Mayank Vaid’s made-in-Hong Kong Everestman triathlon ready to become global event for extreme athletes

The Hong Kong-based Indian is the first athlete to swim, bike and run the height equivalent of Mount Everest, 8,848 metres, in each discipline

The lawyer says ultra athletes are able to compete against each other online or at a venue such as the waters and hills of Clear Water Bay in Hong Kong

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Mayank Vaid takes in the view during the run part of the Everestman feat at Clear Water Bay. Photo: Handout

Published: 3:54pm, 20 Jun 2020Updated: 7:41pm, 20 Jun 2020

Hong Kong-based Mayank Vaid’s world-first Everestman in April started out as one man’s mission to conquer the height equivalent of Mount Everest in three disciplines – swimming, bike and running.

But in the days following his epic feat, Vaid had lit a raging fire under the feet of ultra runners the world over. Now the made-in-Hong Kong Everestman triathlon event is a discipline in its own right with Vaid eager for athletes to compete against each other online at their homes or in a single venue over the original Clear Water Bay course he and coach Nigel Gray identified for his pioneering odyssey.

“It’s called the Everestman, coined by me because it didn’t exist before, and it has the same Everesting element and it’s a triathlon series, just like other series such as Ironman or Swissman,” said Vaid, who completed his 9km sea swim, 8,848m bike and 8,848m run from April 9-10.

“The whole idea is of encouraging people all over the world to challenge themselves. Naturally, it’s a very difficult course but it’s the kind of course that can be developed anywhere, even in your house if you have a swimming pool, you can ride your turbo trainer and do your run on your treadmill.

“It can even be done in your neighbourhood, close to home. If you are near the sea and hills, even better. So there’s a lot of flexibility to it.