Although it may not be on the list of sports in the winter Olympics, 'Polar bear swimming' has become an increasingly popular winter event for many residents of northern Chinese. Residents who have come to love taking the plunge into sub-zero waters look forward to winter to practice their seasonal activity.

The annual "Polar Bear" swimming season is well under way in China's northeastern city of Harbin. The two-day contest has again prompted hundreds of brave swimmers from all over the country to plunge into a freezing swimming pool carved out of ice from the Songhua river.

Tracy McGrady came to China with an NBA pedigree and a legion of awaiting fans, but so far things haven’t gone according to plan; CBA Round 5 action heats up with an OT thriller and T-Mac’s bid for his first Chinese W; badminton players who tried to lose their Olympic match are rewarded for their efforts; a Chinese guy tackles a jungle marathon; and locals tell us which winter sports are hot in China.

During last year's Beijing Olympics, the unforgettable opening and closing ceremonies of the Games were held at the National Stadium or "Bird's Nest".But since then bringing in enough cash to maintain the venue has been a problem.

The Bird's Nest was the focus of worldwide attention during the Olympics.Now, artificial snowmakers have transformed this symbol of the Beijing Games into a winter sports park, where visitors can enjoy winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding.

The cost of this winter wonderland in the northern suburbs of Beijing – and associated maintenance - is a cool 7 million dollars. But the admission of about 18 dollars - not a small amount for an average Beijinger - doesn't seem to have put off this local.

Blizzards, ice, snow and bitterly cold winds. It all adds up to a challenging winter for China’s farmers. And in Northern China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, this winter has been one of the worst ever.

In this episode we learn about the medicinal properties of winter melon, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, and how this food can reduce water retention and improve metabolism.

Staying Warm For Winter

Roseann Lake meets skiing and snowboarding coaches to talk about the fast-developing winter sports scene in China,Resorts,equipment,technique and safety are covered.

Roseann Lake meets skiing and snowboarding coaches to talk about the fast-developing winter sports scene in China,Resorts,equipment,technique and safety are covered.