Zhangjiakou witnesses winter sports craze among youth

Students play roller skating hockey.[Photo by Xu Lin/China Daily]

Zhangjiakou in Hebei city has China's only ice and snow sports equipment industrial park, which manufactures not only apparel and accessories— like snowboards, ski suits, and footwear— but also heavy equipment such as snowmakers, snow groomers and cableways.

In the city's Wanquan district, winter sports are compulsory courses at primary, senior and junior middle schools. Last year, over 24,000 students engaged in winter sports.

Students can also play at the industrial park's training center for free, to try ski simulators, curling on synthetic ice and roller skating hockey. The center will soon be open to local citizens to use, for a small charge.