GANGNEUNG CITY ENG - 솔향강릉

-Gangneung City Hall's Curling Team Continues to Win in Korea, Japan, and Canada, Regardless of Location-

    From September 5th to November 1st, the Gangneung City Hall Curling Team, the “Team Kim” players, who returned to South Korea after completing their eight-week initial overseas training in Canada, departed again for Japan and Canada on November 29th for the second overseas training, continuing their winning streak in major tournaments and preparing to re-enter the global top 10 rankings.

    This training session included strategies and tactics prepared with Coach Peter Gallant, who joined during the first overseas training, and their implementation in real matches was successful.

    ​Aiming to re-enter the global top 15 ranking during the first overseas training, they made it to the playoffs in all seven tournaments they participated in, won two of the tournaments, reclaimed the 12th spot in global rankings, and successfully secured tickets to the Grand Slam in January 2024.

    ​Continuing the strong momentum from the first overseas training, they dominated the Gyeonggi-do Office, the current national team, with a score of 5-3 in the First Uiseong-gun Mayor's Cup National Curling Tournament, where all six workplace sports teams (women's division) from South Korea participated, winning the championship and becoming the inaugural champions of the First Uiseong-gun Mayor's Cup.

    ​Gangneung City Hall's Curling Team “Team Kim” rides the momentum into the second overseas training, achieving runner-up at the Karuizawa International Curling Championships in Karuizawa, Japan, following last year's victory.

    ​The Karuizawa International Curling Championships is a legacy project of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, started in 1999, promoting not only curling but also the Karuizawa area. It continues to receive much love from curling fans in Japan.

    ​Additionally, they won the 2023 Western Showdown tournament in Saskatoon, Canada, on December 12th, right before the 2023 Masters Grand Slam, once again showcasing South Korea's curling strength to the world.

    ​Gangneung City Hall advanced to the quarterfinals with all four wins in the preliminaries, defeating Gyeonggi-do Office (current national team, global rank 2) in the quarterfinals, Team Tirinzoni (Switzerland, global rank 1) and Team Brano (Sweden, global rank 8) in the semifinals, and Team Campbell (Canada) in the finals, achieving a clean sweep victory.

    ​The 2023 Western Showdown is significant as a preliminary event for most world-class players participating in the 2023 Grand Slam Masters, and Gangneung City Hall's victory holds great significance for aiming at the Grand Slam tournament championship.

    ​The 2023 Grand Slam Masters will be held from December 11th to December 17th in Saskatoon, Canada, with teams up to the 16th global ranking in both men's and women's participating.

   ​ Meanwhile, the Gangneung City Hall Curling Team, riding a wave of success in South Korea, Japan, and Canada, continues to focus on training and international competitions, aiming to reclaim the national team spot for the 2024-2025 season and secure a spot in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

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