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Hongkongers queue all night for shot at HK$7,000 abalone haul … and grandmother, 87, takes home the prize

A 19 year old and her grandmother were among the first to win HK$7,000 of the Chinese delicacy on the opening day of the food fair in Wan Chai

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Richard Poon Kuen-fai, director of On Kee Dry Seafood, presents 21 boxes of abalone to the winners of the wishing tree contest on Thursday. Photo: Nora Tam

The city’s annual Food Expo got off to a flying start in Wan Chai on Thursday when a 19-year-old woman and her 87-year-old grandmother won thousands of dollars’ worth of dried abalone after successfully throwing a replica sea snail onto a wishing tree.

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The jubilant pair, who gave their names only as Ms Yeung and Mrs Chan, won more than 200 abalones – grandma’s favourite – after spending 22 hours queuing before the expo opened at 10am.

Contestants were tasked with throwing fake abalones tied to red bands at a 3.5-metre-tall wishing tree to see who could affix one to the highest branch. Winners took home 21 boxes of the Chinese delicacy worth more than HK$7,000, after paying an entry fee of just HK$1 for the competition. Those able to strike a particular red branch were also winners.

“It was all worth staying up all night for,” Yeung said in a joyful winner’s speech.

It was the second time she had competed for free abalone at the expo, after she scrambled up a mountain of fake abalone last year.

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Despite the pouring rain, ­hundreds of foodies lined up at the Convention and Exhibition Centre hoping to bag bargain bites and sample exotic flavours.

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