[For Immediate Release]

New World Harbour Race 2024
Scheduled for 10^th November with a 4,000 Quota
Asian Open Water Swimming Championships returns after 12-year hiatus

(Hong Kong, 6^th August 2024) New World Harbour Race, the annual sports extravaganza title sponsored by New World Development Company Limited (“New World Development”) and organised by the Hong Kong China Swimming Association (HKGSA), returns this year on 10^th November (Sunday). The 11^th Asian Open Water Swimming Championships is also set to return at the same venue. Registration will open at 11am on 6^th August (Tuesday) and close on 26^th August (Monday). With this year’s theme of “SPLASH AND SHINE!”, the race will see the introduction of a new “Companion” arrangement, allowing leisure swimmers to swim alongside their family or friend, bringing a joyful and positive energy to the event.

Asian Open Water Swimming Championships returns

The upcoming event will consist of both Racing and Leisure groups, with a total participation quota of 4,000. Swimmers will start from the Golden Bauhinia Square Public Pier in Wan Chai, making waves across the iconic Victoria Harbour before finishing at the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui. The Racing Groups include the Open Group and the 11^th Asian Open Water Swimming Championships. The Championships returns after a 12-year hiatus, each Asian country or region can send up to 3 male and 3 female representatives to participate in the 5-kilometre race. The racecourse of Open Group remains approximately 1 kilometre long.

New “Companion” arrangement has been introduced in the Leisure Groups

The Leisure Group will see the introduction of a new “Companion” arrangement. Participants can choose to start at the same time as another swimmer, allowing them to swim alongside their companion*. The Leisure Group will continue to feature the New World Springboard Championship, encouraging the young students of the “New World Springboard Swimming Academy” to participate. With this year’s theme of “SPLASH AND SHINE!”, we look forward to 4,000 swimming enthusiasts and their loved ones coming together at the Victoria Harbour, allowing the whole city to feel the joy that sports can bring.

Ronnie Wong Man-Chiu, President of HKGSA, said, “The return of the Asian Open Water Swimming Championships to the New World Harbour Race brings the city’s annual swimming event back onto the international sporting stage. To make the event more international, the Open Groups and Leisure Groups will welcome swimmers from outside the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, allowing visitors from different countries or regions to gather in Victoria Harbour and enjoy the joy of swimming together.”

Eric Ma Siu-Cheung, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of New World Development, said, “New World Development has always been committed to the promotion of sports development in Hong Kong. This year, with Hong Kong’s strong promotion for mega event economy, the New World Harbour Race is certainly one of this year’s sports events highlights. The excitement leading up to the Paris Olympics has added further significance to the Harbour Race. We hope to attract swimmers and tourists from across the countries or regions to Hong Kong, creating new business opportunities for the city.”

The Leisure Group will conduct Time Trial followed by Lots Drawing

Online registration for this year’s New World Harbour Race will open from 11:00am on 6^th August (Tuesday) until 11:59pm on 26^th August (Monday). All participants must meet eligibility requirements set out by the organiser and pass the Time Trials held in September (except for those holding other recognised results). This year, the Leisure Groups will also have a new arrangement, which will conduct a Time Trial followed by Lots Drawing to select the swimmers who will successfully participate.

For details of the event, eligibility and registration, please visit our official website: http://www.hkharbourrace.com.

In addition, swimmers can also incorporate charity into their swim by donating HK$100 to “Share for Good”, the Hong Kong first large-scale crowd-donation matching platform, during entry fee payment process. By collaborations with various non-profit organisation partners, support will be provided to underprivileged members of the community in need.

*Swimming time slots will be arranged based on the performance of the applicants and their companion in the Time Trial, using the slower results of the two participant as the basis.

-End-

Key Information on New World Harbour Race 2024

Photo Captions

	New World Harbour Race 2024 returns on 10th November with entrants of 4,000. Online registration starts today.
	Race will start at Golden Bauhinia Square Public Pier in Wan Chai and finish at the Avenue of Stars, Tsim Sha Tsui. 11th Asian Open Water Swimming Championships will be hosted on the same occasion.
	With the theme of “SPLASH AND SHINE!”, swimmers will create joyful and shining waves in Victoria Harbour, radiating positive energy.

Download high-resolution photos at:
bit.ly/3A0Ae9z

(This press release is issued by ActionHouse International on behalf of the Hong Kong China Swimming Association and New World Development Company Limited.)

For further information, please contact:
ActionHouse International Limited

About Hong Kong China Swimming Association

Hong Kong China Swimming Association (“HKGSA”) was founded in early 1951 by the President, Mr. A. de O. Sales, and it took part for the first time in the Olympic Games in Helsinki 1952 with four swimmers. It was subsequently registered under the Societies Ordinance on 28^th April 1960. It is a member of the World Aquatics, Asia Aquatics and Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF & OC). It is the sole governing body of swimming sports in Hong Kong covering all swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming, open water swimming and masters swimming competitions and activities here.

In the past 70 years, the Association has been promoting and developing swimming sports, thus raising the standard of swimming, nurturing elite swimmers and providing training to athletes, officials, judges and coaches in Hong Kong through organizing different competitions, training courses and relevant teaching activities. The Association now has over 130 affiliated clubs with over 10,000 registered athletes, offering all properly accredited persons the opportunity to represent Hong Kong in a wide range of competitions and meetings here and abroad.

About New World Development

Founded in 1970, New World Development Company Limited (“The Group”, Hong Kong stock code: 0017) was publicly listed in Hong Kong in 1972 and is a constituent stock of the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index. A premium brand infused with a unique personality best defined by The Artisanal Movement, New World Group’s core business areas include property development, property investment and other strategic operations in Greater China, especially the Greater Bay Area, with a total asset value of approximately HK$470.2 billion as at 31 December 2023. The Group has an effective interest of approximately 75% in New World Department Store China Limited (Hong Kong stock code: 0825) and wholly owns New World China Land Limited.