Magic moments at Hong Kong Sevens’ new Kai Tak home despite teething troubles

The city’s new 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium hosted its first Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament at the weekend and, despite some teething issues, fans marvelled at the event, describing the atmosphere as “magical”.
The three-day Sevens, which ended on Sunday, was the first real-world stress test for the stadium as the centrepiece of the HK$30 billion (US$3.8 billion) Kai Tak Sports Park, which was heralded as a “game-changer” for the city’s efforts to reposition itself as a mega-events hub when it opened on March 1.

Visitors from around the world had descended on the stadium since Friday, with long-time Sevens attendees and newcomers alike praising its modern facilities and cleanliness. The annual competition moved to its new home in Kowloon after decades at Hong Kong Stadium in Causeway Bay.

The South Stand at Kai Tak was just as lively as its famous namesake at Hong Kong Stadium. Photo: Eugene Lee

Official figures showed a final-day attendance of 38,352, taking the total to more than 110,000 for the weekend. Spectators consumed 82,000 litres of beer as well as more than 350,000 food and drink items.

Lipe Kaloni, a 37-year-old from Tonga, was making her first visit to the Sevens with a group of friends from Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

She said her friends had always raved about the event, but she did not quite believe the hype until now.

“I get it now,” she said. “It’s one of those moments where you have to pinch yourself. Like, we’re really here. Every day we’ve made friends from all over the world.”

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