The Lijiang Yulong Plateau Mountain Race Challenge
According to information provided by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, the first Lijiang Yulong Plateau Mountain Race Challenge concluded on June 21 at the foot of the picturesque Lijiang Yulong Snow Mountain.
A total of 104 athletes from 22 teams across 14 provinces and cities in China participated, including 62 male athletes and 42 female athletes. Competing at altitudes ranging from 2,700 to 3,400 meters, the athletes vied for a total prize purse of 100,000 RMB. The competition included: Men's Hill Climb: approximately 5 km in length with an elevation gain of around 700 m and a 90-minute cutoff. Men's Vertical Kilometer: approximately 20 km in length with a cumulative elevation gain of about 2,000 m and a 5-hour cutoff. Women's Hill Climb: approximately 5 km in length with an elevation gain of around 700 m and a 120-minute cutoff. Women's Vertical Kilometer: approximately 17 km in length with a cumulative elevation gain of about 1,500 m and a 5-hour cutoff. Public Experience Race: approximately 5 km in length with an elevation gain of around 700 m.
It is understood that the most distinctive feature of this race course was its integration with the landscape — the entire route passed through some of the most scenic parts of Yulong. Athletes competed as if running through a living painting of natural beauty and cultural heritage. The opening ceremony and starting point of the race were located in Yuhu Village. Following the opening ceremony, the hill climb race commenced. After intense competition and overcoming challenges such as high altitude and significant vertical elevation, Li Yongyuan from the Hubei Wuhan Tibetan Antelope Outdoor Club (33 minutes 21 seconds) and Zhang Deshun from Kunming Hummingbird Auto Sports Co., Ltd. (41 minutes 31 seconds) claimed the top spots in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively. The men’s second and third places went to Wang Zhicheng from the Fujian Jian’ou Jiyang Yupingfeng Mountaineering Association and Feng Yinjie from the Kunming Mountaineering Association CARAVR Team. The women’s second and third places were awarded to Pan Mei from the Hubei Wuhan Tibetan Antelope Outdoor Club and Chen Hongmei from Kunming Hummingbird Auto Sports Co., Ltd.
On the 21st, the highly challenging 20 km Vertical Kilometer took place in heavy rain. Athletes set off from Yuhu Village under the rain, following an ancient caravan path that wound its way up the mountain. After about 3 km, they reached the “Jade Pillar Touching the Sky” scenic area, crossing slippery, age-old cobblestone paths and traversing serene, crystal-clear alpine lakes to arrive at CP2 Yufeng Temple — famous throughout the country for its renowned “Ten Thousand Blossom Camellia.” Legend has it that this camellia tree was planted during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty, with the temple being built after the tree. This “King of Camellias” has a history of over 500 years.
The finish line of the race was located in Wenhai Village, a place now covered in blooming mountain flowers and once a key stop along the ancient Tea Horse Road. After two hours and 26 minutes of running in the rain, Li Yongyuan from the Hubei Tibetan Antelope Outdoor Club was the first to cross the finish line. The men’s second and third places went to You Peiquan from the Fujian Jian’ou Jiyang Yupingfeng Mountaineering Association and Gao Guo from the Wuhan Tibetan Antelope Team. The women’s top three were Lu Yangchun from the Kunming Mountaineering Association, Zhang Huiji from the Fujian Jian’ou Jiyang Yupingfeng Mountaineering Association, and Dong Li from the China University of Geosciences Outdoor Team.
The course design of the Lijiang Yulong Plateau Mountain Race Challenge was exceptionally creative, featuring breathtaking natural and cultural landscapes throughout, which fully showcased the unique appeal of mountain trail running. The event was jointly organized by the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Chinese Mountaineering Association, the Yunnan Provincial Sports Bureau, and the Lijiang Municipal People’s Government, and hosted by the Yulong Naxi Autonomous County People’s Government.