上海将举办2026年国际跳绳精英锦标赛 - 2026年10月19日

The 2026 Shanghai International Jump Rope Elite Championships will take place in Gaojing town, Baoshan district, from Oct 23 to 26. Upgraded from the former Shanghai International Jump Rope Masters, it is a homegrown international sporting event, drawing nearly 200 athletes from 12 countries and regions across four continents.

Held under official rules set by the International Jump Rope Union (IJRU), it ranks among China's top-tier international rope skipping competitions.

The main competition features three categories: individual all-around, one-on-one individual freestyle battle, and fun challenge series, testing athletes' speed, endurance and versatility.

For the first time, the event adopts a global qualifying system. The final lineup boasts six world record holders, 22 world champions and 68 continental champions, with overseas athletes accounting for 41.8 percent.

Pre-event activities will kick off on Oct 20 with a champion meet-and-greet featuring Australian world champion Luke Boon and Chinese star Zhang Chengwei. From Oct 21 to 22, world champions will visit schools in Baoshan to promote the "Everybody Jumps" initiative.

"The core of promoting jump rope is not just to train a handful of world champions. We want it to serve Shanghai residents of all ages, from schoolchildren and overweight teenagers to middle-aged community members," said Wang Zhengyuan, deputy mayor of Gaojing Town. "We hope this simple rope will connect everyone's passion for movement."

Gaojing is the world's first IJRU-accredited "Everybody Jumps" model town. It has developed the sport since the 1990s, producing over 10 world champions. Its signature Gaojing freestyle rope skipping is inscribed on the Baoshan district intangible cultural heritage list.

An intangible cultural heritage carnival will run alongside the competition, featuring crafts, performances, food stalls and interactive rope-skipping experiences.

"We use the competition as a medium, intangible cultural heritage as a bridge, and champions as ambassadors to bring Chinese rope skipping culture to the world," said Xie Changlei, president of Shanghai Yuedong Cultural Technology Co Ltd.

Ma Tan contributed to this story.

Source: China Daily