Sai Kung sports personality Bryan Ng says the third Hong Kong international stand up paddle boarding championship will be held at Emerald Bay on 26 August 2017. Last year five of the world’s top 25 paddlers competed. Twenty paddlers from overseas took part alongside 60 locals. This year, Bryan says, world number two Michael Booth has confirmed he will take part.
Bryan is chairman of the Hong Kong Paddle Boarding Association and owner of the Blue Sky Sports Club that operates from Sha Ha Beach. Blue Sky has a sports gear and fashion shop with flags waving opposite the Esso petrol station.
The main event at this year’s international championship will be an 18km race with the stand up paddlers battling over a winding course from Bluff Island to the VRC at Emerald Bay. Near the end the racers will come close to the Sai Kung waterfront. The winner will receive $20,000 and the runners-up $10,000 and $5000.
Other races during the 26 August event:
— 200-metre Red Dragon race
— One-kilometre inflatable boat stand up paddling race
— Eight-kilometre stand up paddling race
Enrolment costs $500. See www.bluesky-sc.com
Bryan gave BUZZ a video of what he said was a world’s first, a race between a dragonboat and stand up paddle boarders in Sai Kung waters. The dragonboat, manned by 20 firemen, won two of the three races against professional paddlers. Bryan said the video was viewed all over the world.
This Saturday, 29 July, more than 40 stand up paddlers will be competing in races off Sha Ha beach. See our earlier story.
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