00ifcpearlofsouthpac-ad.pdf
1
22/5/13
11:33 AM
DEC - JAN 2013/14 ISSUE 35
10
08
Figs, Fish & Flavour
18
History on High Waters
Turkey
20
A Trip Down River Kwai
Mt. Fuji & Surrounds
Lake Kawaguchigo, Mt. Fuji 5th Station & Hakone.
Underwater World in the Pacific Fiji's Pacific Harbour
08
Š Semirah Darwin
REGULARS 05
Publisher's Note
14
Travel Tips
16
Gear Guide
24
Travel News
DEC - JAN 2013/14 ISSUE 35
26
Wild at Heart
Brunei's Ulu Temburongnational Park
© Brunei Tourism
28
Underwater Encounters Diving in Bali
© Atlantis Bali Diving
30
© LotusHotels
32
Top Dogs
ZERORH + TOP DOG TROPHY SERIES 2013-2014
© RHKYC/Guy Nowell
Mystical Waters Manado
Publisher's Note
05
© K.Cem Orman - View on the River Kwai
It seems like we’ve only just celebrated Christmas! But here we are again preparing for another round of parties and a brand new year. Where did 2013 go? While for some of us it went in a blink, I am hoping many of you out there had an exciting year and travel played a big part of it. And travel not just to those five star resorts that many of us feel we need to experience, but also to the many protected natural environments out there that help the local inhabitants understand the importance of preserving nature the way it is. These visits also help the local authorities understand the need to continue to preserve our fragile ecosystems for generations to come. This issue has plenty of good travel ideas, and whether you’re looking to jet off to a far away land or hang around the block, we have enough here to keep you busy over the coming holiday period. Included in this issue is our 28 page Seychelles supplement - one of the most spectacular destinations on our planet. Whether you want to splurge or just keep it all low key, the Seychelles has that little bit for everyone - from kayaking, diving, sailing and fishing to sunning on gorgeous beaches, you’ll be kept busy with an array of choices. Thanks to Air Seychelles regular service from Hong Kong, this destination is now all the more accessible.
Whether it’s soaking up the sun or freezing your rear, in our main issue we cover destinations from the Turkish Riviera to the slopes of Mt. Fuji and other equally exciting adventures like going down the River Kwai, Fiji’s Pacific Harbour, and experiencing the pristine forests of Brunei and oceans of Bali and Manado. Our next issue will be the start our seventh year of Sports+Travel in Hong Kong. For someone like myself new to publishing, it’s been a big, big learning curve with many ups and downs as every issue brings its own challenges. But if it were not for the support of many of our loyal readers and partners - and you know who you are, the effort would not have been worthwhile. Time for me to switch off for now and take time to prepare for the holiday season with my own gang. Wishing you and your loved ones a safe, happy and joyous holiday season.
OUR TEAM PUBLISHER
Sports and Travel Limited Mario Rosario mrosario@sportsandtravel.com.hk
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Aaron K. Stewart astewart@sportsandtravel.com.hk
CREATIVE DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER FINANCE & ADMIN
Lynn Ooi Marilyn Wong mwong@sportsandtravel.com.hk Hylda Low hlow@sportsandtravel.com.hk
ADVERTISING SALES ADVERTISING SALES AUSTRALIA HONG KONG JAPAN INDONESIA MALAYSIA PHILIPPINES
advertise@sportsandtravel.com.hk Sabine Senne ssenne@sportsandtravel.com.hk Chris Ng cng@sportsandtravel.com.hk Jing Wen jwen@sportsandtravel.com.hk Akram Razak arazak@sportsandtravel.com.hk Sukdev Gill sgill@sportsandtravel.com.hk Jil North jnorth@sportsandtravel.com.hk
CONTRIBUTORS
SPECIAL THANKS
Semirah Darwin Po Li Poo Lindsay Varty Jing Wen
Atlantis Bali Diving Aqua Trek Brunei Tourism JNTO Lotus Hotels Seychelles Tourism Board
Visit us at sportsandtravel.com.hk Like us at fb.com/SportsandTravelHongKong Sports + Travel is distributed at outlets across Hong Kong, including:
Sports + Travel Hong Kong is published by Sports and Travel Limited Hong Kong. All articles published are in good faith and based on bona fide information available to The Publisher at the time of press. The Publisher accepts no responsibility other than that stipulated by law. The Publisher also accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies, or other material. The Publisher accepts no responsibility or liability in any way for the contents or any of the advertisements, articles, photographs or illustrations contained in this publication. Al rights are reserved and no part of this publication may be reproduced in part or full without the previous written permission of The Publisher. Neither can any part be stored or recorded by any means. The opinions expressed in the publication are those of the contributors and not necessarily endorsed by The Publisher. Sports + Travel Hong Kong is published bi-monthly and distributed throughout Hong Kong. Trademarks and copyrights for all other products, logos, and depictions contained herein are the properties of the respective trademark and copyright owners. All color separation and printing by FANTASY PRINTING LTD., Unit B, 1/F, Tin Fung Industrial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong Tel: 2554 5000 Sports +Travel Limited, 1104 Crawford House, 70 Queens Road Central, Central Hong Kong. W: www.sportsandtravel.com.hk | E: enquiry@sportsandtravel.com.hk
S+T_HK_Inhouse_FullPg_Ad_OUTLINED_FA.indd 1
17/09/13 5:11 PM
ad_JSG_final_rev.pdf 1 2013/11/22 19:42
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
An Interview with
Hong Kong Junior Rower
TEXT BY: Lindsay Varty
Winky, Hui Wing Ki “…a good rower should always have a stable mental condition as it determines how well one performs.”
Winky, Hui Wing Ki Hong Kong Junior Rower
S+T: When did you first start rowing and what made you first try it? WK: I first started rowing when I was in form 2 due to the implementation of a Youth Rowing Development Programme. After completing a one-minute test on a rowing machine in my secondary school, I was given the precious chance of attending lessons. S+T: What events have you competed in? WK: For local competitions, I have taken part in all kinds of events, while for international competitions, I often row in the Double or Quadruple Scull. S+T: What has been your greatest achievement in rowing so far? WK: Getting a silver medal in the Women’s Double Scull event in the 18th Asian Junior Rowing Championships. I had taken part in the competition for three consecutive years without winning a medal and was determined to achieve more in my fourth year. I put in so much effort to improve my fitness and mentality and the effort finally paid off. My partner and I were so proud when we saw the flag being raised for us at the prize presentation ceremony.
S+T: How often do you train? WK: Usually six days per week with each day consisting of two to three sessions. We usually do time trials on the water, fitness training on rowing machines in the gym and weight training sessions twice per week to strengthen our muscles. S+T: What keeps you motivated? WK: Even though training is tough, I love striving hard with my teammates towards the same goal. I especially love the feeling that my effort has paid off when I get good results. S+T: Where do you hope to go with your rowing? WK: The Asian Games, if possible. The next one is in Incheon, Korea, in 2014. S+T: Have you ever travelled overseas for a competition? If so, where have you been and which place have you liked the most? WK: I’ve been to Taiwan, Singapore, China, Korea, Japan, Germany and Bulgaria. Germany has been my favourite so far as the scenery was amazing there!
S+T: What does it take to be a good rower? WK: A successful rower should have good fitness and great muscle strength. A high technical level is also required to run the boat efficiently (it isn’t just about power.) Most importantly, a good rower should always have a stable mental condition. S+T: Are your parents proud of you and do they support your rowing? WK: They’re always delighted with my achievements and are quite supportive. Whenever I race, my parents give me their greatest encouragements. S+T: What or who has been your biggest inspiration? WK: My Junior Coach has been a real inspiration to me. When I was still a junior athlete, I wasn’t tough at all. Knowing that I lacked a stable mental condition, my coach helped me improve. I am so thankful as it’s why I won a medal at last! S+T: Any advice for someone starting to row? WK: Get ready to be tough and don’t give up too easily!
Hong Kong Junior Rower
Interview
Karl, Ng Ka Ho “Every time I break my personal best record is my proudest moment in rowing.”
Karl, Ng Ka Ho Hong Kong Junior Rower
S+T: When did you first start rowing and what made you first try it? KH: I first started rowing in grade 8 when the Hong Kong China Rowing Association introduced the Youth Rowing Development Programme (YRDP). All Hong Kong secondary school students did one minute ergo tests and some were selected for training to be Hong Kong athletes. S+T: What events have you competed in? KH: I’ve competed in the Hong Kong Youth Rowing Championship in 2011 and 2012, both the 33rd and 34th Hong Kong Rowing Championships, the 2012 Asia Cup 1 Rowing Championship in Singapore, the 18th Asian Junior Rowing Championships in Nan Chang, China in 2012, and the 2012 World Rowing Championship in Bulgaria. S+T: Have you received any good results? KH: For the 2012 Asia Cup 1 Rowing Championship in Singapore, I got the bronze medal for the Junior Men’s Single Scull and I was champion of the 2011 and 2012 Hong Kong Youth Rowing Championship Single Scull Boy’s 16 and Under and 18 and Under. S+T: What is your proudest moment in rowing? KH: Every time I break my personal best record is my proudest moment in rowing. It makes me feel so excited because I can see a breach of myself and makes me realise that I can be faster next time. S+T: What keeps you motivated? KH: The first thing is that rowing brings me health. Secondly, it trains my tolerance
because each training section is over two hours long. Thirdly, rowing helps to make friends and also improves my communication and cooperation skills. S+T: Where do you hope to go with your rowing? KH: I hope to one day have the chance to participant in the World Rowing Championship and the Olympics in the Single Scull event. S+T: What does it take to be a good rower? KH: To be a good rower, you should have extreme willpower and self-discipline. It is a persistence sport and in each competition you need to row 2000m, so willpower is very important. Also you need to always follow the coaches’ instructions and have sufficient rest for training. So a good rower has to have discipline.
35
S+T: Do you have a specific diet or are you not allowed to eat any food whilst training? KH: I have no any specific diet whilst training. But my dietitian suggested that I gain weight. I’m 64 kg now, but a lightweight rower can have a maximum weight of 72.5 kg. So my current weight is a disadvantage to me in competition. S+T: What is the ideal body type for a rower? KH: Height and weight are two major things for a rower: when you’re taller, your stroke is longer and when you’re heavier, you have more power. But rowing competitions have separate events by weight (light weight, heavy weight and open), so it’s not always the heavier the better. A rower should be able to control his or her own body weight.
Events Calendar
7 December
HONG KONG
MSIG Lantau 50 – HK 50 Series
14-15 December The North Face 100
If you have an event that you feel should be included on this page, please email us on events@sportsandtravel.com.hk
www.actionasiaevents.com
www.northface100.com
14/27/50 km Trail Run
50/100 km Trail Run
1 January
New Year NE Mountain Race www.xterace.com 23/28 km Trail Run
5 January
King Of The Hills Lantau Mountain Marathon
10-12 January
Hong Kong International Track Cup
12 January
AdventureTerra Race 2014
12 January
Vita Green Cycling for Health Marathon Challenge 2014 www.vitagreencg.org Cycling
12 January
The Clearwater Bay Chase 2014 www.cwbgolf.org/cwbchase Run
18 January
Hong Kong 100 Ultra Trail www.hk100-ultra.com 100 km Trail Run
18-19 January
Vibram® Hong Kong 100 www.brammar.weebly.com 100km Ultra Endurance Race
25 January
Green Power Hike www.greenpower.org.hk 10/25/50 km
25-26 January
HK Top 10 www.hktop10.com.hk Two stage race to cove 10 highest peaks Hong Kong
3 February
CNY Grand 3 Tour
16 February
Standard Chartered Hong Kong
1 March
Tommes Cup Top Dog Trophy
1 March
MSIG Sai Kung 50 – HK50
www.seyonasia.com Cycling
www.cycling.org.hk
www.xterace.com
www.xterace.com
Trail Run
Trail & Gorge running Orienteering and Kayaking
28 km Trail running
www.hkmarathon.com
10km/half, full and wheel chair
www.rhkyc.org.hk/topdogtrophy
www.actionasiaevents.com
Sailing
13/26/50 km
8337-B EIDC_Rent_T+S 9/23/13 12:09 PM Page 1 C
Composite
M
Y
CM
MY
CY CMY
K
Untitled-1 1
8/27/2013 10:01:31 AM