In recent years, SIP has been exploring diverse pathways of integrating sports with culture and tourism for economic benefits. One of the pathways is to cultivate popular water sports events.

The 2025 LCR, together with the Central (Zhongyang) River Family Paddleboarding Challenge and the Dushu Lake Collegiate Paddleboarding Championship, has demonstrated a new water sports landscape featuring a combination of activities on and beside waters.

“Sports serve as a prism of urban development, reflecting the spirit and cultural aspirations in the new era,” said Chen Wangjun, founder of the LCR, “This year, we deeply embedded the concept of the ‘SIP Golden Autumn ? Three Lakes Carnival’ into the event, integrating athletic competition with cultural tourism and urban sightseeing. By doing so, we aim to motivate public fitness while making SIP’s unique culture and lifestyles visible to more people.”

The LCR has become a benchmark for domestic urban sports events. Pilsung Lee, vice president of Asian Sailing Federation (ASAF), said, “The Jinji Lake has excellent water conditions and the event organization here is professional, both meeting international standards. I hope the LCR will become an ASAF-recognized event in the future and attract more global participants to experience the charm of Suzhou.”

SIP is striving to integrate high-quality resources, improve public service systems for water sports and optimize waterfront public spaces. By exploring a distinctive development model for the “water economy”, it aims to develop into a more modern, livable and vibrant new urban center of Suzhou.