Hong Kong is to host the 5th Asian Cross County Championships for Women on December 13, organizers of the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association (HKAAA) said in Hong Kong on December 11.

William Ko, chairman of HKAAA, said Hong Kong was honored to be appointed by the Asian Amateur Athletic Association to host the event for the first time.

A total of 57 top runners from 11 Asian countries and regions, including Japan, China, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, India, Indonesia, Macao, Mongolia, Nepal and Turkmenistan have registered to compete with the host team, Hong Kong of China, which has been preparing for the championships since July 1999.

The biennial tournament, started in 1991 with only three teams for the senior and five for the junior, features senior and junior individual and team events at Hong Kong Golf Club.

Organizers said many cross-country events are now running on golf courses and this helps develop this sport further.

Japan dominated the event, taking all 12 titles in the past three championships while China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea shared the four titles at the first championships held in Japan in 1991.