https://www.scmp.com/rss/324678/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sara Sigmundsdottir used to get constant reminders that having muscles wasn’t beautiful. Now she gets constant reminders that traditional norms of feminine beauty are being thrown out with the trash. A few weeks ago she met a fan who came up to her almost in tears. Sigmundsdottir said the woman was dressed in a black dress with trainers. “She just came up to me and then started crying,” said the 28-year-old Icelandic native. “And I said, ‘Why are you crying?’ And she said, ‘I wouldn’t dare to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3148318/crossfits-sara-sigmundsdottir-approaches-icon-status-she?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3148318/crossfits-sara-sigmundsdottir-approaches-icon-status-she?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Sep 2021 14:00:12 +0000 On my sixth day in the mountains, a pair of Tibetan wolves emerges from the frozen valley and saunters past, just a few hundred yards (a few hundred metres) away. Minutes ago, I was sipping warm masala chai; now I’m holding my camera in the biting cold. The duo is bold to come this close, but it’s only because they don’t fear being shot by anything other than my Canon Rebel DSLR. Their coats – patches of red, brown, and white – keep them blended, a rippling optical illusion. One wolf disappears... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/2144644/snow-leopards-playing-hide-and-seek-himalayas-living?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/2144644/snow-leopards-playing-hide-and-seek-himalayas-living?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 May 2018 08:00:25 +0000 Hongkonger Marie McNaughton finished second in the 92km Shinzuoka to Yamanashi (STY) in Japan despite being plagued by injury. With a dodgy Achilles, IT band and back, she found that her limitations became her strength. “I benefited from not pushing anywhere during the race,” she said. “I had to go steady at the start, and steady at the finish. I wasn’t able to do anything stupid like push too hard.” STY A1 Fujinomiya 22km: Hey Friends in Hong Kong, Marie McNaughton is 4th woman here, 8 min to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2144045/steady-start-and-finish-marie-mcnaughton-forced-go-slow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2144045/steady-start-and-finish-marie-mcnaughton-forced-go-slow?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Apr 2018 08:30:00 +0000 Rodrigo Koxa has been credited with a world record for riding the biggest wave ever surfed. The World Surf League confirmed the record at its Big Wave Awards in Santa Monica over the weekend, saying its judging panel determined that a wave Koxa surfed at Naraze, Portugal, on November 8 was 80 feet (24.38 metres) high. The Brazilian surfer’s mark overtook the record of 78 feet (23.77 metres) which Garrett McNamara set in 2011. “The award goes to the surfer who, by any means available, catches the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2143986/watch-rodrigo-koxa-rides-biggest-wave-ever-surfed-80?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2143986/watch-rodrigo-koxa-rides-biggest-wave-ever-surfed-80?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Apr 2018 04:34:06 +0000 The extreme cold sapped the energy out of Philip Murton as he dogsledded for five days through the Arctic Circle. The temperatures would plummet to -30 degrees Celsius at night. “It is combination of the fact that it is cold, but for five days you cannot escape that cold,” Murton said. “We were wearing multiple layers, hats, gloves, but we couldn’t get comfortable and we’d wake up five or six times a night. And your breath would freeze so if you hit the side of the tent ice would drop on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2143270/runaway-dogs-and-frozen-breath-hongkongers-sled-250km?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2143270/runaway-dogs-and-frozen-breath-hongkongers-sled-250km?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Apr 2018 00:03:44 +0000 A heroic band of Polish mountaineers on Monday decided to launch a second attempt to climb K2 in winter, Michał Leksinski told the SCMP .  The second expedition would take place in the winter of 2019-20, said Leksinski, head of PR for the expedition.  They considered 2018-19, but decided there was not enough time.  “One of the conclusions from the last expedition was that we need to be in base camp earlier,” he said. “The climbers need to be there by December 20, not mid-January. And we need to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2143121/heroic-polish-climbers-announce-second-winter-attempt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2143121/heroic-polish-climbers-announce-second-winter-attempt?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Apr 2018 09:15:30 +0000 The day Belgian Jelle Veyt conquered Everest very few others did. The conditions were harsh and only the most experienced mountaineers attempted it. The wind whipped across exposed ridges and gave many of the climbers frost bite.  Despite it being Veyt’s first time in “The Death Zone” – above 8,000 metres – he went without a Sherpa or guide and carried all his own food and gear to each camp.  He even had enough energy to give away one of his oxygen canisters to a struggling mountaineer. A... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2142873/i-still-dont-know-if-its-possible-jelle-veyts-human?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2142873/i-still-dont-know-if-its-possible-jelle-veyts-human?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Apr 2018 03:45:00 +0000 No one likes traffic at the best of times, but when you are 12 days into a 1,300-kilometre run it can become beyond a nuisance. That was the case for Kenneth Chan Wai-tik as he ran the length of the UK from John O’Groats to Land's End. “Everyone is focused on the distance, they think it must be tough,” he said. “But in fact it is not. I didn’t feel tired in the body, but I felt tired in the brain because of the traffic.” As Chan reached the southwest of the UK at the start of April, the country... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2142436/lands-end-john-ogroats-hongkonger-takes-dodging-cars-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2142436/lands-end-john-ogroats-hongkonger-takes-dodging-cars-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Apr 2018 00:00:15 +0000 “What is your profession?” It’s Sunday morning and I am wondering as I struggle to type. My arms hurt too much. In fact, all of my body does. Exactly 24 hours before I was enjoying a cold pint of Pilsner Urquell and basking in a combination of sunshine, sweat and relative success. It hadn’t started like that, a little over two hours earlier. It had started as I had feared. To get to the beginning of the race you have to climb a four-foot fence and my colleague and teammate thought he needed to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2142129/two-hours-feeling-your-own-mortality-why-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2142129/two-hours-feeling-your-own-mortality-why-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Apr 2018 10:15:45 +0000 If taking first place in the women’s 70 kilometre China Ultra 100 Guilin and being bested by only two men wasn’t already impressive enough, Samantha Chan’s efforts are all the more amazing given she even got lost along the way. “I should have trusted my own navigation, but early on in the race I switched off while running with a group of guys who for some reason kept missing the markings,” she said, laughing. “After that I just navigated myself.” Saturday’s race is another impressive mark on the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2141899/samantha-chan-wins-china-ultra-100-guilin-despite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2141899/samantha-chan-wins-china-ultra-100-guilin-despite?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Apr 2018 06:30:45 +0000 Picture this: a still and dreamlike fjord, embraced by the Nordic Alps, all covered in dusty snow. There’s also a pitch-black, Arctic Ocean and us, a small classic and ice strengthened ship called the M/S Malmö bobbing on the windless waters. The sun barely makes it above the horizon, giving us about four hours of natural daylight. There’s nothing out there. The whole world seems in a deep, Arctic winter sleep. But I am wrong. Life-changing excursions that you can take in 2018 There’s a sudden... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/2140857/first-hand-account-swimming-orcas-norway-luckily-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/2140857/first-hand-account-swimming-orcas-norway-luckily-they?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Apr 2018 09:00:15 +0000 The first few months of Ash Dykes adventure to be the first person to walk the Yangtze will be so isolated, he isn’t even sure how to get to the start. “We’ll head to the nearest airport, but then, I’ve just been using Google Earth, zooming in on towns and trails to see how to get to the river’s source,” Dykes said. “But when we get to China, on the ground it could be different.” Once Dykes reaches the start he will face months of sparse and empty plateaus at 5,000 metres elevation. “It may be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2140904/world-first-yangtze-trek-such-journey-unknown-ash-dykes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2140904/world-first-yangtze-trek-such-journey-unknown-ash-dykes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Apr 2018 08:00:15 +0000 China needs to build a culture to catch the running boom and compete with the great marathon races in the United States and Europe. The challenges are many – from cheating to hotel scams to pollution to changing values and attitudes – as a running boom sweeps China because it is now “fashionable”. “If you are poor, you do not think about running, you have other things to worry about. The Chinese running boom is caused by the improvement in people’s financial situation,” said a public relations... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2139611/why-china-needs-build-culture-rival-great-marathons-united-states-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2139611/why-china-needs-build-culture-rival-great-marathons-united-states-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Mar 2018 04:15:30 +0000 Gary Leung will face knee deep snow on his next marathon as he battles through sub-zero temperatures on the FWD North Pole Marathon. But the physical obstacles are not the most intimidating challenge. In fact, not even Leung’s total blindness presents the hardest factor. Instead, Leung has learnt that trusting his guide, who helps him navigate on account of his visual impairment, is the hardest part. “I’ve bumped into lamp posts [when running with guides],” Leung said. “But I have to remember no... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2136708/blind-runner-heads-north-pole-marathon-share-happiness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2136708/blind-runner-heads-north-pole-marathon-share-happiness?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Mar 2018 06:42:25 +0000 Bouldering heart-throb and world number 11 Sa Sol dazzled under the Hong Kong sunshine at the city’s inaugural Asian Bouldering Cup 2018 but did not achieve what she came here for: top spot. “I really wanted to win,” chuckled the 23-year-old South Korean fan favourite, who finished second in the final after a stellar showing at the Piazza in Kowloon Park on Sunday. “It wasn’t a bad climb. I think my condition was quite good. I arrived here early – on Wednesday – so I had a bit of time to adapt... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2136702/top-korean-female-climber-sa-sol-feels-hong-kong-heat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2136702/top-korean-female-climber-sa-sol-feels-hong-kong-heat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Mar 2018 05:51:26 +0000 Ice – it’s not something you would want to climb, surely? For a start, it hardly provides the best of traction. However, ice climbing has been a popular niche in the mountaineering world since the late 1970s when Yvon Chouinard, an outdoor equipment innovator and founder of gear manufacturer Patagonia, wrote his seminal book Climbing Ice. The sport developed in the Alps, the Rocky Mountains and the Scottish Highlands in the 1960s and ’70s, and today there are international ice climbing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2136549/ice-climbing-guide-where-go-what-gear-take-and-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2136549/ice-climbing-guide-where-go-what-gear-take-and-why?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Mar 2018 07:15:30 +0000 Peter Robinson was in the middle of the Atlantic, isolated in his small rowing boat with only three friends for company when he was woken by Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood. Former England centre Greenwood then forced Robinson to wear rugby shorts, an uncomfortable garment for ocean rowing, and Robinson was livid. He ventured out onto deck for his two-hour rowing shift, and when he voiced his anger his crew mate pointed out that Greenwood was not on board and he was wearing Lycra rowing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2134901/record-rowers-hallucinate-mid-atlantic-why-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2134901/record-rowers-hallucinate-mid-atlantic-why-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Feb 2018 06:50:21 +0000 The Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics marks the first time the Winter Olympics has been held in Asia since the 1998 games in Japan. It features 102 events across 15 sports, with almost 3,000 athletes from 92 countries competing for a medal. For those in Hong Kong with dreams of becoming a Winter Olympian – perhaps even in time for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing – we’ve scoped out the best local places to test your career potential. For those with less lofty ambitions, we’ve also included how... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2134419/winter-sports-hong-kong-curling-ice-hockey-skiing-could-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2134419/winter-sports-hong-kong-curling-ice-hockey-skiing-could-you?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Feb 2018 04:15:00 +0000 I’ve stopped for breath on a sunny slope above Hakuba Valley on the Japanese island of Honshu. Snowbound forests stand tall above steep rises of smooth powder, and higher still, craggy peaks pierce clear blue skies as plumes of spindrift blow from their shoulders. Despite the fact that this is one of the country’s most popular ski areas, the only other skiers in sight are my two friends and our ski guide. Five of the best Asian countries for skiing, recommended resorts and our top pick for this... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2133789/ski-touring-japan-explore-wilderness-around-hakuba-valley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2133789/ski-touring-japan-explore-wilderness-around-hakuba-valley?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Feb 2018 11:45:15 +0000 Trekking through an extreme environment with 100 strangers sounds like the perfect holiday for Quintessentially executive chairman Emma Sherrard Matthew. And so when she heard about Just Challenge’s plan to take a group of office workers into the Himalayas, signing up was a “no-brainer”. “I don’t know many of the people, so I love the randomness of it,” said Sherrard Matthew, whose company provides members with luxury lifestyle products and events. “People are out of their comfort zones, but it... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2133292/quintessentially-executive-leaves-comfort-zone-no?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2133292/quintessentially-executive-leaves-comfort-zone-no?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:02:39 +0000 While most Hongkongers were hunkered around heaters fighting off the recent record low temperatures, two teachers battled winds and frigid waters to become the first people to paddle board around Lantau. “We knew we could do it, but we needed the right conditions,” said Tim Tait of Discovery Bay International School. “We didn’t get the right conditions, but we did it anyway.” Tait and his colleague Jonny Haines were waved off at Discovery Bay last Friday by a group of their pupils and other... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2132384/paddle-boarding-plastic-pollution-and-playing-dolphins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2132384/paddle-boarding-plastic-pollution-and-playing-dolphins?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Feb 2018 05:15:30 +0000 What could be more special than becoming the first person to walk to both the North and the South Pole? For Robert Swan, it was arriving at the South Pole almost 30 years after his pioneering expedition but this time with his son, Barney. The two men set out to be the first people to reach the pole using only renewable energy for cooking, eating and survival. “In one sense it is quite easy to walk to the poles because you can trust the systems to get you there,” Robert said of the trip that saw... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2131798/most-special-moment-my-life-first-man-walk-both-poles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2131798/most-special-moment-my-life-first-man-walk-both-poles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Feb 2018 01:00:30 +0000 Swimming 15 kilometres from Stanley to Deep Water Bay in the week Hong Kong experiences record low temperatures does not sound like fun. But Kenneth Thorley says fun is the whole point. Thorley coaches his 16-year-old son, Bill, as the youngster progresses through the open water swimming world. Bill is experiencing a run of success and on January 26 won gold at the Australian Championships 7.5km – but even as his open water resume becomes more impressive, Kenneth works hard not to take it too... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2131729/you-have-be-careful-not-pressure-kids-father-coaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2131729/you-have-be-careful-not-pressure-kids-father-coaches?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Feb 2018 07:50:32 +0000 The Volvo Ocean Race boat involved in the fatal collision off the coast of Hong Kong on January 20 was equipped with state-of-the-art safety services, according to the official satellite communications partner overseeing the fleet’s safety. “This is a safety service – it’s our top priority,” said Rupert Pearce, chief executive of Inmarsat, developer of the FleetBroadband safety service installed in each of the competing 65-foot vessels. “We are regulated and we run 99.9 per cent reliability – if... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2131153/safety-our-top-priority-how-satellite-technology-kicks-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2131153/safety-our-top-priority-how-satellite-technology-kicks-action?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jan 2018 03:52:26 +0000 Kung Fu Cha Cha were in the middle of the Atlantic, alone and in the midst of their bid to be the first Chinese team to row any ocean when a wave hit their stern. They had weathered it many times before, but then there was another hit, and another. Water spilled over their decks. Sarah Meng Yajie (23) was inside the cabin resting when she heard Tina Liang Mintian (23), Cloris Chen Yuli (23) and Amber Li Xiaobing (22) begin to scream. The door was ajar because of the heat. Ocean rowing boats are... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2130741/am-i-dying-did-i-buy-insurance-record-breaking-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2130741/am-i-dying-did-i-buy-insurance-record-breaking-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jan 2018 00:01:27 +0000 Choa Cai is visiting Hong Kong from Beijing in a bid to graduate from road running to trail running. She is taking part in the Vibram Hong Kong 100, her first race over 50 kilometres. “I will have to run 100km. I will be so proud,” she said. “Before I run 100km, I am a runner. But when I finish, I will finally be a trail runner.” Cai was tempted away from road running when she saw many of her friends complete 100km ultra marathons. “I picked Hong Kong because it is safe and the views are... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/2130704/first-time-ultra-runners-mission-600-mainland-chinese-descend-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/2130704/first-time-ultra-runners-mission-600-mainland-chinese-descend-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jan 2018 06:46:24 +0000 The best antidote to city living is vast landscapes that change your life, according to Everest guide Kenton Cool. Englishman Cool has reached the summit of Everest 12 times, and completed over 20 notable expeditions, but the novelty of mountains never wears off. “I come back and I want to change who I am and how I affect people,” said Cool. “There’s space and time to invest in reflecting. There’s no queues or stress. Life is stripped bare to how I think it should be. It happens every time.” In... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2129519/why-hongkongers-will-have-new-take-life-after-trekking-himalayas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2129519/why-hongkongers-will-have-new-take-life-after-trekking-himalayas?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jan 2018 00:30:15 +0000 Four Chinese women have just set the world record for rowing across the Atlantic. Team Kung Fu Cha Cha reached shore after 34 days at sea, beating Row Like A Girl’s record by six days, which was set in 2016. Not only did Tina Liang Mintian, 23, Cloris Chen Yuli, 23, Amber Li Xiaobing, 22, and Sarah Meng Yajie, 23, become the fastest female team to complete the challenge, but also the youngest women and the only Chinese team to row any ocean. Female Chinese quartet defy traditional expectations... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2129061/chinese-women-set-two-world-records-rowing-unsupported?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2129061/chinese-women-set-two-world-records-rowing-unsupported?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jan 2018 02:30:00 +0000 Thousands of potentially world-class runners in Kenya fall by the wayside with just 25 spots on the national team, but a new crowd funded Hong Kong charity is giving them a second chance to earn a living through the sport they love. MIRARunners aims to bring professionally-trained young Kenyan talent to cities across Asia, including Hong Kong, to teach budding amateur runners while competing in local road marathons. “Some young Kenyans are training very hard but never get a chance to represent... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/2125772/how-hong-kong-charity-giving-kenyas-forgotten-runners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/2125772/how-hong-kong-charity-giving-kenyas-forgotten-runners?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Dec 2017 03:45:00 +0000 When 21-year-old Tong Shenglin saw a photo taken from the top of his city’s tallest building three years ago, he knew he had to get up there and take a shot for himself. The mesmerising skyline was snapped from the summit of the 310-metre-tall Maoye Centre in Shenyang, Liaoning province, a skyscraper then in the final stages of construction. Chinese rooftopping star confirmed dead after fatal fall from skyscraper Armed with a hard hat and camera, he told construction workers putting the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2124597/friends-high-places-why-chinas-merry-band-extreme-rooftoppers-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2124597/friends-high-places-why-chinas-merry-band-extreme-rooftoppers-are?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Dec 2017 11:00:15 +0000 Exhausted and alone, I fell in the middle of a road somewhere in southern China, around 20 kilometres from the end of a mammoth bike ride I was completely unprepared for. You might think I deserved it – who in their right mind signs up at the last minute for a 160km ordeal from Zhuhai to Kaiping with a company called “Mad Dogs”? Sprawled over two lanes after my wheel caught an imperfection in the tarmac, which jerked the bike back, I scrambled to the side of the road before being hit by oncoming... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/2124242/none-gear-and-no-idea-only-mad-dogs-and-scotsmen-cycle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/2124242/none-gear-and-no-idea-only-mad-dogs-and-scotsmen-cycle?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Dec 2017 02:15:30 +0000 “Welcome to Kashmir,” says local ski guide Anees Bhat as he greets us with a bright smile just outside the airport. Still sleepy, we have landed on the morning flight from Delhi to Srinagar, the summer capital of India’s Jammu and Kashmir state. Better known for its political turmoil than its skiing, Kashmir has been contested since the 1940s by Pakistan and India, and the region still has a strong military presence. In fact, from July to October last year, tourism in Kashmir practically ground... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2122777/skiing-kashmir-gulmarg-resort-radar-paradise-untouched?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2122777/skiing-kashmir-gulmarg-resort-radar-paradise-untouched?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Dec 2017 10:04:04 +0000 They were the perfect team, said Jaime Lara after setting the record for rowing around Hong Kong with his partner Adrian Miramon. “Adrian is so crazy and coastal rowing is so good,” Lara said. “He got me to the finish line! We were in a worse condition than fighters.” Lara and Miramon were a pair in last weekend’s rowing Around the Island Race, which sees competitors tackle the 45-kilometre circumnavigation of Hong Kong. The pair, originally from Spain, finished in three hours and 32 minutes.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2122293/winds-waves-and-bloody-hands-rowers-break-three-around?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2122293/winds-waves-and-bloody-hands-rowers-break-three-around?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Nov 2017 08:30:00 +0000 When American rock climbing enthusiast Andrew Hedesh hit rock bottom in his job in 2008, he came to Yangshuo to clear his mind and never left. “I came to China and I typed into the internet ‘rock climbing where in China’,” Hedesh said. “It showed a photo of Yangshuo and I decided to go there.” Yangshuo, a small county in China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, is famous for its karst formations and beautiful Lijiang River. The backpacker paradise boasts comfortable weather, easy transport and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2122119/yangshuo-climbing-makes-you-feel-alive-american-book?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2122119/yangshuo-climbing-makes-you-feel-alive-american-book?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Nov 2017 08:00:15 +0000 Matthew Smith spent the weekend sleeping in a hammock among the trees on Tap Mun island. It’s an unlikely place to kip on your first trip to Hong Kong, but the thirtysomething Smith and his colleague Paul McCusker weren’t on holiday. The two Scotsmen were in the city to lead a couple of survival skills training days. The blurb for the one-day course, the first of its kind run by MP Performance and offered to members of the Royal Geographical Society, promised to introduce outdoor survival... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2121429/survival-hong-kong-how-live-rough-make-fires-and-filter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2121429/survival-hong-kong-how-live-rough-make-fires-and-filter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Nov 2017 10:48:08 +0000 Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag managed to scrape their way off the foot of the Volvo Ocean Race standings after two legs on Sunday when a close finish saw the David Witt-skippered team edge Turn the Tide on Plastic to claim sixth spot in the seven-crew contest. The result leaves Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag in sixth place overall on the leader board with five points, nine points behind current leaders MAPFRE. The Turn the Tide on Plastic crew had closed to within just 200 metres of Witt’s team by the end of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2121706/sun-hung-kai/scallywag-hang-claim-sixth-place-nail-biting-finish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2121706/sun-hung-kai/scallywag-hang-claim-sixth-place-nail-biting-finish?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Nov 2017 05:53:26 +0000 Benedict Allen is missing in Papua New Guinea while on an expedition to find a tribe described as “possibly headhunters” by his agent. The explorer’s wife and family are trying to stay positive, and those that know him well think Allen will be fine. Allen made contact with the Yaifo tribe 30 years ago, and set off to reconnect with the tribesmen, but missed his flight out of the country on Sunday. Allen was expected to speak at the Hong Kong Royal Geographical Society on Wednesday. Allen’s wife... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2120215/whens-daddy-coming-home-family-concern-search-continues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2120215/whens-daddy-coming-home-family-concern-search-continues?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Nov 2017 07:47:34 +0000 The 100-kilometre MacLehose is Hong Kong’s most famous trail, extending from Sai Kung to Tuen Mun. The Oxfam Trailwalker follows the trail and is Hong Kong’s most popular race, but its appeal is global. There are 24 different nationalities competing in this weekend’s event, according to the organisers, but it could be more depending on the demographic of each four-person team. Naturally, most of the 5,200 participants are from Hong Kong – at more than 4,800.With the diverse origins of the teams,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2119604/melting-pot-multicultural-madness-why-thousands-line?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2119604/melting-pot-multicultural-madness-why-thousands-line?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Nov 2017 04:15:00 +0000 Hong Kong’s links to the sea and beautiful coastlines have helped the city win another major event – the World Rowing Coastal Championship. The event will be held in November or December 2019, marking the first time the championship has taken place in Asia. Hong Kong will also be the venue for the Asian Rowing Coastal Championship near the end of 2018. “Hong Kong is a perfect place for coastal rowing, with its long history of links to the sea and its extensive, beautiful and easy to access... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2119320/first-asia-hong-kong-wins-bid-host-world-rowing-coastal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2119320/first-asia-hong-kong-wins-bid-host-world-rowing-coastal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2017 07:45:45 +0000 Forget marathons and other runs, Peter Robinson wants to go big to earn charitable donations. In December, Robinson and three others, known as the “Four Oarsmen”, will attempt to row unsupported from Gran Canaria off the coast of Africa nearly 5,000 kilometres to Antigua in the Caribbean. Former Hong Kong resident Robinson and friends Stuart Watts, George Biggar and Dicky Taylor are racing in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC) and raising money for spinal injury research and mental... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2119097/four-oarsmen-atlantic-brace-40-day-torture-test-name?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2119097/four-oarsmen-atlantic-brace-40-day-torture-test-name?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Nov 2017 04:45:15 +0000 Beginners dive straight into weightlifting, and that is their downfall, says Dmitry Klokov, silver medallist for Russia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “The biggest mistake is that people start from the weights, not the information,” he said. “They lift the weights, break their body and then start thinking ‘why?’.” Klokov, who held classes for weightlifters and CrossFit fans at URSUS Fitness in Sai Ying Pun, said weightlifting was unlike others sports, such as rugby, where players can potentially... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit-strongman/article/2118858/breaking-bodies-and-breaking-sports-russian-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit-strongman/article/2118858/breaking-bodies-and-breaking-sports-russian-olympic?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Nov 2017 02:30:00 +0000 To most, the Spartan Race is a bit of fun; to Hallvard Borsheim, it’s all business. Those familiar with the Spartan scene will know about the 37-year-old’s domination of the Middle Eastern circuit, and may have assumed Borsheim had been training for these brutal, physically-demanding obstacle course competitions all his life. “Actually, I only started two years ago,” said the Norwegian who won the 13km Spartan Elite Race men’s category with a time of 54 minutes and 42 seconds at Kam Tin Country... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2118408/no-wonder-you-won-youre-viking-hong-kong-spartan-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2118408/no-wonder-you-won-youre-viking-hong-kong-spartan-race?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Nov 2017 07:43:37 +0000 Sipping on a freshly cracked coconut at the beach on a balmy afternoon is typically what athletes dream of doing during the off-season – but not Hong Kong gymnast Kelvin Ng Kiu-chung. The 26-year-old still rings specialist will swap chalk for mud as he and some of his national teammates compete in this Saturday’s Spartan Race that separates warriors from wimps. “I know there will be ropes, running and a lot of climbing,” said first-timer Ng. “My coach doesn’t know about this yet, but we’ll be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2118127/warriors-or-wimps-hong-kong-gymnasts-leave-comfort-zone-spartan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2118127/warriors-or-wimps-hong-kong-gymnasts-leave-comfort-zone-spartan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Nov 2017 07:23:50 +0000 Running for 13 kilometres, crawling through mud and under barbed wire, swinging from monkey bars and crashing through cold water is not Arron Leale’s idea of fun. But the recruiter from Oliver James Associates has been motivated to take on the Spartan Race this weekend by loved ones who confronted cancer. “I think everyone has been affected in some way,” Leale said. “I actually lost my cousin about two months ago, he was 11. “So if there’s anything we can do to help that will be great.” Leale... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2117927/arron-leale-leaves-beach-weights-behind-and-finds-grit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2117927/arron-leale-leaves-beach-weights-behind-and-finds-grit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Nov 2017 06:40:58 +0000 Stand-up paddle board yoga (SUPyoga) can be a release for Hongkongers trapped in the concrete jungle, according to SUPyoga instructor Charlotte Piho. “There’s an amazing city that’s so vibrant, but it’s good for people to get out into nature,” she said. “And when you go onto the water, as soon as you are there you are detached,” Piho added. “You don’t have your phone, or technology.” Piho is based in Sydney and she hosts SUPyoga retreats in Australia and the Cook Islands. She visited Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/2117731/out-water-you-are-detached-stand-paddle-board-yoga?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/2117731/out-water-you-are-detached-stand-paddle-board-yoga?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Oct 2017 04:09:32 +0000 A 70-kilometre running race is too long to think about in its entirety, so the winners of the Salomon Lantau Trail 70 focused on the moment. “I believe in the power of now,” women’s winner Elsa Jean de Dieu said. “I have a watch, but I never look at the time or the distance.” Men’s winner Michael Skobierski said: “It’s about finding small things to look forward to. The finish line 30 or 40 kilometres away is too far to think about.” Saturday’s LT70 started in Mui Wo and the runners were... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2117635/power-now-lantau-70-ultramarathon-winners-ignore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/2117635/power-now-lantau-70-ultramarathon-winners-ignore?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Oct 2017 09:11:08 +0000 This winter’s ski gear innovations are tech-focused, and safety is the main feature. Comfort is also a focus, especially when it comes to keeping your hands and feet warm. Skiing with Borat: Hong Kong adventurers take on Kazakhstan Here are our picks for this season: Scott Alpride 24 ABS Pack At 1,240 grams, the 24-litre Scott Alpride (HK$5,115, US$655) is one of the lightest avalanche safety bags (ABS) on the market, designed with a pull handle to inflate an integrated 150-litre airbag in just... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2117265/how-stay-safe-and-warm-piste-heres-latest-gear-safe-skiing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2117265/how-stay-safe-and-warm-piste-heres-latest-gear-safe-skiing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Oct 2017 11:03:25 +0000 “People can break my record,” Mark Beaumont said, “but they’ll never be the first person to do it in under 80 days.” The Scottish adventurer and endurance athlete set the world record for cycling around the world last month. His journey, which started and ended in Paris and involved crossing Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and North America, took just 78 days, smashing the previous record by a whopping 45 days. “Sub-80 is a one time prize. Everyone knows ‘around the world in 80 days’,” the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2117328/you-will-never-beat-your-own-expectations-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2117328/you-will-never-beat-your-own-expectations-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Oct 2017 09:18:09 +0000 Asian Games champion mountain biker Chan Chun-hing is trying to open up Hong Kong’s countryside by turning his hand to becoming an “event organiser and promoter”. Chan has eschewed the normal path into coaching and set up his own company organising events for the public or riders with potential in the sport. “Now I am no longer an athlete, I am a mountain bike promoter,” he said. “I have to handle everything from event organisation to its marketing side, including talking to sponsors,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2117310/hong-kongs-chan-chun-hing-mission-raise-bar-local-mountain-biking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2117310/hong-kongs-chan-chun-hing-mission-raise-bar-local-mountain-biking?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Oct 2017 08:39:38 +0000 One of the perks of Britain’s 99-year lease of the New Territories was that the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force could roam the Hong Kong skies as it pleased. Squadrons of British-ruled helicopters would undergo reconnaissance and observation missions along the Chinese border right up until the Force’s disbandment in 1993. As if that were not thrill-inducing enough, some personnel would skydive over the city’s only drop zone: Shek Kong Airfield. The British Army was quite literally flying... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2115898/drop-zone-pre-handover-hong-kong-new-fad-indoor-skydiving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2115898/drop-zone-pre-handover-hong-kong-new-fad-indoor-skydiving?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Oct 2017 06:56:02 +0000