Perseverance get visually impaired runners thru stairs & single track at Island Hike & Run by Action Asia Events
Hong Kong - Oct 19, 2019 - The 3rd annual Island Hike & Run by Action Asia Events took place on Saturday with over 20 visually and hearing impaired runners out of more than 300 entered. Kim Mok one of the blind runners said, “The Action Asia Events course had a lot of hills which were very challenging for complete visually impaired, but it is a brand new experience for me. When I was running through the Island Hike & Run course, all the volunteers were cheering for us and I could feel their passion. This really can encouraged me to continue the race. I did the HK50 West 25km category on Tai Mo Shan and actually found that slightly easier then this course with so many stairs on Hong Kong Island, but now I know what I can achieve”.
Hong Kong’s Nicky Inge grabbed the overall Women’s 22km title after resting a few months. “That was the first race for me since the Mongolia Action Asia marathon in June as was resting all summer, so happy to get a win to start the trail season, but even though I really enjoyed the well-marked route, the climb up Jardine Lookout at the end was quite tough for me as I said to myself, I’m not there yet and got to keep going, compared to the Twins which were only in the first 9km and more punishing, but you’ve still got energy early in the race. Loved the views on the Island Hike & Run course and nice to see so many helpers showing runners where to go to make everything smooth especially the final road crossing”, said overall winner Nicky Inge who completed the 22km course in 3 hours 8 minutes 6 seconds.
Overall Male winner of the 22km, Hong Kong’s Yeung Ho Yin finished in a speedy 2hrs 35min 10 seconds saying “This year the race included a variety of surfaces -- from the flat Catch Water to the upward steep slopes of the Twins, with some uphill technical trails on Boa Vista and steep climbs up Mt Butler and Jardine Lookout with all making the race very challenging. Because the distance is short, we have to run quite fast, and the changing road surfaces are really challenging. All the checkpoint locations are well-picked and the event is well-organized. I first joined an Action Asia Events in 2014. It’s been 5 years now and I still support the Action Asia Events as the organizer is attentive to the interests of the runners, and they know how to give their events some really good vibes, so I enjoy the races very much. I’ve joined Sai Kung 50, Hong Kong 50 and the Action Sprints before, all short-distance races. I remember that in 2014 we had to wear helmets and run across running streams. Now we have trail running, so Action Asia Events organizes different types of races of different distances, which can be really challenging and fun for people like me” said Yeung the overall male champion of the 22km at the Island Hike & Run.
Nepalese runner Limbu Yamanath grabbed the overall 14km title saying “The Island Hike & Run was great with a lot of hills and so happy the final couple kilometers were downhill which was nice as I kept saying, downhill, and down, down, down on such a well marked course. Loved it” with Yamanath winning in a time of 1:28:56.
Man Wai Liu was 2nd on the 14km podium in the Men's race grabbing 1st in his 16-39 age category saying, “The route was really quite easy for me as I trained four days a week to get prepared for this Action Asia Event, so the 14km race was not difficult at all. I am happy to winsome prizes which was great” said the 2nd place 14km runner Man Wai Liu who finished in a time of 1:34:45.
In the14km Women's category Evelyn Chan the overall Women's champion finished in 2 hours 6 minutes and 54 seconds saying it wasn't easy. "I suffered a bit on the stairs from Mount Parker going up Mt Butler and Jardine Lookout, but I couldn’t ask for better weather as the view was amazing. I think I could’ve gone a little bit quicker as it was sort of a slow time for this circuit I think and hoping can do better next time. I’ve done a few Action Asia Events before like the 12km Sai Kung race, Repulse Bay 9km Action Sprint earlier this year and as always, the event is very well-organized, all the volunteers and the staff, they’re really great, they’re very supportive. It couldn’t be more fun" Chan said.
Kanna Gaffney who is 9 yrs old & her mother Nozomi Gaffney teamed up together as a team of 2 under Team Gaffney in the 5km category grabbing 3rd overall. "We had a great time in the race. The uphill sections were hard, but the downhill was really exciting. This is the first time we’ve done a race together and we really enjoyed running as a family team. The first half was challenging, but that part made the downhill enjoyable so much more! I kept talking to kanna, reminding her to mind her steps as some parts were techinical for a 9 year old girl. She responded really well to my cheer and she tried very hard which was great to see!" said Nozomi Gaffney finishing the 5km hilly track in 54 minutes 19 seconds.
The Island Hike & Run started at Green Lane Park, Happy Valley, crossing Blue Pool Road, Tai Hang Road up to Wong Nai Chung Gap before going into Tai Tam Country Park. The 14km/22km runners took on single track along the Tsz Lo Lan Shan Path heading to the Tze Kong Bridge at the Tin Shui Wan Au with 22km looping around the Twins Catch Water and climbing over the Twins (Wilson Trail Section 1) before joining the 14km participants again heading along some technical single track next to the Intermediate Tai Tam Reservoir before the first 12km checkpoint on Tai Tam Reservoir Road. It was uphill on a short road section to the Boa Vista technical single track section, before arriving at the next Tai Fung Au 17km checkpoint. Next was some more serious steep climbing up the stairs of Mt Butler and Jardine Lookout on the Hong Kong Trail Section 5 arriving at Parkview, before descending down the Tai Tam Country Trail, crossing Tai Hang Road, descending more stairs linking Blue Pool Road to the Green Lane finish area for over 22km for the hardcore, 14km for the intermediate runners/hikers and 5km for those just wanting some fitness on a Saturday at the Action Asia Event.
The Island Hike & Run is possible thanks to the supporting sponsors Action X Store, C3fit, Watsons Water, Royale International, AmCham HK, Herbalgy, Salonsip, Magnetic Massager Therapy, New Life Plastics and Horizon Sports.
Results:
22km Men solo Top 5:
1. Ho Yin Yeung楊皓然 —Hong Kong SAR —2:35:10
2. Shing Fung Yan — Hong Kong SAR —2:48:17
3. Howard Pulling — United Kingdom —2:50:18
4. Tai Chiu Ko - Hong Kong SAR - 2:58:05
5. Paul Ketterer - United Kingdom - 3:01:50
22km Women solo Top 5:
1. Nicky Inge — Hong Kong SAR —3:08:06
2. Ann Cheng-Echevarria — United Kingdom—3:10:36
3. Aislinn Malone — Ireland—3:12:08
4. Lan Fa Angel Lo - Hong Kong SAR - 3:22:50
5. Ping Yee Wong - Hong Kong SAR - 3:28:10
22km Team of 2 Top 3:
1. Marie Douay & Victoire Monnier—France—3:57:00
2. Christine Wu & Edith Cheung—Hong Kong—4:04:47
3. Nicholas Sun Fat Lai & Kanda Tangvatcharawichai—Hong Kong&Thailand—5:01:52
14km men solo Top 3:
1. Limbu Yamanath—Nepal—1:28:56
2. Jan Souleyman—United Kingdom—1:34:05
3. Man Wai Liu—China—1:34:45
14km women solo Top 3:
1. Evelyn Chan—Hong Kong—2:06:54
2. Melissa Catelli—United States—2:10:01
3. Marichu Stertzenbach— Philippines —2:11:30
14km Team of 2 Top 3:
1. Samuel Lee & Clint Chow—Hong Kong—1:48:24
2. Cheuk Hin Leung & Yiu Chung Tang—Hong Kong—1:54:31
3. Nilsson Pär & Caroline Wressmark—Sweden—2:31:30
5公里男子組個人首2名：
1. Bertrand Libbrecht—Belgium—1:20:54
2. Ben Spannaus—United States—1:37:49
5公里女子組個人首3名：
1. Elissa James—Australia—0:55:38
2. Penny Heath—Australia —0:56:35
3. Karolina Struminikovski—United Kingdom—0:59:05
5公里2人隊際首3名：
1. Wai Lun Ng & Yiu Bong Tam—Hong Kong—0:41:04
2. Cho Yan Ide Tam & Ting Sang Lam—Hong Kong —0:43:36
3. Kanna Gaffney & Nozomi Gaffney—Australia&Japan—0:54:19
Full results at https://www.actionasiaevents.com/results.html
Race Info
Event Name:Island Hike and Run
Date:Saturday (19 October 2019)
Distance:22km, 14km and 5km
Start Time:8.40am (22km); 8.40am (14km/5km)
Start Finish Location:Green Lane Service Reservoir Sitting-Out Area, Green Lane, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Category:Hiking and trail running
Course Details: https://www.actionasiaevents.com/ (Click PAST EVENTS - ISLAND HIKE & RUN)
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