THE Queen's Gurkha Signals team early this morning won the 100-kilometre Trailwalker '94 in 14 hours and 48 minutes - well outside last year's record time.
They were runners-up last year when the 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles won the race in 13 hours and 18 minutes.
In second place was the civilian team Carlingford Comet, who broke the civilian record in 15 hours and 16 minutes. The previous record of 16 hours and 20 minutes was set by the Hongkong Bank A team in 1992.
Heaps of liniment, sweat bands and an electric atmosphere heralded the start of the gruelling Trailwalker marathon.
Split starts in the morning and afternoon in Sai Kung ensured a smooth and safe entry to the MacLehose Trail for the 600 teams taking part.
Celebrity Cherie Chung fired the starter's gun at 11 am to send the first 350 teams onto the trail. The retired movie star was soon surrounded by entrants eager for a photograph with her.
