Off-Road Challenge Race Start Scene
The five-day "2012 Ordos International Off-Road Challenge Race" (also known as the Mountain Outdoor Sports Grade A Competition), which attracted nearly 100 participants from 16 countries and regions worldwide, has recently concluded successfully. As the highest-level and most challenging mountain outdoor Grade A competition held in China this year, the event received widespread attention from the industry and audiences both domestically and internationally.
Pre-Race Preparation
The competition consisted of four stages, covering a total distance of approximately 380 kilometers, with a total prize purse of 200,000 US dollars. Participants completed challenges including kayaking on the Yellow River, crossing the Kubuqi Desert, wild camping, cross-country running in the Salawusu Gorge, and rope skills competitions. Wei Jun, the chief judge of the event and an official from the Outdoor Sports Department of the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, explained that the diverse natural environments—mountains, grasslands, deserts, and canyons—made the race extremely challenging. Moreover, with top-tier international teams participating, including New Zealand Adventure Sport NZ (home to the legendary couple Urs Hefti and his wife, known as the "legendary couple" in the international outdoor sports community) and the Thule Adventure Team (world champions), among 15 world-class teams, the competition was fierce. This made the challenge one of the highest-profile and most exciting off-road events in China in recent years.
Participants Advancing Toward the Yellow River
Official Departure !
Mountain outdoor sports are an activity that challenges human limits and inspires the courage to overcome oneself. It promotes harmony between humans and nature, and typically includes activities such as climbing, cross-country running, cycling, and rafting. Starting April 26, multiple Grade A mountain outdoor sports competitions organized by the Chinese Mountaineering Association kicked off in various cities across the country. These included the Baise International Mountain Outdoor Sports Challenge (200 km) and the Taining International Mountain Outdoor Sports Challenge (190 km), which emphasize mountainous terrain; the longest-distance Ordos International Outdoor Adventure Challenge (380 km); the uniquely southern Zunyi International Mountain Outdoor Sports Invitational; and the Chongqing Wulong International Outdoor Sports Open (260 km), known as one of the world’s top three mountain outdoor sports events. Together, these made up five major extreme sports competitions.
Preparation Before Cycling
The "Mountain Outdoor Sports Grade A Competition," as a new model of event and activity, integrates various outdoor sports disciplines and outstanding outdoor culture. As the special supporting partner for all Grade A mountain outdoor competitions organized by the Chinese Mountaineering Association throughout the year, KAILAS has consistently provided equipment support—including clothing—for each event, fully supporting the development of China's mountain outdoor sports. For the Ordos stop, KAILAS supplied professional gear, including clothing. This offered the most reliable equipment assurance and support for the off-road challenge under harsh conditions in deserts, Gobi waterways, mountains, and canyons, amid significant day-night temperature variations, over distances exceeding 300 kilometers, and in high-altitude, extremely arid, and water-scarce terrains.
Crossing Vast Deserts and Gobi
As a professional climbing brand, KAILAS is committed to "promoting the development of grassroots mountaineering and exploration sports." Since 2003, it has supported public welfare initiatives such as the "KAILAS Outdoor Coach Development Program," "KAILAS Climbing Team," and "KAILAS Mountaineering and Exploration School," nurturing a large number of key reserve talents for China’s mountaineering and outdoor sports. Additionally, KAILAS sponsors various professional outdoor events, including mountaineering, rock climbing, ice climbing, and off-road challenges, making significant contributions to the popularization and development of mountaineering and outdoor sports in China.