Queen Williams and King Ixel crowned champions of Sprints
April 10, 2016 Hong Kong – After strong competition in the former two Bonaqua LIFEPROOF Action Sprints the series came to the final leg Sunday at Sai Kung with runners having the fastest times yet over the 12km shortened course with all passionate about finishing. After a string of victories behind him including race 2 and the previous Hysan Healthy Hike Run race, North Face team member Australian national Vlad Ixel won his second Action Sprint and was crowned King of the Sprint series with an excellent result of 58 minutes 30 seconds and the only runner going under the 1 hour mark, while British runner Zein Williams continued her brilliant undefeated victory of 9 consecutive Action Sprint wins in a row by grabbing the overall Women’s title again in 1 hour 12 minutes 46 seconds giving her the Queen title.
“I feel good now. It was a short, but fun race with some good technical downhills. I am quite happy and it’s a quite runnable series. It wasn’t too bad on the downhill as I was using most of the trail bouncing between rocks, dirt and stairs in many sections, but think the slower runners might have it a bit more difficult as the rain is starting now and will be getting a bit slippery. I think Discovery Bay leg of the Sprint series would be the most challenging of these three races, but. I would like to come back for the series next year.” said overall champion Ixel holding his trophy and Hoka trail shoe voucher.
The winner of Repulse Bay and 100km champion of the Yunnan Action Asia race Irish Brian McFlynn was within 2 minutes of Ixel at the first water checkpoint and remained strong thru the race grabbing a superb 2nd overall in the Men’s in speedy 1 hour 2 minutes 3 seconds. “I am pretty tired now after this race as pushed myself hard and did my best. Since I joined the 3 Sprints this year, I enjoyed today’s the best as think I ran probably the best race today even though I’m pretty tired as was around 3 minutes behind the champion and glad the winner was fast as it pushed me and really enjoyed this. First time running in Sai Kung so was really surprised how beautiful it was. For the most difficult section today, I quite liked the start of the hill on the road as it pushed everyone and then around the 6km mark just around the check point got quite fast on the downhill and the final 2km downhill was great together with a nice short road finish which helped me as smooth. Definitely I will be back next year,” said 2nd overall McFlynn.
Only 1 minute and 8 seconds later German HK resident Seth Fischer finished the race in 1 hour 3 minutes and 11 seconds who was still very energetic after the race. “I enjoyed the trail part the most. On the top of the climb the view was definitely the most beautiful. The technical downhill trail was the most interesting, which is the last 3 kilometer of the race so you had to focus. I had a little bit of a battle as was slowler in the beginning and moving my way thru trying to pace at that time catch one by one. Someone did fall and slip and asked him how he was and he said fine and got back up,” said 3rd overall Fisher.
British runner Zein Willliams has had others get close to her this Sprints, but she continues her dominance and one reason she is crowned champion again, finishing in 1 hour 12 minutes 46 seconds. “I am good, not too tired now. I think it was good to run on the road at the beginning and end as good training to increase the pace compared to the trails, but I felt it mentally tough as 2 different types of running today. I love the beautiful scenery around Sai Kung and I think Action Asia Events did a good job, designing a good course even without gullies as know there are AFCD restrictions. Great to see oranges, bananas, bisquits at checkpoints and am sure to come next year,” said overall Women’s champion Williams.
Philippine national North Face runner Baby Marites Sotto Bitbit grabbed second overall in the Women’s crossing the line in an impressive 1 hour 15 minutes 23 seconds just over 2 minutes behind Williams which is one of the closest Women this season to be so close to William’s time. “I feel good actually. The race was really good and it was fun to race with other runners. I attended the race in Discovery Bay three years ago, but this was my first time to join the race in Sai Kung. I found the race was really well-organized. The road was long at the beginning, but fun and I like the nice view along the course. Thanks so much for putting this together and will be back soon,” said 2nd overall in the Women’s Marites.
Canadian runner Joyce Edmondson, who just finished the race in Discovery Bay last month, took the third place in a finishing time of 1 hour 17 minutes 14 seconds. She said, “It was challenging overall, more difficult than the race in Discovery Bay. The 5km up-and-down course was energy-consuming at the beginning as fast paced, but I like the beautiful scenery at the top of the hill, where I can see the mountain and water as well as pretty butterflies. After this race, I will have a long break and go traveling,” said 3rd overall Edmondson.
The Bonaqua LIFEPROOF Action Sprints are warm-up events for the C3fit Action Asia Challenge on May 8 that has 3 categories with Trail running, Kayak n Run and Full Adventure. Who will be the next champion and who will be able to knock off Williams and Ixel?
The Bonaqua LIFEPROOF Action Sprints series could not happen without the kind support of Bonaqua, LIFEPROOF, Action X Store, HOKA One One, C3fit, Salonpis, Aquarius, HKRI, Royale International, OL&N, Herbalgy and the Action Asia Foundation.
Bonaqua LIFEPROOF Action Sprint Run – Sai Kung
Overall Top 5 Men
Name – Nationality - Team/Sponsor - Time
1. Vlad Ixel - Australia - The North Face- 00:58:30
2. Brian Mcflynn - United Kingdom – 1:02:03
3. Seth Fischer - Germany - 1:03:11
4. Hoi Chun Eric Yeung – Hong Kong – 1:04:23
5. Wai Hei Ng – Hong Kong – Asia Trail - 1:05:10
Overall Top 5 Women
Name – Nationality - Team/Sponsor - Time
1. Zein Williams - United Kingdom - Raidlight - 1:12:46
2. Baby Marites Sotto Bitbit – Philippines - The North Face– 1:15:23
3. Joyce Edmondson - Canada - 1:17:14
4. Fong Lam - China - 1:22:01
5. Silke Bender - Germany – 1:24:09
Race Information
|
Event Name |
Bonaqua LIFEPROOF Action Sprint RUN – Sai Kung |
|
Date |
March 6, 2016 (Sunday) |
|
Start Time |
8:00 am |
|
Start & Finish Location |
Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung, Hong Kong |
|
Distance |
12 km |
|
Category |
Trail Running and Hiking |
|
Race Course |
MEN'S - Top 5
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 192 Vlad Ixel M 20-29 / The North Face Australia 0:58:30
2nd 317 Brian McFlynn M 20-29 / Ireland 1:02:03
3rd 826 Seth Fischer M 40-49 / Germany 1:03:11
4th 41 Hoi Chun Eric Yeung M 14-19 Hong Kong 1:04:23
5th 40 Wai Hei Ng M 14-19 / Asia Trail Hong Kong 1:05:10
WOMEN'S - Top 5
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 1048 Zein Williams W 30-39 / Raidlight United Kingdom 1:12:46
2nd 987 Baby Marites Sotto Bitbit W 30-39 / The North Face Philippines 1:15:23
3rd 1070 Joyce Edmondson W 40-49 / Canada 1:17:14
4th 1019 Fong Lam W 30-39 / CORES China 1:22:01
5th 986 Silke Bender W 30-39 / Merrell Germany 1:24:09
M 14-19 - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 41 Hoi Chun Eric Yeung M 14-19 Hong Kong 1:04:23
2nd 40 Wai Hei Ng M 14-19 / Asia trail Hong Kong 1:05:10
3rd 15 Chi Yeung, Chiu M 14-19 / 聖貞德中學越野隊 Hong Kong 1:13:23
M 20-29 - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 192 Vlad Ixel M 20-29 / The North Face Australia 0:58:30
2nd 317 Brian McFlynn M 20-29 / Ireland 1:02:03
3rd 316 Cheuk Ting, Luk M 20-29 / Berrytime Hong Kong 1:05:25
M 30-39 - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 791 Gump Wong M 30 39 / Hong Kong 1:06:23
2nd 773 Christian Secci M 30-39 / Italy 1:06:33
3rd 441 Kwok Wai Chan M 30-39 / Hong Kong 1:08:25
M 40-49 - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 826 Seth Fischer M 40-49 / Germany 1:03:11
2nd 807 Ryan Scott Blair M 40-49 / THE NORTH FACE United States 1:06:02
3rd 821 Daniel Cole M 40-49 / United Kingdom 1:08:38
M 50-59 - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 897 Ford Chan M 50-59 / Hong Kong 1:16:30
2nd 894 Colin Birkby M 50-59 / United Kingdom 1:17:37
3rd 898 Hing Fai Chan M 50-59 / Hong Kong 1:17:41
M 60+ - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 934 Frank Pilkington M 60+ / Salomon Ireland 1:37:41
2nd 933 Pui Sum Lam M 60+/ Hong Kong 2:04:19
3rd 931 Masafumi Bamba M 60+/ Japan 2:16:46
W 20-29 - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 948 Vicki Haigh W 20-29 / United Kingdom 1:25:16
2nd 966 Stephanie Persso W 20-29 / United States 1:28:46
3rd 967 Manon Peters W 20-29 / The Netherlands 1:30:59
W 30-39 - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 1048 Zein Williams W 30-39 / Raidlight United Kingdom 1:12:46
2nd 987 Baby Marites Sotto Bitbit W 30-39 / The North Face Philippines 1:15:23
3rd 1019 Fong Lam W 30-39 / CORES China 1:22:01
W 40-49 - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 1070 Joyce Edmondson W 40-49 / Canada 1:17:14
2nd 1067 Justine Clark W 40-49 / United Kingdom 1:24:34
3rd 1065 Pui Ling Pauline Cheung W 40-49 / Hong Kong 1:25:05
W 50-59 - Top 3
Rank Race # Name Category / Team Name Nationality Time
1st 1107 Yuet Ming Lam W 50-59 / China 1:33:09
2nd 1100 Barbara Blaney W 50-59 / Canada 1:40:06
3rd 1113 Angel Tsoi W 50-59 / TRab Hong Kong 1:47:10
Full results at racematix
https://www.racematix.com/site/#results:rac/Action-Sprint-Sai-Kung-2016
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