Cyclothon cancelled, Oxfam Trailwalker, rugby matches in Hong Kong called off
A host of weekend sporting events postponed or cancelled, while Hong Kong Jockey Club says Sunday’s racing will take place without a crowd
This weekend’s Oxfam Trailwalker, the annual Cyclothon and a full slate of domestic rugby matches have all been called off as Hong Kong reels from its deadliest fire in nearly 30 years.
With the official death toll at 65 and scores still missing on Thursday, organisers of some of the city’s biggest sporting events of the year opted to cancel, postpone or delay in light of the events in Tai Po.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, meanwhile, said it would hold Sunday’s meeting at Sha Tin behind closed doors, adding that an estimated HK$70 million in gross income from the day would be “donated to support those affected by the tragedy”.
Officials involved in the city’s largest trail race, which was scheduled to start on Friday, were the first to confirm they had opted not to go ahead, and others followed soon after.
Domestic rugby had been expected to resume on Thursday, with a Nan Fung Group|Airside Men’s Premiership clash between USRC Tigers and Valley. But that match, plus all men’s and women’s games scheduled for this weekend, were called off.
Sunday’s Cyclothon race, which was due to involve Tour de France legend Mark Cavendish and Hong Kong’s triple National Games gold medallist Ceci Lee Sze-wing, was cancelled hours later.