Training for Pyeongchang

[Anchor Lead]

South Korea has yet to win an Olympic medal in cross country skiing. Athletes are training hard on the sizzling hot asphalt this summer, determined to win that first medal at next year's PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

[Pkg]

With a shot from the starting pistol, athletes begin their race. They sweat profusely under the scorching sun, but no one is giving up. This is a roller ski competition. Roller skis, or skis with rollers attached, were invented specifically to enable skiers to train even in the summer. Roller skis are as fast as regular snow skis with a maximum speed of 50 kilometers per hour on a downhill slope.

[Soundbite] Lee Chae-won (Nat’l Cross Country Skiing Team) : "It's very similar to winter skiing. I'm roller skiing a lot on the roads to maintain my athletic readiness."

Roller skiing helps physical training during the summer season. It's also effective in correcting athletes' posture as the exercise assists in kicks and weight shifting.

[Soundbite] Joo Hye-ri (Nat’l Cross Country Skiing Team) : "Roller skis are made so the wheels don't run backwards. It's very helpful in correcting posture."

The national cross country team has secured one ticket each for men and women to compete in the Pyeongchang Olympics. They seek to win more berths based on the results of the roller ski training. Following the summer session at home, the cross country team will leave for New Zealand this Saturday to begin training in earnest for the Winter Games.