Water sports such as sailing, canoeing and rowing have become more and more popular in Jiangsu Province in recent years, as over 60 athletes in 23 teams nationwide competed in the 2024 national motorboat racing competition for youth U-18 and U-15 at the West Taihu Lake in Changzhou in November.

Liu Mingjie, from Changzhou, said that the West Taihu Lake's expansive views and picturesque surroundings make it a great location for small and medium-sized water sports events.

Brent Dillard from China CTIC Team competes during Final Race of Formula 1 Powerboat Grand Prix of Indonesia (F1H2O) 2024 at Toba Lake in Balige, North Sumatra, Indonesia, on March 3, 2024. (Photo by Ferdy Siregar/Xinhua)

In Changzhou, the annual water sports season began last year and features a number of competitions, including sailing, kayaking and motorboat races. In Suzhou, over 10,000 tourists engaged in a range of water sports such as windsurfing, paddle-boarding, and sailboarding at Jinji Lake during this summer vacation.

Meanwhile, Jiangsu established a provincial innovation and development center for water sports this year, combining professional training and digital research of water sports with the development of sports and tourism. The province also organized related events like college student rowing competitions and dragon boat races in some well-known scenic areas, which can encourage national fitness and ignite new consumption waves, allowing more citizens to enjoy the charm of water sports.

"I've met many like-minded people whether in whitewater rafting or relaxed sailing. We can inspire each other and share unforgettable memories together," said Li Jinsong, a sailing enthusiast from Jiangsu, added that a key motivation driving water sports for many is the desire to discuss its trends on social media.

Equipment sales also have increased along with the popularity of water sports. Liu Lin, the director of human resources from Bestway (Nantong) Recreation Corp., which produces outdoor sports and leisure products in Jiangsu's Nantong, said that sales of company's water sports equipment have increased annually over the past five years, especially for small and medium-sized products such as surfboards, diving goggles, swim rings and small floating rafts.

According to an industry development report on China's outdoor sports released in October, the consumer group of national surfing and paddle-boarding exceeds 1 million, with a total consumption scale of over 1 billion yuan (138 million U.S. dollars).

Water sports have gradually become a new trend due to the growing public awareness of health and fitness, according to Sun Derong, the secretary-general of Jiangsu Yachting Association. "International competitions like the Olympics and Asian Games also contribute to this trend."

In November, Jiangsu issued the guidelines to promote the development of water sports and boost its related consumption, with a focus on cultivating new consumption patterns and scenarios related to water sports. It also plans to support some centers for water sports and leisure activities to expand diversified services, including teaching, training, tourism, vacation and entertainment.

"The water sports industry is one of the important forces to promote China's sports and leisure sector. It can contribute to meeting the needs of people's outdoor recreational activities, stimulating sports-related spending and promoting the integration of national fitness and national health initiatives," said Cheng Junjie from the Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.