Thanks to Didier Pujol for a lovely article. To read the full interview in French.
Click the link below.
On the occasion of a friendly meeting between kitesurfers in Hong Kong, we met the former female champion of Asia and holder of the first crossing between Hong Kong and Macao in kitesurfing Hillian Siu. She tells us about this discipline and her commitment to protecting the oceans.
When we meet Hiliian Siu, we are a little surprised to discover a very fine young girl, very different from the usual image of extreme sports champions. Her dazzling smile and kindness immediately grab your attention, as does her joie de vivre, symbolised that day by a large braided straw hat that looks like it came straight out of a Brazilian carnival. Beneath this frail and relaxed appearance, however, hides a strong character and an overflowing energy.
(When I asked if kitesurfing was accessible to everyone, Hillian smiled as he replied, "You've seen how much I weigh. If I can do it, then it's within reach for a lot of people." Judging by her slender look, I was reassured. So if this sounds like you, why not give it a try!)
"Kitesurfing is more than a sport"
Can you explain how you discovered kitesurfing?
I have been kitesurfing for 22 years. It is an integral part of my life. It's so much more than a sport to me. I need it for my balance. Lai Gun, uncle of the Olympic windsurfing champion, who runs a windsurfing center on the island of Cheung Chau took me under his wing since I was 14 years old. When kitesurfing came along he advised me to try, paid me for my first gear and lessons, while I was studying in Australia. Since then, I have never stopped. I am also a producer and writer. I create programs and series for foreign productions. At the moment, I'm preparing a fiction inspired by my kitesurfing trip between Hong Kong and Macao whose message is that you can change your life by giving yourself goals beyond your own person. This is what I seek to do with my actions for the cleanliness of the oceans. The script for the film was awarded but I still have to find funding to produce it.
"The crossing took me 6 months of preparation."
Did you make the first crossing from Hong to Macao by kitesurfing (55 km)? How did that happen ?
I was kitesurfing near my home in Tong Fuk, Lantau Island and noticed the passing ferries. So I thought it would be fun to zoom down to Macau. My idea was to set up a race towards Macau for the benefit of the protection of the oceans. I decided to tackle this challenge and I trained for 6 months before leaving on March 1, 2019, from Cheung Chau, southwest of Lantau for a test crossing. I was able to complete the crossing in two hours and 18 minutes from the Soko Islands to the South West of Lantau and entered the record books as the first person to kitesurf across the Pearl River Delta between the two cities. In the meantime, the Covid has been there and the race project has become more complicated to carry out.
"Hong Kong makes it possible to learn kitesurfing"
Tell us about kitesurfing in Hong Kong. How many people practice it? Are there schools and a federation?
To be honest, Hong Kong isn't the best place to kitesurf on a professional level, simply because the wind is usually light and changeable. With a change every 6 hours, it's a nightmare for any kitesurfing event organiser. That said, there might be around 200/300 kitesurfers in Hong Kong. In fact, it's not the worst place to learn, provided you have flexible hours. It takes a bit more patience and commitment but you will learn some essential skills that you would otherwise miss in windier places.
There are 5/6 entities teaching, including myself, but we only have one spot to teach: Shui Hau, Lantau Bay where we are at the moment. That said, I'm not complaining as I live on the island and have flexible working hours. Also, every time I see that it's windy, I drop everything and go on the water, even if it means working until 2am afterwards. There are also some associations.
"Water sports enthusiasts participate in waste collection"
What is the purpose of the meeting today? Is it part of a championship or is the main purpose the collection of floating waste? Can you tell us about it?
Today's event is not a sporting challenge, but a community effort to do some cleanup in Shui Hau Bay. As you can see, the amount of waste lying around is significant. What we want is to kite but we want a clean playground. So we have to do something.
There are many other ocean-related issues, but litter is the most visible. No one can deny it and everyone can help at their level. We are partners and supporters of the non-profit organization Ocean Recovery Alliance. We give them old kites and they have partners to turn them into “pick me up” bags for water sports enthusiasts: kitesurfers, stand up paddlers, swimmers or kayakers. Kitesurfers are probably the least efficient at collecting. The bulk of the work is in fact the responsibility of the accompanying persons who will pick up the waste on the beach. We are happy to give our kites a second life in addition to creating this ocean and beach cleanup event. Today, this action has nevertheless made it possible to eliminate more than 100 kilos of waste while raising awareness of this problem.
"Everyone can participate"
What will be the next locations? How can people join this sport and participate in your upcoming initiatives?
It is always difficult to say when the next event will take place. On the one hand, the wind is difficult to predict in Hong Kong and on the other hand, it is not known who will be available. If people want to try this sport, they can of course contact me by email or WhatsApp at +852 6870 4487. And if they want to join one of our initiatives, it is possible to follow us on Facebook , Instagram or our website.