On November 10, the two-day 2024 28th National Winter Swimming Championships successfully concluded at Jingpohu Lake Scenic Area in Mudanjiang, officially marking the beginning of Jingpohu's winter ice and snow tourism season.
The competition was intense, thrilling, 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 country, armed with fearless courage, tenacious perseverance, and exceptional skills, swam freely amidst the breathtaking scenery of Jingpohu, presenting a feast for both the eyes and the spirit.
The contestants all expressed that competing against top players from across the country not only enriched their competition experience but also strengthened their mental resilience, and they would participate more actively 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, the leader of the Hongshan Winter Swimming Association from Urumqi, Xinjiang. He added that upon returning, he would certainly encourage more swimming enthusiasts to visit Jingpohu Lake for the experience. Cui Wenyun, a winter swimmer from Jiading, Shanghai, shared that this was her first time swimming in such a cold place, especially amid the picturesque scenery and beneath the magnificent waterfall, which gave her a fresh and unique experience. "Now I feel it was absolutely worth traveling thousands of miles to participate in this competition. I’d love to come back more times if given the chance in the future."
To ensure the safe and orderly conduct of this winter swimming event, the organizers meticulously planned and refined the procedures, ensuring venue support and logistical services, among other tasks, to comprehensively safeguard the physical and mental well-being of participants. "The preparations for the event were very thoughtful, from the facilities to the services, it’s top-notch among winter swimming competitions," praised participants from the Fushun Winter Swimming Association in Liaoning and the Jiayin Longxiang Swimming Association in Heilongjiang, among others, giving full marks to Jingpohu.
In recent years, the Jingpohu Lake Scenic Area has fully leveraged its advantages by continuously hosting various sports 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, transforming the "traffic" brought by sports events into "retention" for cultural and tourism consumption. This has continuously invigorated the tourism market, achieving a dual success. (Tang Fenglai)
