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Mike Chan

Oxfam Trailwalker organisers believe Hongkongers have reiterated their enduring interest in the annual event and revealed they have ideas to keep expanding it.
Michael Wong, director of fundraising and communications, expressed gratitude to this year’s roughly 3,400 participants – more than double the 1,600-strong field for the last edition in February – and revealed plans to focus on drawing more youngsters and overseas participants.
“We feel this event is an important lesson about resilience for the younger generations,” he said. “So we’d like to work with different organisations and schools to recruit more youngsters going forward.
“We also want to attract more tourists to visit Hong Kong to participate in Trailwalker, and to enjoy the stunning views of our natural environment. We feel this is a market with great potential.”

While Wong saw scope to further expand the event, the organisers will honour a “gentleman’s agreement with AFCD [Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department]” to protect the MacLehose Trail used by the route.
“Trailwalker does not belong to Oxfam and we are just the caretaker,” Wong said. “The event belongs to Hong Kong and it is an important event for the city.
“Therefore the maximum number of teams shall not exceed 1,300, to protect the trail.”
Wong added that they have set a target of HK$30million (US$3.8 million) in donations this year and would be “very happy” to achieve it. The record is HK$38million in 2018.
Of the 850 or so teams who started Hong Kong’s largest hiking fundraiser on Friday morning at Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung, the last were expected to finish just before the 48-hour deadline on Sunday.
Late on Friday, team TTR (charity organisation Trailwalker Teaching Room) had been the first to finish, crossing the line at 8.42pm, about 45 minutes ahead of runners-up Team 8129.
The winners, made up of Leung Shing-tung, Leung Wai-yip, Ye Xiaoming and Lam Kin-ka, completed the gruelling route in 12 hours, 42 minutes and 47 seconds.
Hong Kong half marathon chiefs sorry as cracks appear in ‘perfect’ bridge race
Their time was slightly slower than last year, when their team – with Tang Kwok-man in place of Lam – finished third. They were also over an hour behind last year’s winning time of team 8006, who were the fastest local team since 2009.
But there was a new record this year for the top women’s finishers. Team 8111, made up of Cheung Man-yee, Wong Ki-chun, Leung Hong-kiu and Angie Yan, clocked 13:52:38 to finish fourth overall, slicing a minute off the previous best set in 2012 by Blister Sisters.

“I am glad to have you all around me, we can’t do this without any of us,” said Cheung, who finished second at TransLantau140 in the women’s category two weeks ago. “I can’t believe we can actually do it, this is really crazy.”
“We helped each other and we finally did it,” Wong said. “I honestly don’t dare to check the time, I can’t believe we did it still.”
The organisers revealed that the next event is expected to be held from November 15 to 17 next year, with the application window with the government opening only in February. They hope to keep the finish line at Crossroads Foundation in Tuen Mun.


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Trail running and hiking

Oxfam Trailwalker thanks Hong Kong – next it wants more youngsters and tourists

Team TTR are the first to complete the gruelling event at 8.42pm on Friday. Photo: Handout

The all-women team 8111 cross the finish in fourth place overall. Photo: Handout

Team 8129 were runners-up, crossing the finish line in 13:27:55. Photo: Handout

Oxfam Trailwalker: thousands take to Hong Kong’s MacLehose Trail for city’s largest annual fundraiser

The 2023 Oxfam Trailwalker gets under way at Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung. Photo: Dickson Lee

(From left) Leung Shing-tung, Leung Wai-yip, Lam Kin-ka and Ye Xiaoming of Team 8001 first finish. Photo: Edmond So

The first participants in the Oxfam Trailwalker get started at Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung. Photo: Dickson Lee

Participants in the Oxfam Trailwalker 2023 prepare to set off from Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung. Photo: Dickson Lee

Oxfam Trailwalker: Hong Kong’s fantastic 4 aiming to shatter race record as event returns for first time since 2018

Team members (left to right) Joseph Yeung, Wong Ho-chung, Tsang Fuk- cheung and Woody Wu at a press conference ahead of the Oxfam Trailwalker later this month. Photo: Edmond So

The team of Katrin Gottschalk, Candice Lanzoni, Ann Cheng-Echevarria and Karen Tse won the virtual event in 2021. Photo: John Ellis

Oxfam Trailwalker’s permit refusal over Covid-19 lacks logic, organisers say – ‘we think the event is good for Hong Kong’

Oxfam Trailwalker has been cancelled for the fourth year in a row. Photo: Lachlan Barder

Trying to host the Oxfam Trailwalker has become an uphill battle. Photo: Lachlan Barder

Runners take part in teams of four. Photo: Handout

The start line is usually packed, but this year the organisers planned on staggering a reduced number of teams. Photo: Dickson Lee

Oxfam Trailwalker cancelled again, as government denies permit because of Covid-19 concerns

Competitors at the starting point of the 2018 Oxfam Trailwalker in Sai Kung, the last in person race before four cancellations. Photo: Dickson Lee

Competitors at the starting point of the 2018 Oxfam Trailwalker in Sai Kung. Photo: Dickson Lee

The Trailwalker event will take place virtually this year instead. Photo: Dickson Lee

Oxfam Trailwalker and TransLantau hang in the balance as they await government approval for 2022 events

The last Oxfam Trailwalker event was in 2019. Photo: Oxfam

Organisers are hoping the 2022 TransLantau ultra marathon will go ahead on a modified format. Photo: Sunny Lee

Organisers of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon are waiting for approval for their 2022 race. Photo: Nora Tam

Sport

Hong Kong

Outdoor

Trail Running

‘We’d like to work with different organisations and schools to recruit more youngsters,’ director says, adding tourism ‘is a market with great potential’
But organisers vow to honour commitment to help protect the city’s MacLehose Trail by not expanding the event too much


‘We’d like to work with different organisations and schools to recruit more youngsters,’ director says, adding tourism ‘is a market with great potential’ – but commitment to protect MacLehose Trail remains.


Oxfam Trailwalker thanks Hong Kong – next it wants more youngsters and tourists

‘We’d like to work with different organisations and schools to recruit more youngsters,’ director says, adding tourism ‘is a market with great potential’ But organisers vow to honour commitment to help protect the city’s MacLehose Trail by not expanding the event too much

‘We’d like to work with different organisations and schools to recruit more youngsters,’ director says, adding tourism ‘is a market with great potential’

But organisers vow to honour commitment to help protect the city’s MacLehose Trail by not expanding the event too much