Wing-Ding squash is Hong Kong's top fund-raiser

What's the score? I think it's Tutu-All ... — **What’s the score? I think it’s Tutu-All ..**

.Hong Kong fancy dress squash competition raises more than HK$1.2m for charity

By ALEX WAN – Squash Mad Asian Bureau Editor

The Wing Ding Charity Squash Tournament has been honoured with the “Top Sport Fundraiser” by the organisers of Operation Santa Claus, the largest year-end fundraising drive in Hong Kong.

This year, Operation Santa Claus has raised over HK$20m, with the Wing Ding Charity Squash Tournament contributing over HK$1.2m and coming in as the third largest donor, after corporate giants UBS and Morgan Stanley.

Tim Everest, the organiser of the event, said on Wing Dong’s Facebook page:

“This is a great honour to all of you who have made a contribution to the Wing Ding brand for goodness. Together, we made an enormous difference in the lives of some very troubled, desperate people.

“We have been the third largest donor three years in a row and are by far, the most successful sports event associated with the appeal.

“Today meant a lot to me personally but the success is due to the support that the event enjoys in the community.”

The Wing Ding Charity Squash Tournament is named in honour of the late Yuen Kam-Wing, a physically disabled man who worked at the HK Squash Centre, who had touched many with his positive outlook on life despite his disability.

The event was into its 16th year and has so far generated over HK$8.2m over the years. The figures alone certainly befits Wing Ding’s slogan, “Going balls to the walls for Hong Kong’s most needy”.

While the cause of the event is of no laughing matter, the sight of Captain Americas, Fred Flintstones, Pink Panthers and men in stockings prancing around in a squash court is definitely quite a scene.

The format of the team event sees each of their 10 players playing a round of 9 games consisting of 3-minutes each, consecutively, trying to score as many points as possible for their teams.

This means that each player is to play nearly 40 minutes of non-stop squash, dressed in the most ridiculous outfits!

Among the 140 participants of the event was Rebecca Chiu, who was playing in her third Wing Ding. The 2002 Asian Games and former world number 13 joked about the format, “It’s quite intense and I find it difficult, too”.