Race Media

HK50 Series – Race 3 – HK50 West

Race 1 - Oct 21, 2023 - HK50 – Hong Kong Island 50

Race 2 - Dec 2, 2023 - Bupa Global Lantau 50 Asian Skyrunning Championship

Race 3 - Jan 28, 2024 – HK50 West

Race 4 - Mar 2, 2024 – Sai Kung 50

Hong Kong 50 West 2024

HK50 West course heats up – Tsang & Vaso take titles

HONG KONG, January 13, 2024 – Race 3 of the HK50 series kicked off with warmer than normal conditions. What a change in temperature with 2022 HK50 West down near 5c on Tai Mo Shan compared to mid 20c at this year’s 2023 edition and an extra bit of punishment for those that stayed on the ultra-marathon course longer.

Hong Kong’s Tsang 曾 Yiu Chung 耀聰 worked his way thru the field patiently, managing his body with just enough fluids and electrolytes to get by others in the final stage to grab the overall HK50 West ultra marathon victory in 6 hours 56 minutes 40 seconds. “Tough. The last part of the Lung Mun country trail was technical and not easy to handle at the end of the race in the final Tai Mo Shan downhill as I was so tired and was so hard. Tai Mo Shan great scenery at start as nice coming from a 6am start in the dark to the sunrise on top of Tai Mo Shan. The marking was fantastic in all areas, loved the design taking in so much, great sunrise on Tai Mo Shan we got to see with the 6am start. I knew I was behind some of the other runners between 25-35km and just tried to remain steady looking after my body, but my legs did suffer in the final downhill off Tai Mo Shan in some very technical sections, but very happy to take the Action Asia win at the HK50 West today,” said overall Men’s 50km winner Tsang at the finish line.

A rising star in Hong Kong who has put a tremendous amount of time in her training which has been paying dividends is Vaso Alina Ilyn from the Philippines who received a rapturous welcome crossing the finish line in 8 hours 21 seconds taking the overall Women’s 50 km ultra marathon win.

“Everything was very nice, ran my own race, tried to take my time as I think I am stronger in the steeper mountains and this course was flatter in some sections making you run more, work harder but the marshals and course staff very good and marking & signage one of the best I’ve ever seen and want to thank Action Asia and all the sponsors for making this happen.” said Vaso the overall women’s 50km winner.

Thomas Robson of the UK grabbed 2^nd overall as ran a great race showing off his smooth running skills on the very runnable 55km course. “I actually fell over on that final downhill as had a blister bugging me as the last steep section as that final 10km was killing me as definitely prefer the flats, nice mix of everything as this course has many sections I had never been too before so happy the course could introduce me to new places and very happy with 2nd overall said Robson finishing behind Tsang in 7 hours 54 seconds.

Cheng 鄭 King Hang 敬鏗 from Hong Kong grabbed 3rd in 7 hours 8 minutes 34 seconds. “You had to keep running as so much running on this course as aroun cp4 - 45km into the race started hurting. Was training last few months in road running and had almost 9 months off before that as we just had a baby, but really prefer this kind of course as lots of running that suited me. When I started the final climb up Tai Mo Shan my legs started cramping probably due to all the road running I’ve been doing. It was so hard. When I reached the catchwater the legs were still cramping. But a very runnable course and suits me well and one reason I signed up for this race. Amazing views at start. Another funny thing was as haven’t done a trail race in a while forgot my headlamp and had to run with my i-phone, but worked out ok.” said Cheng who grabbed 3rd overall in the Men’s 55km.

Yang 楊 Mei 梅 – who has been living in the US for the past 2 years popped into Hong Kong for a few days only to do the HK50 West race. “ I just stopped in Hong Kong for a short time to enter this Action Asia race as friends had recommended it too me and extremely happy I came and experienced something organized very well with very good markings everywhere and such nice marshals on the course. Now I am thinking of coming back to Hong Kong” said Yang who grabbed 2nd in 8 hours 6 minutes 49 seconds while visiting from her new American home with her family working in the Tech field in California while focusing on a lot of road running marathons in different countries.

Evelyn Chan who won the 11km in 2022 at HK50 West decided to step up, skip the middle distance and try her first ultra. “This is the 3^rd time doing the HK50 West, I must say the middle distance is really not my forte as I’m either slow or I’m fast. I was really enjoying myself basically up until around the last 8km as everyone told me the last 10k would be tough and you really have to dig in. I’ve never had to use a headlamp before and thought it was quite technical to do that in the dark, but I kind of found a rhythm as we were all quite close together at the beginning so as long as I could see somebody ahead of me, it helped in the stumbling around for the first 45 minutes in the dark, but happy to get a podium”, said Chan who grabbed 3rd overall in the Women’s for Hong Kong in 8 hours 23 minutes 12 seconds.

Almost 300 entered the HK50 West event organized by Action Asia Events that had participants start at Shing Mun reservoir, climb over Hong Kong’s tallest mountain - 917m Tai Mo Shan, descend to the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir, climb halfway back up Tai Mo Shan and descend technical trails back to Shing Mun Reservoir for a total elevation gain of 2572m and total elevation loss of 2572m covering 3 distances of 55km, 25km and 11km. Due to the 6am start, 55km runners had to use headlamps in the forest for 40 minutes before enough light climbing Tai Mo Shan.

Trail running is already more extreme than road running, but add the technical trails to keep you entertained, many realize these ultra-marathons are hardcore which has always been in the DNA of Action Asia Events to get people off the normal trails into the unknown and experiencing a real taste of adventure to get the adrenaline pumping. Some call trail running an extreme sport as some or drawn by the beauty and simplicity while others are drawn by constantly wanting to improve times, pushing themselves down technical descents willing to take a serious fall, but that’s where the fun starts as it creates such a wonderful inspiring story.

“Safety is always taken very seriously and special thanks to the St Johns Ambulance crew that supported the event with many small cuts and scrapes, big round of applause for so many of the marshals, staff and volunteers that pushed themselves out of bed at 4am to get up to Shing Mun, Tai Mo Shan and Tai Lam Chung areas in the dark which is inspiring in itself. And huge thanks all the supporting partners that we could not have done this event without. Look forward to seeing more live life as an adventure, pushing themselves outside their boundaries and trying something new,” said Course designer and Race Director Michael Maddess of Action Asia Events.

Special thanks Royale International, Watsons water, Tiger Balm, Action X Store, Del Monte, ,UFC Coconut water,  ITRA, Bix Hydration, Fitz, C3Fit and Action Asia Sports Academy.

The final race 4 of the HK50 series moves to Sai Kung on March 2, 2024.

RESULTS

55km - Top 5 Men

Overall Category BIB Last Name First Name Nationality Team / Sponsor Race Time

1 (129) Tsang 曾 Yiu Chung 耀聰 - HKG . 06:56:40

2 (172) Robson Thomas - UK . 07:00:54

3 (136) Cheng 鄭 King Hang 敬鏗 - HKG . 07:08:34

4 (123) Oates Alan - UK . 07:21:03

5 (142) Chabin Thibaut - France . 07:30:22

55km - Top 5 Women

Overall Category BIB Last Name First Name Nationality Team / Sponsor Race Time

1 (171) Vaso Alina Ilyn - Philippines . 08:00:21

2 (145) Yang 楊 Mei 梅 - CHN . 08:06:49

3 (117) Chan 陳 Evelyn 凱欣 - HKG . 08:23:12

4 (174) Sato Miho - Japan . 08:30:14

5 (134) Wang 王 Annie 安妮 - HKG . 09:02:15

25km - Top 5 Men

Overall Category BIB Last Name First Name Nationality Team / Sponsor Race Time

1 (371) Cotton Sebastian - UK - Gone Runners 02:30:28

2 (392) Tsang 曾 Victor 軒正 - HKG - Bix我hk 02:37:35

3 (405) Faton Laurent - France - Pinot Noir 02:41:48

4 (386) Wong 黃 Kai Chun 啟臻 - HKG - Team write Bix HK 02:43:26

5 (418) Rodarte Jossue - Japan - 02:44:09

25km - Top 5 Women

Overall Category BIB Last Name First Name Nationality Team / Sponsor Race Time

1 (370) Yan 甄 Angie 智貽 - HKG - Bix 02:42:30

2 (385) Leung 梁 Hong Kiu 康翹 - HKG - Bix HK 03:00:24

3 (381) Jacobs Sofie - Belgium Southside OCR 03:07:14

4 (411) Mak 麥 Hoi Cheng Ruby 凱程 - Macao - 03:13:16

5 (357) Cabania Ma Aurora - Philippines -03:27:24

11km - Top 5 Men

Overall Category BIB Last Name First Name Nationality Team / Sponsor Race Time

1 (853) Davis Chris - UK . 01:05:41

2 (848) Chow 周 Chi Yeung 志洋 - HKG - LA Fitness HK 01:07:53

3 (864) Souleyman Jan - UK - 01:08:21

4 (835) Rushton Tom - Canada . 01:13:25

5 (863) Deloy Patrick - Germany -Zupe 01:13:59

11km - Top 5 Women

Overall Category BIB Last Name First Name Nationality Team / Sponsor Race Time

1 (872) Coady Olivia - New Zealand . 01:15:54

2 (875) Novikov Dovile - Lithuania . 01:31:11

3 (831) Vimont Mélanie - France . 01:33:20

4 (865) Ho 何 Samantha 思漫 - HKG . 01:34:15

5 (873) Clothier Georgina Louise - UK . 01:39:51

Race Info

Event Name	HK50 WEST - 2023
Date	January 13 2024 (Saturday)
Start Time	6:00 am – 55km, 6:40am – 25km, 6:50 – 11km
Start & FinishLocation	Shing Mun Reservoir Catchwater, Tsuen Wan
Distance	55 km, 25 km, 11 km
Category	Trail Running and Hiking
Website	www.actionasiaevents.com

 

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About Action Asia Events:

 

Action Asia Events is the organizer of spectacular, extraordinary remote marathons for adventure travel seekers & trail running enthusiasts that inspire and push the boundaries of participants. Having organized over 290 events over the past 23 years Action Asia Events constantly keeps inspiring and pushes the boundaries of adventure travel, ultra-marathon and team building. Responsibilities range from designing courses, selection of the venue, dates and race format to raising the funds essential to run the race as well as liaising with NGO’s and non-profits for fund raising activities related to environment, education and health.