The Lap Dog Challenge is a unique running event held in Hong Kong each year. It was first run in 2016 with the aim of perhaps raising “a couple hundred thousand dollars for charity”.

In its first year the event raised HK$1.14m which was all donated to The Lighthouse Club Hong Kong, a charity organisation which specially caters to supporting the needs of spouses and dependents of breadwinners affected by construction related death, injury or sickness.

There are many people who volunteer their time each year to make the Lap Dog Challenge a success but it was first envisaged by Mark Van Beers, the Managing Director of WT (Hong Kong & Macau).

On a normal evening in Hong Kong, as Mark was running laps at Tsing Yi Sports Ground, he suddenly thought that running laps could easily become a sponsorship opportunity and that the money could be used to help the less fortunate. Knowing that running was a favourite past-time of so many Hong Kongers, Mark made a few calls to some industry buddies and in 2016 the first event came to fruition.

The idea was for participants from construction related firms to run laps around a sports ground and be sponsored for their efforts by contacts within the industry.

The five original supporting firms were WT, Dragages, Gammon, Leighton and ISG (now TSG).

Each firm was tasked with recruiting 5 runners who would run around the 400-meter track at Stanley Ho Sports Ground an inordinate number of times and their companies would gather sponsorship accordingly.

As Mark is often quoted as saying “It’s never been a relay, it’s not a relay now and it never will be a relay.” It’s every runner for themselves to accumulate as many laps towards the total as possible.

The event is incredibly successful yet simplistic. It is 5 runners from each firm, running as many laps as possible in 5 hours from 7am to high noon. There are few supporters and the event concludes as quietly as it begins. Trophies are handed out for most individual laps, most team laps and most sponsorship dollars raised. The runners limp off home for well deserved rest knowing they would return in 12 months’ time.

Over the years, many teams have come and gone but the core group of WT, Dragages, Gammon, Hip Hing, Leighton and TCG are always represented.

In 2022, 13 teams raised nearly HK$2.8 million, making 2022 the most successful year for LDC to date. “I’m truly thankful for everyone’s support and the hard work of our organising committee,” Mark said.

LDC has run each year from 2016 and raised a total of over HK$14.4 million for charity. All proceeds have been donated to the Lighthouse Club Hong Kong, and starting from 2022, the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation was added as a second minor beneficiary.

LDC has become a symbol of unity and philanthropy in Hong Kong’s construction industry. The event has attracted a diverse range of participants. The runners are CEO’s, directors, professional staff, site employees, tradespeople. They come from client groups, consultants, contractors and sub-contractors.

This year, LDC is back with 55 runners from 11 teams. The 2023 event is currently in the early stages of planning but soon the sponsorship drums will begin to beat around Hong Kong prior to the big day on 9th December 2023.

The 8th Lap Dog Challenge

Date: 9 December 2023
Time: 7am to noon
Location: Stanley Ho Sports Ground, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Teams: BK Asia, Dragages, Gammon, Hip Hing, JEB, Leighton, Secretariat, TCG, Lighthouse Club, WT
Beneficiaries: Lighthouse Club Hong Kong, Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation

 

We have completed the challenge! Check out the result HERE.