2025 50th Wuhan 7.16 Yangtze River Crossing Festival

Today, the 50th Wuhan 7·16 Yangtze River Crossing Festival in 2025 grandly kicked off. Among the events, 70 athletes from across China and countries including Russia, Italy, and the UK competed in the approximately 1,800-meter individual Yangtze River crossing challenge; meanwhile, over 2,000 swimming enthusiasts formed 27 teams and completed an approximately 6,000-meter group swim.

As China's longest-standing open-water swimming event, the Wuhan Yangtze River Crossing Festival originates from 1956 when Chairman Mao Zedong swam across the Yangtze River and composed the poem Shuidiao Getou: Swimming. Following this historic event, Wuhan City hosted the inaugural river-crossing competition in two batches on June 24th and 30th of the same year. Since then, this river-crossing tradition has become an enduring cultural symbol of River City.

From the 1993 debut of the first International Squad—composed of athletes from over 10 countries and regions in Wuhan's river-crossing history—to this year's competition where swimmers from Italy, Russia, and the UK share the stage with Chinese athletes, the Wuhan Yangtze River Crossing Festival has evolved into a global spectacle. The city embraces the world through its surging Yangtze waves, transforming the river into a dynamic bridge for intercultural dialogue and exchange.

Ashley Hogg, a British swimmer who has now made six appearances at the Wuhan Yangtze River Crossing Festival, returns to the River City this time leading two young athletes. Having transitioned from competitor to "mentor," he has witnessed Wuhan's remarkable transformation firsthand: "Wuhan's internationalization has grown significantly over recent years—travel here is far more convenient now." The friendships and sense of belonging he forged during his first participation in 2017 have driven him to return year after year, drawn to this annual ritual of swimming across the Yangtze. "The Wuhan Yangtze River Crossing Festival is an exceptional platform for cross-cultural exchange; sports connects people around the world in a truly unique way," remarked Ashley Hogg.

Ashley Hogg participated in the Wuhan Yangtze River Crossing Festival as a coach for British athletes. Photo source: Yangtze River Daily.

From the debut of its first "international team" at the Wuhan Yangtze River Crossing Festival in 1993 to today’s participation of swimmers from dozens of countries and regions, the festival has long transcended the boundaries of mere sports events. It has evolved into a cultural symbol that showcases Wuhan’s spirit and bridges global exchanges. As a city thriving in symbiosis with the Yangtze River, Wuhan continues to write a new legend of the times, embracing the waves with the posture of a trailblazer.