Feature: A lesser-known story of helping hands in developing China's winter sports

CHANGCHUN, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Yekaterinburg, a historic and culturally significant Russian city over 2,000 kilometers from Moscow, harbors a lesser-known story of China-Russia friendship.

Sixty-five years ago, Vasiliy Nagibin, a Soviet Union cross-country skiing athlete, came from here to help build the first alpine ski venue for the People's Republic of China.

The venue was in Tonghua, a city in northeast China's Jilin Province, along the Yalu River in the Changbai Mountain area and now has been renovated to become Wanfeng Tonghua Ski Resort.

Despite recent temperatures dropping below minus 20 degrees Celsius, the resort in Jinchang Town, seven kilometers from Tonghua city center, bustles with ski enthusiasts. It has attracted over 150,000 tourists since this snow season's beginning.

An abandoned cable car, just 200 meters from the C1 ski trail near the summit, stands as a historical marker of the ski resort.

"Its predecessor is the first alpine ski venue after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and Nagibin helped us plan and build it. He also taught us skiing when I was only 15 years old," said Song Chengmin, now 79, a former member of the Tonghua cross-country skiing team.

"As we lagged behind in skiing skill at that time, we needed advanced concepts from the Soviet Union. Nagibin pointed out our technical problems and taught everyone how to improve," he added.

Song remembered Nagibin, looking to be in his 30s, was actually 51 when he arrived in China from Yekaterinburg in 1959.

Born in Kazan in 1908, Nagibin developed a passion for skiing in his childhood. From 1938 to 1946, he represented Sverdlovsk in national championships multiple times, winning three times and becoming the first Soviet Union cross-country skiing meritorious athlete in the oblast. Post-retirement, he taught at the College of Physical Culture in Sverdlovsk.

"Back in the 1950s, the friendship between the Soviet Union and China was very close. We were actively sharing information and trying our best to help our Chinese friends," said Igor Sazonov, dean of the Yekaterinburg Institute of Physical Education of Ural State University of Physical Culture.

Nagibin, who passed away in 1987, was diligent, enthusiastic, and professional, according to Sazonov, who takes pride in Nagibin's trip to China 65 years ago.

Before Nagibin's trip to China, skiing was nascent in the country. Tonghua, 4,700 kilometers from Yekaterinburg, was among the cities where skiing began to develop.

In 1954, following the National Sports Commission of China's call, Tonghua established a skiing team and hosted the first national ski championships three years later, recalled Shan Zhaojian, China's first national ski champion.

In the context of scarce ski resorts and a pressing need for skill improvement, Nagibin's journey to Tonghua proved pivotal. According to city records, Nagibin visited Tonghua on February 8, 1958, accompanied by then deputy mayor Gong Xianbin to scout the ski resort site.

"We chose several locations at first, but he had little favor for them while showing his interest in the site in Jinchang Town," Song recalled.

"The construction of the ski resort started in the spring of that year and it was put into use in 1960. It was named Jinchang Ski Resort as it was located in Jinchang Town," said Song Jilian, director of Tonghua Winter Sports Management Center.

He said that many national champions, Asian champions, and Winter Olympics participants have been trained here, which laid a solid foundation for China's winter sports.

Students from both countries are full of praise for Nagibin's professionalism and enthusiasm in helping build the ski venue and assisting skiers in developing their skills.

"Nagibin has helped China make strides in developing skiing," said Song Chengmin.

Nagibin also paid much attention to selecting professional talents. "With his help, our school has formed a strong team of teaching staff and has cultivated many sports talents for the Ural region," said 75-year-old Galina Shishenko, Nagibin's student.

Many Chinese friends are reminiscent of Nagibin's only trip to Tonghua, but in Yekaterinburg, not many people know about this story.

"He was very humble and low-key. I just accidentally heard this experience from him at a meeting. He said, 'I have tried my best to help them in such a short time,'" said 87-year-old Alexander Bunkov, Nagibin's colleague. "I'm glad that the Chinese people have not forgotten my closest friend."

The venue was shut down at the end of the 20th century due to regional planning, aging equipment and talent adjustment. However, it was revived after China won the bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

After upgrading, renovation and expansion on its original site, Wanfeng Tonghua Ski Resort officially opened its doors to guests on December 19, 2021.

Since the new snow season, the ice and snow activities have continued to heat up and become a sensation in northeast China. "Due to its history, Wanfeng Tonghua Ski Resort is particularly special in China's ice and snow market," said Zhang Chunyu, chairman of Jilin Wanfeng Industry Co., Ltd.

Zhang introduced that the ski resort has attracted over 700,000 tourists since its opening and has continued to upgrade facilities, improve services and carry out various activities.

According to Huabei, an app for skiing enthusiasts, Wanfeng Tonghua Ski Resort ranks among the top five in China in skiing mileage almost every day in 2024 and is expected to reach a new high during the upcoming Spring Festival.

"This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. This ski resort bears witness to the exchanges in winter sports between the two countries, and also to the profound friendship between the two peoples," said Jing Xijun, chairperson of the Tonghua Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Jing, who has been committed to promoting the development of the local winter sports industry in recent years, said, "Although Nagibin passed away, the people of Tonghua welcome his relatives, colleagues and friends with open arms, experience the development of the winter sports industry, and recount the past of our everlasting friendship."