Hong Kong’s New World Harbour Race will have 4,000 competitors and include elite and leisure fields for 2023 edition
- Organisers expect this year’s expanded event will attract swimmers from around the world
- Registration for the leisure race opens at 10am on Wednesday and will close on September 18
Organisers have said they will open Hong Kong’s famous New World Harbour Race up to 4,000 swimmers this year.
The race, first staged in 1906, crosses Victoria Harbour, beginning from the Golden Bauhinia Square public pier in Wan Chai and finishing at Tsim Sha Tsui’s Avenue of Stars.
It is expected that the elite event, which will take place on November 12 alongside a leisure race and the FTLife New World Springboard Championship for young swimmers, will attract a global field.
Registration for the leisure race opens at 10am on Wednesday and closes on September 18. A ballot will be staged in the case of over subscription, with results announced on September 28.
Successful applicants for the event, organised by Hong Kong China Swimming Association, will be asked to swim in a time trial on one of October 8, 14 or 15.
Last year’s elite races were won by Kwok Chun-hei and Athena Ching Lam-wong, in times of 14m 25.6s and 15m 11.4s, respectively. Edmil Li Kong-fei, then 15, swam 19m 45.5s to claim the springboard championship prize.