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Organized by:
Seyon Asia Limited
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Sai Kung Mountain Marathon Race Course
9:00 AM, 20 December 2009
Pak Tam Chung Entrance Gate, Sai Kung
Public buses: 94 and 96R
Distances and Cumulative Elevation Changes:
Half Marathon - 19.0 km, 840 meters
Full Marathon - 37.4km, 1,840 meters
New Course for the full marathon this year!
Start: Pak Tam Chung/Sai Kung Country Park Entrance - Tsak Yue Wu - Pak Tam - Sec. 3 of Maclehose - Yung Shue O - Sham Chung - She Shek Au - Nam Shan Tung - Pak Sha O - Hoi Ha - Wong Shek (End of Half Marathon) - To Kwa Peng - Tung Sam Kei - Chek Keng - Luk Wu - above Sai Kung Sai Wan Road - Tin Mei Shan - Tai Cham Koi - Sai Kung Man Yee Road - Sheung Yiu Country Trail - Pak Tam Chung Finish.
Race Course Hints and Suggestions
Maps - Although the course has been marked with white arrows and white ribbons, the arrows tend to fade overtime. Purchasing a Northwest New Territories Country Park Map to take along on the run may be helpful if questions arise. Racers are also advised to familiarize themselves with the course ahead of time.
Water - One water stop will be provided at Yung Shue O, Hoi Ha, Wong Shek halfway point, above Sai Kung Sai Wan Road and on Sai Kung Man Yi Road. Water can also be purchased along the trail in the village of Hoi Ha and possibly in the village of Chek Keng. Runners should plan to carry their own water along the course.
Mosquito Repellent - Although no cases of Dengue Fever have been reported in the Sai Kung area, participants would be wise to take precautions against mosquito bites.
Weather - It is frequently hot this time of the year and large portions of the trail are exposed to direct sunlight. Hats and sunscreen are recommended.
Trail Conditions - Portions of the trail are on steep and rough ground. Other portions are overgrown. The section over the shoulder of Mosquito Hill on the second half of the course is notoriously rough and overgrown. If it has rained recently, it will also be slippery. Be prepared for rough, outback conditions, this is not a road race!
Those doing the half marathon will want to bring along money for the bus ride back to Pak Tam Chung.
Trail Conditions - Much of the half marathon trail takes place on undulating contour trail, the pipeline trail and obvious hiking trails, though they are still rocky and rough in places. Only the descent from Lin Fa Shan to Sheung Tong is particularly steep and rough. The full marathon includes a very demanding ascent of Tai Mo Shan and a very long and steep descent. If it has rained recently, it will be slippery. On the full marathon, Route Twisk - which is a very busy road - must be crossed twice. Runners should very careful while crossing the road.
Although the trail will be marked with arrows, previous history suggests that there are a few common places where runners lose the trail:
1) After intersecting with Section 3 of the Maclehose, the marathon trail continues straight a rough path down toward Yung Shue O. Note that this is the original mountain marathon route, not the modified route used the previous several years.
2) Leaving Hoi Ha Village along the beach, the marathon trail takes an immediate, sharp right turn up a narrow trail densely covered by the forest canopy.
3) After leaving To Kwa Peng, the trail no longer turns right up to join section 2 of the Maclehose. Instead it contours along the cost to Tung Sam Kei and then over Tung Sam Kei Shan before joining section 2 of the Maclehose and descending to Chek Keng..
4) After joining Section 2 of the Maclehose and descending to Chek Keng Village, the trail takes an immediate sharp right hand turn up a river valley rather than continuing along the coast on the Maclehose Trail.
5) There is no longer a left hand turn up toward Tai Mun Shan. Instead, continue straight to Luk Wu, cross the river and continue to the intersecton above Sai Kung Sai Wan Road.
6) After summitting Tai Cham Koi, descend toward Sai Kung Man Yee Road (left turn at the intersection instead of the old route right turn to Pak Tam Road).
7) Cross Sai Kung Man Yee Road by the roundabout and go right down the hill for 0.5 km to the start of the Sheung Yiu Family Trail on the left side of the road.
8) Follow this trail for a couple of km to the next intersection.
9) The route bears right at the next intersection and continues past the Sheung Yiu Folk Museum on the way back to Pak Tam Chung finish area.
View Full Marathon Part I &
Half Marathon [Requires Javascript! Takes about 1min
over 56K connection]
View Full Marathon Part II (New)
Sai Kung Mountain Marathon Previous Records
2006 Full Marathon Course - 37.5 km (but more runnable)
Men's Open: Tsang Siu Keung 3:26:56 2006
Men's V-40: John McKinven 4:18:05 2006
Men's V-45: Chan Kwok Keung 4:14:19 2006
Man's V-55 Lam Ngok Kam 5:19:41 2006
Ladies Open: Jeanette Holmes 4:33:13 2006
Ladies V-40: Ann Miles 5:01:20 2006
Full Marathon - 36.0 km (Tai Mun Shan Course last run in 2005)
Men's Under 35: Tsang Siu Keung Stone 3:45:27 2005
Men's 35-40: Neil Tait 3:37:34 2005
Men's V-40: Bruce Fletcher 4:06:20 1988
Men's V-45: Choi Kau 3:38:38 2003
Men's V-50: David Rosser 4:36:03 1988
Men's V-55: Bob Whitehead 4:41:46 2005
Ladies: JoeJoe Fan Sui Ping 4:29:57 2005
Ladies V-40: Ann Miles 5:17:08 2005
Half Marathon - 19.0 km
Men's Open: Neil Tait 1:28:28 2004
Men's V-40: Peter Northam 1:41:23 2006
Men's V-45 Chris Wardlaw 1:40:11 2004
Men's V-55 Chris Wardlaw 1:38:12 2006
Ladies Open: JoeJoe Fan Suiping 1:45:19 2006
Ladies V-40 Janet Quigley 2:06:02 2006
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