Race Media

Mixed teams battle it out in final kayak leg to decide overall placings at Action Asia Kayak n Run at Tai Tam Bay

Basking in the shade, dripping wet after sinking in the water to cool off after an overall win by just 30 seconds at the Action Asia Kayak n Run Tai Tam Bay, Team Uglow Submarine with Elsa Jean De Dieu and Antoine Epinette both French nationals living in Hong Kong were full of smiles finishing the 4km kayak first leg out to Windy Gap and To Tei Wan, 6km mountain trail run over Dragons Back & 2km final kayak leg back to Tai Tam Bay in 1 hour 51 minutes 50 seconds. “I feel good. Yes my first time getting the overall champion so feels great. It was bloody hot today, but really enjoyed this orienteering race. (No marking as all navigational finding checkpoints). We took a wrong turn after the kayak on the first run section to the check point, but we managed to push hard and it was a really good experience together with my teammate Antoine as we were really pushing each other to finish together and it was great” Jean De Dieu said.

Epinette her teammate described their adventure more in detail. “I think we tried hard to enjoy it and keep it easy on the first kayak leg not over doing it, we knew on the run we would be stronger than most of the others so we started slowly and Elsa was super strong today pushing me on the stairs as I was trying hard to do the transition between the kayaking and running smooth. On Dragons Back (Shek O Country Park) we were jogging despite the heat, and new the course well, and even as we made a wrong turn on the orientation we ended up near a small beach and tried to follow the shoreline to get back to the kayak check point, but it was impossible so we turned back and hiked up to the trail, then pushed and ended back at the kayak checkpoint at the exact same time as the 2 other leading teams. We just gave everything we had in the final kayak leg to get in front of the others to take the win in a very challenging race. I love these kayak n run races” said Epinette.

Elsa Jean De Dieu finished by saying, “I love returning to these kayak n run races as we don't take them too seriously, but they really are so much fun and in a way at the end of the running season, a bit different for me as I had surgery this season, but had a good season winning some races and the team spirit is so good in these races, you kind of struggle as we don't really consider ourselves masters at this, but are fit I guess and it just makes them so much fun at the same time and recommend them to all”.

"Yes first time for me doing a team race and I must admit I was pretty scared to be honest. I've never done a Kayak n Run or a team of 2 race. He was fine as didn't push me too hard. I loved both the kayaking and running. I love kayaking as I dragon boat and love being on the water with a paddle. Running is really nice as you can see all the views especially Dragons Back as very pretty. I wasn't so dead as still could still notice the butterflies and flowers. Not sure if you noticed (asking her teammate) as did you look at that? (Laughing). Matthieu added "I was too dead at that point too notice. Best part for me was the checkpoint and the finish with beer. The course was torture for me, but so much fun especially the kayak. The stairs going uphill were really hard and hot so really difficult for me. Thanks for Leanne for being in front as couldn't have done it without her. So know we are entering Discovery Bay we love this so much and thanks so much for the organization".

Forty two seconds later in a time of 1 hour 53 minutes and 2 seconds team Uglow with Japanese Sayaka Matsumoto partnering with Frenchman Adrien Choux crossed the pier finish line and immediately slid off their kayak into the water for a well deserved final place on the podium after a heated final leg where any of the top 3 teams could have won. "I perfered the running part as the combination is was quite different then what I'm use to" said Sayaka. "Our strategy was too not burn too much energy on the kayak taking it easy and save ourselves for the trail run section. We were in 5th place on the kayak and came in close to the lead teams and pushed up to see the 3rd then 2nd place team on the run. Keep it steady, keep it steady, conserve energy was the focus and ended up finishing the run in 1st position at the last checkpoint as our navigation was good. The other top teams took longer and had cramps so we pushed hard, but were quite tired and was a great final push on the kayak and great that Matsumoto did so well and very proud of our result. I'd love to do the next race, but out of town, but will have someone on Uglow do it" said Choux.

Two categories were offered in the race: Family teams would kayak around Tai Tam Bay for 2km then left the kayak at CP1 near the pier in front of the Scout Centre and started a 3km run to go out to CP2 in Tai Tam Tuk crossing a river with ropes along the way 2x and back to the Tai Tam Tuk finish line. The Family Category started at 8:00 am which is designed for parents and kids to paddle for fun. At least that's the intention to have fun, but when you put kids against eachother they don't understand fun and usually end up pushing the parents like a true race.

The Adult longer race kicked off at 9am started with 4km ocean kayak leg from Tai Tam Tuk out to Windy Gap check point, then kayaking to To Tei Wan where participants got out of the kayaks and navigated up a 6-km trail running session to different check points passing the 284m Shek O Peak on Dragon’s Back in Shek O Country Park before the final 2 km Tai Tam Bay ocean kayak back to Tai Tam Tuk.

10 year old Sarah Modiano from the Family Category finished the race with father Camille Modiano. The French family team shared: “This is my first time to do the race with my daughter. We are really happy with it as it’s a great event and experience. We didn’t expect to do so well. It’s just a right distance for a 10-year-old girl.’’ said Camille Modiano.

“This morning I was really excited then I thought I couldn’t do the whole race as the kayaking seemed very hard. At the end of the race, I told my dad I couldn’t continue and stopped. But I saw other people for the second race beginning their kayak and I don’t know why it gave me courage that I could run fast again and keep going,” Sarah said. Speaking of the outstanding performance, father Modiano said: ‘‘Actually I’m extremely impressed as I couldn’t go faster than her. I have to do my best to finish the event with her.’’

The Action Asia Kayak n Run Series – Tai Tam Bay could not happen without the generous support of Action X Store, C3fit, Salonsip, Herbalgy, Lion Rock Brewery, Watsons Water, Key Sun Zinke, RID, Lorence & Company and Banano.

Action Asia Kayak n Run Series - Tai Tam Bay

ADULT CATEGORY (9 am start) - 4km kayak - 6km trail run - 2km kayak
Rank – Team/Sponsor – Name – Time

Overall Top 3 Teams
1st - Uglow Submarine – Antoine Epinette (France) / Elsa Jean De Dieu (France) – 01:51:50
2nd - Netball Lovers – Matthieu MLv (France / Leanne Claxton (United Kingdom) – 01:52:20
3rd - Uglow – Adrien Choux (France) / Sayaka Matsumoto (Japan) – 01:53:05

Men's Combined Age 36+ Top 2
1st – Team Bradley – Jordan Ekstrom (Canada) / Niklas Risberg (Sweden) – 02:25:54
2nd – #山系痴漢隊 - Chun Hong Lam (Hong Kong) / Eric Li (Hong Kong)– 02:53:01

Men's Combined Age 60+ Top 3
1st - 執拾細遠 – Tsz Kin Chung (Hong Kong) / Gary Lui (Hong Kong)) – 01:54:15
2nd – Poor PaPa – Dennis Kwong (Hong Kong) / Roger Li (Hong Kong) – 02:01:10
3rd – Tiger License – Kan Shang Wong (Hong Kong) / Chi Kong Choy (Hong Kong) – 02:02:52

Women’s Team Top 3
1st – Karen & Bonn– Fung Kit Yi (Hong Kong) / Lau Wai Lam (Hong Kong) – 02:30:35
2nd – RUN – Chamilia Chamilia (Sri Lanka) / Melinda Hand (Australia) – 02:44:22
3rd – SK2 – Ka Lai Leung (Hong Kong) / Ying Shan Tsui (Hong Kong) – 02:50:31

Mixed Combined Age 36+ Top 3
1st - Uglow Submarine – Antoine Epinette (France) / Elsa Jean De Dieu (France) – 01:51:50
2nd - Netball Lovers – Matthieu MLv (France / Leanne Claxton (United Kingdom) – 01:52:20
3rd - KimTon – Hei Chun Tong (Hong Kong) / Hong Kiu Leung (Hong Kong) – 02:05:03

Mixed Combined Age 70+ Top 3
1st - Uglow – Adrien Choux (France) / Sayaka Matsumoto (Japan) – 01:53:05
2nd – Antibiotics – Sze Ying Jennifer Cheung (Hong Kong) / Teddy Ho (Hong Kong) – 01:57:12
3rd – CC Jacky – Chun Keung Leung (Hong Kong) / Sze Wan Sham (Hong Kong) – 01:58:05

Full results at https://www.actionasiaevents.com/results.html

Race Info

Event Name Action Asia Kayak N Run Series –Tai Tam Bay
Date: June 29, 2019 (Saturday)
Start: Time 8:00 am. Family Category - 9:00 am. Adult Category
Start Location: Tai Tam Tuk, Tai Tam Bay, Hong Kong Island (South side), Hong Kong
Distances: Family Category: 3km kayak & 2km run
Adult Category: 4km kayak & 6km run & 2km kayak
Description: Kayaking and running along the beautiful Tai Tam Bay coastline to Hobie Cat Beach and over Dragons Back
Aim: To see beautiful scenery in the ocean and off the main trails and into locations people don't usually go.

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