University Team Championships in Hong
Kong
2007-04-17
_________________
Chi Ming CHAN, the Chairman of the Racketlon Federation of Hong Kong, China reports below about recent and future Racketlon activities in Hong Kong. Most notably the inaugural Team Championships held on the 15th of April.
_________________
Participants at the inaugural Inter-Universities Racketlon Team Championship
in Hong Kong
photo: CM Chang
(A) Recent Racketlon Activities
Racketlon Federation of Hong Kong, China (RFHK) recently assisted Physical Education
Unit of The Chinese University of Hong Kong to organize (i) The 2nd CUHK Racketlon
Open Championships on 1st April 2007and (ii) The CUHK Inter-Universities Racketlon
Team Championship on 15th April 2007 with great success at the University Sports
Centre.
(i) The 2nd CUHK Racketlon Open Championships
The Racketlon Open has become an annual remarkable sports event in the CUHK
campus. The number of participants has increased from last year's 36 to 50 (18
staff (16 men, 2 women), 32 students (24 boys, 6 girls)). The Chairman of RFHK,
Mr CM CHAN (WR 911) successfully defended his championship title quite easily
(+26) in the Staff Men's group in the final against the same opponent as last
year, Mr Kwok Tai HO (WR 61 in the 45+). However, last year's ladies group champion
Miss Suet HON (WR110), the Runner up of Ladies' Class C in Belgium World Racketlon
Championships, was unfortunately defeated (-9) by a student, Miss Wai Sze MAK
from the Sports and Physical Education Department who is also an ex-member of
the University Table Tennis team. The 1st runner up of last year in the Student
Men's group, Mr Hon Leong TANG, finally got the champion trophy this year. Winners
of the CUHK Championships (staff and students) formed the CUHK Racketlon Team
for the Inter-Universities Team event two weeks later. With the experience from
last year, the 2nd CUHK Open was smoothly run. Photos of the event have been
posted here.
Racketlon at the Sport Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
photo: CM Chang
(ii) First Racketlon Team Championship in Asia - CUHK Inter-Universities Racketlon
Team Championship
The PEU, CUHK was the host of the event and successfully attracted 4 from the
10 invited higher institutions in Hong Kong to take part including: The Hong
Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Institute
of Education and Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education. With the exception
of City U, that was represented by only one team of 6 players, the other 4 institutions
(including CUHK) registered 2 teams of 6 players (total 9 teams, 54 players).
Teams were drawn into Group A of 5 teams and Group B of 4 teams for a round
robin first round where each team sent 2 men and 1 lady to compete for the team.
First ranked in each group entered the final for the championship match and
second ranked in the group went for the 2nd Runner up prize. The CUHK Team 1
(led by CM Chan) defeated City U in the final The CUHK Team 2 led by Kwok Tai
HO went through the challenge of a rubberarm decision point against HKIVE Team
2 and claimed 2nd Runner up. All invited participants enjoyed their first Racketlon
match very much on that sunny day and indicated to the Tournament Person In-Charge,
Mr CM Chan, that they had great interest for local and overseas Racketlon Singles
tournaments. Participants were busy traveling around match venues at the University
Sports Centre and shared their tactics (and rackets) with teammates. Invited
teams appreciated very much for CUHK great effort in promoting this new exciting
sport for them. The Tournament Committee formed by CM CHAN, Kwok Tai HO, Wai
Kit Cheung and Yuen Ming TONG took the advantage of what they observed from
the organization of Austria and Belgium World Racketlon Championships in 2005
and 2006 respectively successfully brought to all participants an enjoyable
Racketlon first experience. Happy moments of all participants were captured
and posted here.
(B) Future Racketlon Activities in Hong Kong, China
(i) Launching of Racketlon Hong Kong Closed Championships
RFHK will try her best effort to launch a Racketlon Closed Championships in
Hong Kong this year or next year with the support of PEU, CUHK for the provision
of her excellent match venues at the University Sports Centre.
(ii) Participation in Finnish Open 2007
RFHK Chairman (CM CHAN), Vice-Chairman (Wai Kit CHEUNG), ex-World Racketlon
Championships HK Team members, Miss Suet HON and Mr Henry, King Cheong WU will
enter for the Finnish Open 2007. Some CUHK veteran staff and CUHK Open student
winners and participants of CUHK Inter-U have shown their interest to join.
Our CUHK students are trying very hard to gather sponsorships for their participation.
RFHK are working hard to assist and facilitate all potential participants.
(iii) Launching of RFHK official website
RFHK will try her best to complete the construction of her official website
(www.racketlon.hk) during this summer.
Reported by:
Mr Chi Ming CHAN
Chairman
Racketlon Federation of Hong Kong, China
Chairman Chan (middle) together with some of the prize winners
of the 2nd CUHK Racketlon Open Championships
photo: CM Chang
_________________________________