Northern lands are wrapped in boundless ice for thousands of miles. On January 10, the frozen Hun River surface by Changchun
Bridge in Fushun, Liaoning was awakened by resounding drums and warm cheers, as the 2025-2026 Ice Dragon Super League
(Fushun Stop) grandly opened here. As a flagship event sustaining and expanding the achievements of encouraging 300 million people to engage in ice and snow sports,
the league is far more than a high-level ice sports competition. It serves as an in-depth practice featuring sports as the platform and
cultural tourism as the highlight, presenting a vivid picture of the vigorous development of mass ice and snow sports.
Guided by the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation and China Culture Industries Promotion Association, the event
is hosted by the Dragon Boat Culture Professional Committee of China Culture Industries Promotion Association, supported
by Liaoning Provincial Sports Bureau, and undertaken by Fushun Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio, Television and Fushun
Sports Development Center. A total of over 500 ice sports athletes gathered here, consisting of 18 elite teams in the open category from across the country
and 12 local teams from Fushun. Coming from Zhaoqing in Guangdong and grasslands in Inner Mongolia, from universities in Yunnan to the coast of the Bohai Sea,
ice dragon boat racing, an innovative sport, connects the passion for ice and snow across China with its unique charm. Among the participating teams, there are seasoned traditional powerhouses and energetic university student teams, male athletes of
great fortitude as well as outstanding women’s dragon boat teams. Through contests of speed and strength, they embody the spirit
of teamwork and perseverance.
The opening ceremony was held in a solemn and vibrant atmosphere. Leaders and guests attending the event included Luo Zhongyi, President of the International Ice Dragon Boat Federation and President
of the Dragon Boat Culture Professional Committee of China Culture Industries Promotion Association; Wu Jie, Member of the Standing
Committee of Fushun Municipal Party Committee and Vice Mayor of Fushun; Kang Yi, Member of the Standing Committee of Fushun
Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Publicity Department; Zhang Jiajuan, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Fushun
Municipal People’s Congress; Gu Jianfeng, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Fushun Municipal
Committee; Shi Yi, Director of Fushun Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television; and Zhang Shaoqiang, Director of Fushun Sports
Development Center. More than ten central, provincial and municipal mainstream media outlets covered the event, documenting this grand ice and snow sports gala.
On the track, war drums beat loudly as ice dragon boats sped forward. Crowds of spectators lined both riverbanks,
brimming with fiery enthusiasm. Despite the sharp drop in temperature, the audience’s passion remained undiminished.
Local residents, bringing along the elderly and children, claimed good viewing spots early to cheer loudly for every sprint. Meanwhile, the elaborately planned Ice and Snow Carnival brought diverse delights. Long queues formed in front of stew
stalls, where authentic Northeast Chinese delicacies dispelled the bitter cold of winter. At the specialty market, a rich array
of intangible cultural heritage products and local agricultural and cultural creations showcased Fushun’s regional charm. In
the ice and snow playground, children’s laughter and the fun of recreational facilities intertwined into joyful melodies. This one-stop experience of watching thrilling competitions, tasting local delicacies and enjoying ice-snow fun elevates the
event beyond mere sports competition, turning it into a winter cultural tourism festival for public participation and shared happiness.
The curtain of the tournament has risen, and the passion will continue to burn bright. The 2025-2026 Ice Dragon Super League has
not only built a top-tier competitive stage for ice sports enthusiasts across the country, but also injected strong momentum into the
integrated development of winter sports, culture and tourism nationwide.
It symbolizes that the achievements of encouraging 300 million people to engage in ice and snow sports are taking root, blooming and
bearing fruit across China. It also demonstrates that the innovative path of integrating tradition with modernity, and sports with culture
—with ice and snow as the bridge—is becoming increasingly broad.
This winter, on the ice, what we see is more than just speeding boats and striving athletes; it is a new picture of northern China slowly
unfolding, one defined by public health, cultural prosperity and industrial revitalization.
The 2025-2026 Ice Dragon Super League boasts extensive reach and far-reaching influence. Its events span Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei,
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with athletes participating from all over China and overseas.
The league will move to Chaoyang, Liaoning on January 14 for its next stop. Stay tuned for more spectacular moments!
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