The 4th Baoshan Orange Carnival Road Running kicked off at the intersection of Huanbei Road and Minghu Road at 6 a.m. on February 24th. As soon as Hsinchu County Magistrate Chiu Ching-chun and Baoshan Township Mayor Chiu Kun-tong fired the starting pistol together, about 3,000 runners in three groups— 21K, 10.5K and 6K—hit the road. During the event, runners could jog through country roads in Baoshan Township, feel the passion of local communities, enjoy bucolic landscapes, and savor local specialties at aid stations. They could even bring home high-quality, healthful and pesticide-free oranges.
Magistrate Chiu Ching-chun gave credit to Baoshan Township Farmers’ Association, Council of Agriculture of Executive Yuan, and Hsinchu County Government for promoting leisure touring as well as local produce. With the great success of the Orange Carnival Road Running in the past three years, this year’s road running event was supported by even more participants. This also meant the combination of industries, such as agriculture, sports and tourism caught more attentions. Magistrate Chiu also invited runners to be back to Hsinchu County in April for the Tung Blossom Road Running, where people can enjoy the beauty of tung flowers while running.
Mayor Chiu Kun-tong stated that there were not only aid stations along the way where runners could regain their energy with local specialties, but also many stalls selling local produce and delicacies at the destination. With plenty of recreational facilities, this event was suitable for people of all ages, which encouraged everyone to go exercising and stay healthy. Representatives from Baoshan Township Farmers’ Association and other the local government were also present to cheer for the runners and promote local specialties, especially oranges.