FOSHAN, China, Nov. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 29th, 130 thousand marathon lovers gathered in Xiqiao, a famous town in south China. The International Semi-Marathon, the 11 km event, and Superhero Orienteering Race of Xiqiao Mountain in 2017 started as the gun fired.
The International Half Marathon of Xiqiao Mountain (also called Xima) has been improved not only in terms of track settings, number of participants, medical and logistical support, but also integration of the theme song "Xi ma," 3D graffiti, superhero play and other elements, allowing the players to experience the different pleasures, and Xiqiao Mountain, the national 5A scenic spot let the athletes feel the unique charm of Lingnan customs.
At 8:00 in the morning, Li Yan from the Foshan city standing committee, Liu Gongping, the Vice Researcher of Foshan Sports Bureau, Feng Hongde from the Asia Running Association Committee, Huang Songhua, the secretary of Party Committee of Nanhai district in Foshan, Feng Zhengxiang, the Vice Manager of Xiqiao Tourism Management Committee, Liang Huiyan, the Chief Director of Nanhai District Travel Bureau, Zheng Yiqing, the Vice Director of Guangdong Broadcast Sports Channel, Chen Zhaoyi, the vice manager of Nanhai District Government Office, and You Yunrong, the Vice Director of Nanhai Culture and Travel Bureau, announced the beginning of this event. In the heated atmosphere, about 9,000 participants could not keep themselves from starting to run from Ximenpaifang to the track.
This Semi-Marathon event encircles the Xiqiao Mountain,a national 5A scenic spot. It begins and ends with the Ximenpaifang (the west gate of Xiqiao Mountain), via Tingyin Lake, Yunmenpaifang, Baiyun Hole scenic area, Guanshanxu, the Sea of Flowers, Nanhai Museum, National Art Film City, Fishing and Tillage Cultural Tourism Park and other famous tourist attractions. The finish line of the 11-kilometer race track was set up at the Sea of Flowers. Participants could enjoy both the fun of running and the beautiful scenery of Xiqiao Mountain, which is really a unique experience.
As China's first "double-marathon" (24-hour ultra-marathon+ semi-marathon) race, "Xima" not only has two international certifications of IAU (International Association of Ultra-runners) and AIMS (Association of International Marathon and Distance Races), but also obtained the Certification of Class-B from the Chinese Athletic Association. Since the first "Xima" took place in 2016, with the great brand influence, the race quickly spread from Xiqiao to the entire Nanhai District. "Only five thousand people took part in the event last year, but this year, in addition to Xima, we also added an 11-kilometer race, which attracted 9, 000 people to participate in these two events. It illustrates the recognition and support from runners across the country in the event of the Xiqiao Mountain Marathon," Kuang Qian said. Kuang is the director of the office of the Management Committee of Xiqiao Mountain Scenic Spots in Nanhai District. Consecutive running races of two years have greatly improved the popularity and reputation of Xiqiao. More people know Xiqiao through the marathon, which also recommends scenic spots more powerfully and promotes urban construction. Tingyin Lake, as the starting and end point of this competition, will be our focus on building the Lingnan cultural tourism RBD in the future. And it will also be the portal of tourism in Xiqiao Mountain."
In order to make the marathon not so monotonous, the Organizing Committee specially integrated some trendy elements into this event. Marathon Expo and concert were organized to make the contestants fully relaxed before the competition. On the site of the event, there was 3D graffiti, stretching massage, a bubble bath pool, competition draw, lady-dedicated WC, environmental protection and recycling projects of the event resources. The track also featured Big Buddha, dragon dance, lion dance and other characteristic Lingnan cultural performances, which made the players not only feel the joy brought by the marathon, but also experience a joy of carnival with both heart and soul.
In order to display the panorama of the event better, at four fixed points, a helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicles were set. 8 direct broadcast lines covered more than 20 urban channels such as Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Changsha and so on. According to the statistics, the number of people who watched the Netease broadcast ( 7:00 - 11:00 ) in the Foshan area reached 308 thousand.
The number of participants who took part in the Semi-Marathon, the 11-kilometer Marathon and the Superhero Orienteering Race is 7000, 2000 and 4000 respectively. To ensure the safety and traffic of the event, a total of 1313 security personnel were on site. There were security personnel and mobile security vehicle patrols on each kilometer of the track, and six emergency response positions were located in key locations. In the aspect of medical security, in order to reduce the risk of emergency to a minimum, the Organizing Committee made detailed and thoughtful arrangements. At the starting point, there was ICU, with 13 ambulances, 20 medical security vehicles, 12 medical stations, and 20 AED machines with 20 mobile medical bicycles along the track. A total of 520 people, including 160 local medical personnel in Nanhai District, were involved in the medical care of Semi-Marathon and 11-km Marathon.
Finally, the champion of Men's and Women's Marathon was won by Bian Qi and Yin Xiaoyu. Both two of them praised the beautiful scenery of the circuit, especially the flowers, during the interview after the competition.
As Xiqiao was elected as a "National Characteristic Town," "Xima," as a name card of Xiqiao, Nanhai and even the entire Foshan, will become the best window for the world to know Xiqiao building "Lingnan Culture and Tourism Town," for Nanhai to build "Innovation New City" and for Foshan to develop as a "National Manufacturing Innovation Center."
