Fifth victory for SIP Naylor in Dowman Road Race
Although SIP Naylor finished the 51th race in 42 minutes flat, 57 seconds shy of his own record for the Men's Open Category set last year, the records for two other race categories - the Men's Veteran III (MV III) (age 50 years and above) and the Women's Senior (age 36 years and above), were broken. Station Sergeant Lo Wai-keung clipped nearly a minute off the old MV III record, finishing in 47' 53". In the Women's Senior race, Clerical Assistant Ms Flora Lee Yin-ping finished in 52' 01", smashing the old record of 53 minutes.
In mild temperatures and dry conditions - perfect for running, the Chairman of the Police Sports Council Mike Dowie, started the 1,883 cheering competitors off on the 12-km course from Pak Tam Chung in the Sai Kung Country Park, across the High Island Dam and back again.
As the race strung out over the first 6 km, the four fastest distance runners in the Force, Constable Lai Hok-yan, Constable Ching Ying-wai, SIP Naylor and Constable Cheung Chi-hung, were leading comfortably at the 6 km half-way point turn-around.
The return leg, down the narrow and winding Man Yee Road, was led by three cyclist race marshals from the Police Cycling Club, warning on-coming runners to keep left, thus avoiding any collisions between the competitors.
In the last 2 km from the end, SIP Naylor pulled away, crossing the finishing line 23 seconds clear of Lai Hok-yan.
First in for the Men's Senior category (age 35 years to 40 years) was evergreen runner Acting Station Sergeant Leung Yat in 44' 43", closely followed by Men's Veteran I category (age 40 years to 45 years) winner, SIP Andy Gidley in 44' 47".
The first two finishers in the MV III category, SSGT Lo Wai-keung and SSGT Leung Wai-hung in 47' 53" and 49' 21" respectively, beat the winner of the Men's Veteran II category (age 45 years to 50 years) SSGT Leung Yiu-wing who crossed the line in 50' 39".
The first woman runner crossing the line was record-holder Flora Lee Yin-ping in the Women's Senior Category, followed over a minute later by the winner of the Women's Open category (aged 35 years and under) WPC Wong Siu-ping in a time of 53' 36". She was closely followed by WSIP Tsang Chiu-tong in 53' 40".
In the Men's Specialist Units' team competition, Airport District broke the 12-year winning streak of PTU HQ by a comfortable margin. And for the Ladies Specialist Units, it was also Airport District that picked up the team trophy.
Both the "Other Formations" Men's and Women's team trophies were won by Kowloon City District.
The Commissioner, Dick Lee Ming-kwai, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner (Operations), Tang King-shing, DFAP Arthur Ng Shek-hon and other senior officers, was on hand at the end of the race to congratulate the winners and present the trophies.
Kowloon East Regional Commander Mak Man-poon collected the SO's Mess trophy for the oldest Senior Police Officer to finish the race although it was Police Civil Secretary Mr Tony Height, aged 60, who was the oldest competitor of the day to cross the finishing line, but not the last.
