SHENZHEN Association of Mountaineering and Outdoor Activities (SAMOA) won the annual bun-snatching competition in Hong Kong for the second time early Tuesday morning, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

SAMOA retained its title by beating Hong Kong’s Cheung Chau West Mawan by 0.35 second in the bun-snatching relay category at this year’s Cheung Chau Bun Festival on Cheung Chau island. Another Hong Kong team, Fast Speed Sports Society, finished third, the report said.

“We feel really great to win again, as this is the second time we are competing here,” said Huang Zan, the leader of the Shenzhen team, after winning the race.

Huang said team work played an important role in winning the bun-snatching competition. “I am just happy for the connection we have developed during the competition last year, and it helped us to win this year’s title again.” Huang and his two team members each have four to five years of mountaineering experience, the Daily said.

Four teams from Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Macao and Guangzhou were invited to compete in the relay section along with Hong Kong teams.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival, which draws tens of thousands of local and overseas tourists every year, marks the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar (usually in early May). It thus coincides with the local celebration of the Buddha’s birthday.

Contestants race up “Bun Towers,” three giant 60-feet bamboo towers covered with buns, to grab buns. The higher the bun, the more fortune it is supposed to bring to the one who snatches it.

The competition was suspended by the Hong Kong government when one of the towers collapsed during a race in 1978 . More than 100 people were injured.

The race was resumed in 2005 with extra safety precautions. A team relay version of the event was introduced in 2006. (Wei Jie)