National Ski Orienteering Challenge concludes in Heilongjiang

The 2025-2026 National Ski Orienteering Challenge concluded in Fenglin County, Yichun City of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Sunday, with 23 teams from nine provinces and municipalities across China competing on snow-covered tracks against beautiful scenery.

The competition featured three events of short-distance hiking orienteering, 100-meter ski orienteering, and short-distance ski orienteering, involving over 1,000 participants, divided into ten groups, including youth and adult groups.

In order to balance the competitive needs of professional players with the enthusiasm of ice and snow sports lovers, the race course was carefully selected in the primeval red pine forest, integrating the checkpoints with the picturesque scenery of the Lesser Khingan Mountains.

"The course design combines fun and challenge. It's fun because it incorporates many local folk features, and I think the challenge comes from the snow field, which is quite different from traditional orienteering on flat ground," said Tong Xuelin, a contestant.

Apart from the competition, players and visitors can also enjoy food fairs, performances, and scenic areas to fully experience the unique charm of the place in winter.

National Ski Orienteering Challenge concludes in Heilongjiang

Europe is facing the worst energy crisis in history, Kirill Dmitriev, Russia's special presidential envoy for foreign investment and economic cooperation, said.

"Aged well, as Europe finally understands it is facing the worst energy crisis in history," he wrote on X.

In another post, he said it's a "self-made crisis with zero attempt to analyze root causes and adjust course."

French media previously reported that about 10 percent of gas stations in France were facing supply difficulties with "at least one type of fuel." German media also reported earlier that gasoline prices at German gas stations had risen to a record high.

After the full escalation of the Ukraine crisis in 2022, the European Union pushed for energy "de-Russification." Since then, affected by the outbreak of the Iran conflict in late February this year and hindered by navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, ordinary Europeans have seen their daily energy and transportation expenses soar, while European companies are grappling with multiple pressures, including persistently high energy prices, rapidly rising logistics costs, and weak external demand.

Europe facing worst energy crisis in history: Russia's presidential envoy