Hong Kong: a regatta in the harbour. Photograph by John Thomson, 1871.

Yachts in harbour. It is thought rowing was the first organized water sport in Hong Kong. In October 1849 the first recorded yacht race took place in the then British Crown Colony under the auspices of the Victoria Regatta Club, and over the next 40 years the Club continued to hold races sporadically. In the meantime, a group of oarsmen also got together to form another club in North Point, known as the Hong Kong Boat Club. After the formation of Hong Kong Corinthian Sailing Club in 1890, which later became the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the regatta became a regular and celebrated event in Hong Kong. Here we see Victoria Harbour, then one of the finest harbours in the world