As spring arrives and the snow season draws to a close, ski lovers gathered on Sunday at the Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort in Altay, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, to celebrate with a thrilling pond skimming event.

A 35-meter course for daring challengers and a mini track designed for beginners were set up in parallel. On the longer track, skiers swooshed down the slope into the pool below, where they skimmed across the water's surface with a splash.

Some skiers glided all the way across the pool, while others lost their balance and plunged into the water, drenched but still laughing.

Mao Xiaoshuai, a participant from Chengdu, Sichuan province, was thrilled by the challenge. "Sliding from snow into water is such an exhilarating experience," he said. "I got to feel the speed of skiing and the joy of playing in the water all at once. It's incredibly stress-relieving!"

On the other side, the beginner's track exuded a warm and welcoming vibe. Its gentle slope lowered the barrier for participation and allowed first-time visitors to join in the fun.

The snow season at Jiangjunshan concludes on Wednesday. This winter, the resort recorded 1.3 million visits, a year-on-year increase of 46 percent. The number of ski visits reached 870,000, a 66 percent increase.