Gumi to Host Touch Tournament 2009
By Bridget Tunnicliffe
Contributing Writer
Gumi in North Gyeongsang Province may be better known for its primary textiles industry but once a year it's also host to a major sporting event.
On May 30, around 14 teams will travel from all over the country to the city for the third tournament of the 2009 Touch Rugby Season.
Touch is mainly played in Seoul by expats and a growing number of Koreans, but most Saturdays around the peninsula small numbers of enthusiasts are keeping the sport alive in their own regions and as far away as Ulsan in the south.
Touch is played with an oval shaped ball and involves a lot of quick passing, running and team work. It was derived from the game of Rugby League, but it's non-contact and safe to play.
First set up in the country around three years ago by a small group of expats, it is seen as easy to pick up and that is perhaps best illustrated by the wide range of age and ability groups ― both men and women ― now enjoying the sport here.
Shane Lowndes, who's coordinating this season's tournaments, said Gumi is one of the key rounds, and it's the first opportunity for everyone to get out of Seoul. ``Touch is really spreading across Korea. The Gumi tournament will have teams from Ulsan and Daegu as well as the regular teams from Seoul and Suwon."
Lowndes expects the Three Alley Dutch Rudders, last year's overall winners, and the Hangang Exiles to once again battle it out for one and two. So far the Rudders have had the edge with two straight tournament wins under their belts this year.
Waygook Cook is a team that hails from Gumi and they are named after the city's longest-running Western bar and restaurant, the home and sponsor of the team.
Spokesman Derrick Smith, Gumi's best-known expat, said locals are proud to be hosting the tournament again this year.
``After last year's exciting tournament and a fantastic after-party at Waegook Cook, interest in the Gumi tournament soared," he enthused. ``The number of teams and supporters is fantastic even compared to Seoul standards."
The tournament will also be used to finalize selection decisions for the June 20-21 trip to Bangkok for the Asian Club Championships. Wade Broderick, the chairman of the selectors and captain of the representative team from Korea Touch Association, said, ``We want to take the strongest team we can to Bangkok and we'll be announcing a team shortly after Gumi."
This year, regular tournaments are again being sponsored by the Spire Group, with around seven events spread out from March to November. The series will culminate in the ITS International Touch tournament in September. Teams from Korea, China, Japan and Hong Kong will make up the roster at the annual event, which attracts around 1,000 people.
For those who would like to know more about touch and how to get involved, visit www.touchtagrugby.blogsport.com, or head to Jamwon rugby pitch in Apgujeong on Saturdays at 10 a.m. For more information, email koreatouch@gmail.com or jeremy.burks@dowcorning.com