Games seen as spark for region's winter sports growth

An ambitious Hong Kong delegation is focused on developing top-level talent for the future, sending its largest contingent ever — over a hundred athletes — to the 9th Asian Winter Games.

Its athletes have been participating in six events — curling, figure skating, short-track speed skating, speed skating, ice hockey and alpine skiing.

"This event is the best stage to showcase the years of hard work following the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics," Yue Kwok-yin, chairman of the Ski Association of Hong Kong, China, told newspaper Wenweipo. "Of course, we hope that our athletes can win medals."

Yue believes that the Hong Kong team has an advantage in alpine skiing, but the results of skiing competitions are greatly influenced by on-site performance.

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"Currently, Hong Kong's highest world ranking in alpine skiing is 57th and we hope to improve that ranking through this event, even aiming to win medals," he said.

Despite being a snowless city, development of winter sports in the special administrative region has been progressing steadily, especially in alpine skiing.

The number of alpine skiers has increased from one to eight from the 2022 Beijing Olympics to the Harbin Asian Winter Games, with four male and four female athletes.

"It indicates that they have passed rigorous evaluations and accumulated rich competition experience, proving the progress of Hong Kong's alpine skiing," said Siu Fai-ho, secretary-general of the association.

"However, Hong Kong does not have natural snowfields, so training can only be done in the Chinese mainland or abroad," said Siu. "There are also other challenges. For instance, the athletes are also students, so the training time can only be arranged during the holidays."

Despite limited training opportunities throughout the year and tight schedules, all team members have given their best efforts and made significant progress.

"At the 32nd Asian Alpine Ski Championships (Junior) 2024 in Jilin province last March, we won a bronze medal, which was not easy to achieve," he said. "Furthermore, some Hong Kong athletes competing in the 2025 Asian Winter Games have transitioned from ice skating to alpine skiing, which means they need to abandon long-developed habits and establish a new system of movements on snow."

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"The transition to alpine skiing, with its high speed and physical demands, is extremely difficult," he said. "Obtaining qualification for the Games demonstrates the relentless efforts of Hong Kong's athletes."

To cultivate more talent, the Hong Kong ski team has established its own promotion system, including the "Future Star" program for children aged between 8 and 12.

Those older than 12 have an opportunity to join the "Development Team" and, via systematic training and event selection, qualified members will be promoted to the Hong Kong ski team.

"Our association is committed to providing a development platform for new athletes," said Siu. "Once athletes achieve certain results, many excellent universities in Hong Kong will give priority to their admission, with some even offering scholarships, an initiative that has received widespread acclaim."

Meanwhile, older athletes can choose to transition into coaching to continue contributing to Hong Kong's winter sports program.

"The promotion system provides athletes with diverse career paths, allowing them to continue competing as athletes or pursue further education at universities, offering them a broad range of opportunities," said Siu.

"The ultimate goal is to cultivate more outstanding athletes and attract more skiing enthusiasts to contribute to Hong Kong's winter sports program."

Although eager to attract talent, Siu emphasized that safety is always the top priority in all training sessions.

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"The skills required for alpine skiing are quite technical, so we invited former Winter Olympic athletes to coach the youngsters," said Siu. "Their standards and requirements for the children are high."

As alpine skiing is a dangerous sport, insurance is provided for each student, and there are strict requirements for equipment, such as protective gear, helmets and even mouth guards, before engaging in the sport.

"Because of this thorough preparation, there are not many risks involved," he said. "The coaches also insist on safety awareness — they will first teach the children how to protect themselves."

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Yue, who has been deeply involved in the exchange and interaction between Heilongjiang and Hong Kong in winter sports for many years, is well aware of Heilongjiang's significant advantages in winter sports.

"Heilongjiang has a long history of winter sports, and is driving the development of the winter sports industry," said Yue. "It is renowned worldwide for its snow quality and snowmaking capabilities.

"The Games are a good opportunity to promote the province's winter sports advantages," he added.

Yue also believes that constant communication is crucial for nurturing athletes.

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"I eagerly hope that the exchange between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong in winter sports can be further strengthened, with future training and competitions taking place more frequently in the Chinese mainland," he said. "There are approximately 20,000 skiing enthusiasts in Hong Kong, who actively participate in winter sports tourism."

"Hong Kong has also expended a great effort to cultivate winter sports talent, hoping to elevate winter sports to new heights," he added.

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn