Oxfam Trailwalker organisers waiting for officials to give race the go ahead, as reports suggest it is set for November
- Report said Oxfam Trailwalker is set for November 25-27, but organisers insist the decision is still in government’s hands
- The 100km race has been cancelled three years in a row because of protests and then Covid-19 restrictions
The dates for the 2022 Oxfam Trailwalker could be announced in early August, race organisers have said. But there is no certainty as the government has yet to approve the event, despite reports suggesting it could be held in November.
On Wednesday, there were suggestions that the Trailwalker would return over the weekend of November 25-27, putting an end to three years of cancellations and restrictions caused by protests and the coronavirus pandemic.
Does Trailwalker’s cancellation confirm the government’s apathy to trail racing?
That would put it a week after the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, which has been pencilled in for November 20.
“First of all, we cannot confirm right now as the whole application is still under review with the government,” an Oxfam spokesperson told the Post.
“It’s still going through the government process. We think we will be able to announce a date by early August. Our whole organisation is putting in a lot of effort, so we hope it will be positive.
“Our event team has been talking to the government every day and we think we meet all the criteria. But, there is no certain answer yet.”
The 100-kilometre, four-person team race from Sai Kung to Tai Tong has historically been a physical event with 4,000 to 5,000 runners starting simultaneously.
The Trailwalker is the latest in a list of events suggesting the Hong Kong government could ease Covid-19 restrictions in November, including hotel quarantine for inbound travellers.
Since 2009, the Trailwalker has been held annually on the third weekend of November.
Team spirit propels Trailwalker winners to finish line
The 48-hour event spans 100 kilometres from Sai Kung to Yuen Long, with food and drink available for runners at several checkpoints along the trail.
The Trailwalker was launched in 1981 as a training exercise for the British military, and they invited Oxfam to transform it into a charity fundraising event in 1986, with the event given to Oxfam Hong Kong after the handover 11 years later.
Since 1986, more than 100,000 participants have raised over HK$600 million to support Oxfam’s poverty alleviation and emergency relief projects in Africa and Asia.
