China wheeling into contention

Cross-country skiing converts embracing snowless alternative

Featuring thrill without chill, roller skiing is gaining momentum in China with an increasing number of enthusiasts drawn to the snowless equivalent of cross-country skiing.

The highlands around Baiyin in Northwest China's Gansu province, extremely hot and dry in summer, might seem the least likely location for skiing, but the introduction of the roller version has turned the winter sports wilderness into a new training base for the country's emerging cross-country skiers.