GUIYANG, China, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Guizhou Province, known as the "Kingdom of Karst Landform" due to its complex and towering mountains, has evolved into a haven for extreme sports events and outdoor sports enthusiasts.
Frederic Moal, who has lived in China for eight years, is among the enthusiasts of extreme sports. Influenced by his father, Frederic began practicing BMX at a very young age, and he was eager to become a professional BMX rider.
In 1982, with abundant racing experience, he founded his BMX club in France and served as a coach. He also won medals at the BMX French Championship and the 2009 BMX European Championship.
In March this year, he took on a new role as the head coach of the Guizhou BMX team.
"This is my first time coaching in China, and it is indeed a big challenge, but our team members are ready with confidence. Even if we are starting from scratch, I firmly believe that the Guizhou BMX team will grow into a greater team," said Moal.
When discussing his reasons for staying and coaching in China, Moal mentioned that Guizhou is rich in mountain tourism and sports resources, and "I'm in love with this place."
"I think the future of mountain sports is sustainable. Sustainability is very important to protect the mountain and the forest. I hope I can give my best to help develop the sport of mountain biking in Guizhou. And I hope we will be able to succeed in competitions home or abroad," Moal added.
Jan Beranek from the Czech Republic is an extreme sports and stunt expert. While working as an IT engineer, he also became a skydiving instructor. To date, he has over 1,000 skydiving experiences and was thrilled to skydive in Guizhou.
"It's a special and extraordinary opportunity to jump from the Beipanjiang Bridge here in Guizhou, the highest bridge around the world. The views, the mountains, and the bridge are absolutely breathtaking. The bridge is really high, and the landing area is far away from the bridge. So we have enough time to do some flips and tricks in the air. And you still have enough time to fly and land safely," said Beranek.
Located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau of southwest China, characterized by its significant Karst geomorphology, Guizhou once grappled with Karst rocky desertification. The vast mountains hindered local development and limited interactions with the broader world.
However, in recent decades, world-class bridges have been built in Guizhou. These infrastructural marvels now allow high-speed trains to connect remote areas, making outdoor sports destinations more accessible.
Today, Guizhou's Karst geographical environment is no longer a disadvantage. Instead, it's become a prime venue for outdoor sports, including mountain biking, marathons, hiking, rock climbing, sailing, caving, bungee jumping, and paragliding. ■