China is looking for a new breed of winter sports icons. (Photo : Reuters)
China has kicked off the “Long March,” the country’s ambitious plan of gathering 300 million people to get involved in winter sports such as skiing and skating.
“Long March” is part of Beijing’s bid file for the Winter Olympics slated in 2022.
Liu Peng, head of the Chinese Olympic Committee, said: "We believe the Winter Olympics bid could boost participation and involvement in winter sports across China.”
"The fast development of winter sports may also change the lifestyle of millions of Chinese and help them live a healthier and more enjoyable life,” Liu added.
Winter sports are no longer new for the people of northeastern Chinese provinces of Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang. For decades now, the traditional “Take Millions of Teenagers to Ice and Snow” has been continuously supported by the residents.
Hailing from Heilongjiang, International Olympic Committee member Yang Yang was one of the beneficiaries of this sports endeavor.
"Thanks to this project, I had the chance to learn to skate at school over 30 years ago," Yang recounted.
Yang, who began her skating career at eight, now runs a skating rink in Shanghai, a metropolis area 1,000 kilometers south of her hometown.
"I am delighted to see that skating is getting more and more popular in Shanghai," Yang said, adding how it has been difficult to find a place for skating in the area.
"Our rink receives 400 to 500 skaters per day on the weekend and I found the attendance quite satisfactory," Yang added.
Yang, who has earned the first Winter Olympic gold medal for China in 2002, also shared that “students from 14 schools have started to take skating classes at our rink since March, which means we will have 2,000 kids learning skating here this semester.”
Asked about the “Long March,” the gold medalist said that she is confident that the country will reach the 300-million target.
"I don't see why not. When we talk about the Winter Olympics, we are not only talking about Beijing, but also the rest of China. Taking into account the rapid development of winter sports in Shanghai, Guangdong, Nanjing, I believe we can make it,” she enthused.
Former NBA star Yao Ming echoed the same thought, saying that “there are quite a lot of winter sports enthusiasts in south China.”
Yao is named as the promotion ambassador of the Winter Olympics bid.
"The Winter Olympic Games not only promote winter sports, but also offer us great opportunities to enjoy life and have some leisure. I think more and more Chinese would like to get out of crowded cities and enjoy outdoor sports like most of the winter events," the basketball icon added.
For 2013 until 2014, ski resorts in China have received around 3 million domestic visits, as reported by the Chinese Skiing Association (CSA). The statistic is 10,000 higher than the 1995 to 1996 season.
According to a CSA official, “there should be approximately one million skiers all over China.”
"Skiing is no doubt getting more and more popular in China, but the number of people involved is still small compared to sports like football and basketball. We need to work hard over the next years,” the official further remarked.
