Thumbs up for new mtn bike course at C3fit AAC
Hong Kong - May 8 2016 - Under the summer heat, the weekend warriors searching for their adrenalin rush provided encouraging feedback for the AFCD govt dept that spent over 2 years and a minimum HKD 6 million at a bare minimum developing a 4 km mountain bike black diamond downhill from the fire lookout to the MacLehose Road near the Kat Hing Bridge in Tai Lam Country Park which was one of many highlights at the C3fit Action Asia Challenge which covered over 43km for many with 29 km of mountain biking, 9km of trail running, 5km of ocean kayaking, abseiling off over 80m high Dam with a 10m high rope ladder climb to keep all the endorphine junkies happy.
Endurance and teamwork played a big role in the top 3 teams battling it out, but it was a sweet victory to take the championship title again after missing last year with Jantavaboon Kiangchaipaiphana from Thailand teaming with HK resident American Ryan Scott Blair from the North Face team taking the Full Adventure title in 4 hours 1 minute 24 seconds. “I feel really excited as it was a good race with a very nice course,” said Jantavaboon Kiangchaipaiphana from Thailand who came to Hong Kong only for this race. This race is tough as well, but I am very glad to have a good teammate. We cooperated with each other very well and I think we are a strong team. We have worked together about 10 times and this is the second time to join the race in the Action Asia Challenge.” His partner Ryan Scott Blair did not enjoy the weather. He said, “I was just melting on this hot day. But I felt surprised because I was loosing so much water as my calves were tightening up and cramping as it was brutally hot there. As for the race, it was fast, technical and we just pushed to the limit as we knew the others were just 5 minutes back on our tails" and had to keep going" said Blair.
Second across the finish line in the full adventure category was The Chiru-BVsport team, made up by Pierre Arnaud Le Magnan and New Zealander Kurt Lynn in 4 hours 13 minutes 45 seconds. They had great fun during the race and said, “The new AFCD mountain bike trail was the most enjoyable part of the race, and we saw a big fish during the kayak, quite like a white dolphin, jumping out from the water during kayaking. ” We knew it was brutal biking up to the fire lookout as both my calves were cramping and almost cried like a baby if you ask my partner (joking) as my legs were screaming at me, but we enjoyed the new downhill a lot and our strategy after Jeremy & Cosmo got by us earlier was just to save energy and pace ourselves for the remainder of the bike ride as we came in to the abseil almost at the same time as they were just leaving the ropes and we knew it would be close but felt we could get them on the kayak as that is one of our strengths which did pay off in the end as we got by them on the water kayaking to regain our 2nd place which was sweet" said Le Magnan. "Enjoyed the mountain bike downhill so much and had a great kayak. Loved the abseil as so much fun and glad to finally use the figure 8 which was burning against me" said Lynn.
Grabbing the 3rd place overall just over 2 minutes later was team Old Dogs New Tricks with Australian Cosmo Richards and Canadian Jeremy Ritcey, who are very happy with their performance. “Hardest part was the road bike section climbing up some big steep roads with very steep long climbs, but really surprised there was such a beautiful flowing black diamond mountain trail in HK as that was very nice and a real mountain bike trail" said Jeremy Ritcey. "We have been in Hong Kong for more than 14 years. Great beautiful scenery in a great area. The new downhill trail was really really really nice which really surprised us. We knew it was over when we arrived at the kayak together with the other team of Pierre & Kurt as they are strong kayakers and we were hoping we could arrive a few minutes in front at the kayak start, but that didn't happen, but that's racing. We have won together before and a few podiums so it's fun to still get a podium spot, " continued Ritcey. His teammate Cosmo said also gave a big thumbs up for the new AFCD bike section. "Yes those big steep road climbs were hard, but what a treat on the new downhill that was just built by AFCD as enjoyed intensely. It was good for us. As for the kayak part, we competed with the others and knew they were strong, but great competition on the water and during the whole race. We probably train around 10 hours per week and have probably teammed up around 15-times and done the Action Asia Challenge around 5 times and yes if this is on next year we'll be back" said Richards who finished with Ritcey taking 3rd overall in 4 hours 16 minutes 19 seconds.
In Kayak n Run category, Team The Law & Wattsy with Andrew Watts and Andrew Lawson grabbed the overall winner with a brave 1 hour 40 minutes 56 seconds and expressed their excitement. “I am originally from Durban South Africa and I have been working and living in Hong Kong for 9 years now. The kayak n run was quite good and well organized. Quite a nice trail course in the hills. I really enjoyed the rest of the course as well as everything went well,” said Andrew Lawson. “I really enjoy the event especially the kayaking section on the ocean as it was beautiful. There were very good competitors and very diversified competition which was more than I expected,” said Andrew Watts from UK who has been in Hong Kong for 7 years, “Definitely we will come back next year and recommend our friends as well. Actually most of them are already in the Full Adventure today,” Watts continued.
The 2nd place team was Henry Van Der Eecken & Felix Cauro (They do have a Spanish team name that's really difficult to pronounce like Los Belotis) finishing in 1 hour 43 minutes 56 seconds. “Both of us have been living here in Hong Kong and I have lived here for 2 years and he has only lived here for 6 months. The race was good and it was bit longer than we expected as close to 7 km so think about 1km extra almost. Some sections were tough, kayak was tougher than we expected, but still finished in second.” said Spanish Cauro. His Belgium partner Henry said, “The trail run was also very nice and some parts very technical, but we had a lot of fun and it was really in the nature which is very nice and will definately be back next year and challenge to try to win first place," said Van Der Eecken.
Team TRA got the 3rd place in Kayak and Run category with 1 hour 44 minutes 17 seconds. One of the members is Lawrence Wong who comes from UK and has lived in HK for more than 4 years. He said it was an awesome race and the weather was perfect. His partner, Levente Koczka is from Hungary and has lived in HK for 3 years and said, “as for the favourite part, both of us liked the trail especially the downhill section, because we can fly on the downhill which was so much fun. I think the kayak was harder and challenging because we only practice on the kayak once a year and it is today! Both of us are runners so we need more practice on the kayak.”
There was also a fierce battle on the Women's side of the 15k trail run category. Wai Hei Ng from Hong Kong grabbed the overall Men's category in 1 hour 40 minutes 25 seconds and Fjelddahl Chiaki took the overall Women's category in 1 hour 55 minutes 25 seconds.
Hong Kong trail runner Ng Wai Hei sponsored by Asia trail took the men champion of 15k trail run in 1 hour 40 minutes 25 seconds. He shared his feeling happily that, “I think the last 1k of the course is the most challenging part, because the trails are comparatively narrow and sloping. With the experience of trail running for only a year. I prepared well for this race as I often practice trail running in mountains and before the race, I will run the whole course and get more familiar with the course," said the overall winner Ng grabbing the overall Men's title in the 15km.
Japanese runner HK resident Chiaki Fjelddahl a C3fit sponsored runner, living in Hong Kong for over 20 years, grabbed the women championship of 15k trail run. She was one of the runners who had participated in the first Action Asia Challenge in 1990s. Becoming the mother of 3 kids, she left the Action Asia Challenge for many years. She loved to come back and enjoy the race, she said, “I like the race very much though it was tough since I didn’t expect the ups and downs at the end of the course. And the weather today is so hot and humid. Wearing C3fit helped me reduce many cramps. But the middle part with the single track was good, with lots of shade. Very soft trails, nice bamboo and nice natural trails and hoping Hong Kong doesn't concrete this area as so beautiful and would be such a shame as I can't understand why they keep cementing our country parks. My first race was the Action Asia Challenge which I've done with my husband before so this race I remember very well. I will definately be back next year," Fjelddahl said.
The C3fit Action Asia Challenge could not happen without the kind support of its presenting sponsor C3fit, the official store for registration Action X Store, Otterbox, Flyingball, Socam, Kitsound, Wastons Water, Key Sun Zinke, Salonsip, Herbalgy, Gatorade, Oldham Li & Nie Lawyers and the Action Asia Foundation.
Full Adventure - Overall Top 3 Teams
Rank Race # Team/ Charity/ Sponsor First Name Last Name Age Category Nationality Time
1st 9 The North Face - Ryan Blair (USA) & Jantaraboon Kiangchaipaiphana (Thailand) Warrior Men 4:01:24
2nd 12 Chiru - Bvsport - PIERRE Arnaud Michel Le Magnan (France) & Kurt Lynn (New Zealand) Warrior Men 4:13:45
3rd 17 Old dogs new tricks - Cosmo Richards (Australia) & Jeremy Ritcey (Canada) Warrior Men 4:16:19
Full category results for Adventure / Kayak n Run / Trail run 15 posted in pdf section in PAST EVENTS under AAC and below (will be on toolbar above under main Results section soon but see below for now
Category Result winners
Adventure category
Kayak n Run
Trail Run 15km
Photos on facebook and above photo gallery later
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Action-Asia-Events/269343042806?pnref=lhc#
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