On December 25, the second leg of the “CIMALP Cup” China Alpine Skiing Tour — the Elite Race — concluded successfully at the Songhua Lake Resort in Jilin. Jin Xin claimed the championship, with Yang Yanbin, Han Chuang, Li Song, Zhou Jie, Wang Yihao, and Wang Jianzhuang ranking from 2nd to 8th respectively. Organized by the Chinese Ski Association and hosted by Hebei Wanlong Resort, Jilin Songhua Lake Resort, Hebei Taiwu Ski Resort, and Heilongjiang Yabuli Ski Resort, this event blends mass skiing with professional skiing to promote the development of China’s winter sports industry and support the 2022 Winter Olympics. This year’s event garnered significant attention, backed by multiple national and societal factors.
Group photo of the top eight athletes at the Jilin Songhua Lake stop
A $1 trillion market and the professional apparel needs of 300 million people
In October 2016, the General Office of the State Council issued the “Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Fitness and Leisure Industry” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”), proposing that the total scale of the fitness and leisure industry should reach 3 trillion yuan by 2025. The “Opinions” focus on five outdoor sports: winter sports, mountain and outdoor activities, water sports, motor and auto sports, and aviation sports. It is preliminarily estimated that by 2020, the combined scale of these major fitness and leisure sports industries will exceed 1.5 trillion yuan, forming new development patterns such as the southward and westward expansion of winter sports, the three vertical and three horizontal routes of mountain and outdoor activities, the two rivers and two seas for water sports, the three circles and three lines for motor and auto sports, and the 200-kilometer flying circle for aviation sports.
The fitness and leisure industry is a series of economic activities that use sports as a medium, participation and experience as the main forms, and aim to promote physical and mental health by providing related products and services to the public. It is the most direct area of public involvement in sports and drives the comprehensive development of the sports industry. With China’s economic growth, rising living standards, and increasing health awareness, the fitness and leisure industry is gaining more public favor. Activities such as skiing, mountaineering, marathons, and cycling have flourished, with growing participation. On November 2, the General Administration of Sport of China released the “Winter Sports Development Plan (2016–2025)” and the “National Winter Sports Facilities Construction Plan (2016–2022)”. The goal for 2025 is to have over 50 million people directly participating in winter sports and to engage 300 million people in such activities, aiming for a total winter sports industry scale of 1 trillion yuan.
“China’s Winter Olympics will engage 300 million people in winter sports, which will lead to explosive growth in the winter sports market,” said Wang Zhu, Chairman of CIMALP (China) Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., in an interview. Winter sports face challenges from wind, rain, and snow, making professional clothing even more essential.
Professional R&D, Champion Quality
CIMALP (pronounced “Shee-mar-loo”) was founded in France in 1964, originating from a textile factory established in 1890 by the MARSANNE family in France that produced silk undergarments with thermal insulation properties. CIMALP (China) Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., while preserving its authentic French heritage, has continuously advanced through design styles and brand philosophies, dedicating itself fully to developing the Chinese market. The company researches and customizes new windproof, waterproof, and cold-resistant down jackets as well as other quick-dry series suitable for mid- to high-end consumers seeking “extreme sports, urban outdoor” style apparel and gear. Building on the French headquarters' principle of “joint R&D, joint procurement, joint production, and joint sales,” the company has carried out differentiated R&D tailored to different regional cultures with “special groups, special needs, special designs, and special customization.” This has resulted in the launch of mid- to high-end extreme/fashion outdoor sports equipment suitable for the Chinese market, seamlessly blending classic and modern styles, and perfectly harmonizing the extreme with the romantic. With a strong French essence, CIMALP interprets the perfect fusion of century-old heritage and cutting-edge fashion.
Yuan Li, General Manager of CIMALP (China) Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., said: “CIMALP insists on starting with high quality, emphasizing the integration of technology and fashion, and leading outdoor sports trends through customized fashionable outdoor products. Features such as permanent anti-static, antibacterial, fast moisture absorption, and quick-drying all use world-certified, environmentally friendly, high-quality fabrics recognized by BULESIGN. From the inside out, they provide wearers with a safe and comfortable experience.” For the China Alpine Skiing Tour, CIMALP specially launched a series of stylish skiwear made with lightweight, abrasion-resistant, and tear-resistant high-tech fabrics. The surface is treated with Teflon for oil and stain resistance. The design also includes YKK waterproof zippers, underarm ventilation zippers, energy-gathering heat-reflective linings, adjustable waistbands, ankle abrasion-resistant fabric, ankle zippers, and windproof cuffs. The windproof hood also effectively shields the face from wind and snow, fully supporting the popularization of skiing in China with technological and fashionable contributions.
CIMALP designer Li Xiaoxiao
Li Xiaoxiao, designer at CIMALP, said: “The ‘CIMALP Cup’ China Alpine Skiing Tour is the highest-level skiing competition in China, organized by the Chinese Ski Association. Since entering China in 2013, CIMALP has been dedicated to designing professional skiwear for China. By sponsoring this race and gathering feedback from professional athletes wearing CIMALP skiwear, we continuously refine and improve our designs, striving to create top-tier skiwear. Most of China’s ski resorts are located inland, characterized by cold, dry climates with low temperatures, strong winds, and hard snow, placing very high demands on the professionalism of skiwear. CIMALP skiwear offers 100% windproof, waterproof, and cold-resistant protection, and all fabrics are treated to be PFAS-free, meeting national environmental certifications.” Jin Xin, champion of the Jilin Songhua Lake Resort stop, said: “CIMALP clothes are quite light, warm, comfortable, and breathable, fitting well and feeling just right.”
Technology, fabric, design, environmental responsibility, and comfort all contribute to CIMALP’s champion quality. Yuan Li stated: “Whoever wears CIMALP’s professional gear has the potential to be a champion. This not only represents the athletes’ caliber but also reflects the pursuit of perfection by the athletes themselves and by CIMALP. For ordinary consumers, it also marks the beginning of their champion life.”