20 | Monday, April 20, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY SPORTS

Happy homecoming WINTER SPORTS Ski resorts see recovery on horizon After harsh winter, business owners planning to bounce back stronger

By SUN XIAOCHEN visitors due to the strict virus pre­ [email protected] vention measures and quarantine policies which have restricted Despite being hit hard by the cross­city travel. coronavirus outbreak, China’s ski Since accepting pre­bookings in industry remains bullish about its late February, Wanlong’s daily visi­ long­term future as resort owners tor numbers amounted to just predict a bounce­back effect buff­ around 200 — one­twentieth of its ered by more robust business peak volume the previous season, models. according to Luo. With their properties shut down Such slim pickings have done and consumers staying put during little to alleviate losses incurred the crisis, China’s fledgling ski through operational costs at the industry has dealt with an unprec­ property, which continued to edented drop in revenues over the make snow and groom courses past winter, when major infra­ during the business standstill. Wuhan Zall’s Spanish head coach Jose Gonzalez (left) and other squad members finally return to Wuhan on Saturday following a 104­day structure upgrades and ideal Just across the ridge from Wan­ winter training stint that was prolonged by the Hubei provincial capital’s coronavirus­enforced lockdown. The Chinese Super League weather conditions were expected long, the Genting Resort Secret soccer team’s extended itinerary saw it spend time in Guangzhou, Malaga in Spain, Shenzhen and Foshan. XINHUA to bring the best season ever. Garden, which will co­host some Despite consistent snowfall last­ snow events at the 2022 Beijing ing into early spring, the ski area Winter Olympics, has also had to on the mountains surrounding the absorb a painful financial hit, los­ BOXING Chongli district of Zhangjiakou in ing an estimated 180 million yuan Hebei province has seen its well­ ($25 million) this season, accord­ groomed slopes and perfect pow­ ing to its senior vice­president, der snow wasted over the past two Shu Wen. Orlando opening revives Meng hopes months, with chair lifts swaying Adhering to government regula­ silently in the breeze and once­ tions, the Genting resort reopened bustling resorts still and empty. on Feb 28 following a month­long By MURRAY GREIG and joy to them with this fight. I The bleak scenes at the emerg­ shutdown, but visitor numbers [email protected] want to put pride in their hearts.” ing ski town, which is now linked have been minimal with the The 35­year­old Beterbiev (15­0, to Beijing by a new 50­minute, majority of its core market unable Florida governor Ron DeSantis 15 KOs), who lives and trains in high­speed rail line, are a micro­ to travel from Beijing due to quar­ may have done Chinese boxer Meng Montreal, is boxing’s only current cosm of the entire industry’s pre­ antine measures. Fanlong a huge favor. champion with a perfect knockout dicament. Genting, though, has main­ Last week DeSantis declared percentage. He unified the title by Around 40 percent of businesses tained a skeleton operation to World Wrestling Entertainment stopping Ukraine’s previously operating in the country’s winter accommodate six national ski and (WWE) an “essential service” during unbeaten Oleksandr Gvozdyk in sports sector have seen their reve­ snowboard teams for behind­ the coronavirus pandemic, thus October. nues more than halved this season closed­doors winter training opening the door for other sports pro­ If Top Rank goes ahead with compared to the previous winter, programs. motions to pursue staging postponed fights in Florida, it’s a safe bet Dana while the same proportion are oper­ Lessons learned from operating events in the southern US state. White’s UFC would do likewise, ating on cash flows that will last on tighter budgets and exploring One of the first to respond was even without crowds. Between only two more months, according new revenue streams should ulti­ Las Vegas­based Top Rank Boxing, fighters, trainers, referees, judges, to an industry analysis published by mately be beneficial for resorts, which is looking for a suitable ven­ television crews and other support the Beijing Olympic City Develop­ according to industry observers. ue for Meng’s challenge against IBF staff, such events would still draw ment Association last Thursday. “Streamlining management and and WBC world light heavyweight hundreds of participants. Despite such grim figures, some lowering unnecessary operational champion Artur Beterbiev of Meng Fanlong celebrates winning the IBF light heavyweight title in DeSantis waited until early April ski operators can still see a silver costs while seeking new projects Russia. Macao, China, on June 1 last year. XINHUA to issue a stay­at­home order in Flor­ lining. for all­season business have now The title bout was originally ida and, according to a memo circu­ “As long as we can survive become the ideal model for all scheduled for March 28 in Quebec lated by the governor’s office last through the challenge, which I resorts to thrive in the long run,” City, Canada, with No 1 contender Arum said he would hold off on you replace that? Well, if you don’t Thursday, recent additions to the believe we can, we will resurge said Wu Bin, president of Beijing­ Meng, the unbeaten 32­year­old “crowd­less” shows for bigger fights replace it, somebody has to eat it.” list of “essential services” in the state starting from next winter, with a based industry analyst Carving Ski. southpaw from Chifeng, Inner Mon­ — such as the heavyweight rubber While the Meng­Beterbiev bout is include “employees at a professional rebound in consumption a very Offering the likes of mountain golia, guaranteed a $460,000 (3.2 match between Tyson Fury and significant, it’s nowhere near as big sports and media production with a likely scenario,” Luo Li, founder biking, hiking and river rafting million yuan) payday. Deontay Wilder — because of the as Fury­Wilder III, so the former national audience”. They are defined and chairman of Wanlong Para­ during the offseason is common Top Rank CEO Bob Arum told money lost. fight could potentially be the front­ to include “any athletes, entertain­ dise Resort in Chongli, said during practice at established destina­ ESPN he plans to ask the WWE’s per­ “Those are either going to have to runner to launch Top Rank’s Florida ers, production team, executive an online forum last week. tions in Europe and North Ameri­ mission to use its facilities, such as wait until we can have spectators, or adventure. team, media team and any others “A public health crisis like this ca, however it’s still relatively the Performance Center in Orlando. if the fighters get antsy, they will Meng (16­0, 10 KOs), who fought necessary to facilitate, including pandemic will inspire people to uncharted territory for the Chi­ “It’s very, very interesting, and have to deal with an adjustment in at the 2012 London Olympics, said services supporting such produc­ embrace a more active lifestyle nese ski industry. we’re going to be in touch with their purses because you will have in March he hoped his title chal­ tion — only if the location is closed through sports participation after­ Huaibei International Ski them. There’s a possibility to use cut off an important revenue source lenge would provide the nation with to the general public”. wards, which I believe is a boon for Resort in north Beijing’s Huairou their facility to maybe do events from the event,” said the promoter. a much­needed morale boost. A spokesman for the governor the outdoor industry as a whole.” district has begun exploring this without a crowd,” Arum said, add­ “For example, Fury and Wilder, “My fellow citizens need some­ told ESPN that such services were Executives from nine major ski market, developing a river­rafting ing he is “very optimistic” that his the gate was close to $17 million for thing to help them escape from this characterized as essential “because resorts across the country agreed trip which takes tourists on an company will be doing fights with their second fight, and that’s from very difficult time,” he said. “I hope they are critical to Florida’s during the video conference that exciting 3.86­kilometer ride audiences by the end of the year. the public buying tickets. How do to bring some positivity, happiness economy”. even the “coldest” winter the through a forested valley. industry has ever faced will thaw Huabei’s president, Chen into spring sooner or later. Huanzhang, said the river run ICE HOCKEY “The damage of this season was attracted nearly 100,000 visitors huge as the virus abruptly cut last summer but he remains cau­ short the entire operation win­ tious about the viability of offsea­ dow,” said Li Jianhong, president son attractions. Blade­less training loses its edge of the Silk Road International “I don’t think the idea to go for Resort in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur yearlong operation suits everyone’s autonomous region. situation in China,” said Chen. By MURRAY GREIG just isn’t the same. stick as close to a routine as possible,” point out it doesn’t require the same “Yet it might have a bright side “Outdoor sports participation is [email protected] “With no ice, we’ve all had to get a said New Jersey Devils defenseman balance or muscle memory as skat­ for the long term because all the far from a mainstream pastime at little bit creative in our workouts,” PK Subban. “It’s hard because you’re ing on ice. resorts are now forced to come up the moment in our country. Any Being in lockdown mode is diffi­ Draisaitl said in a recent video con­ anticipating the season coming back, “You don’t get the buildup of lac­ with new ideas to diversify their further investment made in this cult for everyone these days, but for ference call. “Whatever works.” but by the same token it’s so much tic acid and having to deal with your business models, which is critical area at ski resorts without having most professional athletes it’s still In an interview with Canadian time. And when you’re not skating, groins and your hip motion when for sustainable development.” preferential conditions, such as relatively easy to maintain crucial Press, Columbus Blue Jackets for­ there’s nothing you can do that’s you’re digging into the ice and try­ Although permitted to reopen proximity to urban regions and skills. ward Nick Foligo drew a parallel going to mimic skating.” ing to stop and start, and that’s a big in early March since being shut ideal natural tourism resources, Baseball players can hone their with everybody’s favorite fictional Most teams have charged their part of it,” Krug said. down in late January, all the major will only add to the already heavy swing against a pitching machine. fighter, Rocky Balboa. trainers with providing customized The NHL last week extended its resorts have struggled to attract financial burden of operators.” Football and soccer players are run­ “You’re kind of going back to that workout routines for players, with self­quarantine for players and staff ning, biking and pumping iron. Rocky mentality where you’re doing an emphasis on sprinting and bik­ through April 30, and commission­ Endless shooting drills keep basket­ a lot of push­ups and sit­ups and ing to replicate the high intensity of er Gary Bettman said the league ball players sharp, while boxers and punching the cow,” Foligno said. skating 40­second bursts. must have the appropriate medical tennis players are accustomed to Added Washington Capitals “That all helps and it’s great, but protocols in place before returning, solitary training routines. defenseman John Carlson: “I don’t there’s absolutely nothing you can especially with players spread For the world’s best hockey play­ think too many of us have access to do to prepare for the ins and outs of across North America and Europe. ers, though, taking away the ice rinks or anything like that, and a shift and the physicality of it,” Bos­ “When we decide it’s time to presents a more daunting challenge that’s huge. It doesn’t matter how ton Bruins defenseman Torey Krug resume play, we’ve got to get every­ as there’s just no substitute for being hard you train, the on­ice stuff is told Canadian Press. body back and be comfortable that on the blades. very different and we’re going to “Not only are you trying to mimic not only are we not infecting the pop­ Edmonton Oilers forward Leon have to pick it up pretty quick when the skating motion, but there’s no ulation of players, but that we’re not Draisaitl, who was leading the NHL things turn around.” way you can train for going into the bringing the coronavirus from other in scoring when the season was put Since the season was halted on corner with a guy who’s 6­foot­2, 210 places into jurisdictions where the on hold by the COVID­19 pandemic, March 12, the NHL’s self­quarantine pounds and trying to out­battle him players and other personnel are has resorted to hours of stickhan­ guidelines have prevented players and get the puck and skate away going,” Bettman said in an interview dling pucks around his dog to main­ from skating or working out from him.” with Fox Business News on April 15. Empty slopes in February at a resort in the Chongli district of tain hand­eye coordination — but together. Players who have taken up train­ So for now, iceless workouts Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, tell the story of a lean winter season doing it in sneakers instead of skates “I just do my workouts and try to ing on rollerblades are quick to remain the norm. for China’s fledgling ski industry. ZHAO ZI’AN / CHINA NEWS SERVICE