Bobsleigh thrills bring summer visitors to Beijing 2022 venues

Can ordinary people experience the thrill of bobsleigh at speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour? At China's National Sliding Center, a 2022 Winter Olympic venue in Beijing's northwestern Yanqing district, they can.

Even without an ice track in summer, visitors can experience the sport in wheeled bobsleighs that offer a ride similar to a roller coaster.

Aerial photo taken on Jan 19, 2021 shows the National Sliding Center in Yanqing District, Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

"While bobsleigh athletes can reach an average of 100 km/h in races, the recreational event for the public has been optimized to 80 km/h and runs almost all year round. On the iceless track, a professional helmsman like me rides along with the tourists to steer and ensure safety," said Wang Zhenlong, who also works as an ice maker at the National Sliding Center in winter.

With 14 curves over a total length of about 1,600 meters, the section of track designated for the public is relatively gentle. According to operators, around 50 visitors take part in the bobsleigh experience on weekdays, with the number rising to more than 200 on weekends and holidays during summer.

"Every curve is familiar to me. I joined the venue construction team back in 2018 and witnessed the great success of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Now, so many people are passionate about winter sports, gaining a deeper understanding of bobsleigh, skeleton and luge," Wang added.

One of the three competition zones for Beijing 2022, Yanqing is home to the National Sliding Center, the National Alpine Skiing Center and the Yanqing Olympic Village.

Higher up on Haituo Mountain, the National Alpine Skiing Center offers an alpine coaster winding along the mountain slopes, one of more than 20 summer activities available in the zone.

Sun Fei, who traveled from Baoding in Hebei Province, brought his 11-year-old son to try the alpine coaster.

"The mountain scenery is impressive. The higher altitude here makes it much cooler than downtown. We reserved rooms in the Olympic Village. It's really nice and convenient," Sun said.

Although the alpine coaster does not run on the ski courses used in winter, the facilities and cable cars at the National Alpine Skiing Center retain many elements from the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics, including the Games' mascots, Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon.

"Our snow season runs from late November each year to around March 15 of the following year. Operating Winter Olympic venues across all four seasons is a common challenge worldwide, particularly in summer," said Liu Xiyao, a manager of the Yanqing Olympic zone.

Taking advantage of Yanqing's natural environment and relatively cool climate, the Winter Olympic venues have developed a range of tourism activities. Visitors receive maps marking attractions and activities when they arrive to help them plan their routes.

Operators said the Yanqing Olympic zone has received 1.2 million visits since opening to the public on April 29, 2022, after the Games.

"Now, the Yanqing Olympic zone is not only home to venues for high-level domestic and international sliding and skiing competitions, but also a popular destination in addition to the well-known Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing," Liu said.