On November 17, the much-awaited 2018 "China Cup" International Orienteering Tour – Glorious No.1 Shenshan Sun-Moon Lake Station took place at the Sun-Moon Lake Scenic Area in the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone of Guangdong Province. According to the organizing committee, around 5,000 orienteering enthusiasts from home and abroad joined the competition. Among them, 700 were professional athletes, and the organizing committee specially invited delegations from orienteering clubs for exchange, adding significant value to this edition of the event.
(81-year-old Zheng Fengrong led the race)
It is understood that the 2018 China Cup International Orienteering Tour – Glorious No.1 Shenshan Sun-Moon Lake Station was jointly organized by the Aviation Radio Model Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Chinese Orienteering Association, and the Social Affairs Bureau of the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone in Shenzhen. The event was hosted by Gehua China-Olympics Group, Guangdong Sun-Moon Lake Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Shenshan Glorious Industrial Co., Ltd. The competition received strong support from the government and all sectors of society. Attendees at the opening ceremony included Li Jinmei, member of the Standing Committee of the Haimen County Committee of the CPC and head of the Social Affairs Bureau of the Shenshan Cooperation Zone, Zhang Shaofang, deputy director, Zheng Fengrong, recipient of the Olympic Order, former NPC deputy for the third term, and CPPCC National Committee member for the fifth, sixth, and ninth terms, Zheng Haixia, renowned basketball center, Gu Xingdong, project manager of the Orienteering Department at the Aviation Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, Wang Qi, president of Gehua China-Olympics Group, Zou Dahhu, former chief reporter of Economic Daily in Shenzhen, Zhang Pingzhao, editorial board member of Shenzhen Business Daily, Zhang Xuehu, president of the Shenzhen Media Research Association, Xin Yanjun, president of the Shenzhen Orienteering Association, Lou Min, ambassador for promoting the Five-Day Race in China, Zheng Weishan, chairman of Guangdong Shenshan Glorious Industrial Co., Ltd., and Zou Guoying, chairman of Guangdong Shenshan Sun-Moon Lake Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd.
(The oldest participant was 84 years old)
Orienteering is a new type of sport that combines intelligence, physical strength, and teamwork, offering high levels of participation and entertainment, and is especially popular among young people. The China Cup International Orienteering Tour was officially launched in 2017 and has since been held in seven major locations including Niushou Mountain in Nanjing, Qianshan in Liaoning, Yueyang in Hunan, Shenshan Sun-Moon Lake, and Zhenfeng in Guizhou. The 2017 edition held at the Shenshan Sun-Moon Lake Scenic Area also attracted thousands of athletes from around the world.
(The event is divided into professional and mass groups)
This year’s event is divided into professional and mass groups, featuring three disciplines: middle-distance orienteering, short-distance orienteering, and sprint orienteering. These are further divided into six categories: elite men and women, adult men and women, and youth men and women. The professional group registers individually under a tour points system, where top scorers will represent the national team in international competitions. The mass group includes individual, couple, and family categories, with winners determined by their performance on the day of the event.
Additionally, to support the Shenshan Sun-Moon Lake Station of the China Cup International Orienteering Tour, a commemorative event marking the 61st anniversary of the world high jump record set by China’s renowned female high jumper and Olympic Order recipient Zheng Fengrong on November 17, 1957, was also held at Sun-Moon Lake. On November 17, 1957, during an athletics competition in Beijing, the then 20-year-old Zheng Fengrong cleared the bar at 1.77 meters using the "scissors jump" technique, breaking the previous world record of 1.76 meters held by American athlete M. McDaniel. As a result, Zheng became China’s first female athlete to break a world record, the first in athletics, and the first in Asia since 1936 to do so in track and field.
(Zheng Fengrong encourages everyone to love sports)
During the commemorative event, Zheng Fengrong displayed some precious historical photos reflecting her athletic career and remarkable achievements at the Sun-Moon Lake Scenic Area, adding great luster to the competition. In an interview, Zheng Fengrong said, “I am very happy to have the opportunity to hold the world record-breaking commemoration event at the Sun-Moon Lake Scenic Area in the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone. It is heartening to see such a newly established special zone attach such importance to sports, and to witness the China Cup Orienteering event being held in such a beautiful place as Sun-Moon Lake. I hope more people will develop a love for sports.”
Zheng Haixia, China’s former leading female basketball center, also attended the event and offered her best wishes for its success.
(Zheng Haixia has long supported the nationwide promotion of orienteering)
Zhang Xiaofang, deputy director of the Social Affairs Bureau of the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, said in her opening speech that the event at the Shenshan Sun-Moon Lake Station is not only a joyous occasion for the China Cup International Orienteering Tour but also a milestone for the development of sports in the cooperation zone, fully demonstrating the care and trust placed in the zone by the organizing committee and higher sports authorities. As hosts, we will live up to expectations, and with professional management and quality services, ensure this event becomes a grand, warm, united, and inspiring sports competition.
(Competitors fully focused during the race)
Wang Qi, deputy director of the organizing committee and president of Gehua China-Olympics Group, said in his speech that the China Cup International Orienteering Tour is a high-end event that fully embodies the concept of "Healthy China," integrating sports, intellect, culture, poverty alleviation, and tourism. Its goal is to become China’s premier national-level outdoor sports competition. This year’s event at Sun-Moon Lake is the second edition following last year’s successful hosting, with increased scale, more professional athletes, and greater international participation, indicating that orienteering is gradually gaining recognition and popularity. He expressed gratitude to the organizers for their efforts and to all sectors of society for their attention and support of the China Cup International Orienteering Tour, and expressed confidence and best wishes for the event’s complete success.
(Speech by Zheng Weishan, chairman of Guangdong Shenshan Glorious Industrial Co., Ltd.)
Zheng Weishan, head of the organizing party and chairman of Guangdong Shenshan Glorious Industrial Co., Ltd., delivered a speech on behalf of the organizers. He said: As a high-end sporting event, the China Cup International Orienteering Tour settling in Sun-Moon Lake will help promote the development of mass sports in both the Shenshan Cooperation Zone and Shenzhen. It will also enrich the cultural foundation of sports at the Sun-Moon Lake Scenic Area. Leveraging the industrial impact brought by the event, efforts will be made to actively advance the construction of a distinctive sports town at Sun-Moon Lake.
(Zou Guoying, chairman of Guangdong Sun-Moon Lake Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd., awards prizes to winners)
After the opening ceremony, the participants started the race led by 81-year-old Zheng Fengrong.
That evening, to celebrate the 61st anniversary of Zheng Fengrong’s world record and the successful completion of the event, the organizing committee held a cultural evening party at the Sun-Moon Lake Scenic Area. The program was rich and colorful, and the highlight came when famous athletes like Zheng Fengrong took the stage to interact with the audience and share their stories, bringing the evening to a climax.
(Media coverage of the event)