Hong Kong teen windsurfing champions share the value of hard work and dedication

It’s the result of a lot of training and hard work, King said. “There are many tactics and strategies that I have to plan before and during the race; there might be something unpredictable that you have to face and overcome.”

It was the icing on the cake for the pair, who also won their respective youth categories for the 2024 Hong Kong Open Windsurfing Championships earlier that same month.

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Wing-tung began her windsurfing journey at eight years old: “I signed up for various water sports classes with my dad,” the teen said, adding that she loved windsurfing because it was “more challenging”.

Although King is considered the best of his age group in Hong Kong, he only started windsurfing around three or four years ago, also thanks to his father.

“My dad brought me into the sport. He tends to motivate me, brings me to different sports, and encourages me to try different activities,” King explained.

The life of a champion windsurfer is hard work. In addition to regularly attending school and completing assignments – Wing-tung is enrolled at Baptist University, while King is a Year 12 student at Yew Chung International School – they spend most of their weekends training, usually in Stanley or Tai Mei Tuk. King’s commute to Stanley takes an hour and a half by car, while Wing-tung’s takes an hour.

In addition to long travel times, “The training hours [are] pretty long compared to other sports because we have to break up our equipment and prepare all the stuff before we launch,” King explained.

This leaves them with little free time, though they say it’s worth it for their success in competitions.

“If I want to do well in school, I’ve got to sacrifice many other things, so I have very little time for myself to hang around friends,” King said.

Windsurfing has long been a popular sport in Hong Kong thanks to Lee Lai-shan, better known as San San. She was the first person representing the city to win an Olympic gold medal, which she earned for women’s windsurfing in the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

Water sports have recently been the subject of debate in Hong Kong, as the government announced it would crack down on its existing surfing ban. Officials insist that when surfers chase big waves, they put themselves and frontline workers in danger.

Although windsurfing is allowed at government beaches, the sport comes with its own risks. During a difficult competition this past spring, King was disqualified after another athlete crashed into him, though thankfully, he wasn’t injured.

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In February, Wing-tung tore her ACL – a key ligament that helps stabilise the knee joint – during training, and she had to stop windsurfing for a few months.

Although she has been training her legs and working on her strength, “Sometimes I can get hurt in the race ... I usually get pain during the race, but now I am used to it,” she said.

Wing-tung admitted that her windsurfing dreams were in question since she was still trying to recover from her ACL injury. Still, she has her sights set on the highest level of competition. “I would like to go to the Olympics,” she said.

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