Having fun amidst the scenic hills and waters of Leye
By Our Reporter
Ye Zhufeng
At 4 p.m., as Finnish athletes Makela, Forsman, Malmstrom, and Moning trekked over the mountains and through the waters to finally reach the finish line set up in the Baise Tiankeng, the members of the Thule team, who had already won first place in the first stage of the 2012 Baise Leye Mountain Outdoor Challenge, had finished the race more than an hour earlier amid the warm songs and dances of the ethnic minority people in Leye County, attended the award ceremony, and were preparing to return to their hotel for rest.
Despite such a significant gap in results, the joy on the Finnish athletes’ faces as they crossed the finish line was unmistakable. They high-fived friends waiting for them and took commemorative photos.
These Finnish athletes, who are passionate about embracing nature, work in fields such as computing and stock brokering. They have been “horse friends” and “outdoor enthusiasts” for many years, participating in marathons and outdoor cross-country challenges every year. Their reasons for signing up for the Baise Leye outdoor race were, firstly, that they had never experienced a multi-stage cross-country race spanning three days, and secondly, because they had heard that Leye is a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. The serene environment of green mountains and clear waters almost made them sign up without hesitation.
There were also athletes from the United States and the United Kingdom who had visited the area multiple times. They told reporters that the beauty of Leye is simply irresistible and needs no resistance—“being able to run a cross-country course like this is a gift from heaven.”
Baise’s Leye County has hosted the Mountain Outdoor Challenge for many years, hoping to use this opportunity to step out of its “hidden gem” status. They aim to integrate tourism elements, emphasize experience and enjoyment, attract more international participants, and promote a more relaxed style of competition.
As a result, the mountain trails and the streets of the county town were filled with the footprints of these professionally equipped individuals. When a lazy little dog strolled casually across the track, tourists couldn’t help but cheer “Go for it!” Ethnic minority boys and girls, dressed in their finest attire, watched the excitement while also tending to their businesses. Amidst all this playing, running, watching, and laughing, the Baise Leye Mountain Outdoor Challenge set off from Luomei Square, climbed over the escape wall, rode mountain bikes, descended via ropes, and finally arrived at the Leye Tiankeng.
Perhaps few can remember the athletes’ scores or names, but everyone who participated has already answered everything with the smiles on their faces—and isn’t that the best interpretation of joyful sports?
(Report from Baise, April 26)
The 2012 Baise Leye Mountain Outdoor Race Kicks Off
Baise, April 26 — By Our Reporter Ye Zhufeng: At 9 a.m. today, the fifth 2012 Baise Leye Mountain Outdoor Challenge kicked off with the firing of the starting gun at the bustling Luomei Square. Wang Baoliang, former head of the Discipline Inspection Group of the General Administration of Sport of China and Vice Chairman of the Chinese Olympic Committee, Li Zhixin, Director of the Mountaineering Center, and Deputy Directors Yan Jin’an and Zhang Jiangyuan attended the opening ceremony.
In his speech, Li Zhixin said that Leye maintains a beautiful pristine natural environment and has been awarded the title of "UNESCO Global Geopark." It boasts unique natural conditions for mountain outdoor sports and rock climbing. Since 2008, the first Mountain Outdoor Challenge and two national rock climbing competitions have been successfully held here. Through these events, mountain outdoor sports have become a well-known activity locally, and the two competitions have also become traditional flagship events for Leye.
In the first day’s qualifying race, the Thule Adventure Team, China University of Geosciences Team, and Columbus Outdoor Team ranked first, second, and third with times of 5 hours, 13 minutes, and 16 seconds; 5 hours, 22 minutes, and 13 seconds; and 5 hours, 26 minutes, and 2 seconds, respectively, launching strong challenges for the overall championship on the 28th.