Seoul to Host FIS Snowboard World Cup Big Air Competition in December

SEOUL, South Korea, November 24 - Seoul will host the FIS Snowboard World Cup Big Air Competition in
December for the 2009-2010 season. The final decision on host city selection
was made in late September at the FIS general meeting held in Zurich,
Switzerland. This is the first time for an Asian city to host the Big Air
World Cup. The competition will take place on December 13.

The international competition will be held in Gwanghwamun Square, a newly
dedicated open space in the heart of the capital city. A jump pad, measuring
34 meters in height and 100 meters in length, will be set up temporarily at
the northern end of the square to accommodate the competition. Athletes will
compete on jump, turn, landing and distance travelled from the slope.

Gwanghwamun Square, which was officially opened to the public in August
this year, is located along the main boulevard in the heart of Seoul. The
square is 34 meters wide and 557 meters long. This new landmark in Seoul is
the home for the statues of King Sejong the Great and Admiral Yi Sunshin and
other cultural and historical sites. The Big Air competition will be the
first international sports event to take place in Gwanghwamun Square.

To celebrate the hosting of the FIS Big Air competition, diverse range of
entertaining events will be held at the venue as well in the name of Seoul
Snow Jam, turning Gwanghwamun Square into a place of winter festivities. They
include snowboard super matches presented by Hyundai Capital, the main
sponsor of the Seoul Snow Jam event. An opening ceremony of Seoul Snow Jam
will be held at 6 p.m. on December 11, followed by ski jump and snowboard
gala show.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government hopes to raise interest in winter
sports among citizens and plans to boost its image as a place of unlimited
experience for international tourists through this event.

"I hope to organize Seoul Snow Jam not just as a festival for Seoul but
for the entire country at a time when Pyeongchang of Korea is planning to
participate in the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games for the third time,"
said Kang Cheol-won, Director-General of Public Relations Planning of the
Seoul Metropolitan Government.

    Contact

     Seoul Metropolitan Government
     Estella Choi
     Tel: +82-2-3210-9649
     Email: press@prain.com

Estella Choi, +82-2-3210-9649, press at prain.com