The opening ceremony of the 2013 National Mass Mountain Climbing and Fitness Conference and the "Wuzheng Cup" National Mountain Climbing Competition will be held on April 7 in the national AAAA-level tourist area — the Mount Wulian Scenic Area.
It is reported that the 2013 National Mass Mountain Climbing and Fitness Conference opening ceremony and the "Wuzheng Cup" National Mountain Climbing Competition are co-hosted by the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Shandong Provincial Sports Bureau, and the People's Government of Rizhao City. The event is organized by the People's Government of Wulian County and the Rizhao Municipal Sports Bureau, and co-organized by the Wulian County Tourism, Culture, Sports, and Broadcasting & Television Bureau, the Wulian Mountain Scenic Area Management Committee, and Shandong Wuzheng Group. The theme is "Beautiful China, Healthy You and Me."
Group photo of award-winning participants from previous years
The National Mass Mountain Climbing and Fitness Conference is an event initiated by the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China to adapt to new trends in mountain climbing and meet the new needs of climbing enthusiasts. It is a well-known brand in mass fitness activities. Since 2002, it has been held for 11 consecutive years, with participation from over 10 provinces and cities each year and nearly one million people taking part. This year marks the 12th edition, with 18 stops in total. Compared to previous years, this year’s conference emphasizes the themes of scientific and civilized fitness. Each stop will distribute educational materials on scientific mountain climbing and will also feature competitions for outstanding photography and poetry submissions.
Wulian County is located in the southwestern part of the Shandong Peninsula. It is a nationally recognized advanced county in sports work, one of the first tourism-strong counties in Shandong Province, and one of the province’s three major eco-tourism regions. It boasts Mount Wulian, praised by Su Shi as "no less spectacular than Mount Yandang," the Ming Dynasty-built Huguo
As the venue for the event, the Wulian Mountain Scenic Area hosted the first National Mountaineering Competition and successfully organized two branch events of the National Mass Mountaineering and Fitness Conference in May 2011 and June 2012 respectively. It has been designated by the Chinese Mountaineering Association as Shandong Province's first "Mountain Outdoor Sports Training Base."
Taking the opportunity of hosting this Mountaineering and Fitness Conference, Wulian County will accelerate the in-depth integration of sports, culture, and tourism, further implement the National Fitness Program, and organize a series of fitness-oriented cultural and sports activities suitable for the public. These include the 7th "Spring in Wulian" Azalea Festival, the 1st China Wulian Daqing Mountain International Tai Chi Culture Festival in 2013, and a national mountain bike race. The aim is to expand and strengthen the mountaineering and fitness brand, promote the healthy and rapid development of national fitness initiatives, and attract more tourists to Wulian for leisure, fitness, sightseeing, and business investment.
The event includes various activities such as competitions for professional athletes, mass mountaineering, cycling rides, tai chi demonstrations, and folk art performances. The event notice will be published on the website of the Chinese Mountaineering Association, and both registered athletes and mountaineering enthusiasts are welcome to sign up.