bc magazine

HKSAR 25th Anniversary Sailing Cup @ Hebe Haven Yacht Club

The third and final race of the HKSAR 25th Anniversary Sailing Cup was hosted by the Hebe Haven Yacht Club on Saturday, the 25th of June 2022.

Glorious sailing conditions saw 92 boats excited to enjoy the blue skies and a steady 11-knot south-southwester breeze. The course saw the various fleets beating out to the South Nine Pins across to East Nine Pins followed by a run to Bluff, a reach to Table before finishing at Little Palm Beach, a total of 15 nautical miles.

Organised by the Hong Kong Sailing Federation the HKSAR 25th Anniversary Sailing Cup comprised three races organised by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (Saturday 11 June 2022), the Aberdeen Boat Club (Sunday 19 June 2022), and the Hebe Haven Yacht Club (Saturday 25 June 2022).

HKSAR 25th Anniversary Sailing Cup Results

HKPN Handicap System (70 Entries)
1: HKG201 – Minnie the Moocher (18.21)
2: HKG2569 – Triple A (21.75)
3: HKG2092 – Pepper and Salt (25.90)

IRC/HKATI Handicap System (23 Entries)
1: HKG2559 – Juice (21.3)
2: HKG2283 – Freefire (22.9)
3: HKG696 – Team Victory (36.8)

More photos, by Takumi Photography, can be found here

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220625-HKSAR-25th-Anniversary-Sailing-Cup-Hebe-Haven/i-LNDth7b

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images: Pandaman, Takumi photography

Hong Kong Women Win Asian Games Qualifier

Hong Kong Women’s Field Hockey Team won the Women’s Asian Games Qualifier in Jakarta to qualify for the upcoming Asian Games. Hong Kong won 5 of its six matches, conceding just one goal.

The team, coached by Arif Ali, were playing in their first tournament after a two-and-a-half-year covid imposed break. “Victories aren’t born on the field. You create them during practice even in difficult times and our ladies have proven that” said Ali.

Co-Captain Evelyn Cheung with 7 goals was the tournament’s top goal scorer.

Ghost Bikes Memorial

James Ockenden’s “ghost bikes” project remembers the nine cyclists who lost their lives on Hong Kong’s roads last year. White painted bikes with white silk flowers and a memorial card with details of the person who died were placed at each of the fatal accident spots.

Ockenden, who organised the ghost bike memorial after the annual Ride of Silence 2022 was made a virtual event, said of the people who died – I think it is important to remember that these accident victims were not racing, but just getting around in an easy and environmental-friendly way, and we should be supporting that as a community.

The Ride of Silence is an annual international bicycle ride that pays tribute those killed or injured when cycling on public roads. The ride had been held in Hong Kong on the third Wednesday of May for the last 16 years.

After the 2021 memorial ride organised by the Hong Kong Cycling Alliance, the police accused riders of violating Covid-19 social distancing rules and ticketed everyone.

The Ride of Silence 2022 livestream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NBihAt2Pao

Ride of Silence 2022
Date: 7pm, 18 May, 2022
Venue: Hong Kong
Tickets: Free

images: hkghostbikes

World Rugby Announces Upcoming Locations of Rugby World Cups

At its Annual Meeting in Dublin, World Rugby confirmed the locations for the next three women’s and two men’s Rugby World Cups:

England to host Rugby World Cup 2025 (women’s)
Australia to host Rugby World Cup 2027 (men’s) and 2029 (women’s)
USA to host Rugby World Cup 2031 (men’s) and 2033 (women’s)

World Rugby also confirmed a new partnership approach towards hosting the Rugby World Cup that looks to as they put it “stimulate the dynamic development of rugby globally and increase investment in the women’s game”. It was also confirmed that the 2025 Women’s World Cup will expand to 16 teams.

After the announcement, World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Today, we have approved three exceptional Rugby World Cup host nations – England, Australia and USA – providing unprecedented certainty and an unparalleled opportunity to accelerate the growth and impact of rugby globally. It is great for rugby, for fans and for the host nations.”

“Today is a landmark moment for the sport and exciting development for fans. I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making this dream a reality as we look to deliver a truly global sport for all.”

“We are thrilled to be hosting Rugby World Cup 2025, it is going to be incredible,” said RFU Chief Operating Officer, Chief Finance Officer and former England captain Sue Day. “As we have seen from other home World Cups in cricket, hockey and netball, a Rugby World Cup will further advance all women’s sport.”

Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan said: “This is a historic day for rugby in Australia. We’re beyond thrilled to be welcoming not one, but two Rugby World Cups to our shores. It’s a game-changer for rugby in this country, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalise and secure the future of the sport here and see the game we all love grow and thrive for years to come.”

“I speak for the rugby community and fans across the United States when I express our sincere gratitude to World Rugby for their trust and endorsement of our vision to grow this incredible sport exponentially across our country.” added USA Rugby Chief Executive Ross Young. “USA Rugby will now venture into a new era and ensure the sport’s most treasured event is a springboard for creating lasting, sustainable enthusiasm and passion for rugby from coast to coast.”

The postponed women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 will take place in New Zealand later this year with the final held at the iconic Eden Park in Auckland on xx November 2022.

If readers are interested in news and ticket information about future Rugby World Cups the sign up here www.rugbyworldcup.com/newsletter.

additional reporting, images: World Rugby

Hangzhou Asian Games Postponed to 2023

The 19th Asian Games, due to be held in Hangzhou in September, have been postponed to 2023 due to rising COVID-19 cases in China, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced on Friday. The new dates have yet to be confirmed.

“The Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee has been very well prepared to deliver the Games on time despite global challenges. However, the above decision was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the Games,” the OCA said in a statement.

Hong Kong’s sports sector lawmaker, Kenneth Fok, said it’s a pity that the Asian Games have been postponed, pointing out that athletes have been training for years for the games, “Hopefully, a new schedule can be announced soon so they can re-arrange their training.”

Image: Asian Games

European Tour Sevens Squads Announced

Ahead of a two-month-long European Tour the Hong Kong Rugby Union has announced the men’s and women’s Sevens squads.

The tour includes tournaments in England and Portugal, (the squad’s first international competition since last November) and offers HKRU sevens coach Paul John a chance to restart Hong Kong’s rugby journey ahead of a busy international season which includes the Rugby World Cup Sevens in South Africa, the Asian Games (Hangzhou, Sept.), Rugby World Series qualifiers (Aug.), and the Hong Kong Sevens (Nov.).

Training in the United Kingdom also offers the opportunity to enter both squads into two events on the upcoming UK Super Sevens Series and the international sevens warm-up tournament in the Algarve in Portugal.

The squads feature most of Hong Kong’s top sevens players – including Max Woodward, Melody Li, Natasha Olson-Thorne, Max Denmark, Chong Ka-yan and ex-Hong Kong sprinter Hui Manling – as well as uncapped players looking to make an impact.

After months of no rugby, there is an essential need among both squads for warm-up games with international opposition to prepare and get match fit for the demanding upcoming tournament schedule which culminates (hopefully) with Hong Kong Sevens in early November.

HKRU Mens’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)

HKRU Women’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)

Additional reporting and images: HKRU, Asia Rugby

Kitchee Advance in Asian Champions League

Kitchee became the first Hong Kong team ever to reach the AFC Champions League knock-out stage. An injury-time equaliser secured a 2-2 draw on Sunday with Vissel Kobe.

When Yoshinori Muto scored in the 87th minute to put Vissel 2-1 ahead, Kichee’s chance of progressing looked remote. But as they have done throughout the tournament Kitchee dug deep and Raul Baena scored with a header in the 91st minute to earn the point needed to progress.

image: AFP/Asian Football Federation

UAE Beat Hong Kong by 9 Wickets in the Fourth Women’s T20i, 30 April, 2022

On the Hong Kong Women’s tour of United Arab Emirates, the UAE Women made it a sweep of the four-game T20 series beating Hong Kong Women by 9 wickets at the Malek Cricket Ground, 30 April 2022.

images: HKcricket