In recent years, emerging sports have been gaining steam in Hong Kong. These new, non-traditional sports do not require much – just simple sports equipment and venues – so they are suitable not only for friends who want to compete against each other but also for the entire family to share the happiness of exercising together. The sports are especially suitable for promoting in community. The outdoor space in Zone B of Lok Fu Place, located next to the outdoor urban farm, is now fully accessible to the public, offering a free sports venue and free equipment rentals in a bid to allow people to enjoy the fun and benefits of emerging sports.

Sports ≠ Elite Games!

The definition of emerging sports is very broad, but it mainly refers to non-traditional sports. Osman Wong, founder of PNL New Sports, an organisation that promotes emerging sports in Hong Kong, said that since traditional sports have been around for a long time, there are lots of people who are good at them, making it difficult for novices to compete with more experienced players. However, with emerging sports, all participants are essentially starting from scratch. Osman, who aims to integrate emerging sports into the community, said, "Sports should not be limited to elite athletes. Sports symbolise health and should be accessible to everyone."

Mölkky - New Parent-child Game Option

Mölkky originated in Finland. The gameplay is like bowling and the scoring method is similar to darts. In principle, points are accumulated depending on which pins are knocked over during each round. Because of its simple rules, it is very suitable for the elderly and children, and is a good choice as a parent-child sport. (Detailed rules for Mölkky can be found here.)

However, it is not that easy to win at Mölkky. "The rules say that the first player to reach exactly 50 points wins. Generally speaking, the player who takes the first turn in each round has an advantage, as the player can reach 50 points sooner, but in the later rounds, if a player exceeds 50 points, the score will be immediately reduced to 25 points as a penalty. You snooze, you lose, which is very exciting!" Osman explained.

Curling on the Ground

Floor curling simulates the game of curling, which is played on the ice. The rules and scoring method of the floor version follow those of the ice version, although floor curling has the major advantage of being playable on smooth ground, without the need for a high-quality ice surface. Floor curling gives everyone the chance to experience curling, whatever their winter sport experience and whatever the temperature! (Detailed rules for floor curling can be found here.)

Unlike Mölkky, floor curling does not give any advantage to the first player, but instead gives it to the second player. "Strategy is essential to floor curling. In addition, cooperation and communication with teammates are vital. The last player in each round can disrupt the opponent's entire layout," Osman said.

Apart from providing a free sports venue and equipment rentals, professional coaches from PNL New Sports will also explain the basic rules and skills of each available emerging sport on-site during weekends and public holidays. From 19 June to 18 July, coaches will experience the fun of Mölkky and floor curling with everyone. Come and try them for free!