French Do It Again At TEVA Kayak’n’run

Press Release / 11.07.2011

<b>Hong Kong – July 10, 2011</b>; Fighting hot temperatures hitting over 32C while kayaking 5km in Tai Ho Wan and hiking 6km including a 380m high check point on the side of Por Kai Shan, the French team of Paris Lafuma were victorious at the final TEVA Kayak n Run race at Pak Mong, Lantau.

“Oh the kayak was a bit rough on the other side of the tunnel. The guys in front were very strong” said overall winning member of Team of Paris Lafuma Adrien Choux, finishing the race in 1 hour 32 minutes 40 seconds.

His partner added “Yes it was very choppy out there as we were zig sagging in the sea. Once we got on the run it was much more smooth and easier for us to go fast” said Jerome Laboulais.

Teams started 4km ocean kayaking near Pak Mong Village, Tai Ho Wan passing through a tunnel in the direction of Tung Chung, before returning to Tai Ho Wan for a 2km hike up a back hill of Pak Mong. Then it was a short 1km kayak before the toughest checkpoint, a 4km round-trip hiking up the ridgeline towards Por Kai Shan to a 380m high CP with valley views as the reward with little to no wind.

“The 2nd climb is always going to be tough, but we did alright” said Simon Little of 2XU Adventure who claimed 2nd overall in 1 hour 35 minutes 8 seconds.

“Definitely hot up there on the ridgeline. But good race overall, otherwise I was very happy with 2nd”, said 2XU Adventure teammate Alistair Haigh-Smith.

Hot on their heels just 32 seconds later were the Sportworld team of Guillaume Calloud and Bruce Pye finishing in 1 hour 35 minutes 40 seconds. “We were thinking just hang on to the 2XU boys which was hard and the hills made it even more tough, but all in all we were quite happy with the result” said Pye of Sportsworld.

“Definitely the hills were tough. Luckily I had Bruce to keep the kayak straight as a great partner” said Calloud of Sportsworld.

All the winners in all top 3 categories received Victorninox kitchen knives with 1st and 2nd place winners received gift packages from Sportsworld and PowerBar.

Participants had a good post recovery with lots of Pure Blonde beer after they refreshed first with Gatorade sport drink and Vitasoy mineral water. The race could not have happened also without the generous support of TEVA the presenting sponsor who made the race happen and Action Asia Magazine and the Action Asia Foundation.

Race organizers will make an announcement next week on a 5th possible event in September in Sai Kung.

<b>Results</b>

1st. Adrien Choux/Jerome Laboulais (Paris – Lafuma) - 01:32:40
2nd. Simon Little/Alistair Haigh-Smith (2XU Adventure) - 01:35:08
3rd. Guillaume Calloud/Bruce Pye (SportsWorld) - 01:35:40