"Elite Cup" China-Russia Youth Ice Hockey City Invitational Tournament Concludes
During the Qingming holiday, the "Elite Cup" China-Russia Youth Ice Hockey City Invitational Tournament, part of the SCO Ice and Snow Demonstration Zone’s "Spring in Ice City" event series, kicked off in Harbin. After three intense days of competition, the tournament concluded on April 6. In the end, Harbin U14A Team and Irkutsk Olympia Team claimed the championship and runner-up titles in the U14 category, while Harbin 3A13 Team and HIT (Harbin Institute of Technology) Affiliated middle school Ice Hockey Team secured the top two spots in the U11 category.
The event, guided by the Harbin Municipal Sports Bureau and hosted by the Nangang District People’s Government, was organized by the Harbin International Sports Exchange and Cooperation Association and Beijing 3A Hockey Sports Development Co., Ltd. (Harbin Branch). It brought together 12 elite youth ice hockey teams from China and Russia.
Over the three days, both the Chinese and Russian young players gave their all on the ice. They delivered spectacular teamwork and thrilling goals on the unpredictable rink, demonstrating remarkable composure and confident shots during the shootouts. From the sidelines, cheers and chants from spectators, coaches, and parent support groups erupted frequently, providing the young athletes with unwavering morale boost.
During the tournament's downtime, the organizers arranged a China-Russia youth ice hockey training camp and friendly games. The children from both countries exchanged skills and bonded over their shared passion for the sport, with language barriers fading as they became close friends. Simple phrases like "Hello" and "Goodbye" from the Russian young players and "Хорошо" (Russian, meaning "good") from the Chinese kids became their most effective means of communication. Additionally, the Russian players visited Harbin’s Ice and Snow Experience Hall, Harbin Science and Technology Museum, and Harbin Polarland, while also savoring local delicacies.
Speaking about the event, Zhang Xia, President of the Harbin International Sports Exchange and Cooperation Association, remarked, "Harbin is a renowned ice and snow city, a dual Asian Winter Games host, and an Olympic champion city with a profound ice sports heritage. Although the 9th Asian Winter Games have concluded, Harbin’s passion for winter sports continues unabated. This tournament drew large crowds, including not only young fans but also many middle-aged and elderly spectators who rarely missed a game, cheering enthusiastically for the young players."
Zhang Xia added that the association will seize this momentum of winter sports to actively promote the "300 Million People Participate in Ice and Snow Sports" initiative, expand the scale of future tournaments, and invite more teams from SCO member countries to compete. The goal is to create more classic winter sports events, provide a broader platform for youth participation, and help Harbin sustain its ice sports glory in the post-Asian Winter Games era.（harbin.gov.cn）
