Mountain biking marathon develops new map for mass sport in China

German engineer Stephan Polzin had been in Changchun, Northeastern China for one and half years already, but he had participated many Vasaloppet events such as cross-country ski, marathon and so on at Jingyuetan National forest park.

With six friends from different companies in Changchun, Stephan took part in 2015 Changchun Jingyuetan Forest Mountain Biking Marathon here on August 30, which is the first international mountain biking marathon race held in China, and attracted more than 600 professional and amateur cyclists from 14 countries and regions.

In the rain of fall, cyclists wore helmets, glasses and gloves, racing in the mountain road, shady lanes, and one stretch around a lake. Players can enjoy the environment during beautiful track, no matter they are in 60km racing group or 30km fun biking progress.

"I participated Vasa events in summer and winter, They are all good events, making people get associated," Stephan said.

"People are chasing, you know some are fast and some are slow. Although the ground is very very slippy and some got muddy, We enjoyed the race and got pleasure from it." he added.

Stephan told to Xinhua that, he not only had known many new Chinese friends form the sports events, but also witnessed so much change in China' s mass sport recently. In his eyes, Chinese enthusiasm of participating in outdoor sports is more and more high.

"What's more, the new life concept of chasing high quality had integrated into Chinese daily lives," Stephan said.

Vasa series events originated from Sweden in 1922, and it is one of the most famous sports events in the world. Vasaloppet Ski Festival launched in China in 2003, when only 200 skiers came to take part in the competition.

But in the year's Vasaloppet Ski Festival, more than 5000 professional and amateur skiers from over 30 countries were in the field.

"Vasaloppet China Festival is a bridge, a bring beyond sports," said president of Vasaloppet China Guan Shusen. Now Changchun have built three sports events besides Ski, both Changchun Jingyuetan Marathon and Biking Marathon are expected to copy the successful mode of Vasaloppet China Ski Festival.

"Biking is not just a way for travel in China, it stands for a health and fashion life style," said Chen Keshi, director of Tourism Bureau in Changchun Jingyue National High-tech Industrial Development Zone.

"Jingyuetan Park has the largest artificial forest in Asia, and the similar nature climate as in Nordic Europe. We organized the 2015 MTB marathon. We want to see more and more people participating the outdoor sports," Chen said.

"Biking in the forest is also a better tourism experience, compared to the common boring walking and shooting photos visit," she added.

Taken from Xinhua