Hong Kong’s rowers will compete in their first race in more than a year this weekend at the Asian qualification for the World Rowing Indoor Championships, and possibly their only international race before the all-important qualifiers in May for the Tokyo Olympics. Chiu Hin-chun, Chan Chi-fung and Winnie Hung Wing-yan will spearhead a strong 19-member Hong Kong team, with the “regatta” taking place on rowing ergometers and through virtual competition. Chiu and Chan are the 2019 Asian Championships gold medallists in the men’s lightweight double sculls, while Hung reached the final in the women’s lightweight singles at the 2019 U-23 World Championships. A total of 14 Asian teams with nearly 300 competitors have registered for the qualifiers, with Hong Kong as the “hosts”. Through a new virtual platform, developed by Time Team in the Netherlands, rowers can compete against each other from any location, with all performances directly compared online. Spectators and supporters are also able to watch the races in real time, with live streaming on YouTube and the Rowing Association’s official social media page. There are five continental qualifiers – Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania – with the finals to be held from February 23 to 27. ‘Machines don’t float’: reminder and another indoor record for rower “We have never taken part in the indoor Worlds because it always clashes with our winter training camp in preparation for the new season,” said head coach Chris Perry. “But the past year has been a very difficult one for our rowers because of the pandemic, with almost all worldwide competitions postponed or cancelled. They have had to remain in closed camps inside the Sports Institute in battling the pandemic. “This virtual event provides the opportunity to experience the excitement of international competition again, to meet our friends and rivals throughout the region and to look ahead to the future as we prepare for the Asian qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics.” The Hong Kong team had an internal trial in December for the Olympic qualifiers, with another one planned for February before a squad is chosen. The two lightweight doubles, men’s and women’s, are considered the biggest hopes. Perry, however, said they are still waiting for more details of the Asian Olympic qualifiers after original hosts Chungju of South Korea turned it down. Shanghai, which will stage the world championships for the first time in October, and Olympic Games hosts Tokyo are among the possible venues, depending on the pandemic situation. Hong Kong’s world record-breaking rower fights his doubting demons Hong Kong’s rowers last competed in the Asian Cup in Thailand in late 2019. “We all look forward to the races on Sunday, even if it’s only on rowing machines,” said Chan, who holds a number of world records on rowing machines on a slide, and not on static rowing ergometers like the indoor Worlds. “My records are in the long distance races like the half marathon, but the indoor Worlds are in distances of 2,000 and 500 metres like the real races and it’s a big difference. But the pressure is still there as this will be our first international race for more than a year. We all want to do well and qualify for the finals.”