Visitors can watch the competition up close
The 2012 IFSC Climbing World Cup (China – Chongqing) will be held with great fanfare on April 13–14 in Dadukou District, Chongqing. The Climbing World Cup is one of the two major events organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), the other being the World Climbing Championships. Similar to Formula 1 races, tennis tournaments, snooker Masters, and golf Opens, the Climbing World Cup is held in stages across different locations worldwide. Athletes can choose which events to enter, earn rankings and points, and the highest overall scorers are awarded the annual World Cup title. Most participants are top-ranked athletes with global recognition, making the World Cup a showcase of the highest level of competitive climbing.
This year’s competition is organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing, and co-hosted by the Climbing Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Chongqing Municipal Sports Bureau, and the People’s Government of Dadukou District, Chongqing. It is co-organized by the Dadukou District Sports Bureau of Chongqing and Beijing Oude Gao Sports Development Co., Ltd. under China Sports International. The event is of world-class caliber. It features four disciplines—men’s and women’s lead and speed climbing—and spans two days. Elite climbers from Europe, Asia, Oceania, and other regions will travel to Chongqing to participate.
“Audiences in Chongqing will have the rare chance to witness world-class climbers in action, right on the climbing wall,” said Li Zhixin, Executive Committee member of the IFSC and Director of the Climbing Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, during a press conference held by the Chongqing Municipal Government on March 20. Domestic and international media will provide live coverage of the event, especially CCTV-5, which will feature special reports, and China National Radio, which will offer live updates. The official IFSC website, the China Mountaineering Association website, as well as Xinhua Net, Huarenet, and Cqnews.net, will also offer full online streaming.
Li Zhixin also noted that this is the first time a top-tier international climbing competition has been held in Chongqing or the southwestern region, and it will have a significant impact on the development of climbing sports in the area. Next year, Chongqing will host the 5th National Games of China, where climbing is one of the featured sports. Hosting a high-level Climbing World Cup will lay a strong foundation for the climbing competitions at the National Games.
Dadukou Seizes the Opportunity to Showcase a New Image
At the International Olympic Committee meeting held last year in Durban, South Africa, sport climbing was selected as one of the eight candidate sports for the 2020 Olympics. With the times evolving, climbing has become a trendy urban sport—a new activity for fitness, leisure, pushing limits, and self-challenge. It has also emerged as a popular choice in nationwide fitness programs.
How did Dadukou stand out among the five or six domestic applicant cities? Li Zhixin explained that climbing, as a trendy and fast-growing sport, is still relatively underrepresented in Asia. In recent years, as sports development has accelerated, five or six domestic locations have vied to host the event. The decision to choose Dadukou took into full account Chongqing’s mountainous terrain. By holding the event in an urban area with dense population and wide influence, the goal is to fully showcase the sport’s appeal and promote its growth. The General Administration of Sport of China ultimately selected Dadukou to host the event, aiming to enhance the city’s visibility and brand through the competition while also boosting the sport itself.
Officials from Dadaukou District stated that the district’s sports sector has flourished, earning recognition as a national advanced unit in mass fitness activities for 15 consecutive years. Over the past five years, athletes trained in the district have won 64 championships in global, continental, and national competitions. The district has produced internationally renowned athletes such as martial arts world champions Xu Peng, Tang Lu, and Yuan Mengjie; badminton World Junior Champion and All England Open winner Li Xuerui; and women’s boxing 81kg champion Wang Yanrui.
“After the environmentally friendly relocation of Chongqing Iron and Steel Group on September 23, 2011, Dadukou entered a brand-new historical turning point. Our socioeconomic development faces tremendous challenges, which align closely with the spirit of this sport. We hope to use this climbing event to showcase Dadaukou’s new look after the steel plant relocation, and to highlight the vitality of a city known for quality living and emerging industries,” said a Dadaukou District official.
According to organizers, to allow the public to watch the athletes’ performances and even try climbing themselves, the competition will not charge admission. A free experience zone has been set up in the nearby Shunxiang Yijie Shopping Mall in the Jiugongmiao commercial district. The experience activities will continue until the 15th of this month, and professional coaches will be on-site to assist participants.