The atmosphere at the proposal scene at the dam bottom reached its peak

It is worth mentioning that at the event site, a man proposed to his girlfriend in front of over 7,000 spectators. "We met four years ago, and since then we have come to know each other well. I hope all of you here can witness our love. I don’t just want to give you momentary happiness, but lifelong joy. Will you marry me?" The crowd erupted into warm applause, and the atmosphere hit its climax.

The finish lines for the 100km, 50km, 10km, and tandem hiking events were all set up at the dam bottom platform. The organizing committee specially arranged a variety of fun interactive activities. In front of the climbing wall specially set up by The North Face, a large number of outdoor enthusiasts eager to try gathered—many of them experiencing rock climbing for the first time—turning the dam bottom platform into an outdoor carnival right after the race. One participant who had just finished the tandem hiking event said in an interview that simply being able to take part in the competition was already a joy; what mattered most was enjoying the process and embracing the feeling of "going wild."

Enhanced event safety measures

This edition of the trail challenge is the fourth time The North Face 100 has been held in China. In addition to the traditional 100km, 50km, and 10km events from previous years, this year saw the special addition of a 50km tandem hike and a children’s run. In terms of participation, the total number of athletes in The North Face 100 2012 Beijing International Endurance Running Challenge hit a new high, exceeding 8,000 participants. Both the scale and difficulty of the event have seen significant improvements compared to previous years. To ensure the smooth running of the event and the safety of the athletes, the organizing committee has arranged top-level security measures this year to safeguard the competition, while also striving to deliver a higher-standard Beijing International Endurance Race.

Due to the extremely long 100km course, with over 50% of the route consisting of mountainous and dirt road sections, and the highest altitude reaching 1,060 meters, ensuring the safety of the athletes has always been a key focus for the organizing committee. This year, the committee collaborated with the Red Line Foundation under the Beijing Red Cross Foundation to provide every 100km participant with a GPS-enabled E-Bao safety phone. The organizing committee can monitor each participant’s status from the backend, and in case of emergencies, athletes can immediately contact the organizing committee’s rescue personnel through the system’s emergency feature. In addition to the GPS system, the committee also provided headlamps for participants in the long-distance events. Moreover, 60 professional mountain rescue personnel were on standby along the mountainous sections to handle any potential dangers runners might face during the trail run. At the same time, 100 medical personnel were stationed at the starting point and along the supply stations to provide medical assistance. During the race, 500 volunteers were deployed at various checkpoints in the villages and towns along the route to ensure security. According to data from the organizing committee, there were 260 police and traffic officers on duty on the day of the race.

Results of the top three finishers

Men’s 100km

Champion: Yang Jiagen – 8 hours, 46 minutes, 50 seconds

Runner-up: Yun Yanqiao – 9 hours, 10 minutes, 8 seconds

Third place: Zeng Xiaoqiang – 9 hours, 35 minutes, 26 seconds

Women’s 100km

Champion: Kami – 11 hours, 1 minute, 28 seconds

Runner-up: Liu Junyan – 11 hours, 18 minutes, 22 seconds

Third place: Xing Ruling – 11 hours, 23 minutes, 23 seconds

Men’s 50km

Champion: Linus Holmsater – 4 hours, 20 minutes, 23 seconds

Runner-up: Klayten Finlayson Smith – 4 hours, 27 minutes, 07 seconds

Third place: Gu Bing – 4 hours, 42 minutes, 14 seconds

Women’s 50km

Champion: Zhang Qian – 5 hours, 48 minutes, 50 seconds

Runner-up: Teng Shufeng – 6 hours, 4 minutes, 33 seconds

Third place: Shi Yan – 6 hours, 33 minutes, 59 seconds

50km Tandem Hiking

Champion: Li Chong & Lu Yi – 7 hours, 3 minutes, 16 seconds

Runner-up: Zhang Shuxia & Jin Zhiqiang – 7 hours, 9 minutes, 19.70 seconds

Third place: Lu Debin & Li Yuan – 7 hours, 58 minutes, 51.60 seconds

Men’s 10km

Champion  Ye Erganati 39 minutes 45 seconds

Runner-up Liu Jianzhong      40 minutes 17 seconds

Third place Tang Handong      40 minutes 56 seconds

Women's 10km Group

Champion Cui Haimeng 41 minutes 34 seconds

Runner-up Fang Guangxia 42 minutes 17 seconds

Third place Fan Xueli 43 minutes 43 seconds