Hong Kong trail running calendar reaching ‘breaking point’ as race organisers struggle for survival amid government red tape
Trail running calender is jam packed, which could force organisers to sacrifice quality to break even – that’s if they get a permit from conservation authorities
Cast a brief glance over the racing calendar for the upcoming trail running season in Hong Kong, and one thing quickly becomes apparent: there is an abundance of races to choose from.
As trail and ultra running has exploded in popularity over the past decade, drawing avid runners, outdoor enthusiasts and elite athletes alike, so has the number of races on Hong Kong’s trails.
In 2010, 121 permits were granted for hosting running-related events in the country parks. Last year, that number had almost doubled to 217, according to numbers provided by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD).
“The writing is on the wall,” said Martin Cai, race director of The GreenRace, a three-year-old company that organises road and trail running races in Hong Kong and abroad.
“You don’t need to read the stats to see all the stats. You can see it first hand – there are so many races each year, every month, every week it seems. You wonder if there will be a breaking point, and if so, where that is going to come from.”
With an increasingly packed menu of races to choose from, Cai has felt the pressure to constantly improve to stay one step ahead of the competition.