政府新闻
第十七届上海国际大众体育节开幕 2025-09-07
The 17th Shanghai International Popular Sports Festival will take place in the Lin-gang Special Area from Oct 18 to 19.
The finals of the 17th Shanghai International Popular Sports Festival will take place in the Lin-gang Special Area from Oct 18 to 19. Leading up to the event, activities themed "Entering Scenic Spots, Business Districts, and Schools" kicked off last Friday, with winners of popular events like rope skipping and plank qualifying directly for the finals, as announced at a news conference at the Shanghai L+SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort.
This year's festival introduces several new highlights, notably featuring "ice and snow" as its core theme for the first time, along with four cross-border events. The festival will debut the Shanghai Youth Alpine Skiing Championships and an ice and snow experience day. Attendees can explore professional ski slopes at the Shanghai L+SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort and watch high-level skiing performances.
Winter Olympic champion Yang Yang, this year's festival ambassador, stated, "Sports are not just for a select few; they are a source of joy for everyone. Transitioning from a professional athlete to a promoter of national fitness continues my mission." She encouraged citizens to participate actively, experience the joy of sports, and help ice and snow sports flourish in southern China.
Additionally, the lakeside health run will include a 10km competitive run and a 5km fun run, with an optimized route offering scenic views of the lake in Lin-gang.
For the first time, the festival will connect with esports by partnering with Tencent Games to launch Shanghai's first official Valorant mobile game tournament, aiming to attract Generation Z. It will also host a national group exercise event that combines DJ electronic music with kickboxing workouts.
Zhang Lu, secretary-general of the Shanghai Sports Federation, noted during the event promotion, "In the past, the festival focused more on traditional events. This time, we've directly incorporated esports, which are popular with young people, and ice and snow activities that families can enjoy together." The overall goal is "to encourage citizens to visit Lin-gang not just for a race or competition, but to engage with a variety of sports programs and connect with the region's cultural and tourism resources."
Since its inception in 2009, the Shanghai International Popular Sports Festival has successfully held 16 sessions. Zhao Guangsheng, executive vice-chairman of the Shanghai Sports Federation, noted that the festival consistently serves the public, promotes sports culture, and fulfills social responsibilities. It has become a flagship event in Shanghai's national fitness system, boasting the widest international participation and the most sports social organizations involved.
Registration for events like the lakeside health run and group exercise will open soon. Citizens can register through the official "Shanghai Sports Federation" WeChat account.
Source: China Daily
