STORY: At Asian Winter Games, snow events are built for safety
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 10, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 11, 2025
LENGTH: 00:03:48
LOCATION: HARBIN, China
CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY/SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the 2025 Asian Winter Games
2. various of Li Ziwei and Jiang Yiming
3. STANDUP (English): LI ZIWEI, Xinhua correspondent
4. various of Yabuli Ski Resort
5. pics of Li Fanghui of China competing during the women's freestyle skiing halfpipe final
6. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
7. various of Yabuli Ski Resort
8. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
9. various of Yabuli Ski Resort
10. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
11. various of Yabuli Ski Resort before construction
12. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
13. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): LI ZIWEI, Xinhua correspondent
14. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
15. various of skiers in Yabuli Ski Resort before construction
16. SOUNDBITE 7 (English): ROMAN ALEKSEEVSKII, Course designer
17. SOUNDBITE 8 (English): LI ZIWEI, Xinhua correspondent
18. SOUNDBITE 9 (English): ROMAN ALEKSEEVSKII, Course designer
19. various of skiers in Yabuli Ski Resort before construction

STORYLINE:

Harbin in China's Heilongjiang Province is the host city for the 2025 Asian Winter Games.

STANDUP (English): LI ZIWEI, Xinhua correspondent
"Harbin has been busy facilitating athletes from across Asia as they push their limits at the 9th Asian Winter Games. Driving nearly 200 km away from the downtown of Harbin, we've come to Yabuli, where snow events are being held."

China's Li Fanghui secured the host nation's first gold medal at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games, triumphing in the women's freeski halfpipe event.

The halfpipe she competed on was designed, built, and maintained by a course building team led by Jiang Yiming.

With a passion for winter sports, the 42-year-old has been engaging in the industry for many years. His team members comprise professionals from across the globe, many of whom were involved in the course building of snow events at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
"The first gold medal of this Asian Winter Games was won by Li Fanghui from the halfpipe venue on our left. This was a moment that truly put my mind at ease. Firstly, the competition went smoothly. Secondly, no one got injured. Thirdly, our country won the first gold medal. This is something that is truly exciting."

To ensure the smooth running of the event, the entire team collaborated with unified efforts. "Precision" was repeated many times during my conversation with Jiang.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
"The task requires precision, from the design and construction of the venue to the daily maintenance, which is crucial for athletes' safety. The work must be done steadily and meticulously."

Apart from halfpipe, Jiang's team is also in charge of the course building of slopestyle and big air events. Tailored design is also a highlight.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
"Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Thailand, and Cambodia do not have ideal natural environments for training. Their athletes cannot perform big moves, and some didn't dare to attempt the large jumps (in slopestyle). So our team specifically designed and built two smaller take-offs for them."

When talking about how his team overcame challenges to build the venue from scratch, Jiang was filled with emotion.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
"When we first arrived here at the end of September, this area was all stones and dirt. I walked step by step to take measurements and observe the site, to understand its basic conditions. I could feel the daily progress and changes of the venue."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): LI ZIWEI, Xinhua correspondent
"Is your heart on edge for every competition?"

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): JIANG YIMING, Coordinator, Course building team of snow events
"Yes, during every competition, I would stand here to watch the athletes. The biggest wish we have is for all the athletes to land safely and finish their competitions and maneuvers in good health."

SOUNDBITE 7 (English): ROMAN ALEKSEEVSKII, Course designer
"It was a big project. A lot of communications and people at (the) project. Not easy, but we do what we do. So it's okay."

SOUNDBITE 8 (English): LI ZIWEI, Xinhua correspondent
"Did you enjoy it?"

SOUNDBITE 9 (English): ROMAN ALEKSEEVSKII, Course designer
"Yeah, for sure, for sure. Always. The best thing, I think, for me is to make the parks and shape it and maintain it.
The maintenance should work and it should be safe for athletes, for even people who work here, because we are also thinking about the roads, technical roads, and all other things to make everything safe. We calculate everything -- the speed, the distances -- because otherwise, it will not work. But the competitions show us that everything works."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Harbin, China.
(XHTV)