Youngest Participant Only 1 Year Old Secondary Schools Contend for Inter-school Trophy

MSF Orienteering Competition 2008 is successfully held today at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island. Near 1,800 participants join this sporting event and have raised over HK$ 2 million to support the medical humanitarian relief works of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

Teams from government departments including Immigration Department and Fire Services Department compete with other organisations for the newly established Government Department and Public Organisation Trophy and the Corporate Sector Trophy. At the same time, 15 secondary schools contend for the Inter-Secondary School Trophy. And among the hundred of families that join the Family Category, we have the youngest participant of only one year old.

The spirit of the event is also enhanced by the VIP Race. Representatives from three local doctor organisations, including Hong Kong Medical Association, Hong Kong Doctors Union and Frontline Doctors’ Union, as well as guests from political and performing art sectors join the VIP Race enthusiastically together with MSF field volunteers.

Ms Au King-chi, JP, Commissioner for Tourism hosts the kick-off ceremony of the competition and the VIP Race. In the ceremony, Mr Dick van der Tak,Executive Director of MSF-HK says that the access to medical care in remote areas is much more limited than that in Hong Kong. Patients or even pregnant women often have to walk for days to reach health centre. He thanks for the support from all participants and sponsors to help MSF assist more people in need. Mr Andy Chan Chor-kam, FSDSM, Deputy Director of Fire Services, Mr Lee Chi-kin, President of Orienteering Association of Hong Kong, and Mr Morris Cheung, Managing Director of Ngong Ping 360 and other guests also attend the ceremony.

It is the seventh year that MSF-Hong Kong (MSF-HK) organises the Orienteering Competition and it has been the largest event of its kind in Hong Kong since it was launched. The competition aims to raise the awareness of the hardship of the vulnerable populations in getting access to health care in remote areas, and to provide an opportunity for participants to catch a glimpse of the challenges encountered by our field volunteers.

The event is sponsored by Agile Property, co-presented by Orienteering Association of Hong Kong and supported by AIA Foundation. Thanks also go to Official Carrier Ngong Ping 360, Supporting Companies W. L. Gore & Associates (HK) Ltd. and The Overlander, and SWISS International Air Lines, Dragonair, Deqingyuan (Hong Kong) Limited, Yahoo! Hong Kong, Swire Coca-Cola HK, Chan Man Chau Fruit Company Limited, Give Me Five Catering Limited, Yuk Yat Silk & Cotton Manufactory Limited, Correctional Services Staff Volunteer Group, Hong Kong Adventure Corps and St. John Ambulance.

List of VIP Teams (Listed not in sequence):

1. Pioneers of Democracy (Democratic Party: Hon Sin Chung-kai, Mr Wong Sing-chi, Mr Wu Chi-wai, Mr Andrew Fung Wai-kwong) – First Runner-up

2. DAB Team (DAB: Hon Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, Mr Chan Hak-kan, Miss Yung Tak-man)

3. Friends of the Liberals (Liberal Party: Hon Howard Young and his son Mr Jeremy Young, Mr Peter Shiu, Ms Christine Fong)

4. Hong Kong Medical Association (Dr Hon Kwok Ka-ki, Dr Wilson Fung Yee-leung, Dr Timmy Chan Chi-wing)

5. Hong Kong Doctors Union (Dr Raymond Cheung Wan-kit, Dr Johnson Hui Yat-ming, Dr Eric Chak Hing-chung, Dr Kelvin Ng Kwok-chai) – Second Runner-up

6. Frontline Doctors' Union (Dr Louis Cheung Chin-pang, Dr Seamus Siu Yuk-leung, Dr Augustine Chan, Dr Au-Yeung Kwok-leung) – Champion

7. MSF Team (Dr Stanley Chau, Ms Florence Fung, Mr Jagmohan Singh)

8. Artiste Team (HotCha, Mr Vincent Wong)

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