New World Harbour Race 2015 Time Trial Record High of About 3,500 enrolments
．Tremendous response with nearly 3,500 enrolments
．Top swimmers from different districts to compete for School category titles
．Non-profit making organisations and celebrities to join the Charity category
Title-sponsored by New World Development Company Limited (“New World Group”) and organised by the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association (“HKASA”), New World Harbour Race 2015 is staging a three-day time trial on 5 September (Saturday), 6 September (Sunday) and 12 September (Saturday) at Hong Kong Sports Institute, Tung Chung Swimming Pool and Shing Mun Valley Swimming Pool respectively. The enrolment reached a record high of about 3,500 this year, including approximately 930 entries for the Racing group and about 2,600 for the Leisure group.
New World Harbour Race is an annual iconic sporting event which has been receiving enormous support from the Hong Kong society. Over the past five years, swimmers from all walks of life took part in the race and enjoyed a unique experience of swimming across Victoria Harbour. To allow more extensive participation, two new categories, School and Charity categories, have been introduced this year. Celebrities will join the Charity category, for a good cause while promoting swimming and a healthy lifestyle. To ensure the safety of all participants, those who do not have HKASA-accredited race records or did not finish last year’s New World Harbour Race are required to complete 1,500m in 45 minutes at the time trial in order to be qualified for race. 1,920 applicants will attend the time trial this year to secure a spot among the 550 and 1,950 enrolment quotas in the Racing and Leisure groups respectively. The top 100 swimmers of each age group in the Racing group will be qualified for the race, while the New World Harbour Race Invitation Cup and the School category will admit the top 50 swimmers. In the Leisure group, applicants will only be eligible for the draw upon passing the time trial.
Dr Ng Kin-sun, Vice President of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association, said, “New World Harbour Race’s enrolment hit record high this year. We truly appreciate the immense support from different sectors of society. The pilot School and Charity categories have also generated positive feedbacks. More than 30 students will take part in the time trial this year in the School category and the opportunity to vie for the inter-school open water swimming titles. Furthermore, we would like to remind all participants about safety during the races. In addition to sufficient pre-race preparation and training, participants should pay attention to their health condition and ensure that they are physically fit to participate in the time trial.
Maria Cheung, General Manager of Corporate Communication of New World Development Company Limited, said, “This year marks the fifth anniversary since the revival of New World Harbour Race. New World Group has been looking to expand the scale and scope of participation, hence more people from different sectors can be part of this incredible event. For the first time, the Group and HKASA introduced a charitable element to the race with the Charity category, Funds raised will go to non-profit making partners of our sustainable community programme, New World Springboard, which spreads an energetic spirit and positive messages in the community. The New World Swimming Academy under New World Springboard continues to grow, with 12 young swimmers, including new blood from Sham Shui Po and Tuen Mun, to compete in the race this year. We wish them all the best.”
Time trial results will be announced on 16 September 2015 (Wednesday) on the New World Harbour Race and HKASA websites. Public drawing of the Leisure group will be held on 21 September 2015 (Monday). To optimise the quota, the organiser will keep the reserve list as per last year. Qualified participants who fail to pick up their race kits before the specified date will automatically lose their eligibility. The organiser will then reallocate the quota to participants on the reserve list. Both the final entry and reserve lists will be available from the New World Harbour Race and HKASA websites on 23 September 2015 (Wednesday).
New World Harbour Race 2015 will be held on 18 October 2015 (Sunday) in Victoria Harbour. International elite swimmers will gather in Hong Kong to compete for top titles. For details, please visit www.hkharbourrace.com.
About New World Development Company Limited
New World Development Company Limited
Founded in 1970, New World Development Company Limited (“New World Group”, Stock Code: 17.HK) was publicly listed in Hong Kong in 1972 and is a constituent stock of the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index. A diversified holding company with a focus on property development, New World Group’s core business areas include property development, infrastructure and service, department stores and hotels. As at 31 December 2014, the total asset value of the Group amounted to HK$378.5 billion.
As at 31 December 2014, the Group has an effective interest of approximately 61.3% in NWS Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 659.HK), approximately 69.7% 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).
About the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association
Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association (“HKASA”) was founded in early 1950 by the President, Mr. A. de O. Sales, and it took part for the first time in the Olympic Games in Helsinki 1952 with four swimmers. It was subsequently registered under the Societies Ordinance on 28th April 1960. It is a member of the Federation Internationale De Natation (FINA), Asian Swimming Federation (AASF) and Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF & OC).
It is the sole governing body of swimming sports in Hong Kong covering all swimming, diving, water polo, synchronised swimming, open water swimming and masters competitions and activities here. In the past 60 years, the Association has been promoting and developing swimming sports, thus raising the standard of swimming, nurturing elite swimmers and providing training to athletes, officials, judges and coaches in Hong Kong through organising different competitions, training courses and relevant teaching activities.
The Association now has over 120 affiliated clubs with over 8,000 registered athletes, offering all properly accredited persons the opportunity to represent Hong Kong in a wide range of competitions and meetings here and abroad.