MTB Festival & Downhill Racing League – 2nd Stop in Qingdao, July 2025
Back in 2015, I organized a freeride trip with friends to Xinjiang, specifically to the Flaming Mountains. That trip was something truly special, what we like to call “Freeride Entertainment.” After a few international pros had ridden there, we were only the second foreign group to ride with the locals. And trust me, without the locals, you’d never find the good lines. Huge thanks to them again for making that trip so unforgettable!
The buzz around our ride quickly spread, and many Chinese riders became curious. One of them was Lao Meng.
Lao Meng is a passionate rider and a local from Qingdao. He and his friends made their own trip to Xinjiang in 2019. Around that time, he founded the Nighthawk Extreme Bike Club, and with a crew of equally dedicated riders, he’s been working hard to push mountain biking forward in China, especially in Qingdao.
Naturally, our paths crossed online. We connected on WeChat years ago, cheering each other on from afar, but never met in person, until now.
At the National Downhill Race in Nanjing earlier this year, I mentioned I had another project in the works. When that plan fell through, I suddenly had time. And just like that, I finally met Lao Meng face-to-face. He immediately invited me to his event in Qingdao.
Wednesday – Arrival at Cangma Mountain
I arrived at Cangma Mountain on Wednesday evening. This small hill, about 70 km southwest of Qingdao, turns into a ski resort in winter. In summer, it transforms into a bike park with four trails and a 2X course, all managed by the Nighthawk Extreme Bike Club. There’s even talk of maintaining one trail for winter mountain biking!
Thursday – E-Moto Racing
Though the event is dedicated to MTB, Thursday kicked things off with an E-Moto race on a separate course outside the main venue. Riders competed in two categories, Open and Factory Riders. Each team of three had to complete three laps.
Standout moment: Du Peng Rui in the factory category blasted through a massive water puddle at full speed, nearly gave me a surprise shower!
Results – E-Moto
Open Category:
1. Shen Yi Xuan – 11:14
2. Guo Guo – 12:58
3. Wang Zheng Lin – 14:14
Factory Machine:
1. Du Peng Rui – 11:36
2. Huang Da Pan – 11:49
3. Dong Yu Zhe – 13:18
Podium: Factory Machine
Podium: Open Category
Friday – Style Meets Speed
Friday was for the riders who love to send it with style.
Morning: A jump-line contest on the beautifully shaped S-Line through the forest. Only three riders dared to take on the big, technical jumps, some even with sharp 90-degree angles! Every run was filmed from multiple angles, and the judges (mostly brand reps) reviewed the footage before scoring.
Results – Jump-Line
1. Wang Yu Xuan – 530 pts
2. Wang Xu Dong – 468 pts
3. Zhang Wenhan (Under 12!) – 466 pts
Podium: Jump-Line
Afternoon: The 2X race featured a compact dual-slalom-style track with berms and doubles. The dry weather made the course slippery, especially on the flatter berms. On the hard-packed walls, there was some grip, but riders had to commit 100%. There were plenty of wipeouts, but that only made the battles more thrilling.
Results – 2X
1. Du Ke Lin Feng
2. Li Yue Yi
3. Liu Guang Hao
Podium: 2X
Saturday – Youth, Heat & Flow
Another scorching day, hotter than Thursday and Friday! We were sweating in 32°C heat, only occasionally relieved by a breeze.
Morning: Pump Track time! This compact track was rented from a separate organization and set outside the main venue. Riders were split into U12, U15, and U18 categories. Due to the track’s small size and tight turns, pedaling was allowed during the lap.
Results – Pump Track
U12:
1. Gao Sheng Yi – 21.37
2. Zhang Wen Han – 22.40
3. Yang Jia Xiang – 22.48
Podium: U12 Pump Track
U15:
1. Zhuang Yu Han – 18.55
2. John Lee – 19.23
3. Wang Xu Dong – 19.43
Podium: U15 Pump Track
U18:
1. Ren Zi Ming – 21.44
2. Lu Hao Ran – 22.65
3. Ren Sheng Bo – 22.75
Afternoon: A trail session brought 15 riders to show off their skills. Judged both on points and time, it was an impressive show of technical ability. But also with the MTB was a race, who can ride fastest over obstacles.
Results – Trail Session
1. Li Tie Tuo – 180 pts
2. Nie Xin Rong – 170 pts
3. Guo Yu Xin – 160 pts
Podium: Trail Session
MTB obstacle course:
1. Wang Ya Ting – 10.93
2. Wei Li Yang – 13.44
3. Zhang Yun Sheng – 15.22
Podium: MTB obstacle course
The day ended with a rider dinner celebration. But most didn’t party too hard, Sunday was the big one!
Sunday – Downhill Day!
147 riders registered, 124 showed up for morning qualifiers. The U15 group had the most competition. In the afternoon, 64 riders made it to the finals.
The trail was short, just 500 meters, but packed with action: berms, doubles, and slippery sections due to the dry conditions. Even the U12 kids charged hard, sending it with full gas! Riders had to hang on for roughly 1.5 minutes of focused madness. Everyone hoped for a bit of rain to cool things down and improve grip, but none came.
At 16:18, the final rider, a female competitor, crossed the finish line, officially ending the race.
Awards followed, with not only prizes and medals, but also cash rewards. Then came the “sponsor swag throw”, and that might have been the fiercest competition of the weekend! Even grandma had to throw elbows to grab something from the flying merch.
THANKS to the volunteers
Results – Downhill Finals
U8:
1. Leng Xu Mo – 1:21.58
2. Jia Run Xi – 1:37.24
3. Xiao Heng – 1:53.00
Podium: U8
U12:
1. Ren Zhan You – 1:04.58
2. Shang Guan Zheng – 1:10.22
3. Zhang Wen Han – 1:10.95
Podium: U12
U15:
1. Li Yue Yi – 1:02.63
2. Du Ke Lin Feng – 1:03.56
3. Li Ming Xuan – 1:06.03
Podium: U15
U18:
1. Wang Yu Xuan – 1:02.51 (Fastest of the day!)
2. Liu Lei – 1:06.51
3. Liu Fang Zhou – 1:09.33
Podium: U18
Open:
1. Gao Xiang Yu – 1:05.70
2. Li Tie Tuo – 1:11.09
3. Liu Hai Feng – 1:11.46
Podium: Open
Women:
1. Wang Ya Ting – 1:08.70
2. Zhang Jia Li – 1:15.35
3. Sun Yue Han – 1:43.07
Podium: Women
It was a hard fight ...
Final Thoughts
Long days, steep trails, and a lot of sweat on a small hill that punches above its weight. When I first saw it, I thought, “You could probably push your bike up without a lift.” But after several runs, even the magic carpet next to the 2X course came in handy.
What this event really showed is: you don’t need excuses, just creativity and drive. And credit where it’s due, the event schedule ran like clockwork. OK, except for the first day when Lao Meng, the organizer (and racer!), forgot something and had to rush back before his E-Moto run. Otherwise, it was Swiss-train-level punctual.
Shuttle service from the hotel? Check.
Cold drinks and snacks for the heat? Check.
Tons of action and community spirit? Absolutely.
Can’t wait to come back, hopefully next time with an even more technical downhill course. But truly, this event had everything you want from a real MTB festival.
See you next time, Qingdao!
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