Photo by Vincent

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s (RHKYC) Middle Island Clubhouse (the Club's dinghy sailing centre) was packed with 109 young sailing enthusiasts aged between 12 and 18 from local and international schools who take part in the Skandia Inter-School Sailing Festival today.

The Skandia Inter-School Sailing Festival, an annual event hosted by RHKYC.  The 7 Inter-School Sailing Festival is going strength to strength with record number of entry – 16 teams.   To accommodate the increase of entry, new format has been introduced; 16 teams are racing against each other in team racing format using 24 Topaz and Feva dinghies on both days at Middle Island.

38 races including 2 fun fleet races were conducted today from 10:00 hrs onwards under a great weather condition – sunny and with good breeze, team races will continue tomorrow plus one Around the Middle Island Race.   Besides the fierce competition on the water, Middle Island is filled with a festive atmosphere with onshore activities and entertainment such as DJ music, food and beverage, and throngs of spectators cheering on their teams these two days.  The prize presentation will be held at Middle Island tomorrow once the races are finished.

世界精英馬拉松健兒正作最後衝刺，為終極之戰作好準備。這批來自世界各地的長跑好手在參加香港這項最多人參與的體壇盛事之前，今天特別與傳媒作近距離見面。

出席這次見面會的馬拉松選手包括：「渣打馬拉松─全球最強之戰」香港隊成員蔡達明及劉廣文、俄羅斯選手利奧尼德‧施維索夫（Leonid Shvetsov）、中國選手楊鳳霞、「渣打馬拉松─全球最強之戰」視障明星隊選手祁順、尹約基（Henry Wanyoike）及基賓拿(Joseph Kibunja)、於去年以2小時16分50秒勝出渣打馬拉松而今年再次衛冕的日本選手福岡耕一郎（Fukuoka Koichiro），以及來自逾20個國家的多位長跑好手代表。

渣打銀行（香港）有限公司執行董事及行政總裁洪丕正在一個充滿新春氣氛的儀式中，以打開賀年全盒的方式，歡迎各星級馬拉松選手上台。每位運動員更以新年賀詞向大家拜年，並以本身母語為其他參賽者打氣。

洪先生表示：「今年渣打馬拉松的主題為『全城一心　令盛事更盛』，這項比賽的獨特之處乃能吸引來自世界各地的頂尖馬拉松選手一起競逐賽事。」  

「我們熱切期待星期日的比賽，並祝願55,000名參賽健兒取得理想成績。我們亦呼籲香港市民全情投入，為參賽者喝采打氣。」 

中國及香港代表運動員劉廣文(左二)、楊鳳霞(左三)送簽有中國及香港代表簽名的渣打馬拉松T-shirt予上屆全馬拉松冠軍日本選手福岡耕一郎(左一)及俄羅斯選手利奧尼德‧施維索夫(右一)，表示歡迎海外跑手到臨參與2月8日的渣打馬拉松。