S. Korea Earns First Olympic Bobsleigh Berth
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
South Korea has earned its first ever Winter Olympic berth in the four-man bobsleigh.
The Kang Kang-bae-piloted team posted runs of 55.69 and 56.12 seconds for a total time of 1 minute 51.81 seconds to finish fifth in the sixth race the America's Cup tour in Lake Placid, N.Y., Monday (KST).
It matched its placing in the ensuing, seventh race with a time of 55.92.
The Korean team has finished in the top 10 in six consecutive races and has earned 378 points to sit at 15th in the world rankings.
The top 17 nations from the America's Cup qualify for the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February.
With the Olympic berth in the bobsleigh, Kang will become the first athlete from any country to participate in all sleigh events at the Olympics.
The 36-year-old competed in luge in 1998 and competed in the skeleton at the last two Games.
Meanwhile, Korea is battling with Japan to qualify in the two-man bobsleigh event. Korea is currently one spot behind 18th-ranked Japan with final qualifications to be decided at the Europa Cup in January.