August What’s New

Sports Star Visits DCB
If you’re from China or North America, you probably won’t have heard of Mike Gatting, but to the world’s two billion cricket fans he’s remembered as a fiery competitor involved in many of the game’s most exciting and controversial moments. Gatting was at Dulwich College Beijing (DCB) for the Mike Gatting Cricket Festival, an annual event encouraging Beijing’s kids to take up the game. You can read our exclusive interview with Gatting on the beijingkids website: www.beijing-kids.com

Leader of the Pack
Beijing’s very own Cub Scout Pack 3944 has a new leader. Byron Denney replaces Kenny Jackman, who has moved onto pastures new. The Pack is affiliated to Boy Scouts of America, and gives boys aged 7-10 the chance to take part in fun, character-building activities like hiking, camping, wildlife conservation, and community service. Membership is open to anyone holding a foreign (non-Chinese) passport and a valid visa. To find out more visit the Pack’s website: www.beijingcubscouts.com

Beijing Hockey Club Joins the Big League
Kunlun Redstar, Beijing’s pro team, has joined the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), second only in prestige to North America’s NHL. KHL’s 29 teams are mainly from Russia, but there are also teams from Finland, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Slovakia, and Croatia. The deal was signed in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which gives an indication of the importance attached to developing winter sports ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. The season begins on August 22, and Kunlun Redstar will play their home games at the LeSports Center (formerly the Mastercard Center) in Wukesong.

Harrow Beijing Student’s Breakthrough
A Harrow International School Beijing student’s genetics research has been internationally recognized. Thatcher, a year 10 student, entered his project into the Google Science Fair global online science competition. Experts deemed it to be a Late-Breaking Clinical Trial, and worthy of showing at Rome’s European Society of Cardiology Annual Scientific Sessions in August. A stellar career surely awaits this young scientist.

Ever Get That Sinking Feeling?
You may not be imagining it. Beijing is subsiding at the rate of four inches a year, according to an international team of researchers. The reason is that we are pumping out too much groundwater, while building too many skyscrapers on top. If something isn’t done, the subsidence might affect the subway. And you thought the rush hour was bad now!

Congratulations Jess!
Our very own School Editor Jessica Suotmaa has given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Rina Jade Wang was born in Finland, weighing 3.73 kg. Mother and baby are both doing well, and the new arrival was welcomed with joy by dad Ray and big brother Jax.

Life’s a Beach at Chaoyang Park
The grandly named Chaoyang Park Ocean Beach Festival is underway once more, open until August 31. In simpler terms, this means the park’s artificial beach and outdoor swimming area are open for the summer. The beach was originally constructed for the Beach Volleyball competition at the 2008 Olympics, using sand shipped all the way from Hainan Island.

This article originally appeared on page 6 of the August 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, and courtesy of Jessica Suotmaa, Harrow Beijing, DCB, and Kunlun Redstar