A Swim to Remember - HK Harbour Race to Take Place 6 October 2013

This year, the New World Harbour Race in Hong Kong will be held on 6 October 2013 (Sunday).

The Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association (HKASA) has invited international elite swimmers to take part in this iconic local event, boosting Hong Kong's international image and giving local swimmers the chance to meet and learn from some of the world's best swimmers.

Dr Ng Kin-sun, Vice President of the HKASA, said, "The Harbour Race is part of the collective memory of Hong Kong people. To allow more people in our community to take part in this unique event and enjoy the experience of swimming across Victoria Harbour, the enrolment quota has been raised from 1,800 to 2,000. A special leisure group element has also been included so that more qualified non-competitive swimmers can take part in this major event."

The New World Harbour Race 2013 is divided into two main groups.

The racing group comprises five categories: the youth category (aged 12 to 16), the open A category (aged 17 to 34), the open B category (aged 35 to 49), the open C category (aged 50 or above) and the international category.

The leisure group is open to all eligible swimmers aged 12 or above and does not offer awards or rankings.

New World Harbour Race 2013 will commence at 08:30 on 6 October 2013 (Sunday).

The race course stretches for approximately 1.5km, from the Sam Ka Tsuen Public Pier in Lei Yue Mun in Kowloon to the Quarry Bay Park Public Pier on Hong Kong Island.

All swimmers must be certified as meeting the HKASA's entry requirements for the race. A water trial will apply to applicants without HKASA-accredited race records.

As the title sponsor, New World Group is offering awards to the top three winners of each race category. To encourage the participation of talented young swimmers, K11, a subsidiary of New World Group, has sponsored the K11 Harbour Race Young Swimmers Cup for the 12 to 16 age group.

Mr Gary Chen, Executive Director and Joint General Manager of New World Development Company Limited, said, "The Group has long been dedicated to supporting the development of local sports. We launched the New World Swimming Academy with the HKASA in 2012, which offers no fewer than five years of free swimming training to children from low-income families. The Academy has quickly made an impact, and some of our young swimmers are already eligible to take the test for this year's Race."

Registration opens today, 7 June 2013.