https://www.scmp.com/rss/325269/feed The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. Originally named after its initiating sponsor, British Whitbread brewing company, it today carries the name of its current owner, Swedish automobile manufacturer Volvo Cars and Swedish multinational manufacturing company, the Volvo Group. Presently, the Netherlands holds the record of three wins, with Dutchman Conny van Rietschoten the only skipper to win the race twice. Each of the entries has a sailing team of nine... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com David Witt is hoping to put 24 years of heartbreak behind him when he captains Hong Kong-owned super maxi Sun Hung Kai Scallywag in next week’s Sydney to Hobart race – one of the world’s most famous blue-water classics. Covid-19 travel restrictions mean Witt has had to go on a recruiting binge over the past few weeks, signing up experienced crew members for the 630 nautical mile journey from Sydney to the capital of Tasmania. In the 2019 edition, Scallywag was leading for a large portion of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3160549/sydney-hobart-sun-hung-kai-scallywag-captain-david-witt-hopes-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3160549/sydney-hobart-sun-hung-kai-scallywag-captain-david-witt-hopes-first?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Dec 2021 09:33:20 +0000 Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli continued to defy expectations and match America’s Cup favourite Emirates Team New Zealand on Friday, with the rival yachts on two wins apiece after day two of racing in Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour. Written off by pundits ahead of the regatta, Luna Rossa won the first of two races contested on Friday by 37 seconds, to go up 2-1 in the best-of-13 series. But the Italian syndicate suffered technical problems in race four, allowing defending champions Team New... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3125190/americas-cup-day-two-sees-rivals-level-2-2-small?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3125190/americas-cup-day-two-sees-rivals-level-2-2-small?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Mar 2021 07:48:47 +0000 Hong Kong is set to host the Youth Foiling World Cup. The regatta, taking place in March, will replace the cancelled Youth America’s Cup that was scheduled for March in New Zealand. The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Team Agiplast had been formed with the Youth America’s Cup in mind and five sailors had been training full time, setting their sights on the podium. But it was cancelled due to coronavirus. When the news broke, the team was competing in Italy. “Everyone was pretty devastated,” said the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3108608/hong-kong-host-youth-foiling-world-cup-replacing-youth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3108608/hong-kong-host-youth-foiling-world-cup-replacing-youth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Nov 2020 09:11:05 +0000 The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s Team Agiplast Youth America’s Cup competitors and organisers had three distinct goals for their campaign and intend to keep them alive despite the event’s cancellation. They were focused on victory, legacy and sustainability and though each will be harder, they are still possible. Contested by a challenger and a holder since 1851, the America’s is the oldest trophy in sailing and one of the oldest in any sport. There is now a parallel youth competition for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3101912/youth-americas-cup-cancelled-hong-kong-focuses-keeping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3101912/youth-americas-cup-cancelled-hong-kong-focuses-keeping?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:00:08 +0000 The Youth America’s Cup has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and the immigration rules imposed by the New Zealand government. The competition was supposed to take place in March, but the senior version will still go ahead.  “We are bitterly disappointed,” said Hayden Porter, chief executive of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS), the race hosts. “The sailors, boat builders, sponsors, plus everyone who has invested their time and passion into the Youth America’s Cup event... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3099829/youth-americas-cup-cancelled-due-new-zealands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3099829/youth-americas-cup-cancelled-due-new-zealands?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2020 02:40:05 +0000 Aymeric Gillard is drawing on all his experience in sailing to keep a level head as he and his team prepare for the Youth America’s Cup in March. The Hong Kong-born sailor believes that staying calm allows the team to operate at their best. “If you are calm, and you speak clearly and speak calmly, everyone around you has a tendency to calmness around the boat,” said Gillard, 23. “Some people are naturally good at it, but it tends to come with experience. The first time you go on a roller coaster... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3097434/hong-kongs-youth-americas-cup-sailor-aymeric-gillard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3097434/hong-kongs-youth-americas-cup-sailor-aymeric-gillard?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Aug 2020 00:00:28 +0000 Hong Kong sailing is mourning the death of Sailability co-founder Mike Rawbone, whose dedication and efforts, along with wife Kay, gave thousands of underprivileged and disabled people hope and courage through sailing. He was 75. Rawbone died on Monday, having launched the Hong Kong branch of the global sailing charity Sailability in 2009 at the Hebe Haven Yacht Club in Sai Kung. He leaves behind his wife, Kay, three children and seven grandchildren. “The Scallywag team were deeply saddened to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3096299/sailability-hong-kong-co-founder-mike-rawbone-dies-aged-75?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3096299/sailability-hong-kong-co-founder-mike-rawbone-dies-aged-75?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Aug 2020 09:05:17 +0000 Calum Gregor’s steady climb to the top of competitive sailing is no surprise given his pedigree, in fact, it was expected. His grandfather, Denis Jackson, competed in the 1958 America’s Cup as a kite trimmer aboard a yacht called Sceptre. “It’s always run in the family and you’re expected to sail. It’s not a question of if, but how much,” Gregor, 21, said. “It’s fun to hear stories about the America’s Cup. The rest of the family is very excited.” Gregor has been selected in the Royal Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/3092496/grandson-1958-americas-cup-sailor-takes-mantel-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/health-fitness/article/3092496/grandson-1958-americas-cup-sailor-takes-mantel-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:11 +0000 A 15-year-old from a single-parent family stepped into a new class of boat for the first time – bigger and faster than he was used to. He raced it against more experienced sailors and finished third, second and first in three races. A disabled person who had never sailed until late 2013 went on to win a medal at the 2014 Para Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. Then there was the woman with muscular dystrophy who was hoisted from her wheelchair on to a sailboat. Within an hour, she was teaching... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3091896/anyone-can-sail-disabled-elderly-and-poor-make-most-sailability-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3091896/anyone-can-sail-disabled-elderly-and-poor-make-most-sailability-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jul 2020 00:00:11 +0000 Maria Cantero has been selected to compete in the Youth America’s Cup in the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s (RHKYC’s) Team Agiplast, but for her this where the real hard work begins. “I was involved in the Spanish national team. I was always training with world champions and Olympians. And that gave me an insight into how hard you have to work,” said the 22-year-old. “It is a crucial factor, you have to understand the dedication, commitment and hardwood is what a team that wants to challenge for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3087157/youth-americas-cup-success-about-hard-work-not-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3087157/youth-americas-cup-success-about-hard-work-not-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2020 00:00:28 +0000 Legendary French sailor Francis Joyon and his crew finished sailing to London from Hong Kong on the IDEC SPORT maxi trimaran on Wednesday morning, setting a new world record time of 31 days, 23 hours, 36 minutes and 46 seconds over the route. The previous record, set by Italian skipper Giovanni Soldini in 2018, was 36 days, 2 hours, 37 minutes and 12 seconds. Joyon and his crew, sailing at an average speed of 20.7 knots and covering a total distance of 15,873.89 nautical miles (29,398km), sliced... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3051606/veteran-french-skipper-and-crew-set-hong-kong-uk-tea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3051606/veteran-french-skipper-and-crew-set-hong-kong-uk-tea?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Feb 2020 09:13:05 +0000 Hong Kong Race Week has been postponed as the government takes further emergency action against the spread of the coronavirus. Race Week, an event for junior sailors, is one of the largest dinghy regattas in Asia, and was to have taken place from February 4 to 9. It is organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Hong Kong Sailing Federation (HKSF) and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC). “Following the HKSAR Government’s raising of the response level to emergency... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3048070/coronavirus-causes-hong-kong-race-week-sailing-regatta?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3048070/coronavirus-causes-hong-kong-race-week-sailing-regatta?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jan 2020 09:30:12 +0000 British runner Sabrina Verjee was the first woman past the finish line at the 431km Montane Spine Race, crossing on Thursday evening UK time. She finished in 108 hours, seven minutes and 17 seconds, taking fifth place overall. She is now the back-to-back winner, having taken the honours outright in the summer version, beating the fastest man by almost nine hours. She finished the summer edition in 82:19:07. “I want my bed,” was all Verjee, 38, said on the finish line, after congratulating the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3046531/sabrina-verjee-wins-spine-race-claiming-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3046531/sabrina-verjee-wins-spine-race-claiming-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jan 2020 07:50:51 +0000 A team of four Brits have won the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC), the rowing race from the Canary Islands to Antigua, in 32 days, 12 hours and 35 minutes. Oliver Palmer, Tom Foley, Hugh Gilum and Max Breet, of team Fortitude IV, were repeatedly capsizing as they approached the finish line, but asked the race organisers not to tell their families in case it worried them. “The sum of all the parts is unbelievable – from seeing the shooting stars, to the arrival, to the support you feel... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3045951/atlantic-challenge-four-brits-win-rowing-race-canary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3045951/atlantic-challenge-four-brits-win-rowing-race-canary?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2020 03:32:08 +0000 The most unique running event in Hong Kong is taking place this weekend. In fact, it may be one of the most unique races in the world. To complete the Beneteau Four Peaks, teams have to sail between Lantau Peak, Mount Stenhouse on Lamma, Violet Hill on Hong Kong Island and Ma On Shan in the New Territories. When they arrive on the shore line, two runners kayak ashore, scale the mountain and return to the boat. There are no set routes. Some yachts drop off their runners and sail around to the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3045523/hong-kongs-most-unique-trail-race-runners-sail-between?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3045523/hong-kongs-most-unique-trail-race-runners-sail-between?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jan 2020 07:01:11 +0000 A damaged rudder blamed on a shark scuppered Hong Kong-owned Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag’s hopes of a top-three finish, as Jim Cooney’s Comanche took line honours on Saturday in the Sydney to Hobart race in Australia. Scallywag, skippered by veteran Sydney-Hobart sailor David Witt, was on course for a top-three finish in the 75th edition of the race – and possibly line honours – after leading through most of Friday before the supermaxi slowed down overnight. Crew member Larry Jamison told Australian... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3043771/sydney-hobart-2019-shark-ruins-sun-hung-kai-scallywags-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3043771/sydney-hobart-2019-shark-ruins-sun-hung-kai-scallywags-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Dec 2019 09:13:06 +0000 Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag’s David Witt told a fellow Sydney Hobart skipper “there’s nothing wrong with a bit of controversy” during the official press conference for the race. His remark to Comanche’s Jim Cooney came moments after the Hong Kong-based Australian injected life – and controversy – into a mundane media event by calling out organisers over the use of satellite phones. Thick smoke from deadly bush fires in Australia is reported off Green Cape, about halfway on the 630 nautical mile... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3043471/sydney-hobart-how-smoke-australias-bush-fires-may-affect-race-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3043471/sydney-hobart-how-smoke-australias-bush-fires-may-affect-race-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2019 04:14:45 +0000 Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag skipper David Witt has slammed Ocean Race organisers for overlooking Hong Kong as a stopover for the 2021-22 edition, calling the decision “a disgrace” and “huge mistake”. Witt, who guided Scallywag to an emotional victory in Victoria Harbour in January 2018, said Hong Kong sailing had benefited from staging a stopover after leg four of the previous race. He also criticised the negotiating tactics of race organisers, saying it may jeopardise Hong Kong’s chances of gaining... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3043241/ocean-race-disgrace-scallywag-skipper-david-witt-slams-decision?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3043241/ocean-race-disgrace-scallywag-skipper-david-witt-slams-decision?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2019 07:35:26 +0000 Hong Kong has lost out to neighbour Shenzhen in the bid to host the only Asian leg of the 2021-22 Ocean Race. Race organisers announced early on Wednesday morning that the world’s most prestigious round-the-world boat race will return to China for the next edition, but it is Shenzhen, and not Hong Kong, that will host the fleet for one of the legs. “This is the fifth consecutive edition of the race where we have brought a stopover to China,” said Johan Salén, the Ocean Race managing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3042534/ocean-race-hong-kong-lose-out-organisers-prefer-shenzhen-only-asian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3042534/ocean-race-hong-kong-lose-out-organisers-prefer-shenzhen-only-asian?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Dec 2019 02:28:33 +0000 Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag skipper David Witt has made an about-turn, telling Geoff Waller’s YouTube sailing show that he was unlikely to compete in another Ocean Race after tragedy struck in his previous campaign. The 48-year-old Australian is still grieving over the loss of close friend and crewmate John Fisher, who was lost at sea after falling overboard during the treacherous journey from Auckland to Itajai in Brazil during leg seven of the previous race. In July, Witt said he was keen to take... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3035235/ocean-race-david-witt-says-probably-not-next-edition-burden?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3035235/ocean-race-david-witt-says-probably-not-next-edition-burden?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2019 12:20:44 +0000 Veteran sailor Karl Kwok Chi-leung wants to showcase the best of Hong Kong amid negotiations for the city to stage a leg of the next Ocean Race – and he says nowhere is more iconic than Victoria Harbour. Kwok, chairman of Hong Kong’s Major Events Sports Committee, said waterfront areas on either side of Victoria Harbour can play hosts to the fleet with plenty of onshore entertainment options for fans in the 2021-22 edition of the round-the-world race. On Sunday, Ocean Race organisers announced... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3030112/ocean-race-victoria-harbour-ideal-stop-fleet-and-fans-2021-22-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3030112/ocean-race-victoria-harbour-ideal-stop-fleet-and-fans-2021-22-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Sep 2019 08:14:51 +0000 The co-skipper of the boat involved in a fatal accident off Hong Kong waters in January 2018 said he hoped they could learn from the tragedy to ensure it never happened again. American entry 11th Hour Racing was involved in a collision with a mainland fishing vessel about 30 nautical miles from the finish line of leg four of the 2017-18 Ocean Race from Melbourne to Hong Kong. The crew helped pull one man on to his damaged boat but he died hours later after being airlifted to hospital. Nine other... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3029804/ocean-race-hong-kong-tragedy-learning-experience-11th-hour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3029804/ocean-race-hong-kong-tragedy-learning-experience-11th-hour?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Sep 2019 08:25:36 +0000 This week marks 40 years since the infamous 1979 Fastnet sailing race, when a fierce storm hit the fleet as they made their way from the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England to the Fastnet lighthouse off the south coast of Ireland. The storm was larger than anyone predicted, chaos ensued and 19 people died. The British and Irish coastguards banded together for the largest ever peacetime rescue mission, including 4,000 people, naval fleets, lifeboats, commercial boats and helicopters. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3023101/fastnet-1979-storm-lessons-40-years-what-has-changed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3023101/fastnet-1979-storm-lessons-40-years-what-has-changed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Aug 2019 08:53:51 +0000 Scallywag skipper David Witt said the heartache of losing friend and crew mate John Fisher will stay with him for the rest of his life. Sixteen months after Fisher was declared lost at sea during the Ocean Race, Hong Kong-based Australian Witt said it was impossible to recover. “I don’t think you ever personally recover from losing someone like that, in those circumstances and it’s something I’ve got to deal with every day,” said Witt. “I have certainly had ups and downs about it but you know,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3020785/im-going-die-it-scallywag-skipper-david-witt-says-loss-friend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3020785/im-going-die-it-scallywag-skipper-david-witt-says-loss-friend?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jul 2019 06:43:21 +0000 One week after celebrating one of his biggest international successes, Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag skipper David Witt said he was keen to take on another round-the-world Ocean Race and win it. Witt, at the helm of a 100-foot super maxi version of Scallywag, took line honours in the prestigious Transatlantic 2019 earlier in July, beating out 12 other boats who made the 2,960 nautical mile journey from Newport, in the United States, to Cowes, England. The Hong Kong-based Australian – who is also... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3018815/scallywag-skipper-david-witt-says-another-ocean-race-tilt-only?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3018815/scallywag-skipper-david-witt-says-another-ocean-race-tilt-only?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2019 00:00:14 +0000 Hong Kong may be the only Asian stop on the next Ocean Race after the city hosted a successful stop on the 2017-18 edition of the world’s most challenging round-the-world boat race. Hong Kong hosted the fleet after leg four of the previous race, with celebrations taking on added significance with the victory of Hong Kong-owned Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag, skippered by David Witt. Tong Yui-shing, president of the Hong Kong Sailing Federation (HKSF), said his body, along with the government’s Home... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3018592/ocean-race-hong-kong-may-be-only-asian-stop-2021-22-edition-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3018592/ocean-race-hong-kong-may-be-only-asian-stop-2021-22-edition-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2019 03:56:47 +0000 The skipper of the research boat competing in the 2017-18 Ocean Race has appealed to organisers of sporting events around the world to play their part in reducing plastic pollution. Turn the Tide on Plastic’s (TTTP) Dee Caffari, whose boat finished sixth out of seven in that race, said seawater samples taken from around the world proves that even the remotest parts of the ocean is not safe. Caffari, 46, is encouraging sporting organisations to make the most of a more environmentally... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3017859/plastic-pollution-big-sports-events-can-help-save-our-seas-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3017859/plastic-pollution-big-sports-events-can-help-save-our-seas-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jul 2019 00:00:15 +0000 Hong Kong faces stiff competition from nearby Chinese cities for the return of the Ocean Race before the organisers announce the host cities for the next edition of the sailing competition in 2021-22. The race will visit Asia in early 2022 after departing from Alicante, Spain in the summer of the year before but there will be only one host city in the continent. Organisers are conducting a host city procurement process that will result in the full race route being announced before the end of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3010699/hong-kong-faces-stiff-competition-chinese-cities-bring-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3010699/hong-kong-faces-stiff-competition-chinese-cities-bring-back?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2019 00:00:13 +0000 Karl Kwok has led an illustrious business career that has taken him to the top of some of Hong Kong’s largest companies, but many of the skills he uses were honed on a boat. He is setting off to break the Hong Kong to Hainan record aboard his 70 trimaran the Beau Geste. “When you are sailing on a cruiser you really have to think about management,” he said. “Management of personnel, management of personalities, management of logistics. It is not much different [from the board room].” Kwok added... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2169146/karl-kwok-talks-business-tricks-learned-years-sailing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/2169146/karl-kwok-talks-business-tricks-learned-years-sailing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Oct 2018 08:30:45 +0000 Ryan Fisher, the 20-year-old son of missing sailor John Fisher, was a special guest aboard Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag for its final in-port event of the Volvo Ocean Race, marking the end of the nine-month, around-the-world race. John Fisher was lost at sea in late March after falling overboard about 1,400 miles from Cape Horn in leg six from Auckland, New Zealand to Itajai in Brazil. “Onboard the SHKS VO65 is a very special guest who will be sailing in tribute, memory, honour and respect for our... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2153288/volvo-ocean-race-son-missing-sailor-john-fisher-joins-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2153288/volvo-ocean-race-son-missing-sailor-john-fisher-joins-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jul 2018 07:42:40 +0000 The owner of Hong Kong boat Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag said he was proud of skipper David Witt and his crew after they completed the 45,000-mile Volvo Ocean Race in The Hague, Netherlands. Lee Seng Huang, group chief executive chairman of Sun Hung Kai & Co and owner and sponsor of the boat, was part of the crew that finished sixth in the 11th and final leg from Gothenburg in Sweden to The Hague. Although Scallywag finished second last in the overall standings, having won leg four to Hong Kong and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2152369/volvo-ocean-race-scallywag-owner-lee-seng-huang-proud-crew-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2152369/volvo-ocean-race-scallywag-owner-lee-seng-huang-proud-crew-after?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Jun 2018 09:34:14 +0000 The Chinese flag was flying high over the justice capital of the world on Sunday after Dongfeng Race Team pulled off a dramatic gamble to pip main rivals Mapfre and Team Brunel for overall honours in the Volvo Ocean Race – the first mainland-owned boat to win the planet’s most prestigious round-the-world yacht race. Dongfeng, skippered by Frenchman Charles Caudrelier, on Saturday took the coastal route into The Hague in the Netherlands from Gothenburg in Sweden after findinging themselves more... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2152250/dongfeng-becomes-first-chinese-boat-win-volvo-ocean-race-david-witt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2152250/dongfeng-becomes-first-chinese-boat-win-volvo-ocean-race-david-witt?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Jun 2018 17:26:31 +0000 Chinese-owned boat Dongfeng Race Team took over as overall leader of the Volvo Ocean Race after finishing third in leg nine from Newport, in the United States, to Cardiff, in Wales. Dongfeng replace Spain’s Mapfre at the top of the leader board with Dutch boat Team Brunel emerging as challengers after they won the relatively short 3,700 nautical mile sprint from the east coast of America. Another Dutch boat, Team AkzoNobel, was second with Vestas 11th Hour Racing fourth ahead of Mapfre and Turn... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2148347/chinas-dongfeng-takes-overall-lead-volvo-ocean-race-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2148347/chinas-dongfeng-takes-overall-lead-volvo-ocean-race-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 May 2018 13:16:16 +0000 Skipper David Witt and his Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag crew are ready to start winning again in the Volvo Ocean Race after a difficult couple of months in which they suffered the tragedy of losing teammate John Fisher. Scallywag were in sixth place soon after the start of leg nine from Newport as the seven-boat fleet started the relatively short 3,300-nautical mile journey across the Atlantic to Cardiff, in Wales early on Monday morning (Hong Kong time). China’s Dongfeng Race Team was leading the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2147114/im-47-its-too-late-change-david-witt-ready-hong-kongs-scallywag?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2147114/im-47-its-too-late-change-david-witt-ready-hong-kongs-scallywag?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 May 2018 09:27:52 +0000 Microplastic levels in the South China Sea were at their highest ever recorded during leg six of the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) with waters close to Hong Kong also registering alarming numbers. According to experiments conducted by crew members aboard race boat Turn the Tide on Plastic (TTP), the waters close to Hong Kong showed 75 particles of microplastics per cubic metre. However, that was nothing compared to the 360 per square metre found in the South China Sea in an area closer to the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2146072/microplastics-south-china-sea-its-highest-levels-according-samples?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2146072/microplastics-south-china-sea-its-highest-levels-according-samples?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 May 2018 00:04:24 +0000 Hong Kong’s Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag was the last boat of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet to sail into Newport, Rhode Island on Tuesday night (HK time) but merely completing leg eight was a triumph for David Witt and his crew with the tragedy of losing a crew member still fresh in their hearts and minds. Miserably weak winds on the approach to Newport caused a major compression in positions, allowing Scallywag to reduce their deficit to the leader from 130 nautical miles to just 20 within 24 hours. But... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2145259/best-sailing-worst-result-scallywags-david-witt-proud-complete-leg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2145259/best-sailing-worst-result-scallywags-david-witt-proud-complete-leg?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 May 2018 23:32:22 +0000 Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag skipper David Witt said he felt responsible for the incident that led to the death of crew member John Fisher, adding that he would have to live with the pain for the rest of his life. In his first public appearance since 47-year-old Briton Fisher was lost overboard on March 26 in leg seven of the Volvo Ocean Race, Witt spoke at a captain’s press conference in Itajai, Brazil, ahead of the start of Sunday’s eighth leg to Newport, Rhode Island. An emotional Witt, his voice... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2142736/say-i-feel-responsible-understatement-skipper-hong-kongs-scallywag?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2142736/say-i-feel-responsible-understatement-skipper-hong-kongs-scallywag?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Apr 2018 05:35:34 +0000 The crew of Hong Kong’s Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag face a race against time to be ready for the start of leg eight of the Volvo Ocean Race after arriving in the Brazilian port of Itajai early on Friday morning (Hong Kong time). A delivery crew was given an emotional round of applause by fans and crews from other boats as they brought the Volvo 65 into Itajai with the aim of preparing it for the start of leg eight from Itajai to Newport, Rhode Island on Sunday. “We had a fantastic delivery crew, they... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2142607/emotional-welcome-scallywag-hong-kong-boat-arrives-itajai-leg-eight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2142607/emotional-welcome-scallywag-hong-kong-boat-arrives-itajai-leg-eight?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Apr 2018 06:57:15 +0000 In honour of lost team member John Fisher, the crew of Hong Kong’s Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag have decided to continue to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race with skipper David Witt offering a rousing rallying cry on Facebook. “Scallywags never give up!” wrote Witt, three days after the Volvo 65 boat arrived in Puerto Montt in Chile, where they crew have been resting and recovering from the emotional stress of losing 47-year-old Fisher, who was knocked overboard on March 26 and is presumed lost at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2140504/scallywags-never-give-hong-kong-boat-continue-volvo-ocean-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2140504/scallywags-never-give-hong-kong-boat-continue-volvo-ocean-race?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Apr 2018 22:54:19 +0000 Hong Kong’s Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag made land fall on the west coast of Chile on Tuesday, eight days after crew member John Fisher went overboard. Volvo Ocean Race officials also confirmed that the search for the missing sailor has been called off. The rest of the fleet, meanwhile, were closing in on the finish line with Team Brunel and China’s Dongfeng battling for first place in leg seven from Auckland to Itajai in Brazil. They were expected to finish late on Tuesday (Hong Kong time). Watch a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2140148/john-fisher-tribute-hong-kongs-scallywag-reach-safety-search-missing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2140148/john-fisher-tribute-hong-kongs-scallywag-reach-safety-search-missing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Apr 2018 12:29:44 +0000 It’s known as the “End of the World” and for hundreds of years, sailors considered the seas off the southernmost part of Chile among the most perilous waters on earth – with estimates of up to 10,000 lives lost over the past 400 years. Given its history, the very act of rounding Cape Horn before heading north to the Americas is considered a major nautical feat and for the Volvo Ocean Race sailors, the once-in-a-life manoeuvre was to be the highlight of the 2017-18, nine-month odyssey. However,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139661/end-world-thrill-iconic-cape-horn-muted-grief-volvo-ocean-race-crews?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139661/end-world-thrill-iconic-cape-horn-muted-grief-volvo-ocean-race-crews?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Mar 2018 09:04:12 +0000 Missing Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag sailor John Fisher was likely unconscious before he hit the water after being hit by the mainsheet pulley system that knocked him into the sea, according to a timeline of events released on Wednesday by the heartbroken crew of the Hong Kong-owned boat as they abandoned leg seven of the Volvo Ocean Race and headed towards the coast of Chile. Fisher is presumed to be lost at sea after falling overboard into the treacherous Southern Ocean on Monday night (Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139367/missing-sailor-john-fisher-likely-unconscious-he-hit-water-crew-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139367/missing-sailor-john-fisher-likely-unconscious-he-hit-water-crew-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Mar 2018 17:40:00 +0000 Hong Kong sailor Tiger Mok embarks on a race to the Philippines on Wednesday carrying a heavy heart for former teammate John Fisher, who is presumed lost at sea. The 47-year-old Fisher went overboard in the treacherous Southern Ocean on Monday during the Volvo Ocean Race. The Briton was on Hong Kong boat Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag, with Mok part of the crew early in the campaign. “It’s extremely sad because John was my teammate. It’s hard to imagine all of a sudden one of your friends – or anyone... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139205/scallywag-tragedy-weighing-heavily-hong-kongs-tiger-mok-will-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139205/scallywag-tragedy-weighing-heavily-hong-kongs-tiger-mok-will-be?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Mar 2018 00:11:06 +0000 Missing sailor John Fisher, who went overboard from Hong Kong boat Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag on Monday night, is presumed to have been lost at sea, Volvo Ocean Race president Richard Brisius said on Tuesday. The 47-year-old Briton went overboard into the treacherous Southern Ocean while on watch about 1,400 miles from Cape Horn. Scallywag skipper David Witt and his crew conducted an intensive search of the area under difficult conditions but were forced to continue on to the coast of South American... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139146/scallywag-sailor-john-fisher-presumed-lost-sea-crew-hong-kong-boat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139146/scallywag-sailor-john-fisher-presumed-lost-sea-crew-hong-kong-boat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Mar 2018 09:44:08 +0000 The Hong Kong owner of Volvo Ocean Race boat Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag, Lee Seng Huang, on Tuesday described missing sailor John Fisher as “the finest human being and a true Scallywag”. Although there have been no reports that the search for the 47-year-old Fisher has been called off, Lee’s first public statement since Fisher went overboard on Monday night (HK time) had the air of an obituary – just hours after race organisers admitted the chances finding him in the dark and in strong winds was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139114/missing-sailor-finest-human-being-and-true-scallywag-hong-kong-owner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139114/missing-sailor-finest-human-being-and-true-scallywag-hong-kong-owner?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Mar 2018 08:07:39 +0000 Volvo Ocean Race officials have admitted the chances of finding missing sailor John Fisher are diminishing with every passing minute as search operations continue in the Southern Ocean on Tuesday. Briton Fisher, 47, went overboard at about 9.42pm on Monday (Hong Kong time) as last-placed Scallywag tried to make up around 200 nautical miles to the six other boats in leg seven from Auckland, New Zealand to Itajai in Brazil. David Witt and the rest of the crew aboard Scallywag were part of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139039/hopes-fading-missing-scallywag-sailor-john-fisher-after-he-went?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139039/hopes-fading-missing-scallywag-sailor-john-fisher-after-he-went?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Mar 2018 03:27:49 +0000 Rescue operations are under way in the search for British sailor John Fisher, 47, who fell overboard from Hong Kong-owned boat Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag during leg seven of the Volvo Ocean Race from Auckland to Itajai. Race Control confirmed a man overboard incident at 9.42pm (Hong Kong time) on Monday and that it was Southampton-born Fisher, a long-time sailing partner of Scallywag skipper David Witt. The incident took place about 1,400 miles west of Cape Horn – from where the seven-boat fleet was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139020/scallywag-sailor-john-fisher-missing-search-operations-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2139020/scallywag-sailor-john-fisher-missing-search-operations-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Mar 2018 00:28:28 +0000 David Witt and his crew aboard Hong Kong boat Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag go into leg seven of the Volvo Ocean Race with a more conspicuous profile after strong performances in the past two races. Scallywag came second in leg six from Hong Kong to Auckland having won the fourth leg from Melbourne to Hong Kong. Both times, Witt and his team used innovative route strategies to stun the main fleet. While the rest of the boats could have dismissed the leg four win because of the extra incentive to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2137579/were-going-win-leg-or-drop-rig-hong-kongs-scallywag-ready-leg-seven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2137579/were-going-win-leg-or-drop-rig-hong-kongs-scallywag-ready-leg-seven?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:15:30 +0000 An independent report into the hazards of ocean racing at night is to be undertaken as a result of the collision off Hong Kong in January that caused the death of a mainland fisherman. Organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race have commissioned the report into night racing in areas of high vessel traffic density to identity steps that can be taken to avoid future accidents. “Understandably, there has been a lot of reaction to this incident in the sailing community, but the fact is, it takes time to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2135494/fatal-volvo-ocean-race-collision-hong-kong-prompts-report-making?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2135494/fatal-volvo-ocean-race-collision-hong-kong-prompts-report-making?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Mar 2018 11:20:43 +0000 Hong Kong’s Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag earned second place in the sixth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race after one of the most exciting finishes in the competition’s history, sailing into Auckland, New Zealand last night just two minutes behind winner Team AkzoNobel. In what was effectively a match race between the two leaders, the lead changed hands multiple times over the last 50 nautical miles with the Dutch boat narrowly managing to hold off a determined David Witt and his crew. ️Me and my... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2134971/we-can-do-something-special-hong-kongs-scallywag-takes-second?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2134971/we-can-do-something-special-hong-kongs-scallywag-takes-second?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Feb 2018 13:30:45 +0000