ISA HK/China --- 2008 Green Thumbs Tree Climbing Competition results

Dear Station Members,

It is the utmost pleasure of ISA HK/China to announce to you that our Tree Climbers have achieved excellent results at the 2008 Green Thumbs Tree Climbing Championship in Singapore on 13.9.2008 as follows:

1. Champion Chainsaw Operator --- Tony Ng, Deputy Station Manager of ISA HK/China

2. Champion Work Safety & Health (WSH) Practitioner --- Tony Ng, Deputy Station Manager of ISA HK/China

3. Champion Chainsaw Operator Second Place --- Mr. SY Ho in the name of ISA HK/China from Fung Kai Tree Climbing

4. Master Challenge Second Place --- Mr. KW Lee in the name of ISA HK/China from Fung Kai Climbing

5. Men's Speed Climb First Place --- Mr. KW Lee in the name of ISA HK/China from Fung Kai Climbing

6. Men's Head to Head Foot Lock First Place --- Mr. KW Lee in the name of ISA HK/China from Fung Kai Climbing

7. Men's Head to Head Foot Lock Second Place --- Mr. SY Ho in the name of ISA HK/China from Fung Kai Tree Climbing

8. Women's Head to Head Foot Lock First Place --- Miss LS Chau in the name of ISA HK/China from Fung Kai Tree Climbing

All in all, our Tree Climbers have collected 8 Awards at the 2008 Green Thumbs Tree Climbing Championship for ISA HK/China & HK. This is the best results that HK Tree Climbers have ever scored in any International Tree Climbing Championship.

Besides where they would come from originally in our territory, all above climbers are members of TCHK (http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/treeclimbinghk) which is the training arm of ISA HK/China for practical skills in arboriculture including Tree Climbing, Chainsaw Operation, Aerial Rescue & Rigging. TCHK runs regular classes in Fung Kai School or Eurasian Garden nearly every Sunday for public entries.

It is our congratulation to the contestants who have worked so hard to bring honour to ISA HK/China & our territory. We also wish to thank Fung Kai School for providing the venue & facilities without which, there can be no Tree Climbing Champions of ours of today in Brisbane & Singapore. Modern Tree Climbing of ISA HK/China really started at Fung Kai School 2 years ago by the Station Manager to their students & the name of Fung Kai School will be down in history of modern arboriculture in China when ISA HK/China spreads into there later on in December.

Tree Climbing is on the rise in HK now & we have proven to the world that Chinese Climbers can compete internationally if we can be given facilities & proper training. It will be good if the HK Govt can consider to provide additional training ground in their parks or housing estates for us to develop proper Tree Climbing to the public, like Singapore is doing so in their city parks. With which, HK can certainly bring about further honours to our society & to arouse more interest to preserve & protect our trees by positively touching them.

Who would love a tree more than a Tree Climber who touches it?

best regards,

Sammy Au
Station Manager