“Watch My Snowboard Skills from 11 Years of Practice”

Lee Tae-shik (38), who is running a construction company in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, had two children in 1993.

One is his son, Lee Gwang-ki (11), and the other is snowboarding which he learned instead of skiing. As he received two presents simultaneously, 1993 was an unforgettable year for him.

Lee Aims at Semi-quarterfinal… The 11-year-old Son is on the Junior National Team-

Lee is a well-known snowboard maniac among snowboarders. Lee, fascinated by snowboarding for 11 years now, is an amateur master who has won many prizes including the championship in last year’s snowboard games held in Hyundai Sungwoo Resort.

That is not all. Lee junior is leading the next generation of Korean snowboarding and was selected as a young talent by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. He learned snowboarding by following his father’s lead and is now playing an active part on the national junior team. He almost swept the elementary school section of the domestic snowboard games last year. His reportedly is strong in events which require speed such as slalom, giant slalom, and boardcross.

Lee senior even sends his son to overseas training every year. He is looking forward the first KTF Cup National Snowboard Games (Host: Dong-a Ilbo, Sponsor: KTF) which will be held on January 6, 2005 at the Mega Green Slope of Yongpyeong Ski Resort, Gangwon Province.

Ski Instructor in the Morning, Manager of a Company in the Afternoon-

Lee is aiming at the semi-quarterfinal in next year’s game in which some 100 elite players and 200 amateur masters will compete at the same course for the first time in the country. He says that it is regretful that he cannot participate in the game together with his son, as only those 15 years or older can compete in the game. He also confidently said that although it would not be easy for him to defeat professional boarders, it would be also difficult for them to defeat him.

He is living a busy life working as a snowboard instructor in Bears Town in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province in the morning and as head of a company in the afternoon. He praises snowboarding as a good sport, which nurtures an active and progressive mindset.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com