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From October 19 to 20, 2,452 athletes from 11 provinces in China participated in the 2013 Qiyun Mountain fourth cross-country competition jointly organized by the Anhui Mountaineering Association, the Huangshan city sports bureau and the people's government of Xiuning county.
The cross-country competition has garnered attention from the Qiyun Mountain scenic area. It has played a great role in promoting the image of Huangshan city and other tourism-related businesses in the area. Also, as a rather new form of competition, it is significantly helpful for the integration of sports and tourism. Qiyun Mountain is a core part of Xiuning county's plan to build a lifestyle and leisure town. The competition also serves as an important platform.
The competition is the largest in its history. The organizers are utilizing this competition as an opportunity to display the culture of Taoism and Huiland, and to enhance the Qiyun Mountain scenic area's influence as a tourism image.
The cross-country competition officially started at 10 am on October 20. Groups of two men and one woman started from the parking lot and ran through many beautiful scenic areas before arriving again at the starting point. The runners fully displayed their cooperation ability and team spirit. The team from Shanghai Yide Culture Communication Co topped the competition, finishing in only 45 minutes and 54 seconds. The second and third winners were the 'walking in Jinhua' team and the team from the Huangshan Cycling Association.
On the night before the competition, a huge gala featuring the culture of Huiland and Taoism was held. Participants of the competition as well as tourists enjoyed various performances and a bonfire party.
As one of the four most famous Taoist mountains, Qiyun Mountain has been moving forward boldly in recent years. The development of the Qiyun Mountain eco-cultural tourism zone is now one of the biggest projects of the Huangshan city government. The completion of the project is expected to mark a new chapter in the leisure and lifestyle town.
Edited by Michael Thai, Huang Pei
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