Hong Kong para sailors and runners tackle unique Four Peaks race with a 40-foot yacht donated by Li Ka-shing
- Unique race uses Hong Kong’s topography to combine sailing and mountain running on ‘arduous’ course
- Hong Kong’s richest man lends support to organisers Sailability, who hope to push the boundaries of teamwork
A team of para sailors and runners are set to take on the unique Four Peaks Race, as they sail across the region and run up and down some of the city’s most challenging mountains – with Hong Kong’s richest man also supporting their efforts.
During the Solaris Four Peaks Race, held on February 4 and 5, teams sail from Hong Kong Island to Sai Kung. They then drop anchor and two runners kayak ashore, run up and down the 702m high Ma On Shan. They then sail back and send two runners ashore to run up Violet Hill (433m) above Repulse Bay.
The teams sail from there to Lantau and hike up the highest peak in Hong Kong – Lantau Peak (934m) – and back to Lamma Island to hike up Mount Stenhouse (353m) before making their way to the finish line near Repulse Bay.
Teams can pick their running configurations, if they want multiple runners going up different peaks to share the load.
There is around 95 nautical miles (170km) of sailing, much of it overnight.
“[It is an] iconic challenge which is considered to be one of the most arduous sailing races in Asia,” 72- year-old Barry Hill, vice commodore of Aberdeen Boat Club, said.
Sailability Hong Kong gets new 40ft yacht thanks to Li Ka Shing Foundation
The race has been going since 1987. It is the flagship event for the Aberdeen Boat Club and this will be the 37th edition.
“It’s unique in Hong Kong, of course, but it’s really quite unique in the world,” Hill said.
This year, Sailability – a charity helping handicapped people to start sailing – has entered a team for the first time.
Aboard will be skipper Enrico Zanella, and para sailors Foo Yuen-wai, Puk Chi-yeung, Leung Wun-wa, and Sylvia Leung Yuk-chun.
They will be joined by runners Fred-vaudaine, David Bridge, Law Yiu Chi-sunny, and Wong Chun-kiu, who will accompany the para-runners Cheng Yue-choong (deaf) and Fung Kam-hung (amputee).
Also on board will be crew carer and Sailability founder Kay Rawbone, 72.
“I think it’s more than one step up. I think it’s a few steps up. But also, I think it actually promotes teamwork for many on our boats,” Rawbone said.
Hill, who also works with Sailability, added: “Teamwork is the is the key to this. So to actually sail a big boat safely, at night and in, what can be at this time of year, quite challenging conditions.”
“So actually to make a boat go well. It’s a large boat, 40ft boat, there’s 12 people on the boat, two of whom are in wheelchairs. There’s a lot of things that have to happen or to be coordinated.”
For Rawbone, this is an incredible step in Sailability’s history. She founded the charity with her husband Micheal in 2009. Initially, they supported people with learning disabilities such as autism.
In 2013, the charity started helping parasailors too. Now, they are the leading charity for handicapped sailors in Asia and one of the leading in the world.
“I’m just amazed. Mike and I were always very proud of what we were doing. But what’s really strange is since Mike passed away, everything that was wanted to happen happened,” Rawbone said.
The immediate challenge is the Four Peaks Race.
“They’re just so excited,” Rawbone added. “They’re not nervous. They’re so excited.”
