Vibrant Sanya: 2025 International Beach Ultimate Elite Invitational Concludes Successfully

SANYA, China, July 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 13, the 2025 International Beach Ultimate Elite Invitational wrapped up at Dadonghai Beach in Sanya. Beneath swaying palms and ocean breezes, cheers from spectators and athletes blended into a celebration that burnished Sanya's cultural-tourism brand and wrote a new chapter in the deep integration of sports, culture, tourism and commerce.

As a flagship event of China's 2025 Lifestyle Sports & Consumer Season, the tournament was staged by the Hainan Flying Disc Association, supported by the Sanya Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports Bureau and the Sanya Tourism Development Group, and run by Chenyang Sports with CCTV.com providing media coverage. Twenty teams from ten countries and regions, totaling more than 350 athletes, gathered in Sanya for two days of high-level competition.

On the fine white sand, players delivered spectacular throws, layouts and team plays, embodying the spirit of Beach Ultimate—"the disc never lands, we never give up." In the end, the Philippines' Boracay Dragons reclaimed the title through outstanding cohesion and skill, while Singapore's Turtle Inn and Peacocks took second and third respectively.

Mr. Wang Ruoyang, President of the Hainan Flying Disc Association, told the closing ceremony, "This event showcased the global reach of Beach Ultimate and our commitment to world-class service. By blending elite sport with carnival vibes and uniquely local activities, we gave athletes and fans an unforgettable taste of Sanya's energy and charm."

Expanded format, bigger global "circle of friends" 

The field grew from 16 teams last year to 20 this year, drawing athletes from China, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Canada and more. The surge in teams and international competitors testifies to the event's rising pull and its steady ascent as a key connector for Beach Ultimate players worldwide.

To match the growth, extra divisions were introduced. "Every squad now has a pathway to podium finishes in their tier," Wang explained. Service quality also improved: Sanya's pristine beaches thrilled spectators and athletes alike.

Boracay Dragons team manager Karen Cabrera praised the organization and venue: "The sand is perfect, the sun is shining, and the crowds are bigger than ever. We can't wait to come back."

Sport as a bridge to deeper culture-tourism integration 

For the first time, local specialties were woven into the prize table. Besides cash awards, B- and C-division champions received Hainan yellow-lantern chili sauce and partridge tea. Athletes were delighted: "These local treats are a fun way to learn about Hainan's food culture—my family will love this tea!"

More than a tournament, the invitational was a showcase of Sanya as an international sports-tourism destination, luring young enthusiasts and injecting fresh energy into the city's visitor economy.

With this success, Sanya has added another vivid chapter to its sports-culture story. The city will continue leveraging marquee events to deepen sport-tourism synergies, craft distinctive travel products and cement its status as a premier global destination for travelers and athletes alike.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Vibrant Sanya: 2025 International Beach Ultimate Elite Invitational Concludes Successfully

Vibrant Sanya: 2025 International Beach Ultimate Elite Invitational Concludes Successfully

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A world-famous annual ice fishing festival kicked off Saturday in a remote mountain town in the northeastern province of Gangwon, offering weeks of ice fishing and seasonal activities.

The 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival will run through Feb. 1 in Hwacheon, just 25 kilometers south of the inter-Korean border and about 90 km northeast of Seoul.

"Sancheoneo" is a species of trout known to live only in very clean fresh water.

Visitors from all over the nation arrived at the 300,000-square-meter festival ground -- roughly the size of around 40 football pitches -- from early morning.

"(We) will do our best to ensure safety and so that the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival can become a winter festival enjoyed by everyone around the world beyond the Republic of Korea," Hwacheon Gov. Choi Moon-soon said at the opening ceremony.

This year's festival is expected to attract more than 100,000 foreign visitors, turning Hwacheon, with a population of 22,370, into a global wintertime festival city.

Launched in 2003, the event was chosen as the nation's best festival by the culture ministry in 2010 and had drawn more than 1 million visitors for 13 straight years, from 2006 to 2019.

Last year's event attracted over 1.86 million visitors, surpassing the previous record of 1.84 million set in 2019. Among the attendees, 122,000 were foreign visitors -- significantly higher than the 85,000 recorded the previous year.

The annual winter festival has previously made headlines worldwide, with thousands of tourists trying to fish for sancheoneo through holes cut into the surface of a vast frozen river and taking part in bare-hand fishing, sledding, ice soccer and other events.

Other hands-on activities that allow visitors to fully enjoy the snow and ice this year will include sledding on a 40-meter slope and on a 60-meter section of a frozen river, riding a family-friendly "ice bobsleigh" made by the Hwacheon County Office down a spiral-shaped tube, curling and figure skating.

The Seohwasan Multipurpose Indoor Plaza, another key venue of the festival, will feature a miniature version of the Harbin Ice and Snow World, a world-renowned ice and snow festival, while about 30 ice lantern makers from Harbin will showcase the pinnacle of ice art at the Indoor Ice Sculpture Plaza.

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** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

World-renowned ice fishing festival kicks off in Hwacheon