Chongqing - On July 21st, the Chinese Fencing Association's certified A-level event, the 2023 "Chongqing International Expo Cup" China Fencing Club League National Tournament (Third Stop), officially launched at the Chongqing International Expo Center. Nearly 3,500 participants from all over the country gathered to showcase their fencing skills, igniting the "speed" and "passion" that will rock the mountainous city for four consecutive days.
On July 21st, the Chinese Fencing Association's certified A-level event, the 2023 "Chongqing International Expo Cup" China Fencing Club League National Tournament (Third Stop), officially launched at the Chongqing International Expo Center. (Photo/Chongqing Yuelai Group)
The tournament is supervised by international-level referee Luo Pingbei, with Zhao Chuanjie, a professor from Shanghai Sports Institute and an international-level referee, serving as the head of the technical committee. A total of 142 referees are participating in the event. The individual events are divided into U10, U12, U14, U16, 17+, veterans, and open categories, while the team events include U10, U12, U14, U16, and 17+ divisions, featuring men's and women's foil, epee, and saber disciplines.
As the only A-level event in Western China, this competition is committed to creating the highest-quality fencing event. Zhu Yina, Head of the Competition Department of the Chinese Fencing Association, believes that the Chongqing International Expo Center's service standards are exceptionally high, and she is confident that the participating athletes will achieve satisfying results here.
Chongqing leads the way in sports and education integration
"Yuelai is an open platform and Chongqing's economic source for exhibitions. Yuelai Investment Group has been actively exploring and expanding the entire exhibition industry chain, vigorously promoting diversified development in the exhibition sector, making it a leader in sports and education integration in Chongqing," said Wang Jumeng, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Chongqing Yuelai Investment Group, in his speech.
Since 2021, the Chongqing International Expo Center has hosted the Chongqing Youth Fencing Championship for three consecutive years and this year has also hosted the Sino-Russian Youth Games for Artistic Gymnastics and the 2nd Chongqing Youth Sports Conference, accumulating a wealth of sports resources.
The Chinese Fencing Club League National Tournament returning to Chongqing again represents an essential project for Yuelai Investment Group's exploration of the "Exhibition + Sports" path. As one of the organizers, Yuelai Investment Group is committed to providing high-quality, high-standard, high-level services for this event.
Leveraging exhibition advantages for excellent tournament services
"To provide the best experience for all participants, this competition has made more detailed event planning and service guarantee arrangements. The tournament utilizes three exhibition halls with 121 tracks set up, more than enough to meet the demands of the competition. Additionally, we have planned the functional zones within the venue more reasonably to fully meet the needs of athletes, parents, coaches, and others," introduced Song Xueli, member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of Chongqing Yuelai Investment Group.
"Since 2021, we have been considering how to better improve the utilization of the Chongqing International Expo Center venues and actively exploring the 'Exhibition+' model. By actively engaging in sports projects and collaborating with outstanding domestic and international institutions, we actively promote the diversified layout of 'Exhibition + Sports,'" said Song Xueli. The YUE Sports Chongqing National Expo Youth Sports Center, as a new debut in the sports sector by Yuelai Investment Group, is expected to be put into use this year.
The project covers an area of approximately 83,000 square meters and is the country's first comprehensive sports and education integration innovation project. The entire venue is built to meet international competition standards, and it will become the top fencing training venue in Chongqing and even across the country.
Total participation count breaks "national record"
"The third stop of the tournament aligns with the summer vacation, which further relaxes restrictions on participants' involvement in multiple events. Each athlete can partake in three matches in this competition. Despite the number of participants being fewer than 3,500, the total number of entries reached nearly 5,000, setting a new record for the A-level league in the country," said Wang Junyan, Deputy Director of the National Cycling and Fencing Sports Management Center, and Vice President and Secretary-General of the Chinese Fencing Association.
Wang Junyan disclosed that YUE Sports - Chongqing National Expo Youth Sports Center has applied to become a youth training base for the Chinese Fencing Association. She appreciates the advanced professional event services provided by the Chongqing International Expo Center, considering it a model for exploring sports event development by domestic enterprises.
Simultaneously, she harbors high expectations for YUE Sports. She hopes it can transform into a training base for the Chinese Fencing Association, fostering more opportunities for the growth of fencing in Chongqing.