Aberdeen Asset Management Hong Kong Race Week - 17 to 21 April

April 1, 2014 - PRLog -- Organised by Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club in association with Hong Kong Sailing Federation, this Easter’s inaugural Hong Kong Race Week represents a development of RHKYC’s ‘Middle Island Regatta’ for dinghies, expanding the length of the regatta from two to four days, complemented by a pre-regatta training camp. The regatta will also serve as a HKSF ranking event for Hong Kong sailors.

With over 100 entries and 140 sailors, there will be three separate race areas off the south shore of Hong Kong Island, one for the Optimist ‘green’ fleet, another for Sailability Access 303’s, 420’s, 470’s, Laser 4.7, Laser Radial and Optimist dinghies and the third for 29ers and Hobie 16’s. Social activity and regatta management will be based at RHKYC’s recently revamped Middle Island sailing centre.

Aiming to encourage more entries from overseas competitors by scheduling the event during the school holidays, the event was given a further boost by yesterday’s announcement that HKSF and the Asian Sailing Federation (ASAF) have agreed that the 2015 event will be incorporated into the ASAF Youth Cup series, with the ASAF Youth Cup Hong Kong Race Week scheduled to take place from 14 to 17 February 2015, just before Lunar New Year.

RHKYC Commodore, Joachim Isler said “The Club will be delighted to welcome the ASAF Youth Cup to Hong Kong in 2015. The additional overseas competitors that such an event brings with it will have a massive impact on our local sailors and should be a positive force in raising the standards of sailing here in Hong Kong.”

HKSF President Warwick Downes was enthusiastic about the development of the event, adding “This is a great initiative and collaboration between HKSF and the RHKYC to bring dinghy talent together for some very competitive racing in Hong Kong waters. It will be further enhanced next year by the additional status of ASAF recognition. May this regatta prosper and grow to become the must-do youth event in Asia.”