Two perspectives of the Dowman runners

DCP OPS Wong Tsan-kwong handing out the ladies' trophies; while DDC Eastern S McDouall closes in on a younger competitor

Of the 1,100 entries, over 800 competitors eventually congregated at the start line in Pak Tam Chung as chairman of the Police Sports Council Lionel Lam Kin did the honours and started the race amid cheers from a crowd of spectators.

The 12-kilometre road race was dominated from the start by ASU and PTU officers, their weeks of scheduled training prior to the event paying off.

Last year's record holder and an experienced athlete, PC Wong Wing-kuen of ASU set the pace. But it was relative new-comer PC Ching Ying-wai of SDU who, in the last 4 kilometres caught, fought and vanquished Wong, taking line honours 50 metres ahead in a time of 41:34 ¡Ð less than 30 seconds off the record.

For the ladies race - run over the same course as for the men - the competition centred around well known dynamo and previous winner at the Dowman, Chan Sui-yin, PSII CDIST, and her rival from PTS, Flora Li Yin-ping. By the half-way turn-around point Flora was just ahead and then, in the predominantly downhill return, her longer stride increased that lead to take line honours in a new record time of 52:11.

For the older (but no less enthusiastic) competitors it was the tireless SPC Ko Fuk-ming of CDIST who beat off a determined challenge from SIP Andy Gidley of CRB for the Men's Senior category trophy, coming in three minutes after the overall winner. But, in the next category up, Veterans I, the amazing Ho Kam-fuk, Border District Cook, managed to beat Ko Fuk-ming at the finish in a time of 43:07 - just 90 seconds behind PC Ching Ying-wai.

The Veteran II race was won by S/Sgt Lo Wai-keung of Eastern in a new record time and the Veteran III race (over 50 years of age!) was won by Sgt Leung Wai-yin. A fantastic effort and an example to us all as we grow older.

DCP OPS Wong Tsan-kwong led a star-studded group of Police celebrities in the trophy presentations, with RC KW Jim Walker receiving the cup for being the oldest senior officer to compete, PTS winning the ladies' team trophy, Central taking the (minor) formation team trophy, and PTU awarded the specialist/training formation trophy.

And honourable mention must go to the organisers behind the scenes, particularly C/PTI Thomas Cheung Wui and his band of willing helpers from PTS. Thanks too, to PTU and AMS for their assistance in making the whole event an unqualified success.

Competitors in this year's Dowman Road Race, run over 12 kilometres of Sai Kung Country Park with scenic views of High Island Reservoir, might like to consider the route that the "Dowman Trophy Race" took in 1954, 45 years ago.

The Hong Kong Police Magazine for June 1954 records that the event took place on 25 March 1954. The race, covering 4.5 miles, started at Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, and then followed a course through the traffic free suburbs of Kowloon, along Chatham Road, Ma Tau Wei Road, Tin Kwong Road, Argyle Street, Lomand Road, Prince Edward Road, then ended with one lap of the sports field at Boundary Street.

The race was won by Sub-Inspector J P MacMahon of Eastern Division in a time of 24 minutes and 24 seconds. Police Training School was the winner of the team competition. Following tea, and a performance by the Police Band, trophies were presented by Mrs Maxwell, the CP's wife.

The race was held in Kowloon until 1959, when because of increasingly heavy traffic conditions it was moved to the New Territories, where until 1980 it was run on a course between Sha Tau Kok Police Station and NT Depot, Fanling.

The annual competition then moved to Sai Kung. Initially being run a straight run between the Man Yee Post and Sai Kung Police Station, before changing in 1989 to an out and back course from Pak Tam Chung barrier. The first out and back course took the service road north of High Island Reservoir. The existing, course following the service road on the south side of High Island Reservoir, has been in use since 1990.