The inaugural Taiwan Straits Race set off from outside my window in Hung Hom yesterday (Saturday, 21 May 2011)

Organised by Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC), this is the first time that the 350nm from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung has been contested as a Category 1 Offshore race, however two of the competitors, Polar Star III and Tipsy Frenz, have completed the route as a Rally in previous years and are big supporters of the decision to upgrade the event to a race.

“Great oaks from little acorns grow” said a press release from the RHKYC who added that they hope that from the five pioneering boats on the start line for the inaugural Taiwan Strait Race, a much larger fleet grows over time.

Race Officer Jimmy Farquhar elected to start the fleet from Hung Hom, with a 8 to 10 knot easterly available all the way through the harbour and beyond Lei Yue Mun gap.

As the committee boat watched the transoms disappear up the Harbour attention turned to the Yellowbrick tracking carried by the boats, which will update their positions at 30 minute intervals and allow shore based family, friends and sailors to follow the fleet’s progress. At 1300hrs on Saturday, Ambush was already close to clearing the Eastern approaches and setting course for Pedro Blanco.

The first radio position report was taken at 1800hrs, Those interested in the Race can watch the fleet’s progress via Yellowbrick tracking at http://live.adventuretracking.com/hkt2011

So Hong Kong’s biggest-ever lottery (Mark Six) first prize was not $100 million.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, incidentally the world’s richest sports organisation for obvious reasons, announced that unprecedented interest from Hong Kong punters pushed the first prize up to about $132 Million!

South Africa’s lottery slogan is “Tatta Ma Chance” and there went my chance. Tatta! (goodbye!)

Yes… I didn’t win.

Let me rephrase that: I didn’t win the first prize… only $400. That win amounted to only 3 numbers in plus the bonus ball.  Three lucky so-and-so’s walked away with $44 Million each!

Os try ma weer.

The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) this week announced details of the inaugural Taiwan Strait Race, a 350nm Category One Offshore Race across the South China Sea from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The race will start this Saturday 21 May 2011, and needless to say, Howzit-HongKong.com (a long-time Northern Taiwan resident a few years ago) will be there to send the sailors off on this ground-breaking race.

In 2008, the RHKYC began to explore new, nearby venues for offshore racing. Taiwan Strait Race Chairman, Andy Lam, recalls “…to the north, the Club already had a race to Xiamen, west to Macau and St. John and south to the Philippines, Hainan and Vietnam. We therefore thought that we should do something to the east and so it was agreed that we would race to Taiwan.”

Following a meeting in Kaohsiung with representatives from the Chinese Taipei Sailing Association and Kaohsiung city officials, a Hong Kong to Kaohsiung rally was held in 2009 and again in 2010.

“Following the successful rallies, RHKYC decided to run an official offshore race to Kaohsiung. We are all delighted and I hope that the Taiwan Strait race grows from this inaugural event into an annual or biennial fixture on the Club sailing calendar” adds Andy Lam.

Kaohsiung is a major sailing destination on the Taiwan sailing scene (Pic: Udn.com)

The offshore race is followed by the Dapeng Bay International Regatta which is organised by the Chinese Taipei Sailing Association – a standalone three-day event consisting of a coastal race from Kaohsiung to Dapeng Bay, a day of racing in Dapeng Bay then a return coastal race to Kaohsiung to complete the Regatta.

The Taiwan Strait Race 2011 is organised and conducted by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) with assistance and support from Kaohsiung City Government (KCG) and the Chinese Taipei Sailing Association (CTSA).

Here’s A-Mei Chang 張惠妹 saying Naruwan. Welcome to Taiwan.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, operators of the Territory’s Mark Six lottery, earlier this week announced the record-setting $75million for last night’s draw.

Unfortunately (fortunately?) no one won the first prize last night. This meant that a brand-new record was set for Friday evening’s draw.

In the meantime the Jockey Club announced that 8 punters last night walked away with the second-prize of around $1million each.

Hong Kong record-setting $100million Mark Six lottery has once again exposed the shortcomings of the English-language.

Just how would the Queen (Elizabeth not Elton) describe the 7-times rolled over $100million Mark Six?

Amazing?

Wow?

Fantastic?

Jolly Good?

Back home in South Africa, people will simply say: It’s a MOERSE amount!

And it is. Just count the zero’s.

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union have announced that Cathay Pacific and HSBC will be the new co-title sponsors of the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens from 2012 – 2015.

The sponsorship agreement with previous co-sponsor Credit Suisse concluded at the end of the successful 2011 tournament.

The four-year sponsorship agreement announced today resumes a successful partnership between these two iconic Hong Kong institutions and the world’s pre-eminent international sevens. Cathay Pacific and HSBC’s previous joint sponsorship of the Hong Kong Sevens ran from 1980 through to the first of two Rugby World Cup Sevens held in Hong Kong in 1997.

Under the new sponsorship agreement the event title will be the Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.

Cathay Flight Attendant Margaret Lai, Trevor Gregory (HKRFU), John Slosar Chief Executive, Cathay Pacific, Stuart Gulliver, Global Chief Executive, HSBC, Brian Stevenson (HKRFU), Ida Chan, Cathay Pacific Flight attendant. Front row: Twins and Hong Kong mini rugby players Janice Chan Shang-yan and Jeffery Chan Shang-Ming

HSBC’s sponsorship of the Hong Kong Sevens continues its growing support of Sevens internationally through the HSBC Sevens World Series and marks its only title sponsorship of an HSBC Sevens World Series event to date.

The continued involvement of Cathay Pacific as an event sponsor strengthens a 30-year association with the Hong Kong Sevens – a unique longevity in international sports sponsorship.

The Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012 will be held on 23-25 March.

(Source: BlitzBokke.com)

I’m often amazed (comically so) at some of the English language used here in Hong Kong.  (Afrikaans has a lekker word for using language: besig)

A former British colony (now called a Special Administrative Region or SAR of China), it seems that some of the oooold English used under British rule has remained.

At least in officialdom.

For example the word “shroff” of “shroff office” is still widely used in the SAR when referring to a kiosk where payment is to be made (like a parking garage).  The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines the word “shroff” as a banker or money changer in the Far East.

No Dogging

I just picked up on this picture from fellow Saffa expat in Hong Kong Monique Tenderini, after seeing it online some time ago:

Again, ‘dogging‘ seems to be a British slang meaning anything ‘related to voyeurism, exhibitionism or public displays of sexual behaviour’ according to WikiPedia.

In Cape Town we just called it ‘Parking!”

(We won’t ask Monique where she took this picture! Additional picture however was taken in Clearwater Bay by Hongkie Town )

Hong Kong team Kitchee made history at the Hong Kong Football Club earlier today when then beat some of the top sides in Liverpool (England) and Rangers (Scotland) to advance to the Final against another Glasgow side, Celtic.

Kitchee completed a dream season when they beat Scottish giants Celtic 1-0 to win the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens on Sunday (15 May).

Nine days after clinching the Hong Kong league title for the first time in 47 years, Kitchee delighted local fans by adding the Soccer Sevens crown.

Spanish striker Roberto Losada (pictured above) was their hero, scoring the only goal midway through the second half of the final at Hong Kong Football Club.

“It is a special year for us,” he said. “To win the league and then the Soccer Sevens for the first time is a dream come true. We can all go away on holiday now and be very happy with our season.

“We were confident coming into this tournament, although we knew it would be tough, especially against the English and Scottish teams. We played with 100 per cent commitment and we controlled the ball well in the final.”

The final was a tense affair with the teams evenly matched but, once Losada made the breakthrough, the seasoned professionals of Kitchee played out the game in comfort against a youthful Celtic side.

Kitchee became the first Hong Kong team to win the Soccer Sevens since Instant Dict beat Chelsea in 2000.

On a day of upsets at Hong Kong Football Club, Kitchee put paid to Scottish visitors Rangers and English giants Liverpool on their way to clinching the title.

An Ubay Luzardo penalty and a drive from Lam Ka Wai gave them a 2-0 win over Rangers in the quarter-finals.

They then stunned Liverpool – who had looked the tournament’s form team – with a 2-1 success in the semi-finals. Lo Kwan Yee put Kitchee ahead before the Reds’ Nathan Eccleston brought the scores level. But Liverpool’s army of Hong Kong fans were left disappointed when Jose Diaz popped up with the golden goal winner in extra time.

Kitchee celebrate winning the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens after their 1-0 victory over Scottish giants Celtic on Sunday (15 May). Pic: John Donker/Hong Kong Football Club.

Japan coach John Kirwan joined former Scotland boss Frank Hadden in leading clinics for 50 schoolchildren on Thursday morning as the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour continued its four-day series of activities in Dubai.

Kirwan has enjoyed the highs of rugby, finishing as the joint-top try scorer as New Zealand won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987 and coaching Japan at France 2007.

However, the former winger showed his enthusiasm for spreading the game at the grassroots level when he and Hadden gave youngsters from Al Shafie Primary School and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Secondary School a taste of world-class coaching at Al Safa Sports Hall, a day before his Japan side took on the UAE in their televised HSBC Asian 5 Nations clash.

“It’s very hot here at this time of year, so we’ve coached the kids indoors and this version of the game seems very popular. They responded well to the drills we developed for them and seem to have a genuine appetite for the game,” said Kirwan, who in March launched this year’s HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour with fellow All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu in Hong Kong.

“Rugby in the UAE has traditionally been spearheaded by expatriates, so it has been rewarding to help the game grow in local schools and communities with the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour, which is dedicated to developing the game at all levels, all across Asia.”

Japan coach John Kirwan introduces rugby to local students as part of the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour

Japan are playing the UAE for the first time since the creation of the new national association, having enjoyed home wins over the former Arabian Gulf in HSBC Asian 5 Nations matches in 2008 and last year.

As Kirwan returned his attention to his ‘Brave Blossoms’, Frank Hadden led a clinic on Friday morning for U-14 players at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Football Club.

“I came to Dubai last year with the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour and I really liked what I saw, so it’s great to come again to witness the continued enthusiasm for this great game of ours,” said Hadden, who coached Scotland from 2005 to 2009.

“There is real potential for growth here, especially in the Arab community and we are delighted to try to assist with development at all levels.”

Hadden spearheaded the inaugural HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour last year following his four-year stint with Scotland and this year he has again been leading the bulk of activity along with Ismail Kadir, Development Officer for ARFU (Asian Rugby Football Union) and a former Singapore centre.

The Tour’s activity in the UAE started on Tuesday with a session for Al Marif Secondary School for Boys in Rashidiya, Deira, while Hadden and Kadir conducted a teachers’ workshop in Salahuddin Sports Hall in Bur Dubai on Wednesday.

Dean Herewini of the HSBC Penguin International Coaching Academy with a local student in Dubai this week

Dean Herewini, representing the HSBC Penguin International Coaching Academy, was part of the coaching staff for Thursday’s sessions and was part of Friday’s clinic for the Dubai Exiles youngsters.

Division IV is also being held at The Sevens this week and on Friday evening the third place playoff between Uzbekistan and Jordan and the final between Lebanon and Qatar both kick off at 6.00pm before the UAE host Japan at 8.00pm.

Abdulfattah Sharaf, CEO of HSBC UAE, said: “Today we were delighted to see the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour continue its widespread activities in the UAE for the week, and we’re happy that it returned to build on its excellent work here in Dubai last year.

“The HSBC Asian 5 Nations enables the world’s local bank to engage with the local community and at the same time, the coaching programme is designed to inspire the next generation of rugby players.”

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Liverpool delighted their army of fans in Hong Kong with a string of powerful displays at the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens on Saturday (14 May).

The Reds – making their debut in the tournament – won all three of their group games without conceding a goal to march into the Cup quarter-finals.

Striker David Amoo got them moving with the only goal against Hong Kong U18s and the same player was on target again, with Spanish wonderkid Suso notching a double, in a 3-0 victory over the local Yau Yee League Select.

Liverpool then turned on the gas in their Group A decider against Celtic, earning a convincing 3-0 win thanks to a brace from Nathan Eccleston and a neat finish from Tom Ince – son of former Liverpool and England star Paul.

“They played well and stayed focused,” said delighted Reds coach Pep Segura. “It’s a new experience for the players, it’s a big pitch for seven-a-side and it’s a little slow because it has not rained. But at this moment they are doing OK.”

The young Liverpool players departed to huge cheers and were besieged by excited autograph hunters as they headed for the dressing room.

“This is the power of the club, the name of Liverpool is famous throughout the world and it is fantastic to get a reception like this,” added Segura, whose team will play Hong Kong First Division side Citizen in the Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.

Strong start for Villa

Aston Villa made a strong start to the defence of their Soccer Sevens crown with three straight victories to top their group. Harry Forrester and Andreas Weimann were the stars of the show, bagging four goals each.

The duo scored a brace apiece as Villa beat the HKFC Captain’s Select 4-0, then Forrester netted another double and Weimann was on target again in a 3-0 victory over English non-league side Eastleigh.

Weimann and captain Jonathan Hogg were the scorers as the Soccer Sevens champions beat Citizen 2-0 to win Group C.

“It’s a perfect start – we’ve come here and done the job that we had to do,” said Hogg. “The team was solid today and we just need to keep it going for tomorrow. The teams are a lot different and play different styles but we coped well with everything that came at us.

“Andreas and Harry are doing really well, they’ve done most of the work for us and scored some great goals. You’ve got to beat the best if you want to win the tournament and no matter who we get we will put up a fight, as we always do.”

Villa – five-time winners of the Soccer Sevens since the tournament was first held in 1999 – will play Celtic in the quarter-finals.

In the Masters competition, the former English Premier League professionals of the Citibank All Stars qualified for the Cup quarter-finals but had to be content with second place in Group B.

Top Class FC – a team comprising ex-Hong Kong First Division stars – finished ahead of them after the two teams played out a goalless draw in the group decider.

The tournament concludes on Sunday with the knockout stages of both the Main and Masters competitions.

Aston Villa’s Andreas Weimann takes on the Eastleigh defence during the Premiership club’s 3-0 victory at the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens on Saturday (14 May). Pic: John Donker/Hong Kong Football Club

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(Toyi-toyi is a Southern African dance originally from Zimbabwe that has long been used in political protests in South Africa.  Toyi-toyi could begin as the stomping of feet and spontaneous chanting during protests that could include political slogans or songs, either improvised or previously created… Wikipedia)

Because of the unique nature of it’s government, protests have become commonplace in the street surrounding the government building in Central district.

I grew up to experience Apartheid and as a student at the University of the Western Cape, I participated and witnessed some violent (at the hands of the South African security police) anti-Apartheid protests.  I still sport a bump on my head sustained during a violent protest as a high-school student in 19(cough-cough!)

Be that as it may, Hong Kongers have a unique and interesting way of protesting that often include short plays and skits, complete with masks and costumes.  But more on that on another day.

While I am typing this, right outside my window there is another unique protest happening.

I live next to Victoria Harbour and currently the entire waterway is packed with hundreds of fishing vessels going up and down the strait between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon (my side).

Word is that the fishing industry is protesting against the Hong Kong government’s ‘request’ to restrict fishing in the territory’s waters in order to replenish the fishing stocks.

More on this issue when I get the information.

In the meantime I don’t think any cruise-liners will be docking in Tsim Sha Tsui today.

Victoria Harbour protests are nothing new. the Pic below was taken at an anti-reclamation protest in 2005: