Event History
About Cross Harbour Race

First held in 1906, the Cross Harbour Race has served as one of Hong Kong’s most celebrated events for over 70 years attracting hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators. The event has also attracted significant media attention locally and internationally delivering vibrant photos of athletes diving into Victoria Harbour against the picturesque backdrops of Hong Kong’s mountain and skyscraper views. The Race has always played a major role in advocating the strong Lion Rock Spirit which truly fosters the pride of Hong Kong.
The Cross Harbour Race is a physically demanding sports event, requiring both a tactical and technical approach to achieve the best outcome. Racing across the Victoria Harbour, it perfectly blends both natural and metropolitan experience together, and elaborates its extraordinary charm.
In 2011, the revival of the “New World Harbour Race”, also coupled as one of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the HKASA and that of the Hong Kong Sports Federation & Olympic Committee, was a great success with around 1,000 swimmers racing 1.8 km across the Victoria Harbour from Sam Ka Tsuen Public Landing to Quarry Bay Park. The Race revived an important memory of the Hong Kong community and helped to promote swimming as a sport amongst people of all ages.
Held in conjunction with the 5th Asian Open Water Swimming Championships in 2012, the New World Harbour Race was recognized as a “M Mark” Event and had attracted over 1,600 contestants including swimming elites all over Asia to swim across theVictoriaHarbourfrom Sam Ka Tsuen Public Landing to Sai Wan Ho Harbour Park.
HKASA is confident that the Cross Harbour Race would grow in scale to become an iconic event for Hong Kong and wish all participants and spectators an enjoyable and memorable race this year.

A.　　Categories & Events:

Racing Groups*
	Men	Women	Boys	Girls	Men	Women
Event No.	1	2	3	4	5	6
Distance	approximately 1.5 km
Group	International		Youth		**School
Age	14 or above		12-16		12 or above
Quota	100		100		50

Racing Groups*
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
Event No.	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Distance	approximately 1.5 km
Group	Open# (A)		Open# (B)		Open# (C)		Invitation
Age	17-34		35-49		50 or above		–
Quota	100		100		100		50

Leisure Groups
	Men	Women
Event No.	15	16
Distance	approximately 1.5 km
Age	Age 12 or above
Quota	2,400

B.　　Competition Eligibility:

i.　Racing Groups:

1.　International Category:

Qualification:

• Non-Hong Kong ID card holder; and
• Aged 14 or above, age is calculated as at 31st December 2016; and
• Physically Fit and Healthy; and
• Duly-signed Declaration of Responsibility (Signed by parents for swimmers under 18 years of age); and
• Medical Certificate required for 60 years of age or above; and
• Attend Time Trial 2016 or fulfill one of the “Racing Groups Time Trial Exemptions” from below (Selection may not duplicate):
  • Submit result of New World Harbour Race 2014 – Racing Groups; or
  • Submit result of New World Harbour Race 2015 – Racing Groups; or
  • Submit the Time Trial record from New World Harbour Race 2014; or
  • Submit the Time Trial record from New World Harbour Race 2015; or
  • Proven ability to complete swimming distance of Long Course Swimming Pool – 1,500m from between 1st April 2014 and 9th August 2016. Only proven time records endorsed by its National Swimming Association will be taken for considered;
• All the records above will be taken into account. The fastest swimmers amongst all submitted time and time trial records will be accepted. (subject to HKASA’s final decision)
• Participants of FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup 2016 – Hong Kong shall be invited

  2.　Open Category, Youth Category and **School Category:

Qualification:

• Hong Kong ID card holder; and
• 12 years of age or above; age is calculated as at 31st December 2016;
• Physically Fit and Healthy; and
• Duly-signed Declaration of Responsibility (Signed by parents for swimmers under 18 years of age); and
• Medical Certificate required for 60 years of age or above; and
• Attend Time Trial 2016 or fulfill one of the “Racing Groups Time Trial Exemptions” from below (Selection may not duplicate):
  • Submit result of New World Harbour Race 2014 – Racing Groups; or
  • Submit result of New World Harbour Race 2015 – Racing Groups; or
  • Submit the Time Trial record from New World Harbour Race 2014; or
  • Submit the Time Trial record from New World Harbour Race 2015; or
  • Proven ability to complete swimming distance of Long Course Swimming Pool – 1,500m from between 1st April 2014 and 9th August 2016.
• All the records above will be taken into account. The fastest swimmers amongst all submitted time and time trial records will be accepted (subject to HKASA’s final decision).
• For Open Category and Youth Category, Winners and Runner-ups from New World Harbour Race 2015 are directly accepted. Quota of each gender group for the remaining applicants is then assigned on a pro rata basis* among the qualified applicants. Applicants with the fastest record will be accepted.

• * Pro Rata Calculation:
• For example, for Open Category – Group A (Age 17-34),
• Qualified swimmers from Time Trial: 100 Men and 80 Women. 6 Winners and Runner-ups from 2015 have been accepted as Priority Application. Available Quota is 94.
• Gender Quota Calculation with rounding:
• Men: (100/180) x 94 = 52.22
• Women: (80/180) x 94 = 41.77
• Quota for Men is 52, quota for Women is 42.

Race Course: