"Snow and ice mirror the beauty of Jingpohu, while winter swimming dances with passion. On November 9, the 28th National Winter Swimming Championships of 2024 were grandly held at Jingpohu Lake National Scenic Area in Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province. The event lasted for two days. Attendees at the opening ceremony included Xu Qi, Director of the Social Activities Department of the Swimming Sports Management Center under the General Administration of Sport of China; Guo Yutian, Deputy Director of the Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Bureau; Li Chuanzhu, Vice Mayor of the People's Government of Mudanjiang City; and Li Zhiyu, Director of the Track and Field Water Sports Management Center of the Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Bureau."

First held in Heilongjiang with 18 provinces and cities participating

The National Winter Swimming Championships is the highest-level event in winter swimming competitions, held annually and organized by the Swimming Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Swimming Association. This year marks the first time it is being held in Heilongjiang Province, hosted by the People's Government of Mudanjiang City. Nearly 700 athletes from 31 teams across 18 provinces and cities in China are participating. The oldest competitor is 70 years old, while the youngest is 18.

Jingpohu Lake boasts unique natural resources and a rich historical culture. Its distinctive geographical environment and climate conditions make it particularly suitable for hosting various sports events and activities.

In recent years, Jingpohu Lake has successfully planned and organized a series of influential, high-level ice and snow sports events, including this championship, effectively leveraging the leading role of the flagship scenic area and the exemplary role of the "National Sports Tourism Demonstration Base."

"Mirror Lake Scenic Area · Snowy Forest" continues to resonate

At the opening ceremony, Li Chuanzhu, on behalf of the People's Government of Mudanjiang City, extended a warm welcome and heartfelt gratitude to all the leaders, guests, athletes, referees, coaches, and people from all walks of life who attended the ceremony. He also introduced the characteristic cultural tourism and the development of the ice and snow economy in Mudanjiang City.

Li Chuanzhu stated that Mudanjiang boasts excellent ecological environment, proximity to borders and the sea, and rich cultural heritage. It is recognized as one of China's outstanding tourist cities, top ten most livable cities, top 100 competitive tourist cities, top ten distinctive leisure cities, and top ten ice-snow tourism cities. Renowned for its "spectacular Jingpohu, snow-clad forest sea, century-old port, and China Snow Town," it enjoys the reputation of being "the Jiangnan of the north amid forested snowfields, a land of fish and rice between white mountains and black waters." In recent years, leveraging abundant natural resources like vast lakes, forests, wetlands, and ice-snow landscapes, along with profound cultural heritage, the city has vigorously developed distinctive cultural tourism and ice-snow economy using urban brands such as Jingpohu Lake (the world's largest volcanic lava-barrier lake) and China Snow Town (a winter fairy-tale world). This has continuously elevated the fame and influence of Mudanjiang's tourism brand: "Jingpohu's Scenic Wonders · Snow-Covered Forest Sea."

Intense competition adds color to the Asian Winter Games

After the opening ceremony, the competition officially began at 9:00 at the Diaoshuilou Waterfall of Jingpohu. It was early winter, and the water temperature of the Black Dragon Pool at the waterfall was around 12°C, which is the most suitable temperature for winter swimming. The competition was divided into specialized events by age group, including the Youth Group, Middle-aged Group, Elderly Group, and Evergreen Group, with races in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle relay, and medley relay. With the sound of the starting gun, the winter swimmers leaped into the Black Dragon Pool like fish entering water. They cut through the waves with elegant strokes and astonishing speed, charging forward like arrows shot from a bow toward the finish line, drawing enthusiastic applause and cheers from the spectators.

In the intense and fierce competition, both seasoned veterans and rising newcomers demonstrated tenacious perseverance and exceptional skills, embodying the sports spirit of "pushing one's limits" through their actions, presenting the audience with a spectacular feast of visual and mental athleticism.

The hosting of this championship not only contributes to spreading sports culture, stimulating the vitality of tourism development, and promoting the deep integration of culture, sports, and tourism in Heilongjiang Province as well as the upgrading of the tourism industry, but also adds momentum and brilliance to the 9th Asian Winter Games with high-level competitive exchanges and the sports spirit of challenging one's limits.(Reporter Zhang Xiaolei)