 Uiseong's Team Kim Soo-hyuk (Photo: Olympics) wins national title for first time in four years. By: Cameron Sallaj In the men's final of the 2025 Korean Curling Championships, defending champion Lee Jae-beom and his newly formed Seoul rink took on Uiseong's Kim Soo-hyuk representing Gyeongbuk Sports Council. Coming into the match, Lee had won both previous meetings in the round robin and 1 vs. 2 game with Kim looking to even the score. A strong start by Seoul City Hall gave the team of Lee, Lee Ki-jeong, Kim Min-woo and Kim Jeong-min a count of two to open the game. This would be the only time they led, however, with Gyeongbuk scoring three in the second end. Seoul got one back in the third to level things at three all. With another well played end, Kim's Gyeongbuk rink of Kim Chang-min, Yoo Min-hyeon, Kim Hak-kyun and Jeon Jae-ik doubled their count with another score of three. This was replied by only a single for Seoul who trailed 6-4 at the halfway point. Not letting off the gas, Gyeongbuk continued to build their lead, scoring two more in the sixth. When Seoul scored their third single of the game in eight, the Uiseong based team ensured the win with three in the eighth for a dominant 11-5 win and the national crown. Immediately after moving to Uiseong in 2021, Kim Soo-hyuk led the team to victory at the 2021 Korean Olympic Trials. However, they were unable to reach qualification for the games, finishing 2-6 at the last chance qualification event in the Netherlands. Since then, the team has failed to reach the top of the podium, finishing second in 2022 and third in 2023 and 2024. With the win, the team is aiming to secure themselves a spot in Milano-Cortina by finishing in the top two spots at the Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna. If they qualify, it will be a second Olympic Games for third Kim Chang-min while the rest of the team will make their debut. |
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Manitoba's Kate Cameron (Photo: Curling Canada) announced on Monday that the team will look different for the new Olympic quadrennial.
