Shim Sang-cheol's 20th Victory? Aiming for New History with the Kurihara Cup

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Whether Shim Sang-cheol can achieve a new milestone in keijong history—his 20th victory in Grand Prix Gyeongju events—is a matter of intense interest.

The 24th Kurihara Cup Special Keijong will be held over three days, from October 27 to 29, at the Misa Keijong Park. The Kurihara Cup, which began in 2003, is a tournament established to honor the contributions of Kurihara Koichiro to the development of keijong in Korea.

Shim Sang-cheol demonstrated his peak form by winning the Grand Prix Keijong commemorating the 38th anniversary of the Seoul Olympics held last September, bringing his total victories to 19. Shim also claimed the top spot at the Kurihara Cup in 2017 and 2023, making him a strong contender for victory in this year's tournament as well.

In particular, what makes Shim Sang-cheol's current challenge special is his cumulative record of victories in Grand Prix Gyeongju events. Shim is tied for first place all-time with Kim Jong-min (Class 2, B2), both having won the Grand Prix Gyeongju 19 times. If he adds a victory at this tournament, he will reach 20 career wins and take sole first place.

This year's tournament features 12 riders who ranked in the top tier for average scores from the 2nd to the 42nd rounds. Shim Sang-cheol (Class 7, A1), along with Park Won-gyu (Class 14, A1), Kim Wan-seok (Class 10, A1), Kim Hyo-nyun (Class 2, A1), and Kim Min-jun (Class 13, A1), are mentioned as contenders for the title.

Keijong expert A stated, "It is a matter of interest whether Shim Sang-cheol will set a new record in keijong history with his 20th career Grand Prix Gyeongju victory. This is why the attention of keijong fans is focused on the championship competition that will unfold at the 2026 Kurihara Cup Special Keijong."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original