Visitors take photos in front of the snow sculptures at Yabuli Ski Resort on Jan 16. XIE JIANFEI/XINHUA

Natural advantages

Wang Keshua, deputy head of the Yabuli competition zone, highlighted Yabuli's four key strengths — venues, experience, talent and cultural heritage — that have solidified its position as a leading winter sports venue.

"Yabuli Ski Resort has hosted 25 international events, including the 3rd Asian Winter Games in 1996, the 24th Winter Universiade in 2009, and the Snowboard World Cup, along with over 350 national competitions," Wang said.

"After 50 years of development, Yabuli has built a strong reputation as a unique venue, and for its natural advantages. These qualities have attracted a steady stream of international events, which in turn have spurred ongoing upgrades to its facilities," he continued.

Today, Yabuli's ski venues are certified by the International Ski Federation and the International Biathlon Union, with courses meeting international A-level standards. These top-tier facilities were crucial to the success of the Asian Winter Games, aligning with the event's focus on efficiency and simplicity, Wang said.

Yabuli's organizational strength, built through decades of snow-making, course maintenance, scheduling and transportation, also ensured the Games' smooth operations, he added.

"Yabuli's talent advantage is another cornerstone of its success. Over the years, the region has developed a systematic approach toward talent selection and training, honed through years of hosting top-tier competitions," Wang said.

With more than 500,000 athletes having trained at Yabuli, the area boasts a deep pool of local talent, which was vital in supporting the Asian Winter Games. Around 60 percent of the technical officials for the snow events were from Heilongjiang, with many of them previously working at Yabuli.

Wang also highlighted Yabuli's cultural advantage, rooted in its rich history of winter sports. "In addition to the Asian Winter Games, Yabuli will host over 20 other professional and amateur events, further cementing its reputation and driving the growth of winter sports in the region," Wang said.