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Report From Korea:

Despite Growing Pains, Inline Skating Continues to Flourish in South Korea

A Big Chunk of the Korean Population Already Owns Skates

(Page 3 of 3)

The Incheon World Inline Cup

I have read what you posted on your site and what [Bont coach] Bill Begg said about the Incheon World. [Begg said -- and the Inline Planet reported -- that the Incheon event would have a total purse of $50,000.]

They are hoping to register 10,000 skaters for the event, and no one doubts that they will reach that number. (I have already applied for the event myself.)

Korean Skaters

These days, many Koreans are shifting their interests from fitness skates to racing skates with carbon fiber shells.

They like skating in their club uniforms with their fellow club members.

But the question remains: Are fewer people skating?

Han River Park

Well, I have been skating on the Han River Park bike path in Seoul since May of 2002.

I see that more and more people are coming to skate at Han River Park every year. In the winter of 2002, I would often see about five people skating along the Han River bike path.

But by the winter of 2003, the number had increased to about 50. And last winter, I often saw more than 100 people skating there in the midst of cold weather.

The number will increase as the weather gets warmer.

More and More Skaters

What is certain is that noticeably more and more people are skating in recent years.

Some Koreans worry that fewer people are taking up the sport. But as long as I see more and more people skating, and more and more racing clubs being organized, and new demonstration teams [racing teams sponsored by skate manufacturers] forming, even as some are dissolved, I will not be worried.

I hope this helps answer your questions about the Korean inline situation.

Yours,

JinWoo

 

<<< Part 1|2|3

Talk About This Article ... How's Inline Skating Doing in Your Part of the World

(posted on March 24, 2005)

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Talk About This Article ... How's Inline Skating Doing in Your Part of the World?

Related Reading
JinWoo's Korean Skating Blog (in Korean)

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