The final race of the 2009/10 Reservoir Series will take place at Tai Tam on Sunday 21 February. As usual, if you do not want to run, please consider being a helper.  Contact us!

View the latest entry list here.

At race 1 Martin Kennard took advantage of a weakened field to win the first race of the AVOHK Reservoir Series at Aberdeen. Kelly McFadzien won the ladies race. Race results available here. Race prizes can be found at this link.

An exciting race 2 at Tai Lam Chung saw Matt Jones beat the hour and secured victory ahead of Peter Hopper and  Poon King Hung.  The ladies race was won convincingly by Gillian Castka ahead of Grace Balintong followed by Sally Brown making her course debut.

 

Congratulations to Patrick Ford for making such an excellent debut as Race Director. Thanks also to the many helpers, without whom the race would not have been possible.

Latest entry list can be found here. 

CONGRATULATIONS to all our finishers!  Some fantastic performances out on course.  THANKYOU to all the helpers and supporters who made the race such a success and so  enjoyable.
Results are now ready click for FULL and HALF , so far these are  provisional please report queries to us, apologies for the format this will be improved when results are finalised.
For theCommunity Chest Corporate Challenge results  please contact them direct on 25996111
Finally a thank you to Sun Hung Kai, Bonaqua and a new sponsor Nature's Village .

We are continually updating the membership list. To check your membership status, please go  here.  Please note that this list was last updated on 30 Jan 2010. If you joined after that date, your name won't be on it. If you are unsure of your membership status, please drop me an email at martinavohkatyahoo.com and I will clarify the situation for you.

Please be reminded that HKAAA membership is separate to AVOHK membership! If you would like to join the HKAAA through AVOHK, please follow the steps below:

(1)   Print out and fill in the membership application form from the AVOHK website.

(2)   Send it to me at AVOHK, 2/F, 155 Mable Villa, Kap Pin Long, Sai Kung.

(3)   Await membership confirmation email.

(4)   Download and print out HKAAA application form from:

http://www.hkaaa.com/hkaaa/athletes-zone/Registration/2009_RegistrationForm-Athletes.pdf

(5)   Send your completed HKAAA form  to AVOHK, PO Box 28893, Gloucester Road, Wanchai.

(* If you are already a member, skip the first three points and proceed swiftly onto point four).

When you have done all of that, you will have the chance to get hold of our excellent new club kit and enjoy discounts on races as a result of both memberships.

Fire Services Put Dampener on Race
Hong Kong's "disciplined" services appeared to take the rules into their own hands at the Sedan Chair Race, the Super 8's competition which AVOHK were part of Sunday turned out to be a race of two interpretations.  Whilst AVOHK and 5 other teams stuck firmly to the rules of only eight team members to carry the chair the Fire Services and Police teams multiplied around the course by positioning additional relief team members to take the chair.  AVOHK's time of 13.54 was a  magnificent effort by a team of eight, the Fire Services were awarded victory over the Police but seeing as both teams tactics were contrary to the the rules of the competition AVOHK , at least morally can be considered victors.  AVOHK are collecting sponsorship please  contact Phil here.

KIT AVAILABLE
For 2009  and beyond we have ordered a larger stock of elite New Balance kit, still blue and white but with a simpler pattern and simpler overprinting.  Ladies' and Mens vests, unisex t shirt, ladies and mens split shorts. This is  now available and will beon sale at the next AVOHK 5km race and then the first Reservoir race at Aberdeen.  Please contact Phil Booth for information.Pictured is Thomas Booth in the new vest.

Race 3 went off smoothly with Thomas Kiprotich running away from the field  to win in a new course record. Overall series results can be found here. Series prize winners are at this link. Race 3 results are here and prizewinners here.

The much sought after Race 2 results can be found here.

Dear AVOHK Swimmers 
Please go to swim section for the forms to join up for the swimming year 2009-2010.  There are still a few spots available.
Pool swimming times and joining procedures are more or less the same as in the past. We have the following lane times:-
Monday - Thursday 12-2pm with 2-3 lanes
Friday mornings 8-9am for February and March 2009.  Saturdays 1-2pm with 1 lane.  We will go forward with those arrangements subject to demand.
You must be an AVOHK member to join the swimming.    Please note that not only must annual AVOHK fees be paid but an application form must also be filled in each year by each swimming member. As in past years - administration is kept to a minimum so there are no receipts for the swimming fee and no swimming division membership cards issued - A list will be kept at the pool entrance. - Simon Clarke

Matt Jones appears to be on his way back from injury. He took bronze in this new addition to the Hong Kong athletics calendar. Curtis Barclay, who put in some noteable performances in the AVOHK 5km Series, took first place and seems to be in good condition for the forthcoming Nagano Marathon.

Sunday 31 January was Round Three of KOTH. Unfortunately for runners, it proved to be the hottest day of the year thus far. At least the dogged trail runners had the option of a dip in the river mid race. Stone Tsang took first place in the full marathon but AVOHK's new signing, Darren Benson, was less than four minutes behind in second place.

In the half Fujio Miyachi wrapped up the series by claiming top spot for the third consecutive race. Ryan Blair claimed second place ahead of Martin Kennard. AVOHK member Steven O'Leary ran a great race to finish a comfortable first in the Mens Over 40s category. Catherine Leonard was edged into second place by Grace Ballintong in the Ladies forty plus section.

Plenty of AVOHkers took part in the inaugural race in the King Of The Hills Series in Sai Kung Country Park on December 20. Bob Whitehead took on the full mountain marathon course and was rewarded with a category third place in the Mens Over 55s.

Erich Felbabel was the first club member home in the Mens Half. His time of 1.35.07 put him second behind the Japanese mountain marathon specialist. Martin Kennard was happy to claim third, two weeks after running a full road marathon. Derek Irwin, who never seems to have a bad race, picked up top spot in the Mens Over 50s category. Whilst Catherine Leonard applied her local knowledge over the course to triumph in the Womens Over 40 age group.

Hats off to septuagenarian John Fowler. John wasn't content to just run the half marathon, so he turned around in Hoi Ha to double back and chase after his companion, Speedy .  Dr Fowler finished, none the worse for wear, together with his four legged personal trainer. Trainer and protege are pictured in their pre race carb loading session in Sai Kung.

For once, the weather gods were on the side of the Trailwalker participants. The cool conditions helped to partly offset the longer and more arduous finish. Mike Maddess was the first AVOHKer home. He and his compatriots pushed the PLA all the way to finish 3rd in a hugely impressive time of 12.44. 'Mr Consistency' aka Patrick Ford strolled to the finish line in 14.58 (bagging a new over 50's record). Race organiser Catherine Leonard was one of the first ladies back in the barracks. Her team - S44 - were skippered by the fast improving Trailwalker veteran Phil Spencer and finished in a impressive time of 16.47. Simon Wiggs and Clive Saffrey were not far behind. Their team cut the tape in 17.16. Raymond Lo's team was a very impressive 17hours 12.  One week on the chair the next on the trails Thomas Booth and his team finished 21.43 , Committee member Freeman Lee was safely home under the twenty hour mark . Please send us reports and photos from your AVOHK TW teams.
The all important support!    A quarter down and all's well at Pak Tam Au    All worth it at  the end.

Peter Hopper signed off for 2009 with an overall second place finish in the Shek Kong 30km race. AVOHK's Angelina Kong easily won her category in an impressive time of two hours eighteen minutes.

Peter can be well pleased with his efforts in 2009. Since running a creditable two hours fifty minutes in the Berlin Marathon he has put down numerous eyecatching performances. Highlights have included second place finishes in the Aberdeen and Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Races. For good measure, his time of seventy eight mins made him the fastest half centurion in the recent Tapei Marathon. We await to see what PH has up his sleeve for 2010.

The World Championships were enjoyed by a dozen or so AVOHKers. Bill Purves was the star of the show for Hong Kong with two bronze medals in the 5000m and 10000m racewalking. As our Team Captain  together with his wife Sheila they masterminded the show and attended every race that an AVOHK entrant took part in. A big thank you to them.

Results and links to the action click http://masterstrack.com/blog/005783.html#more

Many thanks to Mark and Josephine Reeves who hosted the Finland reunion on Sunday 1st November.  A chance to review photos and Cindy's video footage of Martin Kennards track races. 

Martin Kennard

Railbird reccomends the Masters Track Running Blog. Find out about the antics of a 92 year old discus throwing granny at this link: http://www.masterstrack.com/blog/