On October 11, the 2025 National Cable Waterski & Wakeboard Championships kicked off at Bihai Jinsha Cable Water Ski Park in Fengxian, Shanghai. This is the first time the national event has returned to Fengxian Bay in seven years since the 2018 IWWF Shanghai Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup. Nearly 70 competitors will vie for strength and beauty on the wave tips.

With clear seawater, Asia's longest seawater cable loop that stretches 783 meters, and complete professional props, this venue, which has hosted the IWWF China Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup for five consecutive years, is well known to many competitors. Xu Lu, the gold medalist in the women's wakeboard freestyle at the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, is among them. "I took part in the 2018 World Cup, and there were fewer props then," she said in an interview. She was pleased to see two or three new props added this time. She trains here every year and knows the environment and props well, which boosts her confidence for the competition. "I just hope to do my best."

Zhang Wei, a local competitor and gold medalist in the 2008 Asia Championships, was also full of confidence. "It's an honor to represent my hometown and compete at the beautiful Bihai Jinsha in Fengxian," he said. He was thrilled to compete with his peers from across the country, hoping to use this chance to get more people interested in and involved in the sport.

A highlight of this event is the three categories covering all ages - the highly competitive open category, the mass category for enthusiasts, and the U16 & U13 category for youth. Judge Wu Hao said this aligns with the concept of promoting sports for health and mass fitness. "Cable waterski is for all ages, especially offering a healthy sports option for the youth," he said. "This sport is not only for professionals, but is also increasingly open to the general public."

The return of the event is not only a display of sports spirit, but also a concrete step by the Fengxian Bay Tourism Area to transform from "viewing the sea" to "playing in the sea". Lu Qin, head of the tourism office, noted that over 120 competitors, judges, and staff from across the country were invited this time. In the future, the area plans to upgrade the event to an international competition to showcase its coastal resources. "Through integrating culture, sports and tourism, we're inviting visitors to experience this 'sea of South Shanghai'," she said. After the waterski event, the area will host a series of other competitions, including lure fishing, cycling, and winter swimming, to keep the coastal sports enthusiasm burning.