AsiaNet 201840

HUAI'AN, China, Sept. 22, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

The 2026 China International Woodball Open kicked off on Sept. 20 in Baotan Subdistrict, Lianshui County, Jiangsu Province. More than 50 teams and over 400 athletes from across China are competing, with the event running through Sept. 22.

The three-day event features two main events - stroke play and fairway competition - and two divisions: Open and Evergreen. In stroke play, the top 30 male and female individual finishers in the Open and Evergreen divisions will accumulate ranking points in accordance with the International Woodball Tour points system.

During the event, the organizing committee has set up more than 20 specialty exhibition and sales booths around the venue, showcasing intangible cultural heritage products, local specialties, distinctive cultural and creative products, and agricultural and sideline products. The event is also intended to serve as a platform to boost local cultural tourism consumption.

Woodball combines competitiveness with mass appeal and has been gradually promoted in China in recent years. It is understood that Lianshui County hosted the National Woodball Championships in 2025 and is hosting the 2026 China International Woodball Open. The local area has used idle tidal flat resources to build woodball venues and has hosted national-level woodball events for consecutive years, promoting the integrated development of national fitness, culture, sports, commerce and tourism. With the event as a bridge, Lianshui is continuing to deepen the integration of sports with education and tourism, amplify the pulling effect of branded events, and promote the popularization and deep-rooted development of woodball locally.

Photo Caption: The 2026 China International Woodball Open kicked off on Sept. 20 in Baotan Subdistrict, Lianshui County, Jiangsu Province.

Source: The 2026 China International Woodball Open Organizing Committee