Aquasplash
Marked as part of the Handover celebrations, the third race in the PowerBar Splash ’n Dash Aquathon series is coming up on July 15. The series started on April 14 and will finish on October 7 and, for those unfamiliar with aquathons, is a contest of a combination of swimming and running. The race on Sunday July 15 is divided into two categories: a ‘sprint’ of a 275-metre swim sandwiched between a couple of two-kilometre runs and a ‘challenge’ in which the runs are extended to four kilometres and the swim to 550 metres. Winners will be awarded prizes and points towards a total for the whole series and the contest is open to anyone.
What: PowerBar Splash ’n Dash Aquathon Series 2007 When: July 15, Registration: 7am-7:45am, start: 8am Where: South Bay Beach How much: Adult $120 until Thursday prior to race day, $200 after that. Team entry for the challenge contest: $200 Enquiries: www.triathlon.com.hk

Dance is Sport
The International DanceSport Extravaganza on July 7 and 8 is a major event in the Handover anniversary celebrations. It boasts a full programme starting with a DanceSport Championship open to all, from 3 to 80-year-olds, over the whole day of July 7. Both standard (tango, waltz, quickstep) and Latin (cha cha cha, rumba, jive) are included. And for beginners, the DanceSport Carnival on July 7 will offer classes in both standard and Latin as well as game booths and other fun events for all. Costumes, photographs and other DanceSport paraphernalia will be on display over both days and a Youth DanceSport Gala on July 7 will feature young dancers from schools all over Hong Kong. Everyone is invited to Cha Cha Cha between 5pm and 6pm on July 8 in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the most people doing the dance at the same time. If you don’t know how, you can learn in a 2-hour class before the record attempt. The whole extravaganza will culminate with top ballroom dancers from around the world competing in the IDSF International Open on July 8. Oh, did we mention a huge parade planned to open the whole event?
What: International DanceSport Extravaganza Where: Queen Elizabeth Stadium When: July 7-8 How much: free Enquires: www.dancesport.org.hk

Bike Dancing
Some of Hong Kong’s best indoor cycle enthusiasts will be amazing audiences at the Hong Kong Cycling Association’s Indoor Cycling Championships on July 1. Indoor cycling might be less well known than road racing or dirt biking but it is probably more skillful: usually it consists of artistic cycling and the game cycle ball. In artistic cycling riders try to outdo each other with displays of two-wheeled manoeuvres and agility – much like cycling gymnastics, while cycle ball is a little like soccer on a bicycle in which two teams, usually with two cyclists to a team, try to score by ‘kicking’ a ball into a goal box with their bikes or bodies (but not hands or feet). Indoor cycling took off first in Germany from where it spread through Europe and then onto Asia with Hong Kong hosting the first Indoor Cycling World Championships outside Europe in 1993.
What: Hong Kong Indoor Cycling Championship Series 2 When: July 1, 9am-7pm Where: East Kai Tak Sport Centre How much: Members $30 Enquiries: www.cycling.org.hk

Bullseye
Budding Robin Hoods will be able to pit their skills against each in the Indoor Target Archery Open Competition on July 15. It is an open competition over two categories – recurve over 18m (30 arrows) and compound over 18m (30 arrows) and each category has individual and team eliminations but is limited to 76 contestants. Teams may only contain three members but with no restrictions on gender. Start stringing that bow – the application deadline is July 6.
What: Hong Kong Indoor Target Archery Open Competition When: July 15, arrive time: 8 am-8:30am Where: Luen Wo Hui Sports Centre How much: $100; team elimination, each team$120 Enquiries: www.archery.org.hk

Paddle Power
Congratulations to the Devils Advocate HKIPC mens team for sweeping the board at the recent Stanley Dragonboat festival, the mens team powered to victory in the blue riband event the Gold Cup Grand Final. The paddling continues throughout the summer in outrigger canoes. The HK Island Paddle Club is organizing a fun afternoon on the water for those who may want to escape some of the Handover hullabaloo on July 1. The club is extending an open invitation to anyone interested in trying outrigger canoeing – with no restrictions on age, sex or ability. And if you like it, the club runs training sessions three or four times a week from where you can test your skills in various club races around Hong Kong and overseas. All you need on the open day is beachwear, drinking water and sunscreen.
What: Outrigger canoeing When: July 1, 12 noon-4pm Where: Victoria Recreation Club at Deep Water Bay beach How Much: tbc Enquiries: www.hkipc.com email: info@hkipc.com or call 9750 6039