From April 13 to 15, the 2012 National Mountain Outdoor Sports Championship, jointly organized by the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau, and the People's Government of Wenzhou City, was held for the first time in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. After three days of intense competition, the strong Kolumb (Golonpo) Outdoor Team, which took the lead and crossed the finish line first for three consecutive days, won with an absolute advantage among 25 professional outdoor sports teams, claiming the championship title for the sixth consecutive time.
The 2012 National Mountain Outdoor Sports Championship is the first major event of the year, and every participating team attached great importance to it. Three days before the competition, the Kolumb (Golonpo) Outdoor Team arrived at the venue to start adaptive training and made full preparations. The team’s strong performance attracted many outstanding outdoor athletes to join, making this year’s squad one of the strongest in history. With favorable timing, location, and human resources, facing strong opponents such as the China University of Geosciences (Beijing) Outdoor Team, on the first day of the competition the Kolumb (Golonpo) Outdoor Team boldly claimed first place. They then continued their unstoppable momentum over the next two days, growing stronger as they fought, wearing the yellow leader’s jersey all the way to the champion podium.
“The rafting section at the end of today’s race was especially thrilling—nowhere else has rafting that exciting,” said Pajula, a member of the Kolumb (Golonpo) Outdoor Team, excitedly at the end of the second day of the competition.
“The waterfall rappelling felt really refreshing. The mountain biking earlier got really hot, but coming down the waterfall was cool!” said Bate Meng, also a member of the Kolumb (Golonpo) Outdoor Team, expressing his enjoyment when talking about the competition experience.
Rafting and waterfall rappelling, events that seem extremely dangerous to outsiders, are seen by the Kolumb (Golonpo) Outdoor Team members as thrilling and enjoyable fun. Their love for the sport makes them fearless warriors, seeking challenges and perfecting life. The competition brings them the unique joy of outdoor sports that only athletes can experience—a joy that even surpasses the happiness of winning the championship.
As the top event in China’s mountain outdoor sports, this edition of the competition attracted25professional outdoor sports teams125athletes and coaches from across the country to gather in Wenzhou, competing over three days in thetouristattractions of Wenzhou’s Rui Tang River, Sanyang Wetland, Daluo Mountain, and Zeya, covering a total distance of140kilometers, and featuring/competition events including cross-country running, mountaineering, mountain biking, alternating run-bike segments, mountain biking, orienteering through fixed points, canoeing, and rope-based outdoor skills,10events in total, with19teams completing the final race.