Shougang Park in Beijing's Shijingshan district is set to host the FIS Snowboard and Freeski Big Air World Cup from November 30 to December 2, as the iconic big air venue embraces the athletes who are preparing for the three-day big air competition. 

Headed by China's Olympic big air champion Su Yiming, the event will see the participation of 166 athletes from 24 countries and regions. Qualifications for freeski and snowboard will be held on November 30 and December 1, respectively, with the finals of both events staged on December 2.

Reigning Olympic champion Su, who has not competed at a World Cup since his Olympic victory in February 2022, and rising star Yang Wenlong will lead the host's charge in snowboarding. ­Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics gold medalist Birk Ruud of Norway and defending world champion Tess Ledeux of France are the marquee names in the freeski races.

Liu Mengting, who made her name by finishing second place in the women's freeski slopestyle at the Swiss Freeski Tour in November 2021, will compete for China at the gigantic ski ramp in the middle of a former steel mill site.

"I hope I can make it onto the podium with a solid performance at the event," Liu told reporters. "Having a podium finish will help me inspire more people to participate in ice and snow sports."

Representatives of athletes pose for a photo in Beijing, on November 28, 2023. Photo: Courtesy of Beijing Sports Bureau

US snowboarder Troy Podmilsak, who finished a sensational triple 2160 at the big air world championships in 2023 at the age of 18, noted that Beijing's weather "looks good" for competing, after extreme windy conditions forced a cancelation off reeski finals at the previous World Cup race in October. 

"Hopefully this contest has some better weather and it looks like it should," Podmilsak told reporters. "All the best riders have amazing jumps and crazy tricks to go down. There's gonna be 2160 for sure and even bigger spins we just don't know yet." 

Weather forecasts predict the conditions on the race days at the site as mildly windy.

Roby Moresi, FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) director of competitive snowboarding, has noted that hosting the World Cup at the Big Air Shougang venue underlines its sustainability after hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics. 

"We started off with normal competitions and ended up in doing Olympic Games, and now it has been put into a legacy position, which will take us into many more years of World Cup events here at the Shougang Park in Beijing," Moresi told reporters.

"It is the combination of great technicality, dreams, design and architecture. It's the first of its kind. So you really have to be proud about what you've done in the Soughang Park."

Liu Yishan, a snowboarding athlete from North China's Hebei Province who used to be a gymnast, said she was once prone to injury while skiing, but quality training has made her able to compete with confidence. 

"It is a sport that combines speed and risk. It's inevitable to see injuries," Liu told the Global Times. "But I have to be dauntless if I want to progress, or I will be hindered by the concerns of potential injuries."

In addition to the sporting competition, music and fashion fairs featuring a wide array of music, culinary delights and entertainment will be held at Shougang Park, as well as a ski equipment exhibition.