Race Media

Families bond over fitness and fun at Action Asia Healthy Hike and Run

French father-daughter pair share podium in 5km category

Tai Lam, Hong Kong - Sunday, March 10, 2019 – A family that exercises together, stays healthy together, as parents and children who participated in this morning’s Action Asia Healthy Hike & Run proved. The wet conditions failed to dampen the enthusiasm of participants, who challenged themselves to 5km, 13km or 19km courses around Tai Lam Country Park.

Thirteen-year-old French schoolgirl Pauline Courret breezed to the women’s 5km title for the third straight year in 28 minutes and 3 seconds, about a minute after her father Olivier crossed the finish line at Tai Tong Road BBQ area to claim third in the men’s 5km category.

“We started to participate in this race four or five years ago as a dad-kid activity,” Oliver said, “and now my daughter runs almost as fast as me.”

Pauline said: “It was really fun. It was a very diverse course, because you have some road parts and trail parts.”

The Courret family are all triathletes and often swim, cycle and run together.

Olivier said: “When our kids were babies we brought them along for hikes, encouraged them to walk, and get outdoors and just enjoy the fresh air. When they were able to run, we began doing races together. Races like the Action Asia Healthy Hike & Run are perfect — you can do it as a family and it’s a lot of fun.”

Olivier added that family exercise benefits more than just the body. “First of all, you spend more time together, which is great. The kids are off screens, they’re healthier, more balanced and their minds are clearer as well. And they have to be very organised if they want to balance sports and school,” he said.

Pauline agreed, saying: “I think sports helps a lot with mindset, like setting your goals high. Even in school it helps a lot to aim high, and usually you reach higher when you aim higher.”

The rain-soaked course made for slippery trails and an even greater technical challenge, but Jamie Mclaren still managed to blitz the 19km category in 1 hour 37 minutes and 30 seconds to emerge overall men’s champion — in his first ever race in Hong Kong.

“The course is absolutely stunning,” said Mclaren, who hails from the UK. “The wet and rainy weather made me feel euphoric and free, and that speeded me up instead of affecting me, even though it was a little bit slippery.”

Bryan Crane from Canada was second in 1:40:48 and Hector Chan from France was third in 1:43:05.

Among the women, French runner Sonia Massot claimed first place in the 19km event in 2:02:12. She shared: “The weather was cool and rainy, and the course was muddy, so I slowed down in the middle of the race. But near the end of the race, I was really fast again as the conditions improved.”

Mia Bennett from the United States was second in 2:06:32 and Olivia Brocklehurst was third in 2:15:48.

The Healthy Hike & Run set off from Tai Tong Shan Road BBQ area, with the 19km runners at 8.30am followed by the rest at 8.50am. After heading into Tai Lam Country Park, the three routes went separate ways, but all looped back to the Yuen Tun trail and finished where the race began.

The event is organized by Action Asia Events and is possible thanks to the generous support of sponsors: Action X Store, Watsons Water, Banano, SALONSIP, HERBALGY, Hong Kong Living, Royale International and The Green Earth.

 

 

2019 Healthy Hike & Run Full Results

19 km

Top 3 Men

1. Jamie Mclaren - United Kingdom - 01:37:30

2. Bryan Crane - Canada - 01:40:48

3. Hector Chan - France - 01:43:05

 

Top 3 Women

1. Sonia Massot - France - 02:02:12

2. Mia Bennett - United States - 02:06:32

3. Olivia Brocklehurst - 02:15:48

 

13 km

Top 3 Men

1. Wat King Long - Hong Kong - 01:00:23

2. Rayda Kezaz - France - 01:02:23

3. Stephen Higgins - United Kingdom - 01:05:49

 

Top 3 Women

1. Justin Clark - United Kingdom - 1:20:10

2. Nicky Inge - Hong Kong - 1:21:11

3. Rachael Spitzer - New Zealand - 1:25:18

 

5km

Top 3 Men

1. Tsz Chun Au Yeung - Hong Kong - 00:25:26

2. Jan Yip - Hong Kong - 00:26:14

3. Olivier Courret - France - 00:27:04

 

Top 3 Women

1. Pauline Courret - France - 00:28:03

2. Kimmi Lynn - Japan - 00:32:46

3. Romina Lecher - Switzerland - 00:34:37

 

Race Info

 

 

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