On August 18, 2013, China’s first large-scale sports event that integrates ecological civilization into its promotion, using the health industry to boost local economic development—the "2013 'Canal Culture City Cup' China (Suqian·Luoma Lake) Eco-Four Challenge Open"—will take place at Luoma Lake in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province. The inaugural event featured four classic outdoor and water-based survival skill activities: "Luoma Lake Swim," "Luoma Lake Kayaking," "Luoma Lake Lakeside Cycling," and "Forest Park Cross-Country Running." It aligns with the themes of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, harmonizing the coordinated development of the “Five-in-One” ecological civilization with the sports industry, promoting the upgrade of local leisure and service sectors. This eco-sports challenge uses the health industry to foster local economic growth and improve people's living standards.
The "Eco-Four" comes to Suqian, a land of ancient Chu.
Nearly a thousand brave competitors vie for supremacy in the “Four Skills” at the hometown of the Overlord of Western Chu.
Nearly a thousand brave competitors vie for supremacy in the “Four Skills” at the hometown of the Overlord of Western Chu.
The press conference for the 2013 "Canal Culture City Cup" China (Suqian·Luoma Lake) Eco-Four Challenge Open was held at 10:00 AM on July 24 at the National Convention Center in Beijing. The event, featuring four classic human survival skill activities with distinctive local characteristics—"Luoma Lake Swim," "Luoma Lake Kayaking," "Luoma Lake Lakeside Cycling," and "Forest Park Cross-Country Running"—will kick off with a star experience activity on August 17, 2013, followed by the main competition on August 18, 2013, at Luoma Lake in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, where nearly a thousand competitors will battle for supremacy in the “Four Skills” at this top-tier outdoor event.
This event is jointly organized by the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and the People’s Government of Suqian City, and hosted by the Jiangsu Provincial Social Sports Management Center, Suqian Municipal Sports Bureau, Suqian Hubin New District Management Committee, and Beijing Hengjian International Sports Culture Communication Co., Ltd. The "Canal Culture City" is the exclusive title sponsor. This is China’s first sports event to integrate ecological civilization into its promotional activities, allowing participants and spectators to enjoy the ecological beauty and picturesque scenery of Suqian, the "Green Capital," during the event.
The competition combines spectator appeal, participation, scientific rigor, challenge, and rich cultural significance. It is divided into professional and amateur categories, spanning one day. The professional category will invite 20 high-level mountain and outdoor teams from China and abroad, including two international teams. The amateur category will recruit 400–600 participants nationwide in men’s, women’s, and relay groups through open registration, with individual entries. Over the course of the one-day event, participants will complete four classic survival skill activities: the "2km Luoma Lake Swim," "10km Luoma Lake Kayaking," "38km Luoma Lake Lakeside Cycling," and "8km Forest Park Cross-Country Running." According to the organizing committee, nearly a thousand athletes from both professional and amateur categories will take part.
Using "eco-sports" as a branded event to promote local economic development, leveraging the health industry to boost the economy, reversing the trend of ecological degradation at its source, creating a better living environment for residents, and establishing a new city brand for Suqian’s Luoma Lake, this event pioneers a new model for the implementation of the sports industry nationwide with its unique pre-event star experience activity.
Compared to other domestic outdoor events, the 2013 'Canal Culture City Cup' China (Suqian·Luoma Lake) Eco-Four Challenge Open incorporates the most distinctive ecological environment and pristine natural landscapes of Suqian’s Luoma Lake throughout the competition, creating an eco-sports experience tourism route that provides new ideas for the tourism economy of Luoma Lake. Through the coordinated development of the “Five-in-One” ecological civilization and the sports industry, it promotes the upgrade of local leisure and service sectors. The health industry is used to drive local economic growth, improve living standards, and realize the Chinese dream of building a moderately prosperous and harmonious society for the people of Suqian.
Star Experience—An Unconventional Pre-Event Warm-Up Activity Brings Eco-Tourism to Life Early
A powerful pre-event warm-up team, comprising Suqian municipal leaders, entrepreneurs, Olympic champions, film and television stars, and media representatives, will participate in experience activities for the "Luoma Lake Swim," "Luoma Lake Kayaking," "Luoma Lake Lakeside Cycling," and "Forest Park Cross-Country Running" on August 17, 2013. This Eco-Four Open breaks away from traditional promotional models, using star experiences to attract the public and major media. The most distinctive ecological environment and pristine natural landscapes of Luoma Lake are integrated into the experience activities.
Participants can enjoy the skyline of modern skyscrapers along the shore and the vibrancy of urban life while engaging in early warm-up activities with citizens, athletes, and media. Through interactions and interviews with the star experience team, media coverage prior to the event allows viewers to appreciate the unique natural ecology and rich cultural heritage of Suqian’s Luoma Lake. The star experience showcases the area’s abundant tourism resources, aligning with the national call for ecological civilization, and provides new ideas for the development of the sports economy through this unconventional pre-event warm-up, promoting stable local economic growth with the health industry while reducing energy consumption and pollution.
The newly conceptualized "Eco-Four" branded event, based on classic human survival skills on land and water, breaks away from traditional eco-tourism promotional models. With a star-studded pre-event experience, it serves as a warm-up for the official competition on August 18, bringing the most advanced concept of all-encompassing scenic sports eco-tourism to life and perfectly integrating it with urban ecological civilization. This achieves strong promotional impact, drawing more attention to Suqian in Jiangsu, Luoma Lake, and the 2013 'Canal Culture City Cup' China (Suqian·Luoma Lake) Eco-Four Challenge Open before the event even begins. The star experience will leave a lasting influence, shaping Suqian’s Luoma Lake as a unique destination for eco-sports tourism with the "Eco-Four" experience.
Outdoor Elite Competition—Battling for the Legendary Throne of the “Four Skills”
On August 18, 2013, top outdoor athletes from teams such as China University of Geosciences will take on four classic water and land events: the "2km Luoma Lake Swim," "10km Luoma Lake Kayaking," "38km Luoma Lake Lakeside Cycling," and "8km Forest Park Cross-Country Running." These activities represent essential life skills, with routes seamlessly connecting the pristine Luoma Lake, the lakeside new district, and the urban forest park, allowing participants to experience the lake’s superior ecological environment while showcasing the event’s strong visual appeal, entertainment value, and competitive spirit through the “Four Skills” challenge.
The 2013 'Canal Culture City Cup' China (Suqian·Luoma Lake) Eco-Four Challenge Open spans a total of 58 kilometers from start to finish, with participants completing all four classic survival skill activities—"Luoma Lake Swim," "Luoma Lake Kayaking," "Luoma Lake Lakeside Cycling," and "Forest Park Cross-Country Running"—in one go. The distances are not overly long, and with regular exercise, most can participate and endure. However, securing the ultimate honor of the Overlord’s Throne is no easy feat. It requires constant self-motivation and teamwork, as well as skilled execution of basic tasks. This is not merely a test of skill and endurance but an ultimate trial of physical strength and absolute team capability.
The 2013 'Canal Culture City Cup' China (Suqian·Luoma Lake) Eco-Four Challenge Open stands apart from other outdoor competitions with its clear theme centered on local ecological civilization. It is an original event that uses the competition as a platform, establishing a new eco-sports model through the “Four Skills” challenge by top domestic athletes in the hometown of the Overlord of Western Chu. With extensive promotion via media, online platforms, and print, it aims to establish the "Eco-Four" as a unique eco-sports tourism destination in northern Jiangsu within a few years—one that embodies strong visual appeal, participation, scientific rigor, challenge, and deep cultural significance.