HAIKOU, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- The inclusion of wakesurfing as an official event at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu has drawn growing numbers of young people in China to the sport.

After watching a wakesurfing skim video on social media, 26-year-old Zhang Sinan said that it had completely changed her perception of watersports. "This sport is so cool. I'm going to give it a try," she said.

Chinese wakesurfer Zhuang Tiancai's runner-up finish at the Chengdu World Games highlighted the niche activity's boom. "Three years ago, there were hardly any surfing clubs in Guangdong," Zhuang said. "Now there are more than a dozen. My partners and I are planning to open another branch."

Official figures show China now has more than 300 waterskiing clubs, with hundreds of thousands of participants.

There are over 160 surfing clubs in Wanning, in south China's Hainan Province, and the coastal city is rapidly becoming a watersports hub, receiving more than 500,000 tourists annually.

"Many tourists come to Hainan to surf during the summer vacation," said surfing coach Gao Ruotong. "Under the guidance of professional coaches, beginners can also glide on the waves created by the boat."

"The price for one hour of wakesurfing is over 1,000 yuan (140 U.S. dollars), and many young people come to experience it and take photos," Gao added. ■