CHONGQING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 IFSC (International Federal Sports Climbing) World Cup concluded on May 6th in Chongqing, the first stop on the 2018 China tour, with Indonesia, Japan and Russia all bringing home three IFSC World Cup medals.

Unluckily for the Chinese team, Zhong Qixin, the former champion of World Cup men's speed match, missed this tour. Only two athletes placed in the top five. He Cuilian and Li Jinxin finished in fifth and fourth respectively in the women's and men's races.

Despite the setbacks, this tour gave China's climbing athletes great opportunities to learn from world elites and prepare for the Asian Games.

Rock climbing involves strength, control and fitness. Using the muscles in your arms and legs to pull yourself up a sheer rock face takes strength and control. Using your brain to place your hands and feet so that your muscles can do their job is the fitness part.

This sport has won young hearts throughout the world. Statistics form IFSC show that there are over 80 membership associations registered, involving 35 million participants.

Sport climbing was featured as official game for 2018 Jakarta Asian Games in 2015 and it became a full Olympic sport for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2016.

The 2018 IFSC World Cup, with four games under competition including bouldering and speed climbing, is held all over the world in phases.

This year the program of the mountain festival is again full of highlights and exciting presentations by top mountaineers. Approximately 260 athletes from 32 nations will participate in the World Cup. The world's top eight climbers all attended in Chongqing tour.

Cai Luyuan, chief coach of China's national rock climbing team, said that there are still two sets remaining vacant in the 18-member team. Choosing which one to fill in the blank is based on athletes' performances during the 2018 IFSC World Cup.

The 2018 IFSC World Cup season kicked off last month. China's climbers are all fired up, as Li Zhixin, the director of the mountain sports management center of the state sports administration said, and China is seeing more and more rock climbing sites and followers in recent years.

China's Mountaineering Association united provincial sports bureaus and companies to establish a national rock climbing team in 2016. Nine provincial training camps were set up to foster more future medalists. "There are more than 30 players in each camp, and juvenile climbers play a vital role in it," Cai said.

Cai said rock climbing is no longer just for extreme sports athletes and thrill-seeking daredevils. Climbing has benefits for people of all ages. Registrations continue to grow as sport climbing approaches the Youth Olympic Games 2018 in Buenos Aires and the Tokyo Olympics.

There are many different types of rock climbing to consider, with progressive levels of difficulty.

Bouldering is done at low heights and is common at indoor gyms. It's ideal for beginners to start in a safe, controlled environment. Sport climbing is climbing up rock faces dotted with bolts, and it's usually done with a partner. Soloing is climbing on your own, usually without a rope. Traditional climbing involves unmarked routes using your own safety gear. Ice climbing is climbing ice-covered rock faces and frozen waterfalls.

Cai said people are excited to see how this year's crop of ridiculously strong athletes will perform on the 2018 IFSC World Cup circuit.

This year, there's all to play for in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics. Over 200 athletes registered for the IFSC Boulder World Cup in Meiringen, Switzerland, as all nations look to have their teams fully prepared for climbing in the Olympic Games.

In Asia, Indonesia and Japan are strong on bouldering and speed climbing. But Cai believes female athletes will impress the world in the Asian Games, and Zhong Qixin is expected to strive for a medal in men's race.

"We will try our best to improve our performance in the upcoming matches," Cai said. Enditem