One of the biggest events on the Sai Kung social calendar will take place at the end of this month. The 24-hour dinghy race at the Hebe Haven Yacht Club will start at noon on Saturday, 30 October and run through to the Sunday. The public is invited. Every year people who show up find a carnival atmosphere, live music, lots of happy disabled people because of the charities backed by the club, and a wide variety of food and drink at the restaurants and in the booths of the race village. Everyone has a good time in the sporting atmosphere by the sea as kids and adults race around a 1.2 km course to see who can do the most laps in 24 hours. Many people come in fancy dress.
This year, presumably because of the pandemic, the public is not invited. Free admission is offered, however, to guests of members, sailing groups, charities, schools and some vendors.
Since the event was started nine years ago about $10 million has been raised, mainly for the Children’s Cancer Foundation. Other charities benefiting this year are Treats, which runs a sailing project for people with special needs, Ideal, operator of exercise and dancing programmes for people with intellectual disabilities, Sai Kung District Community Centre for its pre-school and nursery services plus its food bank and Chinese medicine clinic, and Sailability, the Sai Kung home-grown marvellous charity founded by the Rawbone family, which has given thousands of disabled people sailing experiences at sea.
Unfortunately because of Covid-19 restrictions will be in place, a club spokesperson said. To go into certain areas you will have to show proof of vaccination, proof of medical exemption or a negative covid test within the previous 36 hours. Everyone will have to wear a mask.
The club is calling for volunteers — to count laps, helm the safety boats, act as race marshals and man the race office. To donate to the above charities visit the club website at hhyc.org.hk
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