Rain stays away as Triathlete Felbabel and Drake cruizes to win in Hysan Healthy Hike & Run
After heavy thunderstorms the day before the race, organizers got lucky as the rain clouds didn’t come as expected, but humidity hit one of the highest over past years at almost 95% making the 21 km course a sticky affair with many logging 5-8 minute slower times than previous years with a record entry of over 1300 runners.
Frenchman Erich Felbabel a strong local Hong Kong triathlete grabbed the overall 21km Men’s title in 2 hours 2 minutes 21 seconds, but was humble after his win. ”I had quite a relaxed state of mind on the course and had a pleasant surprise when the staff on the course told me I was leading as after running with some very fast 13km runners before the split I didn’t know my position. I held my speed and continued to lead to the end not trying to do anything different as great trail course as very runnable” said overall winner Felbabel.
Italian Mollica Giuseppe grabbed 2nd seven minutes later. “I’ve done some running in Vietnam lately, but still prefer today's course as the Tai Tong mountain scenery very beautiful and varied conditions on the course making it lovely. Never like to complain about the Hong Kong weather as always changing and have seen much worse” said Giuseppe finishing 2nd overall in 2 hours 9 minutes 27 seconds.
Hong Kong’s Carson Chan finished 3rd in less than 2 minutes behind Giuseppe. “Due to wet weather the track was a little slippery and had slight fall, but the guys around me were very friendly and helped me up to continue the race. Great to see so many runners and participants from different countries who are so friendly an show great spirit in these kind of running races” said Chan who finished in 2 hours 11 minutes 13 seconds.
Fourth in the Men’s 21km was Canadian Bryan Crane finishing in 2 hours 13 minutes 1 second with Spanish Daniel Perez Fernandez grabbing 5th overall in the 21km in 2 hours 14 minutes 17 seconds.
Emma Drake won the Women's 21 km race in 2 hours 22 minutes 9 seconds. “I enjoyed the competition a lot and was hoping for more rain as it cools the runners down in this humidity and makes it much more fresh and relaxing on the course. My 2 sons want to join next year so will more coming in 2015” said the overall 21km winner Australian Emma Drake.
Australian Stephanie Che a regular Action Asia participant placed 2nd. “Good event and good organization as the 3rd time I’ve done this Hysan race and keeps getting better. It helps that I know the course as have been running now for around 1.5 years and surprised that I got 2nd as my friends who I invited with who did the 13km course were quite happy about today and my result also” said Che in finished in 2 hours 30 minutes 57 seconds.
American Anita Freres placed 3rd. I liked it as very runnable and not too technical and could run the whole way. The scenery was pretty and not too hot and enjoyed it a lot as I’m not a great technical runner. The course was well marked even though one small junction missing a person, but all the rest was great and happy staff on the course. We’re leaving the country soon and this is the last time we’ll have a chance to run in Hong Kong. We’ll miss HK a lot with great courses like this and I know my friends will keep coming back to the Hysan Healthy Hike & Run in the future” said Freres finishing 3rd in 2 hours 31 minutes 13 seconds.
Hong Kong’s Chan Wai Fong finished 4th in 2 hours 32 minutes 57 seconds while Taiwanese Chen Chia-Yu finished 5th in 2 hours 41 minutes 3 seconds.
Winner of the 13km a Fire Department fitness coach Huang Haocong summed up his win saying “I think when running a race like this it is important to be optimistic as sixty percent a mental fight and forty percent relying on the strength. My next Hysan challenge is the 21km next year”
The Hysan Healthy Hike & Run course started at Tai Tong Shan Road in Tai Lam Country Park on Sunday, 30th March at 8.30am. Participants hiked and ran along parts of the Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail, winding through peaceful bamboo forests with hilly and flat terrain with the 5 km and 13 km on one side of the reservoir and the 21 km going all the way around the Tai Lam Reservoir.
Hysan Healthy Hike & Run, MAR 30, 2014
21k Overall MEN'S - Top 5
Rank Race # Team/ Charity/ Sponsor Last Name First Name Age Category Nationality Residence Time
1st 73 O2 CREATION FELBABEL ERICH 21km M16-39 France Hong Kong 2:02:21
2nd 151 Mollica Giuseppe 21km M16-39 Italy Hong Kong 2:09:27
3rd 232 Chan Chun Fun Carson 21km M40-49 Hong Kong Hong Kong 2:11:13
4th 62 Eskimo Brothers Crane Bryan 21km M16-39 Canada Hong Kong 2:13:01
5th 482 Daniel Perez Fernandez 21km M16-39 Spain Spain 2:14:17
21k Overall WOMEN'S - Top 5
Rank Race # Team/ Charity/ Sponsor Last Name First Name Age Category Nationality Residence Time
1st 547 Drake Emma 21km W40-49 Australia Hong Kong 2:22:09
2nd 471 Che Stephanie 21km W16-39 Australia Hong Kong 2:30:57
3rd 549 Freres Anita 21km W40-49 United States Hong Kong 2:31:13
4th 538 CHAN WAI FONG 21km W40-49 Hong Kong Hong Kong 2:32:57
5th 472 Chen Chia-Yu 21km W16-39 Taiwan Hong Kong 2:41:03
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See results page for full results of all categories.