rason City, DPRK. Peter Larsson won a medal. It is reported that the Rason Municipal Government granted a day off for all citizens to welcome the cycling team into the city. Amid experiencing ecological civilization, participants also felt the warmth and enthusiasm of their neighboring country’s people for sports and their reverence for athleticism.
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Meanwhile, the DPRK provincial government, Nordisk Vasa Management Service Co., Ltd., and STONEHAM China reached a tripartite agreement and signed a letter of intent, laying the foundation for next year’s Vätternrundan International Cycling Race and warming up the STONEHAM brand for the Asian market.
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Additionally, in 2013, STONEHAM successfully signed a strategic partnership agreement with TUDOO (Xiamen) Outdoor Products Co., Ltd. and will officially launch its products in TUDOO stores in October 2013, marking the beginning of STONEHAM’s journey in the Chinese market. Let’s look forward to STONEHAM’s new lifestyle philosophy truly leading the global outdoor sports brands into a new era of light luxury living together.
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