2018 Hong Kong Race Week Preview: Part of the ASAF Youth Cup
by RHKYC Media 15 Feb 2018 18:50 AEDT
20-25 February 2018
Hong Kong Race Week day 3 © Hong Kong Race Week / Guy Nowell
Under the auspices of the Hong Kong Sailing Federation and organised in conjunction with the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the 6th anniversary of Hong Kong Race Week is only 6 days away!
A constituent of the ASAF Youth World Cup, HKRW continues to grow as the premier dinghy regatta in Asia, this year fielding over 221 entries from 11 nations including China, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Italy, Macau, Qatar, Singapore, Taipei, USA and Hong Kong. Racers from 10 classes including both sailors and windsurfers will race up to 12 races over 4 days from where the winners of each class will be crowned. Last year's tally of 128 races over four days on the four racecourses is almost certain to be bettered.
With women's sailing gaining more international coverage this year with mixed teams in the Volvo Ocean Race, it is great to see that girls make up more than 30% of the Hong Kong Race Week fleet. Sailing is a unique sport in that it is one of the few sports in which females and males can compete against each other.
HKRW serves as a significant regatta for promising Asian sailors to hone their skills to compete at international level around the world. In the past few years Hong Kong Race Week has paved the way for the best world class racing, showcasing an increasing depth of talent displayed by up-and-coming Hong Kong sailors; amongst them Nicholas Bezy who was 3rd in the Laser Radial Youth Worlds 2017 and Duncan Gregor who placed 9th at the Optimist Worlds 2017.
Hong Kong Race Week will be based out of Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Middle Island facility, with racing taking place on its world class race tracks surrounding Middle Island, including Repulse Bay, Deep Water Bay, Stanley, Tai Tam and Beaufort Island.
Keep up to date with next week's racing by following the links below!