bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Chan Kin-wa

The annual Harbour Race swim is the latest Hong Kong sporting event to be cancelled because of social unrest.
The 2019 race had been scheduled for Sunday, October 27 and was due to launch a new route from
the public pier at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai to the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui. The event was also set to include an international 5-kilometre open water race.
“We had considered a number of factors before making the decision,” said Ronnie Wong Man-chiu, president of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association. “Of course, the principal one is the recent civil unrest, which may cause transport problems for all the participants.

“We must start the race on time because of the large-scale set-up on the sea but it will be quite difficult to say [we can] these days, especially with both our start and finish located in some areas affected during the protests.
“Also, we have to consider the overseas swimmers. We wanted to wait a few more days to see if there is any possible change in the social situation, but it may be too late for them to change their flight bookings and accommodation plans in Hong Kong. It’s a difficult decision.”
The 2019 race would have seen a record entry of 4,000 swimmers, a rise of more than 10 per cent from last year with organisers encouraging more people to join.
Wong apologised for the decision and said all swimmers would receive a full refund of the entry fee of HK$300, plus a HK$20 administration fee and time-trial fee of HK$100. He said all registered swimmers in the leisure group would be given priority in signing up for next year’s event.

The months-long protests have already forced a number of sporting events to be cancelled in Hong Kong, which the government promotes as Asia’s events capital. The WTA women’s tennis open in early October, the Hong Kong Squash Open in December and the popular Hong Kong E-Prix in March 2020 have all been cancelled or postponed.
The harbour race boasts a long history in Hong Kong with the first swim in 1906. The event was halted during World War II but resumed soon afterwards and continued until the 1970s when Victoria Harbour was deemed too polluted for people to swim in.
It was successfully revived in 2011 with 1,000 swimmers racing 1.8km across the harbour from Sam Ka Tsuen Public Landing to Quarry Bay Park.


Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai admits to lobbying for international support

Jimmy Lai says he may have asked US official to sanction Beijing and Hong Kong

Call from European Parliament to cancel Hong Kong’s customs status over national security law trial

Hong Kong 47: first appeals filed in city’s largest national security case

Hong Kong protests

Hong Kong’s harbour swimming race becomes latest addition to cancellation list due to social unrest

Swimmers from all categories take to Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui Public Pier to Wan Chai Golden Bauhinia Square Public Pier during the New World Harbour Race 2018. Photo: Robert Ng

Competitors take part in the annual Hong Kong Cross Harbour Swim, New World Harbour Race, in Tsim Sha Tsui. Around 3,600 participants swam from the Tsim Sha Tsui public pier in Kowloon to the Golden Bauhinia Square public pier in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island. 21OCT18 SCMP / Robert Ng

Competitors take part in the annual Hong Kong Cross Harbour Swim, New World Harbour Race, in Tsim Sha Tsui. Around 3,600 participants swam from the Tsim Sha Tsui public pier in Kowloon to the Golden Bauhinia Square public pier in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island. At the backdrop is Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. 21OCT18 SCMP / Sam Tsang

Sport

Hong Kong


A record 4,000 entrants were to tackle a new route from Wan Chai public pier to Tsim Sha Tsui East on October 27
Participants will receive a full refund and given priority when applying to join the 2020 race



A record 4,000 entrants, who will receive a full refund and given priority for the 2020 race, were to tackle a new route from Wan Chai public pier to Tsim Sha Tsui East on October 27.


New World Harbour Race

Hong Kong’s harbour swimming race becomes latest addition to cancellation list due to social unrest

A record 4,000 entrants were to tackle a new route from Wan Chai public pier to Tsim Sha Tsui East on October 27 Participants will receive a full refund and given priority when applying to join the 2020 race

A record 4,000 entrants were to tackle a new route from Wan Chai public pier to Tsim Sha Tsui East on October 27

Participants will receive a full refund and given priority when applying to join the 2020 race