In Shougang Park, the “Blessed Land of Double Gold Medals”, champagne symbolizing victory sprayed out from the hands of the Chinese athlete Su Yiming!

On the evening of December 2nd, Su Yiming won the championship in the Men’s Snowboarding Big Air Final! 

The 2023-2024 FIS Snowboard and Freeski Big Air World Cup ended perfectly with four more gold medals won at “Snow Flying Apsaras”, the Blessed Land of Double Gold Medals. Shougang Park once again reached the peak of attention from the media and received widespread praise.

From November 15th when Big Air Shougang initiated its snow-making mode to December 2nd when the competition ended, the World Cup was enthusiastically reported by the media in China and abroad. There were 6,206 related reports from news websites, mobile terminals, paper media, WeChat, video websites and other various media until 10:00 on December 3rd.

Su Yiming, a Chinese athlete who won the championship in the Men’s Snowboarding Big Air, said, “I’m very happy to return to the place where my dream started and win the championship. Big Air Shougang is my blessed land.” Returning to “the place where the dream began” again, he said, “I think this place is very impressive to me first and there are special and unique memories in each corner for me.”

Mathilde Gremaud, a Swiss athlete who won the championship in the Women’s Freestyle Skiing Big Air, won third place in the Freestyle Skiing Big Air in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. She said, “I’m very happy to be back here again. Big Air Shougang is great and the environment here is very beautiful.”

Alexander Hall, an American athlete who won the championship in the Men’s Freestyle Skiing Big Air, said, “The Big Air here is so great that we all like and enjoy it very much. It’s really great to have a relatively stable environment and a permanent Big Air. It feels familiar to come back here again. We’ve also participated in competitions in other cities, but those were not permanent Big Air. They were all made of scaffolding and they were usually small and simple to make. If you jump here, it feels like skiing in the mountains. It’s very good.”

Leon Farrell from New Zealand said, “Compared with other venues, Big Air Shougang is by far the best with the highest quality and the best safety, and it’s very distinctive. I was shocked to see the old industrial plants preserved and reused. It’s very pleasant to come to Beijing. I feel that the journey hasn’t been made in vain.”

Liu Mengting, a Chinese athlete in the Woman’s Freestyle Skiing Big Air, made her debut at Big Air Shougang where she successfully completed a right off-axis swivel with two 1,080-degree rounds for the first time. She said, “This is my first time competing with athletes from all over the world at Big Air Shougang, which is very challenging. I feel that Big Air Shougang is very good and really comfortable. The environment, weather and software and hardware facilities are all very good. After all, this time I’m competing in my own country, so I’m feeling more secure and performing more stably.”

It was the fourth time at Big Air Shougang for Robbie Moresi, Competition Director of FIS. He said, “Big Air Shougang is very grand. The designers integrated passion into the design and created such a symbolic world-class venue for the world.” Regarding this competition, he said, “Shougang did a lot of outstanding work for this competition and provided very thoughtful services for the Chinese and foreign athletes. I also believe that more competitions will be hosted and organized at Big Air Shougang. Shougang Park is not far from the center of Beijing and its geographical location is very good. Organizing high-standard domestic and foreign events here is very helpful for developing China’s ice and snow events, and also helps more people to understand and participate in ice and snow sports and even become professional athletes.”

Australian snowboarder Valentino Guselli, who came to Big Air Shougang for the first time, was full of praise for “Snow Flying Apsaras”: “It’s great here! This is one of the best Big Air facilities I’ve ever been to and the training here is very pleasant.” What amazed Guselli was the scenery of Big Air. “When I stand at the top, it really feels so cool. It’s not common to be in snow while having a panoramic view of the city. It’s so cool!”

Kwai Kimura, a Japanese athlete who won third place in the Men’s Snowboarding Big Air, said, “I’m having a lot of fun in these days. Thanks to China. Thanks to Shougang.”

The world’s top events return to Shougang Park. The Party Committee of the Shougang Group attached great importance to the service guarantee of the FIS Snowboard and Freeski Big Air World Cup, arranged all preparations in the flow chart and timetable, and regularly conducted project review and progress coordination to ensure the implementation of the work plan in an all-round way. In order to successfully undertake this competition, relevant units of the Shougang Group actively “prepared for the exam”.

Yin Baoshu, Deputy Director of the Beijing Sports Competitions Administration and International Exchange Center, was smiling and sonorous. The dynamic rhythm did not affect the broadcasting effect of the interview at all. He said that under the guidance of the Winter Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and Chinese Ski Association, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports cooperated with Shijingshan District and the Shougang Group to align with Winter Olympic standards in competition preparations such as organization, venue guarantee, reception services, TV broadcast, medical services and volunteer services, showing the unique charm of the “Dual Olympic City”.

Volunteer Blue is Always There: Passion in the Cold Winter

“The volunteers said such things as ‘I can always be on duty’ and ‘I’m a boy. I’m not afraid of being frozen. Please arrange for me to work outdoors’. The volunteers served the event and the event made volunteers. In the cold wind, I saw the aspirations of young people. In frozen tears, I saw the boiling blood of Shougang’s young people,” said Li Jie, Director of the Shougang Group Youth League Committee’s Publicity Department.

In order to guarantee the volunteer services, under the guidance of the Group Party Committee, the Youth League Committee and Organization Department recruited 20 volunteers who loved skiing, were keen on volunteer services and had excellent language skills. Among them, five volunteers took up their posts in advance and were responsible for picking up and dropping off athletes. The volunteers made concerted efforts to complete the volunteer services of this event and embody the glory of the “Gold Medal Team” with practical actions.

Wang Xiaoran of the Talent Development Institute left home at 2 am every day and arrived at the airport in 3 hours. Zhao Ruling of Beijing Shougang Machinery & Electric Co., Ltd. made a special trip from Qian’an, Hebei Province, collected athletes’ information, became familiar with the pick-up process and prepared a “small strategy for visiting Shougang Park” to explain it to everyone on the way back. Wen Huanjing from BSIET summed up a set of processes for picking up guests at the airport and shared it with other volunteers. Everyone affectionately called her “a little expert in pick-up guidance”. Wang Qianqian from Beijing Shougang Automation Information Technology Co., Ltd. heartened guests from all over the world with warm smiles and thoughtful services. The communication and collision again and again, the night lights gradually lighting up on the return journey again and again, and the gleam in the morning all bore witness to the new signs and glory belonging to Shougang’s young people. It was the first time that Guo Xinyu from Beijing Shougang Construction Investment Co., Ltd. became a volunteer since he joined the company. Although he was unwell, he insisted on taking up his post. In order to successfully complete the task, he was still practicing his oral English on his way to pick up guests at the airport.

Under the organization of the Shougang Group Youth League Committee, the volunteers received sufficient pre-job training and improved themselves in all aspects such as external image, quality cultivation and professional skills. They recorded every key route and entrance and exit, as well as surrounding parking lots, restaurants, shopping malls and other information in detail, laying a solid foundation for better serving the athletes and spectators.

In the preparatory stages of the competition, the Youth League Committee selected volunteers who were skilled in foreign languages according to the employment needs, and they assisted the staff in completing the classification and distribution of certificates. At the competition venue, volunteers undertook work tasks such as information consultation and service guidance. They built a bridge of communication with language skills and patiently guided the audience to quickly find their seats, ensuring that everyone could feel the warmth of Shougang in the cold weather. At the Xiuchi Hotel Branch, foreign language volunteers were responsible for assisting the staff to complete the game-time guarantee for foreign athletes from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., ranging from the procedure steps of handling check-in to means of transportation such hailing taxis, which reflected Shougang’s enthusiasm everywhere.

Yang Tong and Chen Xingbo from Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. said that they were extremely proud to participate in the service guarantee of a top international competition, and they were delighted and honored to contribute their own strength in volunteer service posts. Although the cold wind was blowing, they were excited. Although they were at the scene of the wonderful competition, “not watching the competition” presented their most professional service, which showed the style of Shougang’s young people to the world, carried forward the spirit of volunteer services and showed the responsibility of Shougang as a state-owned enterprise.

Working Together for One Goal - To Win the “Site Support” Battle

In this competition, the Shougang Group was responsible for providing venue facilities and hotel catering services in the park. The Shougang Group set up a leading team with the leaders of the Group as the team leaders and relevant departments of the group, Shougang Construction Investment and units of the park platform as the main members. The leading team consisted of “one office and three groups”, which were the comprehensive coordination office, site support group, supporting service group and media publicity, stability maintenance and volunteer group. Some Shougang personnel joined the Organizing Committee and conveyed its requirements for running the competition according to the division of duties and work requirements, thereby ensuring the operation of various events.

According to the Group’s deployments, Shougang Construction Investment Co., Ltd. cooperated with the Youth League Committee, Beijing Shougang Automation Information Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing Shougang Construction Co., Ltd., Beijing Shougang Park Comprehensive Service Co., Ltd., Shougang Park Sports Center and other relevant units to set up a service guarantee work organization and formulate the 2023 Big Air World Cup Service Guarantee Work Plan, in which it refined the work plan, clarified the division of responsibilities, closely monitored the progress and completed various tasks with high standards, high requirements and high quality.

Wang Yingxi from Shougang Construction Investment Co., Ltd., the chief dispatcher of the site support group, dispatched all units to work together. He said, “As the venue guarantor, all units in Shougang must work in coordination and go all out. They must win this ‘site support’ war with a high sense of responsibility.”

“Winter Olympics Lineup” – Continuing to Write a New Chapter of Winter Olympics Heritage

On the basis of the preparations for this event, Shougang comprehensively improved and transformed its facilities and equipment, built new functional rooms, snowmobile garages, etc., and improved the broadcast monitoring system. It completed the maintenance of the inclined elevator at Big Air Shougang many times, which was equipped with special maintenance personnel during the competition to ensure its safety and stability. The preparation of core competition facilities and equipment such as track hydrophobic mats, snow fixing nets, protective nets and anti-collision mats was completed. Property protection such as cleaning was strengthened, and the number of cleaners was increased to about 25 every day during the peak period of the event. By coordinating with Shijingshan and other districts, Shougang formulated detailed safeguarding measures to improve athletes’ accommodation and catering, volunteer services, audience parking and other plans. Shougang cooperated with the snow-making team to provide electricity such as energy connection and logistics services, and completed 7,000 m3 of snow-making to fully meet the needs of the competition.

Guo Xiaomin, Deputy General Manager of the Shougang Park Sports Center, said that the staff who participated in the service guarantee of the Games were the “original team” of the Winter Olympics, who were very proud to participate in the service guarantee of another major event. During the venue operation, they actively promoted the sustainable utilization of Winter Olympic venues to meet multi-level needs, allowing the Winter Olympic heritage to continuously release cultural dividends. After the competition, Shougang Park will hold mass ice and snow activities for the public. Liu Yongliang, a staff member of the venue service support team of the Shougang Park Sports Center, said that in order to create a professional and comfortable competition environment, the Shougang Park Sports Center began to improve and maintain the Big Air track, regional ground, drainage system, stands, walls and functional rooms in July of this year. According to the site conditions, the venue service support team replaced all the floors in the end area of Big Air with more durable colored antifreeze asphalt pavement, reformed the drainage ditch system and replaced some damaged seats to ensure the smooth progress of the competition.

Comprehensive “Examination” – Escort Where You Can’t See

Before the competition, engineers and technicians from Shougang Construction carefully inspected the power system in the Big Air competition area, carefully inspected and debugged the elevators, and inspected every circuit and device to ensure that they were in the best working condition. They debugged the power system of the whole competition area to ensure the supply of snow-making and shaping, water and electricity, air conditioning, water supply and drainage, network, monitoring, broadcasting and other equipment and facilities, and the normal operation of each system. In order to ensure the air circulation in the athletes’ lounge, the air conditioning and exhaust systems of the lounge were updated to ensure that the athletes had a good waiting experience and the best competitive state. During the competition, the 24-hour duty system was implemented, and the responsibility for duty at night was assigned to individuals. At the same time, optimized emergency plans for power, exhaust and other systems were established to ensure rapid and effective response in case of emergencies. Zhao Qingkai from Beijing Shougang Construction Group Co., Ltd., who was responsible for the implementation of on-site support, said, “In terms of the site service support guarantee and the site support of the cooling tower hotel, key engineering and technical personnel have been dispatched to conduct a comprehensive ‘examination’ of the site’s power, ventilation and air conditioning, water supply and drainage systems, as well as the cooling tower hotel power, HVAC and water supply and drainage systems.”

Before the competition, Beijing Shougang Automation Information Technology Co., Ltd. organized the elite soldiers of technical support units according to the overall task requirements of major events of the project to debug the network and communication signals in the competition, office and other areas so as to ensure the normal work of the Organizing Committee. During the competition, the person in charge of security and the personnel on duty maintained 24-hour unblocked communication, and spare parts, consumables, tools and other security materials were stored in place in a timely manner. The personnel on duty strengthened the operation safety inspection of important nodes, areas and equipment, actively responded to various service demands, solved various emerging problems, carried out emergency response in time according to the special emergency plan, and did their best to ensure all kinds of information guarantee during the competition. Zhang Yinan from Beijing Shougang Automation Information Technology Co., Ltd. was responsible for on-site security and assisting the connection between the general dispatcher and Beijing Shougang Automation Information Technology Co., Ltd. He said, “In order to ensure the smooth operation of this competition, we formulated the 2023 Big Air World Cup Service Guarantee Work Plan for the operation of the regional network at Big Air Shougang, and specifically detailed the communication line guarantee plan and network service guarantee plan. At the same time, the floodlighting in the park has been perfected. Once the night scene mode of Shougang Park is active, its charm and vitality in the post-Winter Olympics era will be presented to athletes of ice and snow sports and tourists all over the world.”

“Shougang Flavor” – The Food Power of Iron Man

Wang Boyuan, Big Air Shougang Project Manager of the Winter Olympics Property Department of Beijing Shougang Park Comprehensive Service Co., Ltd., said, “More than 80% of the property service team members of this Big Air Project participated in the Winter Olympics service guarantee. People who participated in the Winter Olympics not only had their eyes opened and clarified their work procedures, but most importantly, they’re not afraid to deal with all steps. It’s such a relief to work with them!”

In addition to being responsible for the on-site support, athletes and referees from all over the world stayed at Beijing Shougang Xiuchi Zhixuan Holiday Hotel, and the Xiuchi Hotel Branch set up a special team to prepare welcome cards, fruit packages, Big Air cultural and creative badges, park consumption manuals and other gifts according to the names of the guests. According to the requirements of doping prevention and control, the athletes and officials demand menu was established, and energy packages were prepared. The Red Mansion was responsible for the working meals of the Organizing Committee staff, and the Shougang canteen was responsible for dinner. The Xiuchi Hotel Branch provided convenient take-away lunch and buffet dinner service for athletes and referees, enabling athletes to enjoy nutritious meals during the intense training and competition schedule.

In order to ensure high-standard catering supporting services for the competition and show the brand image of “Shougang Flavor” to the audience, Beijing Shougang 1919 Catering Management Co., Ltd. built a catering collection area in the south of Big Air Square with three mobile dining cars and four tent booths. The catering collection area mainly included hot drinks, Chinese and Western snack foods, etc., which provided a convenient and abundant dining experience for the audience, and improved their experience of watching the events. Comfortable accommodation, delicious and healthy dining, and meticulous services added warmth to this international event.

Gao Shuliang from Beijing Shougang 1919 Catering Management Co., Ltd. said, “There are more variables in the catering services of this competition in terms of dining scale, time and habits. Therefore, on the basis of the original service guarantee, the team is thinking from the perspective of the athletes and referees, further considering the needs of residents, caring more about others, preparing more in advance and fully guaranteeing the catering services of the Xiuchi Hotel Branch.”

The 2023–2024 FIS Snowboard and Freeski Big Air World Cup successfully concluded and Shougang’s service guarantee was successfully completed. As expected, Chinese athletes were once again at the top of the world, and Shougang’s service guarantee work once again showed the world a “golden business card”.