Club celebrates opening of Hong Kong's first BMX Park

31 October 2009

Over the years, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has played an important and long-standing role in supporting Hong Kong's sports development by funding new infrastructural projects and encouraging the public to participate in various sports.  As the Principal Contributor of the 2009 East Asian Games, the Club has donated HK$22 million to support the construction of the first International BMX Park in the city as a competition venue.

Today (31 October), the Club's Deputy Chairman T Brian Stevenson was joined by Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing, Chairman of Hong Kong Cycling Association Leung Sik-wah and celebrity Stephen Chow at the opening ceremony of The Hong Kong Jockey Club International BMX Park.

Mr Stevenson noted that the construction of the BMX Park was the third leg of the Club's HK$40 million support for the Games, the others being the volunteer programme and sponsorship of 120,000 tickets for students to attend the various sporting events.  "We are delighted to see that some local BMX athletes have achieved remarkable results, both nationally and internationally," he said.  "BMX is an exciting new sport with rapidly increasing popularity, but to date there has been a lack of proper training grounds for Hong Kong to further develop this sport.  Through the sponsorship of this new BMX Park, we hope to provide Hong Kong with a world class venue for nurturing more BMX talents and encouraging more community participation in the sport."

The Hong Kong Jockey Club International BMX Park is located at Gin Drinkers Bay in Kwai Chung.  It is the first park of its kind in the city and the first cycling medal of the 2009 East Asian Games will be awarded there.  The 39,200 sq metre site accommodates a 350-metre BMX circuit with jumps and three banked corners, as well as a training circuit for beginners.  Other facilities at the Park include classrooms, cycling gear shops, stores and a cafeteria.  The venue will be open to public after the Games and provide training courses so as to encourage more people to participate in the sport.

The 2009 East Asian Games will be held in Hong Kong from 5 to 13 December 2009.  Over 3,000 elite athletes from nine participating countries and regions - China, Chinese Taipei, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Macau, Mongolia and Guam - will compete for medals in 262 events across 22 sports.

125th Anniversary of The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is celebrating its 125th Anniversary in 2009/10 season.  Over the past 125 years, it has become one of Hong Kong's best known and respected organisations, providing the public with world-class sporting entertainment as well as being the city's major non-Government community benefactor, now donating more than HK$1 billion a year to charitable and community projects.  It has been a part of Hong Kong through good times and bad, sharing the city's growth and development with its people, and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for future generations.