Hold onto your hats – or bamboo poles! 🎋 Lu Chuntao from Guangxi just clinched gold in the women’s 60m single bamboo drifting race at China’s 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities, proving that balance and grit can turn ancient traditions into extreme sports. Her teammate Wei Bingyue snagged the men’s title, making it a Guangxi sweep on opening day!
💡 Bamboo drifting, once a transport method in northern Guizhou, became a national intangible cultural heritage in 2021. Now, athletes like Lu race on slender bamboo poles, combining surf-like agility with Olympic-level strength. \"It’s all about wrestling with physics,\" Lu told reporters. \"You’re fighting water resistance, staying upright, and sprinting – all while praying the bamboo doesn’t buck you off!\"
🏆 This win completes Lu’s trifecta: she previously dominated the 100m and 200m events. As a Zhuang ethnic group member, she beams, \"Showing our culture’s strength through sport? That’s the real victory.\"
🌾 Forget skateboards – Gen Z athletes are now eyeing bamboo drifting. With races hitting 20+ km/h, could this heritage sport go viral? One thing’s clear: when tradition meets athleticism, everyone wins. 👏
