Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

HONG KONG, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hong Kong Jockey Club concluded the landmark 10th anniversary and fifth edition of its PBC forum at West Kowloon Cultural District today (8 September). Convened over two days by the Club's Charities Trust in association with the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP), PBC 2026 featured more than 80 eminent speakers and over 2,000 delegates from around the world. Under the central theme of "Leaping for Impact", the forum brought together leaders from the philanthropic, sports, business, government, academic and social sectors.

Thematic discussions over the two days addressed pressing social issues including health, the well-being of older adults, urban poverty alleviation, heritage conservation, youth positive trajectory development, climate resilience and inclusive employment. Interactive Impact Studios, Co-Learning Workshops and other extended programmes further bridged visionary ideas with practical implementation, examining how meaningful social impact can be achieved on the ground.

To mark the forum's conclusion and celebrate a decade of global dialogue, a PBC 2026 Gala Dinner was held at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. It brought together delegates from the Chinese Mainland and across the world including foundation leaders, government officials, tertiary institution representatives and community leaders. Among the distinguished attendees were Dr the Hon Starry Lee, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR; The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council of the HKSAR; Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao; Club Deputy Chairman and IoP Chairman Lester Huang; Club Stewards; Club CEO and IoP Director Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges; and other members of the Club's Board of Management.

Dr the Hon Starry Lee, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR, said at the Gala Dinner that, over the past decade, the PBC forum had not only borne witness to the development of philanthropy, but had also promoted exchange and collaboration among the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and the international community. Looking ahead to the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, she noted that philanthropic models that take a long-term perspective and place greater emphasis on capacity building and talent development would become increasingly important.

The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council of the HKSAR, said: "Meaningful achievement is built through clarity of purpose, discipline, resilience, honest self-assessment, and an unyielding determination to improve. Those same qualities are becoming increasingly essential in philanthropy, and The Hong Kong Jockey Club is especially well placed to lead this conversation because it sits at the unique intersection of sport, public purpose and philanthropy at scale."

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao expressed his profound gratitude to all speakers, panellists, moderators and participants of PBC 2026 for bringing their remarkable range of experience and perspectives to the forum. He praised the progress that PBC has made over the past decade in addressing prevailing social challenges and inspiring cross-sector and cross-regional partnerships, to its position today as one of the largest assemblies of the global philanthropic community worldwide.

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Club's CEO and IoP Director, delivered the forum's closing remarks, echoing insights from forum speakers and reflecting on the sector's evolving journey. "If there is one lesson that has emerged consistently over the past two days, it is that meaningful impact does not happen by accident. It requires vision, discipline and commitment. But above all, it requires collaboration." He added: "No organisation, foundation, government or business can address today's challenges alone. Partnerships are key, but equally important is finding the right partners: those who bring complementary strengths, share our purpose are committed to achieving meaningful outcomes together."

Earlier today, the opening keynote address was delivered by Hari Menon, President of Global Growth & Opportunity at the Gates Foundation. Entitled "The New Growth Agenda: Philanthropy's Role in Expanding Opportunity for All", it examined the catalytic role of philanthropy in enabling more people to contribute to and benefit from economic growth.

As part of the Club's ongoing efforts to promote education and development equity, and following the adoption and adaptation of the CoolThink@JC curriculum in Cambodian primary schools earlier this year, an MOU on early childhood education and development was signed today. Witnessed by Club Steward Jackson Woo, the MOU was signed by Dr Gabriel Leung, Club Executive Director, Charities and Community, and H.E. Dr Kim Sethany, Permanent Secretary of State of Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, reaffirming the shared commitment to strengthening development foundations and better life trajectories for children.

The forum's closing plenary featured an intergenerational dialogue between a sports leader-turned-philanthropist and aspiring young athletes who want to drive change. Moderated by Yao Ming, Founder and Chairman of the Yao Foundation, the session examined how athletes can broaden their impact and how personal growth can translate into leadership and community building. The speakers were Yvette Kong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arelyx and Olympic swimmer; Jacqueline Lai, Hong Kong, China equestrian team rider and Asian Games medallist; and Cado Lee, two-time Asian Games gold medallist and a Hong Kong, China Rugby Sevens player.

In line with this year's theme, The Bridgespan Group unveiled a new report examining what distinguishes family giving in Asia and how the world's wealthiest families approach philanthropy. Supported by IoP, The Rockefeller Foundation and the Gates Foundation, the research explores the relationship between family, business and philanthropy across the region. Separately, Bridgespan's latest corporate giving research found that The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust remain the leading corporate donor in Asia and the eighth largest globally, with an annual average of approved donations of US$774 million from 2020 to 2024.

Initiated in 2016, PBC has served as a flagship platform for global philanthropic thought leadership and cross-sector collaboration, engaging some 10,000 participants and more than 380 speakers from over 40 countries and regions throughout the past decade.

The Club's support for PBC 2026, like all of its charity and community initiatives, is made possible by its unique value creation model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for the community.

 

Photos can be downloaded from the website of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (https://corporate.hkjc.com/en-us/news-and-publications/corporate-news).

Photos can be downloaded from the website of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (https://corporate.hkjc.com/en-us/news-and-publications/corporate-news).

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Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Jockey Club concludes landmark 10th anniversary of PBC with Gala Dinner featuring delegates from around the world to celebrate a decade of global dialogue

Suunto Run 2 pairs a 35 g watch body with a 2,000-nit AMOLED display, around 10 days of battery, new-generation dual-band GNSS, a 12-channel wrist heart rate sensor and free worldwide offline maps, in a watch built for road running and marathon training.

NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Suunto today announced the global launch of Suunto Run 2, a new-generation running watch built for road running and marathon training. It is designed for runners who train with intent, from a first marathon to a personal best, and brings running, training and recovery together in a 35 g watch body that is light enough to forget and quick enough to read at a glance.

Run 2 builds on the success of Suunto Run with upgrades runners feel on every outing: a three-times-brighter 2,000-nit AMOLED display, 29 percent more battery capacity, a redesigned 12-channel wrist heart rate sensor, new-generation dual-band GNSS, and free worldwide offline maps. Alongside a broad range of running modes and training tools, Run 2 is as ready for an easy morning loop as it is for a structured interval session, a long weekend run or race day.

A 35 g Watch Body, Built to Stay On

Run 2 is designed to stay out of the way of the run. At 35 g for the watch body and 11.7 mm thick, it sits close on the wrist through the working day, through sleep and through the longest sessions of a training block. Runners can put it on and leave it on, which means training, sleep and recovery all land in the same picture.

The 1.32-inch AMOLED display reaches 2,000 nits, three times brighter than Suunto Run, keeping pace, heart rate and distance readable in direct sunlight. Numbers are large, clear and quick to take in, so runners can check them and stay in rhythm.

A 29 percent increase in battery capacity over Suunto Run delivers around 10 days of everyday use with training and up to 24 hours of dual-band GNSS, enough to cover a full training week and leave the charger at home. Actual battery life may vary depending on settings, usage and operating conditions.

Built for everyday life as well as training, Run 2 combines a stainless steel bezel, Gorilla Glass and 5 ATM water resistance in a compact design made to handle changing weather, long runs and everything in between.

Confidence in Every Kilometer

The most important numbers on a running watch are the ones runners can trust. Run 2 introduces a redesigned 12-channel wrist heart rate sensor behind 2.5D curved sensor glass, improving accuracy from an easy recovery run through hard intervals and race-day surges.

For runners who want to take heart rate training further, Run 2 pairs with the Suunto Smart Heart Rate Belt 2 for beat-to-beat data and deeper analysis. That includes Suunto ZoneSense, which uses heart rate variability to show exercise intensity as it actually is on the day. Where fixed heart rate zones give a general guide, ZoneSense follows how the body responds during the session, showing whether a runner is working aerobically, moving into anaerobic intensity or approaching a maximum effort. Because fatigue, recovery and conditions shift from day to day, it gives dedicated runners a far more personal picture of how hard the work really is.

Run 2 also features new-generation dual-band GNSS, tracking L1 and L5 signals across GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS to keep position, distance and pace closer to the actual route. Together with wrist heart rate measurement, it gives runners information they can act on, in everyday training and on race day alike.

Suunto Smart Heart Rate Belt 2

Launching alongside Run 2, Suunto Smart Heart Rate Belt 2 brings precision to serious training. Built for endurance athletes who train by intensity, it delivers accurate exercise heart rate and high-resolution beat-to-beat R-R interval data across road running, trail running, cycling, triathlon, and the winter and mountain sports where a wrist sensor struggles to hold skin contact.

ECG-based detection identifies QRS-complex artifacts in heart rate and R-R interval measurement, while a new chest-strap construction guards against ESD noise. The result is a heart rate trace that follows intervals, sustained surges and long efforts more consistently, and the quality of R-R data that ZoneSense needs to read intensity as it is on the day. ZoneSense requires a compatible Suunto watch.

A compact transmitter and a soft strap with silicone grip features keep the belt securely in place through long sessions, with less bulk on the chest and fewer adjustments along the way. Approximately 460 hours of battery life keep maintenance rare.

Paired with a compatible Suunto watch, a six-axis IMU adds running-form measurement, covering cadence, ground contact time, vertical oscillation, flight time, GCT/FT ratio and left/right ground-contact balance, so athletes can see how form changes with speed and fatigue. Up to 20 hours of rolling memory holds data on the belt, and a compatible Suunto watch reads it back by timestamp to keep the record continuous through a temporary signal interruption.

Smart Heart Rate Belt 2 connects to as many as three devices at once over a protected Bluetooth connection, sending the same live heart rate to a watch, a bike computer and a phone together. Running-form measurement and workout memory are available with compatible Suunto watches.

Real-Time Insight During the Run

Effort is easy to misjudge in the moment. EnergySense shows current effort against remaining capacity, so runners can see what they are spending and what is still available while the decision is still theirs to make.

Marathon Time takes the current pace and shows where it leads, giving a real-time view of the finishing time. Both features are built to inform the call while there is still road left to act on it: hold the pace, ease off, or push.

From the First Kilometer to Race Day

For runners working toward a goal, Training Plan turns a target such as a sub-four-hour marathon into the individual sessions that get there, from easy runs and intervals to long runs. Training Zone brings training load, HRV, sleep and recovery into one view, making progress across a whole block easy to follow.

Run 2 covers every kind of running, with dedicated running modes for daily training, speed work and racing. When race day arrives, Marathon Mode adds Ghost Runner and race-focused tools that keep the target in sight from the start line to the finish.

Every Route, from City Streets to Trails

Run 2 is also ready when the familiar roads end. Free worldwide offline maps download directly to the watch and work entirely from the wrist, so routes, streets and surroundings stay available anywhere the run goes. Exploring a new city, following an unfamiliar route or heading off the road at home all start the same way: download the map, then run.

Music and podcasts can also be stored on the watch and played through wireless headphones, so the phone can stay at home on the days when a run is just a run.

Pricing and Availability

Suunto Run 2 pre-orders open September 8, 2026, with global availability from September 8, 2026 at a recommended retail price of $ 349 for 4 GB, $ 399 for 64 GB.

Run 2 will be available through Suunto's direct-to-consumer channels and authorized running and outdoor retail partners across North America, Europe and key Asia-Pacific markets.

Colorways: All Black, Feather Gold, Aloe Green

Notes to editors: Suunto Run 2 launches as part of the See the Run Ahead campaign, featuring US Olympic marathoner Clayton Young.

About Suunto

Suunto is a Finnish brand, established in 1936. It was founded by Finnish inventor Tuomas Vohlonen, who pioneered a new standard for navigational precision. That same year, his innovation, a field compass, was stronger, steadier and more accurate than any other handheld navigational tool of its time. It was the first of many Suunto products built to withstand the harsh conditions of our native Finland.

In the 90 years since, Tuomas's spirit of innovation has continued to chart Suunto's course. From some of history's first dive computers and high-altitude wrist altimeters to today's GPS watches, Suunto remains a trusted companion for outdoor adventurers across the globe.

Supporting explorers, athletes and weekend warriors alike remains our core mission: providing the tools to dive deeper, climb higher and push the limits of human potential.

https://us.suunto.com

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Suunto Run 2: A 35 g Running Watch Built for Road Running and Marathon Training

Suunto Run 2: A 35 g Running Watch Built for Road Running and Marathon Training

Suunto Run 2: A 35 g Running Watch Built for Road Running and Marathon Training