Hong Kong Federation Celebrates Silver Jubilee

Hong Kong Rowing Team 2003
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The Hong Kong China Rowing Association will kick off its Silver Jubilee festival of rowing this weekend with the 25^th Hong Kong Rowing Championships.  The event will attract crews from mainland China and around the region.

From November 13 to 16, Hong Kong will host the 9^th Asian Junior Championships on the Shing Mun River Rowing Course in Shatin.  It is the first time the Association has hosted a major regional junior event.

In addition from November 19 to 23, The Jockey Club Shek Mun Rowing Centre will hold an Olympic Solidarity Technical Course for coaches.  The Level III course will cater to Hong Kong’s most experienced club and university coaches.  FISA Competitive Commission member and US National Team Coach, Curtis Jordan, will be the expert speaker.

The Hong Kong Amateur Rowing Association was formed in1978 and the Association’s international rowing activities began in 1981 with its affiliation to the International Rowing Federation (FISA).

The last 25 years 

• 1982, a Hong Kong crew competed at the World Junior Championships and three crews took part in the Asian Games held in India.
• 1985, the Association hosted the 1^st Asian Rowing Championships, which coincided with the opening of its first training centre at Shatin.
• 1989, Fay Ho (currently a member of the FISA Adaptive Rowing Commission) won Hong Kong’s fist Asian Championship medal.
• 1997, following the handover of sovereignty the Hong Kong Amateur Rowing Association became the Hong Kong China Rowing Association
• 1998, Fenella Ng became the first Hong Kong rower to reach a World Championship final, and;
• 2003, Law Hiu Fung won a bronze medal in the World U.23 Regatta.  

Hong Kong crews have competed in the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney and in numerous world and regional championships.  Hong Kong crews have also won medals at the last three Asian Games, at every Asian Championship since 1989, and reached the finals of the World Junior Championships in 2003.  They were also the first Asian nation to send an adaptive rowing team to the World Championships in 2003.

Today the Hong Kong China Rowing Association (HKCRA) has nearly 1000 members, and over 25 affiliated clubs and organizations.  It boasts two modern training centers and a comprehensive annual competition program.  It also pulls together a wide range of development activities, that include school and university programs, community clubs, adventure/sea rowing, coach education, adaptive rowing, indoor rowing, and much more.