Hongkong National Kiteracing - Report
December 12th 2012 finally saw the wind play ball for the Hong Kong Kiteboard Federation (HKKF) and allowed it to successfully complete its first national class race day on Hong Kong waters. The winds here can be very fickle and it can take a lot of commitment to get a weekend day-off and enough knots to work in combo. Billed as the HK New Year’s Race it has taken three hits to pull it off, so lucky we have two New Year’s to choose from over here. Certainly it was worth the wait in the end for the fantastic atmosphere and competiveness that marked the day. Racing on a windward / leeward course the 20 strong mixed class fleet of both race boards (RB) and twin-tip (TT) fought it out in the beautifully flat water conditions at Shui Hau Wan on Lantau Island one of Hong Kong’s main kiting locations. For the HKKF this now marks their second successful competition, with this weekend’s event following on from a friendship event towards the end of last year with riders from mainland China over on the East coast in Xaiman.
Certainly it is really encouraging to see the national competition scene’s and associations beginning to develop and find voice around Asia over these past two years with national events now being held in China, Japan, Korea and Thailand as well as Hong Kong with the first Philippines nationals also on the cards in a joint venture between the KTA and the Philippines Watersports Association this season.
For now though big congratulations to Hong Kong and the HKKF for hopefully the first of many national events to come - congratulations also to the winners and everyone who took part over the weekend.
RB Class TT Class
1. Jay Chau Edward Wong
2. Cheng Man Chau Mike Wong
3. Ho Chi Ho Sean Ng
