Xu Peixi, a college student in Beijing, has been to the Shishahai Lake several times since the winter began to go skating. But each time, he was told no skating service was being offered.

"Either the lake was not frozen, or the ice was not thick enough,'' Xu said.

Shishahai is not alone for such frustrating conditions in Beijing this year. Usually there are many lakes in Beijing offering ice-skating in cold winter weather. However, Beijing has witnessed its warmest winter in the past 30 years, according to the Beijing Meteorological Station.

Ice at leading skating locations such as Beihai Park, Yuyuantan Park and Zizhuyuan Park has been inconsistent. Skating enthusiasts like Xu have instead had to locate skating rinks around Beijing.

Yuyuantan Park in west Beijing used to attract the largest number of skaters in the past. Enthusiasts of all ages skated together, with particularly skilled enthusiasts showing off their talents on the ice. But Lu Wenjun, a staff member with Yuyuantan Park, said the lake cannot be used for skating until the ice on the surface becomes at least 15 centimetres thick.

"The lake has not been frozen yet,'' Lu said. "Skaters will have to seek alternative places.''

The climate in Beijing this year is out of the ordinary, according to Zhou Xiaoping, a senior engineer with Beijing Meteorological Station. She said the average temperature this winter is 1.8 centigrade higher than what has been common in other years. January usually records the lowest temperature in Beijing, but this January has seen a warm climate.

"Average daily temperatures from January 1 to 5 have been 3-5 centigrade higher than that in the same period of the past few years,'' Zhou said. "All of our data indicates that this winter boasts the highest average temperature in the past three decades.''

Zhou ascribed the warm winter to weak cold air and little precipitation. Recently, Beijing saw 27 consecutive warm days. Under such circumstances, land surface temperature increases when it absorbs long-wave sunlight, which conducts heat to the air, leading to rapidly increasing temperatures. Global warming effects have contributed to the warm winter.

The Zhongshan Park has provided one of only two outdoor skating venues in Beijing this winter, seeing a slightly decreasing number of skaters compared to other years, even though the ice thickness is safe enough.

"The ice in the Zhongshan Park is more than 15 centimeters thick, which is well above the minimum standards set out by the Beijing Municipal Administration of Sports,'' said Xing Qizhang, service director of door skating at the park.

"The ice is in the shadows during the daytime, helping it to freeze,'' Xing explained.

The number of skaters, however, has decreased due to media coverage on safety aspects in relation to the warm winter.

"But it is safe enough here,'' Xing said. "We provide capable staff and emergency facilities in addition to the ice layer meeting the minimum standards.''

Indoor rinks

At the New World Champion Rink in downtown Beijing's Chongwen District, pharmacy worker Zhang Ling watched her 10-year-old daughter skate among scores of youngsters. She said she prevented her from skating outdoors. "The ice is not thick enough, it is dangerous,'' Zhang said.

Liu Yonggeng, a 69-year-old retiree who was tightening the shoelace of his ice skate, echoed Zhang's comments.

"Skating outside depends largely on the weather,'' said the former ice hockey player. "And with the dust on the ice, you must sharpen the skate after skating for a while. But skating here, you needn't be bothered to sharpen them for a month.''

In the rink, an old man's skillful performance caught the eyes of the young skaters. The gray hair beneath his black hat betrayed his age.

"I'm 81 years old,'' Gao Rixin said while having a rest on the bench outside the rink. "Skating is good for health, but it is not suitable for senior citizens. They are prone to hurt themselves if they falling.''

"But I am OK. I have a solid foundation,'' he said proudly, adding that his ice skates had served him well for 30 years.

He used to skate at the Shishahai Park and the Longtan Lake, but added that the ice indoors often makes for a smoother skating experience.

"Natural ice is not so flat as that in a skating rink, so it makes more skaters fall,'' he said.

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