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Vasaloppet China festival going to be world best, say organizers

Xinhua, January 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

A skier from tropical Venezuela hopes to jump onto the Olympic bandwagon by frequenting Vasaloppet China.

"I'd like to participate in this competition year by year," said Ce'sar Baena, a Venezuelan cross-country skier competing in FIS Tour de Ski Changchun stage on Monday, a part of Vasaloppet Ski Festival in China.

"My dream is to get a ticket to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing," added Baena, who had only two counterparts in the national team.

Over 10,000 professional and amateur skiers from over 20 countries and regions are taking part in this year's Vasaloppet Ski Festival, up from 200 participants in 2003 when the event was launched in China.

"We have made incredible progress these years," said by Gavert Waag, the founder of Vasaloppet China. "Vasaloppet China not only enhanced the understanding of foreign skiers about China, but also give a platform to amateur skiers all over the world.

"It will be the best ski festival in the world before Beijing Winter Olympics."

Ski tracks in the festival are covered with artificial snow and lined with snow sculptures in shapes of ancient Chinese temples and historic sites.

"These sculptures are amazing," said Ce'sar. "I've never seen things like these before."

Vasaloppet, a Nordic winter games, originated from Sweden in 1922, while Vasaloppet China has been a member of World Loppet since 2014, meaning the event is one of the best cross-country skiing competitions on earth.

Yu Hongshun, a 15-year-old Chinese skier, said Vasaloppet China provides Chinese skiers a chance to learn from world-class athletes.

"Vasaloppet China Festival is a bridge, a bring beyond sports," echoed Guan Shusen, president of Vasaloppet China.

Just like Baena, more and more people from tropical countries such as Venezuela and Thailand are visiting Jilin Province to have fun on snow.

"Thanks to 'white economy', the number of companies based in Changchun Jingyue National High-tech Industrial Development Zone in 2015 rose 50 percent over a year ago, many of them are related to winter sports," said Guan. Endi