Sporting Events

Hong Kong’s best-known sports icon, the Olympic and world champion windsurfer Lee Lai-Shan, is a local legend and rightly cherished in a city not known for its sporting prowess. Sports venues, training and opportunities for professionals are limited, although for amateurs and enthusiasts there is plenty of choice.

The city plays host to some important international sporting events – January brings the Hong Kong Ladies Challenge tennis championship to Victoria Park and in March, the famous Hong Kong Rugby Sevens attracts fans from all round Asia for three days of rugby and merry-making. The Hong Kong Jockey Club hosts the Hong Kong International Races each December, attracting punters from all round the world. Other competitions include the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Squash Open, the Hong Kong Open Windsurfing, Cricket Sixes and the Hong Kong Marathon.

Sports Clubs And Associations

There are amateur associations for most sports, including archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, baseball, martial arts, cricket, cycling and dragon boating, as well as associations for disabled athletes. Detailed information on these associations can be found through the government’s Hong Kong Sports Development Board website ( www.hksdb.org.hk ).

The easiest way to book squash, badminton, tennis courts and other sports spaces is through ESDlife ( www.esdlife.com ), the Leisure and Cultural Service Department’s online information and booking system.

Many of the associations and sports clubs below provide training for adults and children. Action Asia ( www.actionasia.com ), a monthly magazine published in Hong Kong, details travel, sport and adventure activities in the Asia region.

Information on gyms, fitness clubs and yoga classes is included in Chapter Nine, ‘Health’.

Athletics

• South China Athletic Association (www.scaa.org.hk; tel. 2577 6932).
• Hong Kong Triathlon Association (www.triathlon.com.hk.)

Aviation

• Hong Kong Aviation Club (Sung Wong Toi Road, Kowloon City; www.hkaviationclub.com.hk; tel. 2713 5171).

Basketball

• Hong Kong Basketball Association (www.basketball.org.hk; tel. 2504 8181). Please note that this website is mostly in Chinese.

Bowling

• Kowloon Bowling Green Club (123 Austin Road, Jordan, tel. 2368 7733).
• Hong Kong Lawn Bowls Association (www.hklba.org.

Boxing

• DEF boxing (www.def.com.hk; tel. 2840 0162).
• Boxing/Kick boxing at The One Martial Gym (www.fightinfit.com.hk).
• Kickboxing at The Ring (www.the-ring-thai-boxing-studio.com).
• K-1 Thai Kickboxing and Fitness (2/F, Yen Men Bldg, 98–108 Jaffe Road, Wanchai; tel. 2865 1608).

Cricket

• Hong Kong Cricket Club (137 Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Happy Valley; www.hkcc.org; tel. 2574 6266).
• Kowloon Cricket Club (10 Cox’s Road; www.kcc.org.hk; tel. 2367 4141).

Cycling

• Hong Kong Cycling Association (www.cycling.org.hk; tel. 2504 8176).

Diving

• Hong Kong Underwater Club (www.hkuc.org.hk).
• South China Diving Club (www.scdc.org.hk).
• Splash (www.splashhk.com; tel. 9047 9603).

Fencing

• HK Amateur Fencing Association (www.hkafa.org.hk). The South China Athletic Association (see above) also offers fencing classes.

Golf

A full list of golf clubs in the region is at the end of this chapter.

Hockey

• Hong Kong Hockey Association (www.hockey.org.hk).
• Hong Kong Football Club (www.hkfc.com.hk).
• Valley RFC (www.valleyrfc.com).
• Unicycle Hockey (www.unihk.org; tel. 9203 1505).

Horse Riding

• Hong Kong Equestrian Federation (www.hkef.org; tel. 2464 2800).
• Pokfulam Public Riding School (tel. 2550 1359).
• Lo Wu Saddle Club (www.geocities.com/lowusaddle; tel. 2673 0066).

Ice Hockey

• Women’s Ice Hockey Organization (www.icehockey.com.hk).
• Hong Kong Amateur Hockey Club (www.hkahc.com).

Lacrosse

• Hong Kong Lacrosse Association (www.hklax.org; tel. 8107 6636).

Martial Arts

• The South China Athletic Association (see above) offers classes in kung fu, judo, karate, tai chi, etc.
• Hong Kong Kendo Association (www.hongkongkendo.com; tel. 2504 8145).
• Karate (www.karatehk.com; tel. 2956 2868).

Motorbiking

• Classic Bike Club (tel. 9130 4536).
• Super Bikes (www.hksuperbike.com).
• Motocross Club (info@mxclub.com.hk; tel. 2659 8159).

Mountain Biking

• The Hong Kong Mountainbike Association (www.hkmba.org). For an index of mountain bike trails and information on applying for a permit, visit http://parks.afcd.gov.hk/newparks/eng/country/bicycle/index.htm.
• Adventure Plus (www.adventureplus.com.hk; tel. 2674 3692).

Mountaineering And Rock Climbing

• Hong Kong Mountaineering Union (tel. 2504 8124).
• Rock climbing at (www.ascenthk.net/).

Netball

• Hong Kong Netball Association (tel. 2504 8208).

Orienteering

• Orienteering Association of Hong Kong (www.oahk.org.hk; tel. 2504 8111).

Paragliding

• Hong Kong Paragliding Association (www.hkpa.net/).

Pool

• The Foreign Correspondents’ Club (2 Lower Albert Road, Central; www.fcchk.org/; tel. 2521 1511) plays competitive pool.

Rowing And Dragon Boating

• Hong Kong Island Paddle Club (www.hkipc.com).
• The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association (www.hkdba.com.hk).
• Stanley Residents’ Association (www.dragonboat.org.hk).
• Hong Kong Amateur Dragon Boat Association (www.dragonboat-hk.org).
• Hong Kong China Rowing Association (www.rowing.org.hk).