Seoul to Host Asian X Games

SEOUL, Korea (Feb 1) -The X Games, a well-known action sports competition, will make its Korean debut as Seoul City hosts the Asian X Games 2005 for four days from May 26. The event, which has been organized by the American broadcaster ESPN since 1995, marks the seventh X Games competition to be held in Asia since 1998. Phuket, a resort island in Thailand, hosted the first three games. And Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia held another three games. The competition will feature a variety of new action sports, including aggressive in-line skating, skateboarding, bicycle stunts, sport climbing and wakeboarding, which is a combination of surfing, skateboarding and skiing. Seoul City expects some 200 top extreme sports players in Asia to participate in this year’s event, which is sponsored by Kia Motors, the nation’s second largest automaker. The athletes will be competing for over $110,000 in prize money during the event, which will be held both inside and near the Chamsil Indoor Stadium and a nearby Han River park in southeastern Seoul. (source: Korean Times)