The women's team of the Hong Kong Island Paddle Club made history as the first women's outrigger crew to complete the short course of the Aberdeen Boat Club's Four Peak's race at 2.34am yesterday. The 11-woman team - comprising Elizabeth Cooper, Julie Devine, Cheryl Fender, 'Messan' Makino Kiyomi, Jo Jones, Martha Levine, Emily Mabbott, Wendy Mabbott, Sally Stevenson, Sharon Tudela and Lara Wozniak - took on force five winds in freezing temperatures to finish the race in 15 hours and 14 minutes. The paddling-and-running short-course race started in Tai Tam and required paddling to Sai Kung. Two runners were then sent to brave Ma On Shan before the team paddled on to Repulse Bay, where another set of runners were sent up Violet Hill. Finally the team set off to Lamma Island, where two members climbed Mt Stenhouse before the entire crew returned to the waters near Ocean Park. The men haven't been outdone though. They bettered last year's time by three minutes, finishing in 11 hours and 52 minutes.
