MSIG HK50 - Hong Kong Island

Start of MSIG HK50 Series Promises To Be a Leg Burner

Press Release / 22.10.2016

The annual MSIG HK50 Series will be back with the first leg – Hong Kong Island on 23rd October, 2016 this Sunday. This year, the Kiwi Ruth Croft and Australian elite runner Vlad Ixel are confirmed to race and a thousand of trail enthusiasts have signed up for this Sunday race. Runners will start on the Peak and challenge the technical rocky trails along the Hong Kong Island. 

The MSIG HK50, a Skyrunner® Series event with points up for grabs in the 50 km category is the first race of the annual MSIG trail running series and also a qualifying event for 2016 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc®. There are two distances on offer this year the 24 km and 50 km. The race will start at The Peak and finish at Wong Nai Chung Gap in Hong Kong Island. A thousand runners from around the world have already filled up the race.

In the 24km race, the route will include the Hong Kong Trail all the way to Wong Nai Chung Gap and a loop of Mt Bennet. It is a great introductory course for the longer MSIG HK50 series, as it is not high in elevation and rolling flat areas make up much of the distance. On the other hand, the 50km course has 5,792m of change in elevation (2802m elevation gain & 2990m loss) and will cover a climb up to the beautiful and challenging Mt. Parker.

The famous runner Yubo Ding from mainland China registered this race without any hasitation.”  I've run most of mountains in HK except the route of MSIG HK50, so I expected this for a long time.” He said, “I attend 6-8 trail races every year, including 5 or 6 times for 50km race so far, which bring me lots of experience and decide to do a fast 50K this time. Usually, I go to the mountains, training for the race before two months of the race day. Running is kind of lifestyle for me, I run on the road in the morning on the workday and do the trail training at the weekend with close friends rather than joining any running clubs. If anyone wants to join me, I'll give them the thorough advice and let them decide themselves.”

Another elite runner from Taiwan named Chen Hsiu-ching, also the champion of NISSAN Action Asia X-Trail TAIWAN Women’s 17km race this year, “I enjoy the sweating during the race, but I am busy at work all the time so I just participate in matches as a way of practicing to strengthen my body. It is my pleasure to be invited in MSIG HK50, because this is the first time I have participated a HK game. In the cross-country running area, I am a junior class and still in exploring and learning. This 24km race is the longest one I have ever run. Besides expecting for the excitement of different racecourse and experience gain, I would also like to challenge my physical limit out of this race.” She said.

Jacky Leung, a famous local runner with great enthusiasm for trail races, has participated Action Asia Event’s races for several times so far. “I can feel instant freedom and pleasure during running on trails with so much beautiful scenery around. Running not only gives me a channel to explore my mind and to recognize my body. I learn controlling my mind to be balanced during every step of running especially when we feel very exhausted. Also, it gives me so much opportunity to learn planning and to work out strategies for specific targets. Running gives me pleasure.” As for the upcoming events, he shared his plan for preparation: “It’s technical for worldwide Skyrunning race. I will specially focus on stairs climbing on this course as this course is hilly with 3500m accumulative elevation in 54km. Looking forward to release my body in that!”

The event could not happen without the generous support of MSIG Insurance (Hong Kong)Limited the presenting sponsor and the supporting partners ActionX Store, Skyrunner National Series China, Hoka one one, OtterBox, Bonaqua, Salonsip, C3fit, Herbalgy, UTMB Qualifying Race 2016, Key Sun ZINKE, AroundDB, Oldham Li & Nie Lawyers, Del Monte, Hong Kong Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Action Asia Foundation.