5th annual Artistry on Ice heats up excitement for Beijing 2022

Chen Penbin at Artistry on Ice Beijing 2022. [Photo for chinadaily.com.cn]

World-class figure skaters were featured at the fifth annual Artistry on Ice figure skating festival Friday evening at Wukesong Sports Center, which is one of the proposed venues in Beijing's 2022 Olympic bid.

Beijing 2022 Bid Ambassadors Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo, Russian Olympic champion Adelina Sotnikova and the crowd favorite, US skater Johnny Weir, who's known as "Lady Gaga on Ice", were among the performers.

The festival is the latest to date among an increasing number of public events dedicated to further enhance widespread public support behind Beijing's bid that have been popping up in Beijing and site partner Zhangjiakou. Support for the bid is felt throughout the country in light of the International Olympic Committee's impending 2022 host city election. The winner will be announced on July 31.

The all-star figure skaters performed some of their classic numbers for packed crowds in Beijing. US Olympic ice dancing champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White delivered their hit number, Say Something, while Swiss Olympic medalist Stephane Lambiel wowed with his world-famous spins.

Also appearing were Canadian skating legend Kurt Browning – referred to in China as "little clown" - and recent men's singles world champion Javier Fernandez, whose hilarious and classic number Aerobic Class (which was also performed at the Sochi Olympic Games closing ceremony) had his Chinese fans out of their seats and mimicking his work-outs.

Joining the team of figure skating stars was China's own "Forrest Gump", Chen Penbin. Over the past 100 days, Chen Penbin has been fulfilling his pledge to run 100 marathons in support of Beijing and Zhangjiakou's bid.

For Chen, the final stop on his "100 Challenge" was the Artistry on Ice festival. After entering the sports center, the marathon champion passed on a letter with the signatures of runners he met along the routes of his 100-day journey. They sent their best wishes for good luck to the vice mayor of Beijing and vice president of the Beijing 2022 Bid Committee, Zhang Jiandong.

Describing his incredible experience to the audience, Chen told the crowd: "Having spent the past 100 days running across this country in support of Beijing 2022, I have witnessed firsthand the widespread excitement behind the bid that is felt not just in Beijing and Zhangjiakou, but all the way south to Shanghai, Guangzhou and the countless cities and villages in between."

For the past five years, Artistry on Ice has been a labor of love for its organizers, including the Chinese Skating Association and two of its key members, Beijing 2022 bid ambassadors Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo. Shen and Zhao were the first Chinese figure skaters to win Olympic gold for their country.

The two figure skaters share a personally significant relationship with the Artistry on Ice event: Right after winning gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Zhao and Shen cemented their relationship of 18 years by getting married at the inaugural Artistry on Ice event, turning it into a "wedding on ice."

Speaking in honor of Artistry on Ice's fifth anniversary, Zhao Yinggang, deputy secretary-general of Beijing 2022 Bid Committee and former head of winter sports at the General Administration of Sport of China, said the event has successfully "provided China's winter sports fans with a glimpse of a top-tier international event whose exciting atmosphere matches the buzz Beijing is currently experiencing as the city bids for a Winter Olympics."

After describing Artistry on Ice's increasing popularity over the years, including the fact that this year's event was a sold-out performance, Zhao continued: "Figure skating is one of the most popular events in the Winter Olympics, and it enjoys many fans all over the world. Given the popularity and development Artistry On Ice has seen all over China, we can all expect a magnificent sight to behold at [Beijing 2022 figure skating venue] Capital Indoor Stadium should the Winter Olympics be awarded to Beijing!"

The show kicked off in Taipei on July 8. After Beijing, it went to Shanghai on Saturday before ending its four-city tour in Shenzhen today.