On November 10, the two-day 28th National Winter Swimming Championships 2024 successfully concluded at the Jingpohu Lake Scenic Area in Mudanjiang, officially marking the beginning of Jingpohu's winter ice and snow tourism season.

The competition was intense, fierce, and spectacular, featuring events such as the 50m and 100m freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, as well as the 4×50m freestyle relay and 4×50m medley relay, all conducted in accordance with the tournament regulations. Nearly 700 winter swimmers from across the nation, with fearless courage, tenacious perseverance, and superb skills, swam freely amid the picturesque landscapes of Jingpohu, presenting a feast for both the eyes and the spirit.

The participants all expressed that competing with top players from all over the country not only enriched their competition experience but also strengthened their mental resilience, and they will more actively engage in swimming exercises in the future.

During the competition, the unique natural environment of Jingpohu Lake and the warm, attentive service provided by the event organizers left a deep impression on the participants.

"All 11 members of our team are visiting Jingpohu Lake for the first time. We find the natural environment here incredibly beautiful and have experienced the charm of winter swimming in natural waters for the first time," said Bao Rongqing, leader of the Hongshan Winter Swimming Association from Urumqi, Xinjiang. He added that upon returning, he would definitely encourage more fellow swimmers to visit and experience Jingpohu. Cui Wenyun, a winter swimmer from Jiading, Shanghai, mentioned that this was her first time swimming in such a cold place, especially within the scenic area and under the magnificent waterfall, which provided her with a unique and refreshing experience. "Now I feel that traveling thousands of miles to participate in the competition was worth it, and I’ll come back more times if given the chance in the future."

To ensure the safe and orderly conduct of the winter swimming event, the organizers meticulously planned and refined the procedures, ensuring venue support and logistical services to comprehensively safeguard the physical and mental health of participants. "The event preparation is very thoughtful, from facilities to services, it's first-class among winter swimming events," praised participants from the Fushun Winter Swimming Association in Liaoning and the Jiayin Longxiang Swimming Association in Heilongjiang, among others, giving thumbs-up to Jingpohu.

In recent years, the Jingpohu Lake Scenic Area has fully leveraged its advantages by continuously hosting various types of sporting events, including the China Roller Skating Open, Jingpohu Lake Ice Marathon, and Ice Dragon Boat competitions. In 2022, it was designated as a National Sports Tourism Demonstration Base by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This has helped transform the "traffic" generated by sports events into "lasting appeal" for cultural and tourism consumption, continuously invigorating the tourism market and achieving dual success. (By Tang Fenglai)