Noel Croucher Award – presented to Mr Gianni Aprea
Mr Aprea is currently our Dragon Boating Captain, the chairman of the Dragon Boat Sub-Committee and the Rowing Secretary. He has done more than any other in recent years to develop the sport of Dragon Boating within the club and Hong Kong at large.
Here are a few of his achievements:
• Established the first ever dragon boat races at the Club: MI and KI Cups;
• Started juniors racing and schools training programs and various corporate partnerships;
• Generally elevated and extended the outreach of the dragon boat program. When he joined, the Club Dragon Boating Section were lucky to fill 2 boats (and only had 2); and now they have a full fleet of 10 boats and additional equipment to support multiple programs and races;
• Elevated the overall status of the programme. The Club now has multiple athletes who have competed with their respective national teams at the World Nations Dragon Boat championships (and will when the event is, hopefully, held in HK next year). This includes training partnerships with national teams for the UK, the US, Spain and Russia.
• Long history of collaboration with the Club’s Charity Foundation and other local charities.
• Continually volunteering time to improve/maintain club facilities/ equipment;
• Encouraged / supported dozens of membership applications… junior, ordinary and full…increasing overall membership from the section;
• He has also been on the Rowing Committee (for many years), Marine Sub-Committee, Membership Matters Sub-Committee, Membership Committee, Paddle Sports Sub-Committee, Dragon Boat Sub-Committee, ATIR planning working group. He also contributed to KI gym redevelopment and the Middle Island Development Working Group, and assisted Middle Island Sub- Committee, Family Panel Sub-Committee and RHKYC Charity Foundation with many events.
