Chan challenged to assume San San's mantle as windsurfing standard bearer

For many years, windsurfing in Hong Kong was dominated by Lee Lai-shan. The undisputed queen, who won the Olympic gold medal in 1996, also clinched four successive Asian Games medals - from Beijing 1990 to Pusan 2002.

But she won't be in Doha. Following the birth of her first child last year, San San sacrificed the opportunity of competing at the Doha Games in favour of spending more time with her child. This has opened the door for Chan Wai-kei to make her Asian Games debut at the age of 25.

From third place at the ISAF world youth championships in South Africa in 1999, Chan has undergone quite a journey on the road to Doha. Wai-kei sealed selection for Doha ahead of her younger sister Wai-man when she came first in the Mistral at the Asian Sailing Championships in Doha in March.

Before that, she had also represented the SAR at the National Games in Jiangsu last year and in many international events with her sister, but Doha will mark her first Asian Games.

'This will be a test for Chan to see if she can take up the mantle,' said Dennis Chau Wai-keung, executive director of the Hong Kong Windsurfing Association. 'Lee first came to attention when she won a silver medal at the 1990 Beijing Games, followed by another silver in Hiroshima and two golds at the last two Asiads. If Chan can rise to the occasion, she may become our new standard bearer and the leading challenger at the 2008 Olympics.'

As Doha organisers preferred the Mistral to the Olympic RS:X board, the competition is not as strong, but Chan will still need to overcome competitors of the calibre of China's Chen Lina and Japan's Fujiko Onishi.