Set against the ice-fringed tidal flats of Panjin Red Beach, the 2026 Liaoning·Panjin China’s Northernmost Coastline Icewalk and Trail Challenge kicked off on Monday. Marking its 10th edition, the event drew about 5,000 participants from China and abroad, blending endurance sports with cultural experiences and winter tourism.
Co-organized by the Liaoning Provincial Sports Bureau and Panjin Municipal Government, the event launches the “Meet the World in Liaoning, Savor Heritage in Panjin” series, presented by the China News Service Liaoning Branch and Panjin Municipal Committee Publicity Department. Participants embarked on a unique 5-kilometer public route carved into coastal ice formations, with professional categories featuring a 10-kilometer challenge and a 20-kilometer elite race. Courses were designed and safety-monitored by professional teams, with medical support, rescue crews, and aid stations positioned throughout.
Along the route and at rest points, a compact cultural market and hands-on workshops offered glimpses into Panjin’s heritage. Reed-weaving handicrafts and wetland-inspired products drew international visitors, while others explored Guangsha Art Street, trying guqin music, reed painting with electric burning pens, and traditional calligraphy.
"It's marvelous to draw on reed stalks with a solder pen," said Yulia, a Russian student from Shenyang Normal University.
"It's amazing that beautiful music comes from an instrument without keys. The guqin’s sound is completely different from the piano," remarked Mila, a seven-year-old from Russia, at an intangible cultural heritage workshop.
The group visited the Liaohe River Folk Customs Museum, handling traditional farming tools and fishing boat models before sampling local estuary cuisine. “Delicious, so fragrant!” exclaimed Ali, a Tajikistan student from Liaoning University.
The challenge supports Liaoning’s preparations for the 15th National Winter Games. By integrating sport, culture, and tourism, Panjin showcases its frozen coastline as a natural wonder and a winter destination with national appeal and global reach. Since its 2016 launch, Panjin has leveraged such events to boost winter tourism, transforming “cold resources” into a “hot economy.” This 10th-anniversary edition solidifies the Icewalk & Trail Challenge as a signature winter sports brand.
