The latest Santa Hash raised about HK$42,000 from donations and runners’ entrance fees. Photo: Edward Wong
Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3042131/hong-kongs-annual-santa-hash-run-raises-hk42000-operation Society
Hong Kong’s annual Santa Hash run raises HK$42,000 for Operation Santa Claus
- About 170 runners cover routes near public housing estate in Tseung Kwan O
OSC 2019: Runners joining the Santa Hash run organised by The Hash House Harrier running clubs of Hong Kong gathered at Pui Shing Garden in Tseung Kwan O. 08DEC19 SCMP / Edward Wong
About 170 runners, many sporting Santa hats, raced through a trail set near a quiet public housing estate for a good cause last Sunday.
The cross-country run is an annual event to support Operation Santa Claus, the fundraising campaign jointly organised by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK.
Participants gathered at Pui Shing Garden in Tseung Kwan O ahead of the race.
They chose one of three routes around the Ming Tak Estate neighbourhood, with trail lengths of 3½km, 5km and 7km. Most contestants finished the run in about an hour.
The run involved “hashing”, in which groups of runners race through the countryside, following a paper or chalk trail.
The Santa Hash in Hong Kong is organised by all of the 14 local Hash House Harrier clubs.
Mark Hope, who has organised the fun-filled race for 13 of the past 14 years, said the latest hash had raised about HK$42,000 (US$5,385), the funds coming from donations and entrance fees paid by all runners.
The organisers also sold raffle tickets and merchandise such as T-shirts.
Hope and Deric Probst-Wallace, who helped set the trail, were the first to finish the 7km challenge.
“It was a fantastic run,” Hope said.
“It was a nice, easy trail,” Probst-Wallace said, adding that the cool weather helped.