Four Peaks racers braced for frigid conditions in Hong Kong as 2016 edition prepares to get underway

With temperatures set to tumble, the annual Simpson Marine Four Peaks sailing and running race faces some of the chilliest and most challenging conditions of its 32-year history

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Runners and sailers are braced for brisk conditions in this year’s Four Peaks Race.

Published: 2:56pm, 22 Jan 2016Updated: 2:56pm, 22 Jan 2016

With temperatures set to tumble, the annual Simpson Marine Four Peaks sailing and running race faces some of the chilliest and most challenging conditions of its 32-year history.

This race invariably falls on the coldest weekend of the year and this year the conditions look particularly lively

Anthony Day, Rear Commodore of Sailing at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

“This race invariably falls on the coldest weekend of the year and this year the conditions look particularly lively,” commented Anthony Day, Rear Commodore of Sailing at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, who’s been competing in the race since 1992.

A “Polar Vortex” is forecasted to bring extreme cold to the region tomorrow, while monsoon conditions will make for chopping conditions on the water.

Only 28 boats are set to compete this year over the 55 to 90 nautical miles (depending on boat class), down from 44 last year.

One half of the annual Four Peaks Race is set out on the water. Photo: Simpson Marine

The Four Peaks Race brings together the sailing and running community for a unique endurance feat. Competitors will set off from Tai Tam bay on Saturday morning, travelling towards Lantau. There, runners are dropped off in an allocated “zone” and travel to shore via a small boat or kayak before and ascend Lantau Peak (934 metres) on any chosen route, before making their way back to the boat for more. From there, competitors tackle three more mountains during the day and overnight: Mount Steinhouse (353 metres) on Lamma, Violet Hill (433 metres) on Hong Kong Island and Ma On Shan (702 metres) in Sai Kung.