The National Mountain Outdoor Sports Skills Competition was held in Xingwen Stone Sea.

 

    From June 10 to 11, 21 teams from across the country, with a total of 105 outdoor experts, converged on the picturesque Xingwen Stone Sea Geological Park in Sichuan Province during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday to compete in the 2013 National Mountain Outdoor Sports Skills Competition. The competition featured five individual events covering two major categories: wilderness survival skills and rope skills. After fierce competition, the Sichuan Normal University team emerged victorious, claiming the top prize with an overwhelming advantage.

　　The participating teams consisted of one team leader and four players (including at least one of the opposite gender). Unlike the general outdoor challenge competitions, this outdoor skills event emphasized the "wilderness survival ability" and "rope skills" inherent to mountain outdoor sports. Leveraging the unique landforms of Xingwen Stone Sea and Tianquan Cave, the competition included highly entertaining mountain outdoor sports. The five individual events were rope escape, cave fixed-point traversal, rope crossing over a ravine, rope climbing ascent, and comprehensive skills fixed-point traversal. The comprehensive skills fixed-point traversal included seven sub-events, with the completion order chosen by each team. Participants relied on location maps, mission booklets, and compasses provided by the organizers to locate checkpoints, complete specific tasks, and finish the race at the endpoint. The winner was determined by the shortest overall completion time. Both individual event awards and overall performance awards were presented.

　　This competition marked the second time the Chinese Mountaineering Association organized a national outdoor skills competition. Although also categorized as an outdoor event, it differed from traditional outdoor challenges in that it placed greater emphasis on participants’ mastery of outdoor skills, as well as their familiarity and proficiency with equipment and maps. As a result, the competing teams were also different—most were from colleges, universities, and clubs.

　　On the morning of June 10, a brief yet grand opening ceremony was held at the front hall of Tianquan Cave. Attending and delivering speeches were Xuchuan, Party Committee Secretary of the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, Zhang Jiangyuan, Deputy Director, and relevant leaders from Xingwen County.

　　The Sichuan Normal University team delivered an outstanding performance on the first day, winning championships in cave fixed-point traversal and rope crossing over a ravine. The university’s School of Physical Education Outdoor Sports Team and the First Team of Gannan Normal University Sunshine Outdoor Club also performed well, taking the lead in rope escape and rope climbing ascent, respectively. However, skill levels among participants varied greatly—for instance, in the rope escape event, the top team finished in just over 7 minutes, while the last-place team took as long as 28 minutes.

　　To promote the importance and practicality of outdoor skills and wilderness rescue, the organizing committee simulated a high-altitude rescue drill for spectators during the event. After witnessing team members use high-altitude stretchers and rappelling techniques to transport “injured” individuals to safety, the audience erupted in cheers.

　　On June 11, the comprehensive skills fixed-point traversal competition was held in the Tianquan Cave and Xingwen Stone Sea scenic areas. Events included crossbow shooting, puzzle solving, zip-lining, topographic map interpretation, slacklining, rope descent, and raft building and swimming. After a day of skill-based competitions, participants demonstrated greater proficiency with the equipment. The Sichuan Normal University team, excelling in orientation skills, became the most efficient squad, completing all tasks in 2 hours, 41 minutes, and 31 seconds. Based on combined performance over the two days, Sichuan Normal University topped the overall rankings with 126 points, followed by the university’s School of Physical Education team and Gannan Normal University team in second and third place, respectively.

　　The host site of the event, Xingwen Stone Sea Global Geopark, is divided into four scenic zones: Xiaoyanwan Zone, Lingxiao Mountain Zone, Pugu Tuoja Zone, and Tianquan Cave Zone. The area boasts breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage. It is the last habitat and final resting place of the Bo people, an ethnic group in China, whose mysterious hanging coffins continue to intrigue visitors. It is also the largest Miao ethnic enclave in Sichuan Province, where distinctive Miao culture captivates all who visit.

　　Xingwen Stone Sea is located in Yibin City, Sichuan Province—the first city along the Yangtze River and the hometown of “Wuliangye” liquor. Covering a total area of 156 square kilometers, it is Sichuan’s first global geopark, as well as a national scenic area, a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, one of China’s top ten most beautiful geoparks, and a national science education base. Together with Shunan Bamboo Sea, Chishui Scenic Area, Western Grand Canyon, and Zigong Dinosaur Museum, it forms a premium tourist route in the Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou Golden Triangle.

　　Xingwen County is situated on the southern edge of the Sichuan Basin and at the junction of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou. It borders Xuyong County of Luzhou City to the southeast, Weixin County of Yunnan Province to the south, Gong County of Yibin City to the west, Changning County of Yibin City to the northwest, and Jiang’an County of Yibin City and Naxi District of Luzhou City to the north. Part of the Wumeng Mountain range, the terrain slopes from south to north and features four landform types: valley plains, hills, low mountains, and mid-high mountains, with elevations ranging from 276 to 1,795 meters. The county administers eight towns and seven townships (including five Miao ethnic townships). At the end of 2010, the county had a total population of 470,600, including 22 ethnic minorities totaling 50,700 people, of which the Miao ethnic group accounted for 50,500 people—over 10.72% of the county’s population. Xingwen is recognized as a Sichuan minority region with special policy status, a pilot county for expanded local authority, and a revolutionary old district.