The 2013 Xiamen Haicang International Cycling Open kicked off.
Winners of the folding (trail) bike category.
On the morning of the 21st, professional cyclists from over 10 countries and regions including the United States, Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, Hungary, Austria, Thailand, as well as Taiwan and Hong Kong, and more than 1,024 amateur cyclists from over 19 provinces gathered in Haicang to participate in the 2013 Xiamen Haicang International Cycling Open being held there. Meanwhile, the 2013 Haicang Shopping Festival also opened today. The exciting and thrilling cycling races delivered a top-tier sports feast to the people of Haicang, adding a strong sports element to the shopping festival.
Leaders attending the opening ceremony of the 2013 Xiamen Haicang International Cycling Open included Yan Zhiwei, inspector of the Xiamen Municipal Sports Bureau; Wu Shunbin, member of the Party Working Committee of the Xiamen Haicang Taiwanese Investment Zone, deputy director of the Administrative Committee, member of the Standing Committee of the Haicang District Committee, and executive deputy head of the Haicang District Government; Zhang Gu, member of the Standing Committee of the Haicang District Committee and head of the Publicity Department; Wang Mingde, deputy director of the Standing Committee of the Haicang District People’s Congress; Zhang Quan, deputy head of the Haicang District Government; Wu Weiping, deputy head of the Haicang District Government; and Ye Shali, vice-chairperson of the Haicang District CPPCC. Wu Weiping delivered the opening ceremony speech.
Canadian comedian Dashan and Xi Wei, host of Xiamen Media Group, served as hosts for the opening ceremony of this race. The opening ceremony was held at 8:00 a.m. at Aroha City Plaza. The event site included interactive bike babe fashion shows, bicycle stunt performances, fun contests for bike babes, animal riding races, children's dances, and fashion shows.
It is reported that this race was themed “Beautiful Haicang · Ride Freely.” The competition included a 60-kilometer men’s elite road race, a 20-kilometer men’s experience road race, a 40-kilometer men’s elite mountain bike race, a 20-kilometer men’s experience mountain bike race, a 20-kilometer women’s experience mountain bike race, and a 20-kilometer men’s experience small-wheeled bike race.
The race route featured blue skies and seas with fresh air, including Egret-filled Dongyu Island and a mangrove nature reserve. This unique coastal ecological and cultural environment of Haicang made this race a perfect blend of tourism and sports. Compared to other sports, hosting cycling events has more advantages, providing the best platform to showcase the spirit of sports as well as a platform to promote local tourism resources.
After intense competition, the first-place winners in the men’s 60-kilometer elite road race, men’s 40-kilometer elite mountain bike race, men’s 20-kilometer experience road race, men’s 20-kilometer experience mountain bike race, women’s 20-kilometer experience mountain bike race, men’s 20-kilometer experience small-wheeled bike race, and the fun bike babe contest were Hu Hao, Liu Yan, Jian Zhihang, Lin Chengdan, Huang Shanshan, Xiao Jian, and Jiang Jiayu, respectively. They could receive up to 10,000 yuan in prize money.
This race was guided by the Xiamen Municipal Sports Bureau, hosted by the Xiamen Haicang Taiwanese Investment Zone Management Committee and the Xiamen Haicang District People’s Government, organized by the Xiamen Haicang District Culture, Sports, Radio, Television, Press and Publication Tourism Bureau and Xiamen Haicang Urban Construction Group Co., Ltd., and planned and executed by Xiamen Zhibo Sports Culture Communication Co., Ltd. and Xiamen Renwoxing Bicycle Life Hall.
“Riding a bike in Haicang, facing the sea breeze, listening to the sound of the waves, and seeing nothing but the blue ocean — the feeling here is incomparable to anywhere else,” said a Thai contestant in an interview after the race.