Despite Hong Kong's snow-free climate, winter sports are growing in popularity at both the recreational and elite levels. Three local athletes qualified for the Beijing Winter Olympics last month – our biggest representation to date. HKGCC General Committee Member Edmond Yue spoke to The Bulletin after returning home from the event, which he attended in his role as Chairman of the Ski Association of Hong Kong.
The Covid prevention measures and closed loop system worked very well, Yue said, enabling the event to run smoothly even amid the pandemic.
"The success of the Beijing Winter Olympics can showcase China and can help promote winter sports on a recreational level as well as professional," he said.
The presence of Hong Kong athletes on the world stage is a fantastic boost for the city, and will also provide opportunities for businesses as winter sports grow in popularity. Sports culture has several different stages, Yue explained, ranging from recreational to elite, then professional – where commercialisation opportunities emerge.
In some jurisdictions, sports and elite athletes get a great deal of government support. "In Hong Kong, the total budget allocated to sports is not that high, and only around 20 sports have dedicated support from the Government," Yue said.
However, the Government recently announced that it will build Hong Kong's first international standard ice rink. While there are some indoor skiing facilities, the city's land shortage means that there is not a full-scale dry slope available. But Hong Kong will likely benefit from the growing focus on winter sports in the Mainland. Yue said that the Central Government has allocated resources to promote winter sports in the south of the country, including building more facilities in the Greater Bay Area.
Hong Kong is currently increasing its cooperation with the Mainland on skiing activities, and at the same time, China has also been working with the International Skiing Federation (FIS), which may see more global contests happening in the Mainland.
The Hong Kong Ski Association is a full member of the FIS and has been working with the organization to make the sport more professional, which will provide more opportunities for businesses in areas including sponsorship. To encourage youngsters, it also participates in FIS's "Bring Children to the Snow" programme.
Winter sports are surprisingly popular in Hong Kong, and many people travel to Japan, Europe and the United States to ski, Yue said. In fact, there are around 20,000 regular skiers in the city.
"On a social level, skiing is very popular among Hong Kong people who enjoy travelling to different resorts," Yue said. "But promoting sports at the elite level is more difficult."
One of the reasons is that training at the highest level is not compatible with Hong Kong's school and university schedules. But this may also be changing, and Yue welcomed the move by The University of Hong Kong to provide more flexibility for elite athletes.
The presence of Hong Kong athletes at the Winter Olympics is likely to inspire a new generation of potential participants. With more support from the Government, businesses and local people, we hope to see our representation at the elite level continue to grow in future years.