China·Huating Lake International Open Water Swimming Race Honored as One of the "Top 10 Brand Events in the Yangtze River Delta"

On the afternoon of January 22, the "Sports Hub of Yangtze River Delta, Shining Brighter on a New Journey" 2024 Yangtze River Delta Sports Rankings Ceremony was held at the Shanghai International Conference Center.

Shanghai Vice Mayor Xie Dong, leaders from the sports bureaus and sports universities of Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui—the three provinces and one municipality in the Yangtze River Delta—along with heads of the four organizing news organizations, and prominent sports enthusiasts, professionals, entrepreneurs, and experts from the Yangtze River Delta region, attended the event.

In the 2024 Yangtze River Delta Sports Rankings, the China·Huating Lake International Open Water Swimming Competition was honored as one of the "Top 10 Brand Events in the Yangtze River Delta."

This marks the first time the Yangtze River Delta region has jointly curated an annual sports ranking list, and the initiative of launching a regionally coordinated sports annual list is also a pioneering move within China's sports community.

This year's list features 10 prestigious awards, including the Top 10 Fitness Enthusiasts of the Yangtze River Delta, the Top 10 Sports & Health Ambassadors of the Yangtze River Delta, the Top 10 Leisure & Fitness Trails, the Top 10 Public Fitness Venues, the Top 10 Sports Brand Events, the Top 10 Leading Sports Enterprises, the Top 10 Sports Tourism Routes, the Top 10 Youth Sports Talent Development Centers, the Top 10 Sports Culture Brands, and the Yangtze River Delta Region’s Premier Integrated Sports Development Projects—covering a wide range of categories such as outstanding individuals, state-of-the-art facilities, influential organizations and enterprises, and innovative sports culture initiatives.

The inaugural Yangtze River Delta Sports Ranking has set a new precedent for collaborative sports recognition across the region. Organized jointly by The Paper, Chao News, Jiaohui Point News, and Da Wan News, this ranking event invited numerous industry experts and scholars to serve as judges. It aims to provide a comprehensive showcase of influential individuals, organizations, venues, enterprises, and sports initiatives in the Yangtze River Delta area—highlighting standout examples to inspire and amplify the region’s exemplary impact on the broader sports landscape.

The China·Huating Lake Open Water Swimming Competition is one of Taihu County’s two nationally recognized flagship events in swimming and gateball, having been held continuously for seven consecutive sessions since 2015. In 2024, the 7th China·Huating Lake Open Water Swimming Competition drew a total of 1,654 athletes from 66 teams representing both domestic and international participants. With its high standards, large scale, and significant influence, the event has effectively boosted the integrated development of Taihu County’s cultural, tourism, and sports industries.

In 2010, the State Council officially approved and launched the "Yangtze River Delta Integrated Development" plan, and by 2018, "Yangtze River Delta Integrated Development" was elevated to a national development strategy. Guided by the concept of integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta, the region's sports community has been working tirelessly—collaborating to create numerous multi-city, interconnected sporting events while actively fostering cooperation across various sports disciplines. Together, they’ve built a robust platform for integrated growth, yielding remarkable achievements to date.

During the project application period, this ranking selection received a total of 245 submissions covering various projects from multiple provinces and cities. After an initial review, 170 applications were shortlisted to form the evaluation panel. Moving forward, the annual Yangtze River Delta Sports Ranking will continue to be held in the years to come.

The Yangtze River Delta region holds a prominent position in China's sports industry. In 2017, the total size of the sports industry in the Yangtze River Delta accounted for 34% of the national market. By 2022, the region's sports industry had grown to a staggering 1.390744 trillion yuan, with added value reaching 466.484 billion yuan—representing 42.13% and 35.63% of the national totals, respectively. The region continues to maintain strong growth momentum.

Meanwhile, in the realm of competitive sports, the Yangtze River Delta continues to shine, particularly in metrics like the percentage of Olympic gold medals won. Over the years, it has produced a remarkable number of world champions and Olympic champions.

According to industry experts, the Yangtze River Delta region boasts a leading economy, closely aligned cultural ties, well-developed transportation networks, a robust service sector foundation, and a comprehensive sports development system. Additionally, the region is equipped with excellent facilities for mass fitness activities and enjoys a vibrant, widespread enthusiasm for physical wellness. These factors collectively provide a strong foundation for the rapid growth and collaborative efforts in sports within the Yangtze River Delta, while also serving as a powerful driving force propelling the region’s sports initiatives forward into the future.