HKAAA took umbrage to the implication that it is neglecting trail running.

“Your unfounded accusation against the HKAAA with no evidence in support whatsoever that HKAAA is not committed to the development of trail running and your further suggestion that [TRAHK] be authorised to select athletes show a complete disrespect for the HKAAA and a total disregard of the rules and regulations of the HKAAA,” executive director Dennis Ng Yu-ho wrote.

“Just because you may disagree with a certain opinion of the RSC [Representative Selection Committee] does not give you the right to make unfounded accusations. In this respect, the HKAAA requests an immediate and unreserved withdrawal of your accusations and suggestion together with an appropriate apology from you,” he added.

The WMTRC is set to take place from June 6 to 10 in Innsbruck-Stubai, Austria, with four events: Vertical (an uphill race), Trail Short (44km), Trail Long (85km) and Mountain Classic (7km).

Cheung Man-yee, Kelvin Tse, Wong Ho-chung, and Ying Ying have been chosen to represent the city following the Hong Kong Trail Running Championships on April 23

Cheung Man-yee wins HK100 on race’s return after 3-year hiatus

The criteria for selection were based on runners’ performances on the day, their past performances, and their International Trail Running Association (ITRA) ranking.

However, it was not clear how many runners would be selected.

Each race at the WMTRC has a team and individual element. A country needs three runners in an event to score team points. There is also an overall team trophy which will be based on the top three runners from each team across six events, out of eight events.

The three Hong Kong men will compete in the same category, so can score team points. Cheung, as the only woman, cannot score team points.

Before the Hong Kong Trail Running Championships, Janet Ng, head of TRAHK and ITRA, sent an email to the HKAAA.

She pointed out the number of athletes already selected by other countries.

‘Relaxed’ Cheung represents Hong Kong at trail worlds

The Philippines and Indonesia, for example, both selected three male and three female runners for the long and short races. New Zealand is sending 22 athletes, while the US is sending 44.

“It is our hope that Hong Kong will be able to field proper teams to participate in each of the events so that Hong Kong will be represented properly and our athletes will be given a chance to take part in this pinnacle event in trail running,” Ng said.

“The trail community in Hong Kong stands behind our athletes in this great opportunity and please let us know if there is anything we can do to be of assistance.”

After the selection race was completed, the athletes waited a week to be informed of their selection.

This caused logistical issues. Cheung almost missed her deadline to apply for time off from work, and she said training just a few weeks for an ultra marathon was not sufficient.

But the bigger problem for TRAHK was that only four athletes were picked.

Janet Ng sent another email on behalf of TRAHK, saying the selection “is deeply disappointing and a disservice to trail running in Hong Kong. The proposal’s gender imbalance is also obviously problematical”.

Additionally, despite their being a junior event at the Hong Kong Trail Running Championship, there was no junior runner selected.

Ng suggested three male and three female runners for both the long and the short races, along with a runner for the junior race. She named 12 specific runners who should be selected and for which category, along with a specific junior runner.

Trailwalker veteran Wong tastes ‘exceptional’ first win with Team 8006

“If HKAAA’s concern is funding, then please let us know. TRAHK and the local trail running community will be able to support the athletes’ participation financially,” Janet Ng added.

She also pointed out that the short notice for athletes, and lack of any consultation over their preferred distance, was a problem.

“If HKAAA does not wish to provide wholehearted support to Hong Kong trail runners in their participation in the WMTRC, please authorise the Trail Runners Association of Hong Kong to take responsibility for the team’s selection and registration,” Ng said, adding that other countries allow their trail association to select athletes.

It was at this point that HKAAA demanded an apology.

“It appears to us that you have grossly misunderstood or simply decided to ignore the function of the RSC,” Dennis Ng’s reply said.

“[The RSC] have good knowledge and experience in the selection of athletes, and they have a sense of awareness of fairness among different disciplines of our sport of athletics.”

Dennis Ng concluded by “strongly” suggesting any athlete who has an issue with selection appeals directly to the HKAAA.

Hong Kong resident Eszter Csillag takes 4th place at world trail running champs

Janet Ng replied with another email, accusing the HKAAA of a lack of transparency for the selection process, and also for the appeals process. Apparently, every athlete who appealed has been rejected.

“Whilst we mean no disrespect, what is really important here is that Hong Kong athletes are offered the opportunity to compete at the highest level, to improve and develop as a result, to fulfil their dream of representing Hong Kong and to have a chance at glory,” she wrote.

“In its insistence on selecting such a tiny number of athletes, we believe the HKAAA has failed Hong Kong trail running and Hong Kong athletes.

“In ignoring [TRAHK’s] offer to fund the participation at the WMTRC of a fuller team, the HKAAA seems to be an impediment to the participation of Hong Kong athletes at the highest level of the sport and to be blocking the sport’s development in Hong Kong.”

Simon Yeung Sai-mo, chairman of the HKAAA representative selection committee, told the Post that all of the selection criteria had been published on the HKAAA website.

Yeung said that after the Hong Kong Trailing Running Championships on April 23, which served as the selection race, the committee met four days later to finalise the squad before telling selected athletes’ clubs. He said this was normal practice and athletes still had more than a month to prepare.

He added that Cheung was the only woman who met the criteria for selection, and as the three men were in the same division, they could score team points. “We are talking about sending athletes to the World Championships and they have to meet the required standard,” the official said.

Steve Brammar, Secretary General of TRAHK, told the Post: “It’s deeply disappointing and a wasted opportunity. We should send proper teams of at least 12 runners for the long and short trail races plus some junior talents for the youth race.

“This extra participation would not have cost the HKAAA a cent, since the Trail Runners Association of Hong Kong had offered to fund it.

“Anyway, we will all support the four selected athletes wholeheartedly and keep looking for ways to increase Hong Kong’s participation in future editions of this great event.”

Cheung, 33, who will run the long course, was frustrated by the process. She said the HKAAA should be clearer about how many runners would be selected before the Hong Kong Trail Running Championships.

Even on race day, she was not sure if anything but first place would be good enough, and she insisted the lack of preparation time will make things difficult too.

“We are not going to run 100 metres, we are running 85km of trail and we need weeks of preparation normally,” she said.

Despite it all, Cheung is excited about the opportunity to run for Hong Kong.

“I wanted to get the chance to represent Hong Kong in international trail running competitions again,” she said. “I am grateful that I was able to perform well and get selected again. The motivation is still in my heart.”

Additional reporting by Chan Kin-wa.