New World Harbour Race 2017 3,000 Swimmers to Compete at Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui
- Races will be held at Victoria Harbour on 29 October
- Online registration starts on 9 June
- New race route from Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai
- Race distance of approximately 1km
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR in 2017, New World Development Company Limited (“New World Group”) and the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association (“HKASA”) are delighted to announce that the annual iconic sporting event – New World Harbour Race 2017 will be held on 29 October 2017 (Sunday) at Victoria Harbour. Echoing the legendary cross-harbour race route, the new route stretches from Tsim Sha Tsui Public Pier to Wan Chai Golden Bauhinia Square Public Pier. The enrollment quota for participants remains at 3,000 this year. Following the success of the Charity category in the last 2 years, a number of charity organisations are also invited to participate in making New World Harbour Race happen for a good cause.
New World Harbour Race, relaunched in 2011, has been an iconic event which carries the Hong Kong spirit of perseverance. The Race has been recognised as an "M" Mark event by the Major Sports Events Committee for the 6th consecutive year and endorsed as one of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. This year, with the relocation of the starting point to Tsim Sha Tsui, the race will bring back the classic scene where thousand swimmers swimming across the Harbour against the picturesque backdrop of Hong Kong’s mountain and skyscraper views.
Honourable guests at the New World Harbour Race 2017 press conference today include: Yeung Tak-keung, Commissioner for Sports, Au Tak-cheong, Executive Director of New World Development Company Limited, Leonie Ki, Executive Director of New World Development Company Limited, Ronnie Wong, President of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association and David Chiu, Chairman of the Organising Committee of New World Harbour Race 2017 and Honorary Secretary of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association.
Ronnie Wong, President of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association, said, “The New World Harbour Race 2017 revives the signature race route from Tsim Sha Tsui to Hong Kong Island back in 40 years ago. Thanks to the staunch support of the New World Group and other supporting organisations, this race has evolved into an established world-class open water swimming event. We foresee the brand new race route will create an exceptional cross-harbour experience for the 3,000 swimmers where they can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Hong Kong from another perspective.”
Adrian Cheng Chi-Kong, Executive Vice-chairman and General Manager of New World Development Company Limited, said, “New World Group is delighted to title sponsor the race again and present this unique and legendary Hong Kong sporting event together with the HKASA. We believe the persistence and determination of the swimmers, who have a strong desire to break through conventional limits, coincides with the spirit of The Artisanal Movement, the unique brand personality of our Group where we strive for artisanal excellence. New World Group encourages the public to exercise regularly and to live a healthy lifestyle. New World Group also hopes to connect the event with the youth through various promotional activities in the coming months.”
New World Harbour Race 2017 will begin at 8:30am on Sunday, 29 October 2017, with an approximately 1,000m race course stretching from Tsim Sha Tsui Public Pier to Wan Chai Golden Bauhinia Square Public Pier on Hong Kong Island. The race comprises two groups, Racing and Leisure, which have respective quotas of 600 and 2,400 participants. The seven categories in the Racing Group are: the Youth category (aged from 12 to 16), the Open A category (aged 17 to 34), the Open B category (aged 35 to 49), the Open C category (aged 50 or above), the International category (aged 14 or above), the New World Harbour Race Invitation Cup and the School category. The Leisure Group which does not comprise any rankings is open to all eligible swimmers aged 12 or above. A safety tow float will be provided for each swimmer in the Leisure Group.
To ensure optimum safety, all swimmers must be certified according to the HKASA’s entry requirements for the Race. A time trial is compulsory for applicants without HKASA-accredited race records. The quota of the Racing Group will be determined by the swimmers’ time trial results. For the Leisure Group, the quota will be decided by a draw among eligible applicants. Details of the draw will be announced on New World Harbour Race official website.
The top three swimmers in each race category will receive awards offered by the title sponsor, New World Group. K11, a subsidiary of the New World Group, will continue to sponsor the K11 Harbour Race Young Swimmers Cup for the 12 to 16 age group to encourage the participation of young swimmers.
Online registration for New World Harbour Race 2017 will open from tomorrow, 9 June until 9 August. Three time trial sessions will be held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute, Shing Mun Valley and Tung Chung Swimming Pool on 2, 3 and 9 September, respectively. For more information, please visit www.hkharbourrace.com.