2,000 Swimmers All Set for New World Harbour Race 2013 on 6 October
New World Harbour Race 2013, title-sponsored by New World Development Company Limited (New World Group) and organised by the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association (HKASA), will be held on 6 October (Sunday). For the newly-added Leisure Group, 1,500 swimmers, including 1,237 male and 263 female participants, will swim across Victoria Harbour, while in the Racing Group, 500 swimmers will be competing in age group categories.
To further enhance safety measures of New World Habour Race 2013, a pontoon will be placed at the finishing point to enlarge the landing space and hence shorten swimmers' waiting time. Two sets of sonar devices, to be positioned at the intermediate gate and near the finishing point, will continue to be used to ensure swimmers' safety. Swimmers are required to tap the electronic touch pads with their transponder at the intermediate gate and the finishing points to record their time results, and will tap the transponder again at the landing registration counter to confirm their time records.
At the media briefing, Ronnie Wong, Honorary Secretary of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association, said, "To ensure 2,000 swimmers will complete the route in a safe environment, 103 safety and race operation vessels will be dispatched along the swimming route to monitor the event, while boats and canoes will be lined up along one side and buoys on the other, to assist swimmers navigating through the waters. A team of swimmer escorts, lifeguards and medical officers will also be on standby along the race route."
Maria Cheung, General Manager of Corporate Communication of New World Development Company Limited, said, "We are excited about introducing international swimmers to the Race this year, which is what New World Group and HKASA have been trying to achieve. Also, we are glad that, for the first time, a young swimming talent from New World Swimming Academy, which is under New World Springboard sustainability programme, has been qualified to participate in this iconic sports event. Meanwhile, public viewing areas will be set up at both the starting and finishing points, and this year, to allow more members of the public to enjoy the race, the public viewing area at the finishing point will be extended."
New World Harbour Race 2013 will commence at 8:30am on 6 October 2013 (Sunday). This year's race course stretches approximately 1.5 km, from the Sam Ka Tsuen Public Pier in Lei Yue Mun, Kowloon, to the Quarry Bay Park Public Pier on Hong Kong Island. All swimmers are required to complete the race within 1 hour and 15 minutes.
For more information, please visit www.hkharbourrace.com
New World Development Company Limited
New World Development Company Limited ("The Group"; Stock Code: 17.HK) is a leading conglomerate based in Hong Kong. The Group was founded in 1970 and publicly listed in Hong Kong in 1972. It is a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index with a total asset value of HK$311 billion as at 31 December 2012.
For more than four decades, the Group has expanded from a single focus on the property business to four core areas: property, infrastructure, services and department store. As at 31 December 2012, the Group has an effective interest of approximately 61% in NWS Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 659.HK), approximately 69.8% in New World China Land Limited (Stock Code: 917.HK) and approximately 72.3% in New World Department Store China Limited (Stock Code: 825.HK).