Guizhou turns mega bridges into extreme sports arenas

A BASE jumper leaps from the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge. [Photo/ddcpc website]

Southwest China's Guizhou province, home to nearly half of the world's 100 highest bridges, is turning these engineering marvels into part of its sports landscape.

Back in 2012, the Balinghe Bridge hosted China's first BASE jumping competition. By 2025, the event had expanded into a multi-bridge circuit linking the Beipanjiang, Balinghe, and Huajiang Grand Canyon bridges.

Although constructing the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge took just three years and eight months, Guizhou has spent over a decade pioneering the transformation of its megabridges into sports arenas.

Balinghe Bridge is a famous spot for BASE jumping in Guizhou. [Photo/ddcpc website]

Athletic features were baked into the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge right from the design stage. The province adapted wind-resistant stability plates into high-altitude walkways, built a BASE jumping platform into the middle of the steel truss girders, and pre-drilled foundations in the anchor zones and other areas for future sports facilities.

By leaning fully into its reputation as a "museum of bridges", the province is giving its architectural wonders a competitive edge in low-altitude sports and bridge tourism. While elite events generate buzz, the true goal is to bridge the gap with everyday tourism and visitor-friendly activities, ensuring these engineering marvels create lasting economic and sporting value.