Launch of the Youth Winter Sports Spring Carnival and the 10th Summer Palace Ice Sports Event

Source：BODA2023-12-29

The Opening Ceremony of the Youth Winter Sports Spring Carnival, which was part of the 14th Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival, and the 10th Summer Palace Ice Sports Event was held in the Summer Palace in Beijing, Ji Chuanpai, member of the CPC Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Beijing Olympic City Development Center, Miao Xiangliu, Director of the Service Management Office of the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks, and Lian Yuchun, Vice President of Beijing City University, attended the Opening Ceremony. Li Aibing, Associate Counsel of the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks, announced the opening of the event. Li Xiaoguang, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Beijing Summer Palace Management Office and the Summer Palace’s Director, and Qi Xuan, Deputy Director of the Publicity and Promotion Department of the Beijing Olympic City Development Center, delivered speeches on behalf of the organizer and the sponsor respectively. Speed skating world champion Wang Beixing interacted with the crowd during the event.

(Group photo of the guests)

Ceremony. Li Aibing, Associate Counsel of the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks, announced the opening of the event. Li Xiaoguang, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Beijing Summer Palace Management Office and the Summer Palace’s Director, and Qi Xuan, Deputy Director of the Publicity and Promotion Department of the Beijing Olympic City Development Center, delivered speeches on behalf of the organizer and the sponsor respectively. Speed skating world champion Wang Beixing interacted with the crowd during the event.

（Li Aibing announces the opening of the event)

According to Li Xiaoguang, the Summer Palace and the Beijing Olympic City Development Center joined force to organize the Youth Winter Sports Spring Carnival and the 10th Summer Palace Ice Sports Event with a view to carrying on the spirit of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, fostering a national culture of fitness through the promotion of winter sports, bolstering the influence of Beijing as the first city in the world to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, and solidifying the outcomes of the campaign to engage 300 million people in winter sports. They diversified the cultural and performing arts activities, such as bingxi (“play on ice”) ice skating performances, bolstered the cultural and recreational appeal of on-ice fitness activities in the Summer Palace, and increased the accessibility and popularity of winter sports, as well as the public’s enjoyment in participation. These activities offered citizens and tourists an opportunity to stay in shape while immersing themselves in the richness of traditional culture related to ice sports.

（Li Xiaoguang delivers a speech)

Qi Xuan said, “Today, we kicked off the Youth Winter Sports Spring Carnival and the 10th Summer Palace Ice Sports Event with a grand Opening Ceremony. This festive kick-off is an invitation to everyone to embrace the wonders of winter sports, relish the picturesque scenery of the royal garden, and immerse themselves in the extraordinary legacy of Beijing, which is the first city in the world to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. This event promises to be an unforgettable experience for both locals and visitors. The year 2024 will mark the 100th anniversary of the inaugural Olympic Winter Games and the second anniversary of the Beijing 2022 Games. In anticipation of these significant milestones, we will intensify collaboration with all stakeholders to launch additional high-quality public service projects. In doing so, we strive to ensure the benefits of the Olympic Games permeate deeper into society. Ultimately, we hope to open a new chapter in China’s modernization journey, fueled by the spirit of the Olympic Games.”

（Qi Xuan delivers a speech)

At the Opening Ceremony, China’s speed skating world champion Wang Beixing captivated the audience with a glimpse into her journey through the world of winter sports. Holding the bronze medal from speed skating women’s 500m at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, she encouraged everyone to embrace the wonders of winter sports, not just for physical well-being but also for infusing life with passion and flair.

(Wang Beixing at the Opening Ceremony)

Following the ceremony, a diverse array of ice sports demonstrations unfolded on the frozen expanse of Kunming Lake. During the bingxi flags fluttered in the air, and armor gleamed under the sunlight. Adorned in the uniforms

（Bingxi performance)

Students from the Capital Institute of Physical Education and Sports demonstrated how to play ice hockey.

(Ice hockey demonstration)

The on-site event at Kunming Lake featured ice bikes and whimsical ice car races for parent-child teams, transforming the lake into a playground of frosty delights.

(Bicycle racing on ice)

（Ice car races for parent-child teams)

The remaining part of the 10th Summer Palace Ice Sports Event will continue at the Kunming Lake Ice Rink in the Summer Palace. The event will highlight key elements such as the outdoors, ice and snow, fun, carnival, Winter Olympics, and themed exhibitions. Spanning an expansive 350,000 square meters, the ice rink can host up to 5,000 participants simultaneously. The event will feature four categories and five types of activities, including single-person ice cars, two-player ice cars, ice bikes, and robotic dog sled rides. Amidst the breathtaking scenery of the Summer Palace, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the Dual Olympic City themed exhibition on the East Embankment and immerse themselves in the allure of ice activities and winter sports on the Kunming Lake. Opening hours of the event:

8:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily, from late December 2023 to February 4, 2024. (Opening hours are subject to change based on weather conditions.)

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