이상섭 기자. babtong@heraldm.com 2012.04.19 GKL ski team head coach Toby Dawson (center) poses with team members during an inauguration ceremony in central Seoul on Thursday. Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald
GKL ski team head coach Toby Dawson (center) poses with team members during an inauguration ceremony in central Seoul on Thursday. (Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald)
Grand Korea Leisure, the operator of the Seven Luck Casino, launched on Thursday the country’s first freestyle ski team to help promote the sport here for Korea’s first-ever Winter Olympics in 2018.
GKL President Ryoo Haw-sun said the government-funded company has a responsibility to return its profits to society.
“We want to help Korean athletes shine at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, and we want to help Korea win its first gold medal in skiing,” Ryoo said at the inaugural ceremony in central Seoul.
Korea Olympic Committee President Park Yong-sung said that he hopes that the GKL ski team will help strengthen Korean skiing.
“It’s important that we run the Olympics smoothly, but it’s also important that we perform well at our home event,” Park said.
Park added that skiing in Korea has the potential to grow: “There more than 50 medals in skiing events. I believe we’ll have some good results in 2018.”
On Thursday, the GKL appointed Toby Dawson, the 2006 Olympic bronze medalist, as the head coach of the new ski team, and Kazu Horie of Japan as his assistant coach.
Dawson, 34, a Korea-born adoptee raised in the United States, returned to Korea last December after being appointed as coach of the national freestyle ski team.
The former mogul ski champion will coach freestyle ski national team’s Seo Jung-hwa and her brother Myung-joon together with the GKL ski team. The GKL will also support three young skiers, providing financial and technical support, the company said.
“I’m honored to be here today, I believe it’s such a big step not only for freestyle skiing, but also for the whole of Korean winter sports,” Dawson said.
Although Korea has become a powerhouse in skating, it has never been very successful in skiing. But Dawson claimed he can help Korea win its first Olympic medal in skiing in 2018.
“Our goal is first to get ready for the World Cup next year. Hopefully we’ll be able to crack the top five in Sochi in 2014, and be on the podium in 2018,” he added.
The GKL, which operates three Seven Luck casinos in Seoul and Busan, is a subsidiary of the state-run Korea Tourism Organization. The company announced Thursday that it will support the GKL ski team’s overseas training this summer.
“We want to make a success of our skiers. But we need more support and interest in winter sports,” Ryoo added.
By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldm.com)
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
