Trailwalker

Oxfam Trailwalker (Hong Kong) logo.

End point of 2011 HK Trailwalker 2011

Trailwalker or Oxfam Trailwalker and the related Trailtrekker are fundraising endurance events conducted across the world by Oxfam, in which teams of four competitors must complete a course of 100 kilometres (62 mi) in a set time limit - typically between 24 and 48 hours. The routes may be point-to-point or follow a circular route returning to the start.

History

The event began in 1981 in Hong Kong as a training exercise by the Queen's Gurkha Signals, part of the Brigade of Gurkhas of the British Army, which was at the time based in the British colony. In 1986, teams of civilians were allowed to take part and Oxfam Hong Kong was invited to co-organise the event.^[1]

In 1997, with the handover of Hong Kong to China, the Gurkha regiments were relocated to the United Kingdom. The Trailwalker event followed the Gurkas's relocation and was organised over the South Downs in Sussex, with Oxfam in the UK acting as partner since 2002, alongside the Gurkha Welfare Trust. Oxfam Hong Kong continued to organise the original event without the Gurkhas and the event has grown with 15 events now taking place in 11 countries worldwide.^[2]

Events

Common rules

There are some common rules across all the Trailwalker and Trailtrekker events.

• Each team must have four members, who are required to cross all checkpoints and finish line together, although teams may continue with only three members if one has to retire.
• The Trailwalker event course, referred to as 'the trail,' is 100 kilometres long.
• Participants should also organise a support team, plan and start their training schedule at least three months before the event.
• All teams must raise a minimum sponsorship amount and those teams raising over the threshold will take priority in registering for Oxfam Trailwalker next year.

Macau TrailWalker

In mid-2010, Upward Bound Unlimited (UBU),^[3] a Macau-based company which organizes sports tourism events in the Pearl River Delta region, and Macau's main English-language daily newspaper, the Macau Daily Times, announced that a cross-country hiking event called "Macau TrailWalker"^[4] would be held later in the year with the support of the local Macau authorities.^[5] The event was held on 9 October 2010^[6] on the outer island of Coloane and consisted of a 30km category and a 12km category.

Prior to the event, Oxfam Hong Kong issued a press release stating among other things that it was not associated with the event or any of its organizers (nor had it been contacted by them), that it did not approve nor endorse the event, that no sponsorship money from the event would be used in any Oxfam aid work, and that it "reserved the right to take appropriate legal action to protect the Trailwalker name".^[7]

References

External links

• Oxfam Trailwalker Hong Kong
• Oxfam Trailwalker Japan
• UK Oxfam Trailwalker
• Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne
• Oxfam Trailwalker Sydney
• Oxfam Trailwalker Brisbane
• New Zealand Oxfam Trailwalker
• Oxfam Trailwalker France
• Oxfam Trailwalker Canada
• Oxfam Novib Trailwalker Netherlands
• Oxfam Trailwalker Germany
• Oxfam Trailwalker Belgium
• Spain - Intermon Oxfam Trailwalker