Climbers will be allowed exactly three minutes to scale the tower, stuff as many buns as possible into a backpack and return to the mats. Gaps between the bamboo sheaths on the steel girders are too narrow for proper footholds, so contestants will essentially have to pull themselves up with their arms.
Upper-body strength, while critical, is not the only factor. "Climbing fast is an advantage, but the strategy you use for grabbing buns will be more important," said Nip Wai-keung, a climbing coach who has helped oversee safety for the event. Four dozen people competed on May 1 for the honor of taking part in the race on Sunday. A 23-year-old local fireman and bodybuilder, Kwok Ka-keung, scrambled to the top and back down the fastest: 14 seconds.
At the request of the Hong Kong government, islanders decided to allow women to compete this year. Yung and Woo described the decision as uncontroversial, especially when compared with the considerable wrangling on the island over whether to accept the strict government safety rules.
Two women, both rock climbing enthusiasts, qualified among the top 12 climbers for Sunday's event, with Lee Suet-man placing 9th and Angel Liu 11th.
In contrast with reality television, however, the competitors here seem to keep a sense of perspective.
"I don't go to temple often, but I respect traditions and want to keep them," said Liu, a 30-year-old tea-shop chef. "Participation is the most important thing. The most important meaning of the game is to bless other people."
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