Bulletin Autumn 1989

CUHK Won Intervarsity Rowing Competition The University's rowing team beat its Hong Kong University counterpart and won the championship in the third Hong Kong Intervarsity Rowing Competition which took place on 3rd September. This is the first time the CUHK teamhas won in the competition. Rowing has for many years been a popular university sports activity in the West, notably in England, where the annual race between the ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge draws the attention of the entire country and is still amajor event in the social calendar. Three years ago, a group of students from the two local universities, most of them being keen oarsmen, conceived the idea of organizing a rowing tournament more or less along the Oxford-Cambridge line, to promote interest in this very worthy sport. With the assistance of the Hong Kong Amateur Rowing Association, sponsorship from the Shun Hing Electronic Trading Co. Ltd. and other firms, encour­ agement from His Excellency the Governor and Sir David Akers-Jones, full support of the physical education units and student affairs offices of the two universities, the two teams were formed and they first competed in a5,000 metre race in September 1987. This first attempt to introducing an intervarsity rowing championship proved so successful that the organizers, the two university rowing clubs, were tempted not only to repeat the event but also to make it a permanent, annual competition. Their plans materialized in time and a second tournament took place in September 1988. The third Intervarsity Rowing Championship was held on Shing Mun River, just off the Shatin Central Park. The competition took place in the pre sence of the vice-chancellors of the two universities, the Honourable Donald Liao, Secretary for District Administration, and Sir David Akers-Jones, whose abiding interest in the event had always been very encouraging to the organizers. The event was well attended by university staff and students, as well as members of the press. The Chinese University's men's coxed eight won the major trophy for the first time, much to the jubilation of all who witnessed the proceedings. The 1,000 metre race for women was won by the women's coxed four of the University of Hong Kong. In addressing the gathering of sportsmen and spectators, Sir David exhorted the rowers to pursue their goals with courage, fairness and fortitude, qualities which were amply demonstrated in the performance of the CUHK teams. The prize-giving ceremony was certainly the high point of the whole event, andmany Chinese Uni­ versity students in the crowd were overwhelmed with joy as the members of the University team (men) received the trophy. This was followed by a luncheon at the Regal Riverside Hotel at which all had a good time. 17

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