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World champions took on the choppy waters of Victoria Harbour, while many leisure swimmers had their first taste of the recently revived race yesterday.
Held for the third time since it was suspended after 1978, about 1,800 swimmers took part in the annual New World Harbour Race - up from last year's 1,600 - with new international and leisure group categories.

"The biggest challenge was to beat the waves and handle the choppy water. It was difficult to find the finishing point," said German swimmer Thomas Lurz, 2013 World Cup champion, who came in only fourth yesterday.
Picture gallery: Swimmers take the plunge in the New World Harbour Race
Overtaking Lurz was Christian Reichert, who won the 1,500-metre race in 15 minutes, 45 seconds. "Every race is different in open water. Anything is possible," he said.
Among the 1,500 leisure swimmers was Tsui Him, 75, who was delighted to finally be able to plunge into the harbour yesterday. He was turned down last year after the time trial.
"I had not been swimming for many years. I was the sole breadwinner for my family of five. I started swimming again only in the past few years," said the retired boat engine maintenance worker, who swims at Deep Water Bay every morning.
Tsui said he did not have a chance to join the harbour race when he was younger. "We were so poor then, we didn't even have enough to eat," he said.
Amateur Swimming Association secretary Ronnie Wong Man-chiu said the organisers had been thinking of reviving the old race route of Tsim Sha Tsui to Central by 2015. The present route is from Lei Yue Mun to Quarry Bay Park. The association will also look at ways to further expand the race's capacity.
In the local category, John Ling Tin-yu, 20, claimed the men's title for the third consecutive year in 18 minutes, 44 seconds. He and women's winner Claudia Wong Ming-yu, 18, both took part in the Fina Marathon World Cup on Saturday. Wong said she was very tired as yesterday was her fourth open-water race in the past few weeks.
Hayley Wong Yin-har, 61, who won in the category for women aged at least 50, had stopped competing for five years, but joined this year's race for the atmosphere. "I'm afraid of the scorching sun. I'll have to have several facial treatments afterwards," she joked.


1,800 people make a splash in Victoria Harbour race

Swimmers take the plunge in the annual cross-harbour race, which was revived in 2011 following its suspension in 1978 over polluted waters. A total of 1,800 swam from Lei Yue Mun to Quarry Bay Park. The Amateur Swimming Association is considering whether to revive the original route from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central by 2015. Photo: Dickson Lee

Local winners Ling Tin-yu (left) and Wong Ming-yu. Photo: Sam Tsang

Leisure swimmers are more focused on the fun. Photo: Sam Tsang

Sport

Hong Kong

News

Held for the third time since it was suspended after 1978, about 1,800 swimmers took part in the annual New World Harbour Race - up from last year's 1,600 - with new international and leisure group categories.
