Nail Biting Finish And New Course Records

Press Release / 23.10.2017

It was a nail-biting finish at this morning’s MSIG HK50 - Hong Kong Island, with just 20 seconds separating the top two finishers of the 50-kilometre trail race. American Justin Andrews made a late surge in the final kilometres to pip Taiwan’s Chou Qing to the tape in 4 hours 41 minutes 36 seconds. Both men annihilated the previous course record of 5:17:26 by about 35 minutes.

Women’s champion Marie McNaughton, a Hong Kong-based Kiwi, won by a far bigger cushion in 5:56:19, over 30 minutes ahead of her nearest rivals. Taiwan’s Kuo Wan Ting was second (6:33:38) and Hong Kong-based Frenchwoman Emilie Saint-pé third (6:42:00).

Taiwanese elite Chou had led for most of the race, which flagged off at 7am on the Peak. Andrews, who is based in Chengdu in mainland China and is part of the WAA Team, said he had actually given up chasing his rival around midway. 

“I felt okay during the first half of the race, then I worked hard to try to catch up with Chou Qing.  But the second half of the race is technical, so I actually had given up by 23 or 24km. I thought finishing second would be pretty good,” Andrews said. “If it wasn’t for one hiker who told me that Chou Qing was only one minute ahead of me, I would not have pushed myself so hard like I did.”

Chou, one of Salomon Taiwan’s rising stars, said Andrews caught him in the final three kilometres of the race and set a very fast pace for the final two kilometres up and down Violet Hill to the finish at Wong Nai Chung Gap. “The race was very exciting because of the neck to neck competition with the champion throughout the whole course. I didn’t eat enough food during the race, so I was feeling a bit dizzy at the end and couldn’t pass him again,” said Chou.

Irishman Kevin Scallan claimed the third podium spot in 4:52:33, also under the course record. Scallan said: “The scenery was amazing; blue sky, clean air and not too humid. I really liked it.” In fact the top six men in the race all went under the record, set in 2016 by Taiwan-based New Zealander Ruth Croft, who then had beaten all men to the overall title.

McNaughton, though unchallenged by her rivals, said the win was not easy. “I enjoyed the first half because it was familiar. The second half was really tough and painful, so I just managed to get it finished and am very happy with my result,” she said.

Women’s runner-up Kuo was also very satisfied with her race, which she trained three months for. It was her first MSIG HK50 experience, having raced mostly in Taiwan. “The last 10km, especially the uphills, was the most challenging part for me. I was quite relaxed during the first 25km. Trails in Taiwan involve more technique, while this race’s course needed speed and stamina, in addition to technique.”

In addition to the 50km race there was also a 24km event. American Sam Fletcher and Briton Lauren Gibson won the men’s and women’s champion titles in 2:00:59 and 2:28:23 respectively.

Fletcher said: “I have been in third place twice and finally got the victory today. I am really happy. The weather was perfect compared to the last two years; it was less humid and the temperature cooler, which certainly made it much easier running out there.”

Gibson, who was participating in only her second trail race, was excited about her win. “I have only done trail running for about one month, but I did triathlons before so I think that helped a lot. The course was a little bit technical, but it gave you breaks. The scenery was amazingly beautiful, perfect weather, perfect course. Such a well-organised race! I will definitely come back next year and maybe try to challenge the 50km course.”

An official race of the International Skyrunning Federation, the 50km event was also one of the scoring races for the recently-launched MSIG Action Asia Development Programme, which aims to develop local trail running talent for the world stage. The top-placed male and female Hong Kong-born runners in the MSIG HK50 Series will be sent to Europe to compete in the Skyrunning World Championships in 2018.

Similar to previous editions, the classic and challenging course started from the Peak Galleria and covered some of the most technical hilly trails along Hong Kong Island. The first 24km followed the Hong Kong Trail from the Peak to Wong Nai Chung Gap, with the exception of an additional loop of Mount Bennet in Aberdeen Country Park. The course then became more technical and challenging, with a big loop around and up Mount Parker, followed by a loop of Violet Hill, finishing at Wong Nai Chung Gap.

The event is possible thanks to the generous support of presenting sponsor MSIG Insurance (Hong Kong) Limited and supporting partners: Action X Store, Skyrunner National Series China, Hoka one one, Bonaqua, Plantronics, C3fit, Camelbak, Royale International, Hong Kong Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, AroundDB, Oldham Li & Nie Lawyers, ITRA - International Trail-Running Association, UTMB Qualifying Race 2017, East Bali Cashews, Del Monte and Action Asia Foundation.