1,500 cross-country athletes from all over the country set out from the Xiaoyao Valley scenic spot on Wuguishan Mountain in groups on November 22nd and raced along different paths along the quiet mountain roads, marking the start of the 2020 Zhongshan Cross-country Race.
The competition was organized by the Zhongshan Education and Sports Bureau and the Wuguishan Mountain Sub-district Office and was presented by the Zhongshan Mountaineering Association and Zhongshan Daily Newspaper Group. In order to meet the needs of different-level athletes, the competition included four groups: the 50KM elite group, 30KM challenger group, 13KM journeyman group, and 5KM family group. The competition is moving closer to becoming recognized as a professional international competition. The starting point and ending point were both located at Xiaoyao Valley, passing through many famous attractions on Wuguishan Mountain.
According to Huang Yizhan, President of the Zhongshan Mountaineering Association, one of the event organizers, this year's competition was organized by government departments, thus the competition has been greatly improved from in the past.
In addition, supplies were also a major benefit of this competition. Many booths provided free food for the contestants. Furthermore, the scenic spots along the competition route were also one of the highlights of the competition, such as Qi'ao Ancient Road, Dajian Mountain, Gu's Ancestral Hall, etc.