HONG KONG, July 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The eighth 'SHKP Vertical Run for Charity', organized by Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP), is now open for registration. The 'Race to Shanghai IFC' and 'Race to Hong Kong ICC' will be held on 20 October and 1 December respectively, with Hong Kong again hosting the Vertical World Circuit Grand Finale. Elite runners from around the world will gather at the tallest building in Hong Kong - International Commerce Centre (ICC) - racing up 2,120 steps for the world championship. Committed to Building Homes with Heart, SHKP also encourages the public to do exercise for a good cause and to care for those in need. All proceeds from the races will go to charity services for underprivileged children and young people.
SHKP Executive Director and Deputy Managing Director, Victor Lui; Executive Director, Christopher Kwok; and Event Organizing Committee Co-chairman, Edward Cheung, today officiated at the event's kick-off ceremony at sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck. Christopher Kwok said, 'This year's is the eighth SHKP Vertical Run for Charity. The Arabic number "8" is also a vertical infinity symbol. We hope all contestants will unleash their full potential in this very meaningful run. And over the years, the event has generated over HK$45 million of donations, benefitting tens of thousands of children and young people in need.'
Kwok added that SHKP has devoted substantial efforts to developing the potential of young people, and vertical running is gaining popularity among them. In 2014, only seven student teams participated in the race. Last year, a record 75 teams of secondary and tertiary students competed in the Student Relay. SHKP will continue to encourage more young people to participate in the event which help them build their stamina and understand the importance of giving.
The event has received wide support and today's kick-off ceremony was well-attended by partners and experts, including President of International Skyrunning Federation, Marino Giacometti; Associate Professor of the Hong Kong Baptist University's Department of Physical Education, Dr. Lobo Louie; Head of The Chinese University of Hong Kong's Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Prof. Patrick Yung; and Visiting Associate Professor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong's Hong Kong Institute of Diabetes and Obesity, Dr. Mandy Sea, as well as representatives of the beneficiary charity organizations. At the ceremony, the sports medicine experts shared the health benefits of vertical running, and the representatives of the charity organizations introduced the programmes for the underprivileged children and young people that will benefit from this year's event.
All proceeds from the 'Race to Hong Kong ICC' with no cost deduction, plus a top-up donation from SHKP, will go to The Community Chest of Hong Kong and the SHKP Rainbow with KIDS project run by The Hong Kong Council of Social Service. The project supports children who have undergone traumatic family crises. Donations to The Community Chest of Hong Kong will support children and youth services. Proceeds from the 'Race to Shanghai IFC' will go to the Shanghai Children's Health Foundation to provide treatment for child patients from underprivileged families.
A Variety of Categories for Different Participants
Now in its eighth year and same as last year, the 'Race to Hong Kong ICC' will have four categories: 'Elite', 'Individual', 'Team Relay', and 'Fun Climb'. The 'Team Relay' category has four sub-categories: 'Corporate', 'Open', 'Secondary Students' and 'Tertiary Students'. There are also the 'Fun Climb 21' and 'Fun Climb 82' events. 'Fun Climb 21' is open to those aged 10 or above, and good for families running for leisure.
Chance for Top Hong Kong Runners to Join Overseas Competitions; Early-bird Specials
SHKP encourages sports enthusiasts to participate in races, and supports local elite runners to join overseas competitions. Same as before, winners of the men's and women's divisions will receive sponsorships from SHKP to compete in overseas Vertical World Circuit races next year. In addition, to encourage participants to start early to prepare for the race, SHKP will offer an early-bird discount for registration on or before 6 September.
A Range of Community Programmes to Promote Vertical Running
To further promote vertical running and sports for charity, SHKP will organize a number of activities in the community. The 'SHKP Vertical Run for Charity' mobile app will run an 'SHKP Vertical Run Mileage Campaign' to encourage the public to climb stairs at different check points and enjoy vertical run anytime and anywhere. At SHKP housing estates, an 'SHKP Vertical Run for Health' campaign will be organized to encourage residents to skip the elevator and take the stairs. And an interactive body motion sensing game zone - 'SHKP Vertical Run for Dynamic FUN' - will be set up at a shopping mall for families to enjoy the fun of doing exercise together. Promotional activities will also be held in different shopping malls to promote the sports. Besides, SHKP will provide professional training courses for the participants, and videos will be posted on the event's Facebook page to provide health tips and the latest information about the races.
The SHKP Vertical Run for Charity is now open for registration. Interested parties can visit www.SHKPVerticalRun.com for details or call (852) 5386 0185 (HK) or (8621) 2329 6824 (Shanghai) for enquiries. The official partners of 'Race to Hong Kong ICC' are International Commerce Centre, sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck and the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong. Shanghai IFC and the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong are the official 'Race to Shanghai IFC' partners.
About Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited
Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP) is committed to developing premium properties and offering customers ideal homes with top-notch services. With its Building Homes with Heart philosophy, SHKP contributes to the community to make Hong Kong a better place for everyone. SHKP lives up to its corporate social responsibility by leveraging its resources and networks to advocate reading and holistic development, healthy and sustainable living, and care for the underprivileged.
Over the past four decades, the management team has led and encouraged staff to help those in need and to give back to society using their professional knowledge and skills. SHKP also engages its stakeholders to create and share positive energy in the community.
About the Vertical World Circuit
The Vertical World Circuit was established by the International Skyrunning Federation, which governs races in iconic skyscrapers around the world and ensures that the races comply with international standards and regulations.
The 2019 Vertical World Circuit spans 11 cities: Seoul, Milan, Ho Chi Minh City, Paris, New York, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Dubai, Osaka and Hong Kong. Hong Kong is once again serving as the destination for the grand finale. For more details, please visit http://www.verticalworldcircuit.com/
