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rain, which was to set in with a vengeance on the second
and third days.
There were a total of eight 2.4mR boats competing in
the Asian Para Games. On the first day of racing, one
competitor, Foo Yuen Wai, placed 7 th in the first race
(second last)—his first international racing experience.
He only started intensive training in August, practising
three times a week and availing of the expertise of visiting
professional coach Julian Pearson who came from the UK
for two weeks in September. Although the whole team had
made a great effort in the run up to the event, any chance
at medals was expected to come via an Access 303(w).
Asian Para Games—we didn’t come last!
Words CK Chan & Mike Rawbone
As most Hebe Jebes readers will already know, when
originally asked in March 2013 by the Asian Para Games
organisers if we would like to put a team together to
represent Hong Kong in the Asian Para Games, we had few
eligible sailors, no 2.4mRs and only three Access 303(w)s.
What we did have was 18 months and a massive level of
enthusiasm!
By October 2014 we had, thanks to the generosity of
the Hong Kong sailing community and general public, six
Access 303(w)s and four 2.4mRs. More importantly, during
the period we had gathered together 24 sailors who, like
us, had a competitive spirit, wanted to learn and were
prepared to give their all. The Hong Kong sailing community
got behind us and we participated in all of the major 2014
regattas for the first time using them as qualifying regattas
for Korea. Still, our mission was established with a realistic
goal and our target was ‘not to come last’. As things turned
out—we didn’t!
Taking the decision to arrive a few days early in Korea, we
quickly adapted to the local conditions, the most serious
of which being the tidal strength and variable wind. A good
decision on our part as, when our four days of competitive
racing commenced on 19 October, we knew the racing
area. What we hadn’t really experienced was the cold and
40 Hebe jebes • JAN/FEB 2015
In the first race of the second day, Foo had improved one
position in the fleet, and it appeared as though that was
not much hope for the Hong Kong 2.4mRs. Then he began
to feel the grib of the sport to acquire two 3rd places in the
subsequent races. By the end of the day, we found Foo—in
a 2.4mR—was in 4 th place overall. The team did not speak
much to each other in the evening so as not to put any
unnecessary pressure on the athletes.
competitor in 4 th position, which he did. His other team
mate with a 2.4mR, Derek Ko, had been instructed to
safeguard Foo to avoid any interference on the water by
others. One race was completed and we were still in third
place overall.
Then the final race was cancelled due to a lack of wind—an
answer to our prayers! We had done it—a bronze medal in
the 2.4mR class!
As a team, Hong Kong was taken very seriously. All in
all, a fantastic combined achievement for our first major
international competition and a performance we will always
be proud to have been associated with. Hong Kong has
won its first medal in Disabled Sailing in the Para Asian
Games—a very important landmark for the local sailing
community, HHYC and Sailability. The thanks of us all go to
HHYC, ABC and RHKYC. You have supported us well and
we hope our sailors have made you proud too.
On the third race day, Foo had a bad start in the first race
and ended \\