29er Asian Championship at Sun Hung Kai & Co. Hong Kong Race Week 2026 - Day 1

29er Asian Championship at Sun Hung Kai & Co. Hong Kong Race Week 2026 - Day 1 © RHKYC / Guy Nowell

If you enjoy sailing in a breeze, Day 1 of Sun Hung Kai & Co. Hong Kong Race Week 2026 was one to savour. Competitors were greeted with fresh conditions, with winds reaching up to 20kts across two race areas off Po Toi Island.

Racing for the fourth edition of the 29er Asian Championship took place near Beaufort Channel.

Race Officer Dave Norton described a challenging but rewarding start to the regatta: "When we arrived, it was blowing 20kts with quite a big sea. As the day went on, the wind and sea state eased to around 12 to 14kts and turned into really nice sailing conditions. Photographers always say they need wind, waves and sun - and we had all three today. It was a really good day."

29er Asian Championship at Sun Hung Kai & Co. Hong Kong Race Week 2026 - Day 1 - photo © RHKYC / Guy Nowell

A total of 26 teams are competing, promising close and intense racing. Hong Kong fields a strong contingent of 19 home-grown teams, led by standout pairing Louis Polson and Ethan Kiu, who were widely tipped as title contenders. The duo finished fifth in the U17 division at the 2025 29er World Championship and claimed second place (Boys U17) at the 2025 29er Eurocup Final.

They face stiff opposition from four Australian teams and three strong Singaporean entries, competing in the Asian Championship for the first time.

Among them are Sean Kum and Nigel Tan, both former Optimist standouts who finished second and fourth respectively at the 2024 Optimist Asian & Oceania Championship in Hong Kong. Now teaming up in the double-handed 29er, their debut attracted considerable attention.

After four races on Day 1, three Hong Kong, China teams occupied the top three places. Polson and Kiu delivered an outstanding performance, scoring three race wins to lead the fleet by two points. Nicholas Hon and Kaden Chan sit in second place, while the all-girls team of Chloe Kong and McCarley Wong rounded out the podium in third.

With strong breeze, competitive racing and sunshine throughout the day, Hong Kong Race Week 2026 got off to an impressive and memorable start.

www.hongkongraceweek.com

Results after day 1: