Chongqing s open water swimming competition ignites the passion of "National Fitness Day"

On August 8, the 2025 "National Fitness Day" Chongqing Open Water Swimming Competition kicked off at the picturesque Huangshui Sun Lake of Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County. On the occasion of the 17th "National Fitness Day", 55 teams and more than 400 people from various districts, counties and municipal agencies in Chongqing gathered in Sun Lake to cut through the waves among the green mountains and green waters, interpreting the vitality of national fitness with sports passion. The event is sponsored by the Chongqing Sports Bureau, the Working Committee of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the People's Government of Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County.

Chongqing Open Water Swimming Competition was founded in 2009 and is held every year on the "National Fitness Day" on August 8. After 16 years of accumulation, this event has become an important brand event and a bright business card for Chongqing National Fitness. Up to now, the cumulative number of people in this event has exceeded 5,500, and its participation scale and coverage have continued to expand, and its influence and demonstration driving force in the city have been increasing year by year.

The competition is divided into five categories: district and county men's youth group (2000m), men's middle-aged group (2000m), women's group (1000m), municipal-level men's group (1000m) and women's group (1000m). The contestants' age span range from 19 to 59 years old. There are both experienced "veterans" and "rookies" who make their debut on the court. After many contestants Li Ge came ashore, he exclaimed: "It's better every year! This time, I came here, and I obviously felt that the service was more considerate, the staff was more enthusiastic and thoughtful, and the lake water was clearer." Although 58-year-old "veteran" Cheng Changwei had experienced many battles, he loved Sun Lake alone. "I have participated in many swimming competitions. This year is the fourth time I have come here. The water quality here is good, the organization is standardized, the competition level is high, and the water temperature is very suitable. It is the 'best venue' in my heart."

Relying on the high-quality environment of Sun Lake, this event has innovatively created a "1+N" consumption model of "one-day competition, multiple-day stay", which has effectively driven the development of the cultural and tourism economy in the scenic area and surrounding areas. "The open water swimming competition not only demonstrates the vigorous vitality of Shizhu's national fitness, but also promotes the deep integration of water sports and cultural and tourism industries," said a relevant person in charge of Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County Sports Center. The annual Sun Lake event not only ignites the enthusiasm for fitness, but also transforms the "traffic" of sports into "increase" consumption, which has brought about a hot summer tourism boom.

This open water swimming competition is a vivid practice in Shizhu County to create the "Classic Tujia·Healthy Stone Column" brand and promote the deep integration of sports and tourism. In recent years, Shizhu has successfully cultivated a series of mountain and water outdoor brand events such as the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin Cities Triathlon Open, Paddleboard Club League, Mountain Bike Race and Open Water Swimming Competition, with its rich ecological resources. From July to August this year, Shizhu held more than ten events including Tai Chi, tennis, air volleyball, as well as youth summer camps, parent-child sports meetings and other activities to create a dual experience of "event + vacation" and continuously inspire the enthusiasm of national fitness.