Hebe Jebes Issue Sep to Oct 2013 Sep 2013 | Page 34

Features

SAILABILITY
heads to South korea
Words Mike Rawbone

Mr Derek Ko & Ms Cho Ping with Mr Nelson
Yip—the SAR's first Para-Olympic Equestrian and
a Beijing Olympic torch bearer. Yip gave a boost on
Sunday 1 September to 19 'possible' firsts for Hong
Kong in next year's Asian Para Games. The 19 have
just started an intense training course with the Hebe
Haven Sailability Trust in preparation for the Para
Asian Games in Inchon, South Korea in 2014.

I hope that by now everyone is aware that
Sailability Hong Kong has been asked to send
a team to Inchon, South Korea next year to
represent Hong Kong in Access 303 dinghy sailing
at the Asian Para Games on 18 – 24 October 2014.
On 11 August we launched our training programme for those
with a physical disability, as part of the formal training we shall
provide for the Games. The aim of course is to bring them up
to an international racing standard. Our immediate plan is to get
each par ticipant up to a similar level and capability this year before
commencing far more serious race training in January 2014. It is a
very tight programme and I feel sure you will join me in wishing
the par ticipants well.
As par t of our invitation for the Para Games, Sailability Hong
Kong recently ordered three more Access 303 dinghies, bringing
our total in this class to six—the new ones will also be launched
on Sunday 11 August. Two of these boats have already been
sponsored—the blue one by the Aberdeen Boat Club (ABC)
and the pink one by HHYC itself. Our sincere thanks go to their
respective general committees and the members of both clubs
for their suppor t and generosity. At the time of going to print, we
are still seeking sponsors for the remaining dinghy (orange) so we
do ask our readers to use their contacts to drum up suppor t—to
assist you please take note of the paragraph below!
Our other major news is that RTHK have approached us
with a view of filming the progress of our 19 sailors during their

32 Hebe jebes

training, following Hong Kong’s sailors up until the Para Games
in 14 months’ time to see how they are faring. This is all very
exciting and the plan outlined by RTHK would result in a onehour documentary being produced and screened just after the
Games are completed. As a result, over the next 14 months we
will have film crews at HHYC and on the water monitoring and
filming our progress. By the way, this is also a very good thing for
any boat sponsors too as their names will be highly visible on the
sails of each boat!
On Sunday 1 Septe mber, we were honoured to have Nelson
Yip come to HHYC and meet our Para Games sailors. As you
will be aware, Nelson was the torchbearer for Hong Kong
at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was also an equestrian
par ticipant in the Para Games. Amongst his many achievements,
Nelson was awarded the Medal of Honour by the Hong Kong
Government for his contribution to those with disabilities and
to the community.
Yip’s words were nothing shor t of inspiring, as he told the cadets,
“You are writing a significant new chapter in the spor ting industry
of Hong Kong and the history of its challenged community.”
I am delighted to say that our Sailability programme now has
four newly-qualified ISAF Senior Instructors who have volunteered
to assist us in training our sailors. Many thanks to them all for their
time, skill and energy.
It has been another exciting few months for Sailability and we
now wonder...what’s next?