Meet the top Hong Kong ice climber looking to become ‘queen of bun queens’

Hongkonger Janet Kung Tsz-shan is one of the rare few with mastery over the disciplines of rock climbing, scaling ice and bun scrambling.

“All involve upwards motion and engage similar large muscle groups,” the 31-year-old said. “Rock climbing focuses on finger [strength], ice climbing on forearms and bun scrambling on the back. They complement each other surprisingly well.”

Ranked sixth in the world when it comes to professional ice-climbing, Kung is also a two-time “bun queen”, having won Hong Kong’s traditional bun-scrambling competition in 2019 and 2024.

In an interview with the Post ahead of next Monday’s bun-scrambling competition at the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, Kung said she has been practising and aimed to emerge as bun queen for a third time.

“A three-time winner gets to be crowned ‘queen of bun queens,” the part-time registered nurse said.

The festival, a vibrant annual event rooted in Taoist tradition, is believed to have originated from celebrations marking the end of a plague that once struck the island.