Kaohsiung Sports Director Joins 'Carrying Water Challenge' to Honor Volunteers

Kaohsiung's Director of Sports Development, Hou Tsung-yao, joined over a hundred trail runners and mountain enthusiasts in a unique "Carrying Water Challenge" at Chai Shan mountain. The event, organized by the local "Kao Nan Off-Road" club, highlighted the area's natural landscape and its distinctive "tea-serving" volunteer culture.

The "Carrying Water Challenge" is part of the "Three Entries to Panrong" event, which uses the iconic Panrong banyan tree on Chai Shan as a central route marker. Participants navigate various trails, tackling the mountain's slopes, stairs, and forest paths. This year marked the event's fourth iteration, attracting approximately 1,331 participants over five weeks and solidifying its status as a signature summer off-road challenge in Kaohsiung.

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Chai Shan is one of Kaohsiung's most representative urban mountain forests and an important venue for citizens' daily hiking, trekking, and trail running.

Director Hou Tsung-yao emphasized Chai Shan's significance as a representative urban mountain in Kaohsiung, serving as a vital space for citizens' daily hiking and trail running activities. He praised the "Kao Nan Off-Road" club for their long-standing, self-initiated efforts in promoting Chai Shan and its unique culture. The "Carrying Water Challenge," in particular, allows runners not only to test their physical limits on the mountain trails but also to actively participate in and show appreciation for the tea-serving culture.

The tea-serving volunteers have long provided water to hikers and runners in the Chai Shan area, a tradition that the "Carrying Water Challenge" aims to honor. By carrying water uphill themselves, participants directly experience and respond to the dedication of these volunteers. This initiative aligns with Kaohsiung's broader efforts to promote sports tourism through programs like "Run Kaohsiung 3.0" and curated sports tourism itineraries, which have already engaged over 1,271 participants this year across diverse terrains including mountains, coastlines, and urban settings.

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Through the 'Carrying Water Challenge,' runners not only challenge the trails of Chai Shan but also participate in the tea-serving culture through practical action.