Message from the Chair – May 2020

Dear AVOHK Members

Since the last newsletter, some of the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted and running tracks and some swimming pools have re-opened. This is good news, especially for the coaches who provide such a valuable service and who need to get back to earning a living. Good news at the pool, Johnny Cheng (AVOHK swimming coordinator) has informed me that the AVOHK swimming group will be back in the Wan Chai Pool from Mon 1st June 2020.

The 2020 AVOHK Annual General Meeting has been rescheduled to 7pm, Wednesday, 24th June, at Café 8. As per my recent email, this rescheduling was done in the hope that further COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted so that we can enjoy a post-AGM drink and some food in a very social setting. Current restrictions for AGM’s limit size up to 50 people. Food and drink not permitted. Further updates on the AGM in due course.

Planning is underway for the 2020 AVOHK Comprador 5K Series. Race Director Freeman Lee will be supported by the AVOHK Committee and other Club volunteers to ensure the series is a success. The following dates and venues have been confirmed (subject to the necessary COVID-19 restrictions being lifted). We are hoping to launch online entry by early-July at the latest:

Race 1 – Wan Chai Gap – 8am Sat 15th Aug 2020
Race 2 – Tai Tam Tuk – 8am Sat 29th Aug 2020
Race 3 – Bowen Road – 8am Sat 12th Sep 2020
Race 4 – South Bay – 8am Sat 19th Sep 2020 

Planning has also started for the 2020 AVOHK Round-The-Island “Time Trial” which will be held on Sunday, 11th October 2020. We are working closely with the AFCD to ensure we can secure the best route possible. Watch this space. The committee have also recently started discussions around suitable race dates for the 2020/21 AVOHK Reservoir Series and hope to have a further update in June’s newsletter. When further COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, we do hope to have some news on the date of the 2020 Malcolm Phillips 5K Race.

AVOHK giving back. In recent years AVOHK have welcomed the refugees from the RUN (Rebuild, Unite, Nurture) group to our races and provided RUN with complimentary entries. The MD of RUN is Virginie Goethals, an AVOHK Club member. Catherine Leonard recently updated the AVOHK committee of the considerable transport costs in getting the RUN group to our races. In these very tough times, the AVOHK Committee proposed and approved a donation of HKD5,000 to RUN as a contribution towards their transport costs in getting the RUN group to our AVOHK-organized races in the coming 2020/21 season. I have received a very big thank you from Virginie who really appreciates AVOHK’s generosity and continuous support to RUN. On a personal note, it has been very encouraging to see some of the runners from the RUN group progress from novice runners a few years ago to now where they are challenging for podium places.

In this month’s newsletter, there is again some good reading, including an article by Bill Purves on redesigning athletics, plus the usual from “The Railbird” in Heard at the Track (even though they have only recently reopened). If you do happen to have some athletic related stories for the newsletter, please do forward them on with photo’s if possible.

I can announce the return of the AVOHK monthly Social Run, which will resume at 7pm on Wednesday, 3rd June 2020 (Max Group Size 8). Meet by HSBC ATM at Hopewell Centre in Wan Chai. For further details, contact Frank Riehm.

Yours in Running

Colin Whittington
Chairman