China opens new state-of-the-art artificial ski resort as part of plans to win big at 2022 Winter Olympics
Less than a year after opening the world’s biggest indoor ski resort, China has opened a year-round dry ski slope in the mountains near the city of Qingzhou in the Shandong province on the east coast of the country.
Designed by architectural firm ATAH, the Yunmen mountain all-season resort spans 17,000 square metres.
While the size of the new facility is far from the colossal 80,000 square metres and six slopes of the Harbin Wanda Indoor Ski and Winter Sports Resort, which set a new record for its size last year, the Yunmen resort has two artificial ski slopes, one for beginners and one for intermediates, as well as three tubing slopes for visitors to slide down on giant inflated inner tubes.
The slopes end at a viewing terrace on top of the indoor part of the new resort, which houses changing rooms, lockers and ski servicing facilities.
Pictures show the futuristic finish of the slopes and building, designed to blend into the surrounding mountains.
Since it was announced that Beijing will host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, China has put significant effort into developing its snow-sports industry and also into training athletes – many experts believe it to be the fastest growing ski market in the world.
In 2016 China’s National Development and Reform Commission revealed plans worth an estimated ￡169 billion to build hundreds of new ski resorts ahead of the Games, in an attempt to boost the country’s medal prospects. The state-owned China Daily newspaper suggests there could be as many as 800 new resorts by 2022, as well as 650 skating rinks, to encourage an estimated 300 million people to get involved in winter sports.
At the 2018 Games held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February, China finished 16th overall – with one gold medal won in the short track speed skating, six silver and two bronze medals. With significant investment being put into its resorts and training facilities it will hope to improve its performance before 2022 and come out top in front of a home crowd.
The Warren Smith Ski Academy became the first British ski school to open in China in 2016, following increased interest in its courses from Chinese skiers. “It’s almost as if winning the 2022 Winter Olympics bid has put skiers in China into panic mode – they really want to get better at skiing, and fast,” said Warren Smith.
The coolest snow centres and indoor ski slopes
Last winter coaches from The Academy held the first training camp for Chinese ski instructors wanting to teach in Europe. “Over the last few years, we’ve seen a lot of development in Chinese skiing,” said Smith.
“I think the key here is to recognise how strong the Chinese industry is growing, and how much motivation there is behind the Chinese ski industry.”
The China Daily reported that there are now 700 ski resorts, many of which are man-made, in the country. The top five natural resorts include Xiling in the South West and Alshan in the North East. Yabuli ski resort is the largest and is located close to the country’s border with North Korea. Beijing Nanshan and Beijing Juaibei are both within 70km of the capital.
The new Yunmen artificial slope, which is a six-hour drive from Beijing, is set to provide training facilities for the Chinese snowboarding team during the summer months and will also be open to members of the public.