This aerial drone photo taken on Dec. 28, 2025 shows people skiing at a ski resort in Yutian County of north China's Hebei Province. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)

The number of participants in multiple national youth skiing championships in China has hit record highs in the 2025-26 season, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Data from event organizers show that nearly 500 athletes competed in each of the National Youth Parallel Snowboard Championships and the National Youth Alpine Skiing Championships in Northeast China's Jilin Province.

In Chongli, a major winter sports hub in North China's Hebei Province, close to 100 athletes participated in each of the National Youth Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard Big Air Championships and the National Youth Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard Slopestyle Championships, also setting all-time highs.

The rise in participation comes amid improved ski resorts and training resources, with stable slopes and ample coaching staff at venues, Beijing-based sports commentator Guo Ai told the Global Times. 

The record numbers "reflect not only increased engagement in skiing among young people, but also the development of a complete winter sports system in China, from grassroots promotion to high-level competitions," noted Guo.

This season, consistently subzero temperatures at Chongli's ski resorts have ensured high-quality snow and sustainable slopes, allowing young athletes to train effectively on runs ranging from flat terrain to slopestyle obstacles and alpine courses, Chongli-based ski coach Estrella told the Global Times on Tuesday. "More and more youths are moving quickly from basic skiing to challenging parallel slalom and freestyle big air maneuvers, a trend I rarely saw in previous years."

Many participants now demonstrate significantly improved technical skills and mental resilience compared with a few years ago, which could have a lasting impact on the development of future competitive teams, she added.

Participation gains have not been limited to freestyle and alpine skiing. Numbers in the national cross-country skiing U-series competitions also increased compared with previous years, according to the report. 

Statistics from the Winter Sports Management Center show that demand for youth competitions has grown steadily across disciplines, including alpine skiing, parallel snowboarding, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing, and snowboard slopestyle and big air.

In response, the Winter Sports Management Center introduced a multi-stop, multi-age group U-series competition system for high-demand events this season to strengthen the youth competition pathway, meet rising participation needs, and identify promising athletes for provincial and national teams, according to Xinhua.

Guo said the U-series system provides youth of different ages and skill levels with opportunities to compete, gain experience, and progress from basic training to national competitions. It also allows coaches and parents to better assess athletes' skills and mental resilience, while helping to identify promising talent for provincial and national teams.

"This structured, tiered system plays a key role in strengthening the youth skiing development pathway and ensuring a steady flow of talent in China," Guo noted.

Chinese authorities have also promoted winter sports among youth through the "Ice and Snow Sports on Campus" initiative, gradually introducing sports into schools and integrating them into curricula, CCTV News reported. 

Nationwide youth competitions have been expanded to include the National Youth Skiing Tour, the National Youth Curling Championships, and youth ice and snow events held in both the winter and summer seasons. Communities across the country are encouraged to organize ice and snow-themed activities, boosting participation and skill development, according to CCTV News.