[Edaily Kang Gyeong-rok Travel Reporter] The Gangwon Land High1 Snowboard Team demonstrated the “virtuous cycle model” created by long-term corporate sports sponsorship by volunteering their skills for young athletes during a training camp in Switzerland.
According to Gangwon Land (Acting CEO Nam Han-kyu) on the 6th, the High1 Snowboard Team conducted one-on-one lessons for junior snowboarders from the High1 Academy over three days starting on the 4th (local time in Switzerland) in Saas-Fee. This joint training session was made possible because the winter training schedules of the professional team and the youth academy coincided.

The session featured Kim Sang-gyeom, the silver medalist in the men’s parallel giant slalom at the 2026 Milan–Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, along with athletes Jang Seo-hee and Kim Ji-eon, and coach Jang Tae-yeol. Over the three days, they intensively taught everything from basic techniques—such as edge control and maintaining a stable center of gravity—to practical know-how, including turning techniques when navigating gates and speed control.
The reason this volunteer initiative is drawing attention from the sports community is that the “virtuous cycle of development” established by Gangwon Land has yielded tangible results.
Coach Jang Tae-yeol, who served as the youth team’s instructor that day, began his career as a coach at the High1 Academy, went on to coach the national team, and currently leads the High1 Snowboard Team. Jang Seo-hee and Kim Ji-eon, who also participated, are promising athletes who emerged from the High1 Academy. These young athletes, who once nurtured their dreams of competing on the world stage with the academy’s support, have now grown into professional athletes and coaches, taking on the role of directly guiding the next generation of athletes following in their footsteps.
This holds significant implications for the domestic sports community, where short-term sponsorship is often the norm due to an excessive focus on immediate results. Since establishing the High1 Academy in 2006, Gangwon Land has invested in less popular sports and the discovery of young talent by providing 100 million won annually to both the snowboarding and golf divisions. Analysts note that the company’s steadfast sponsorship, which has continued for nearly 20 years, has gone beyond the individual skill development of athletes to foster a self-sustaining infrastructure where senior athletes mentor their juniors.
Jeon Je-man, Head of the ESG and Win-Win Cooperation Office at Gangwon Land, stated, “This talent donation initiative, in which athletes who grew up through the academy now mentor their juniors, is a meaningful moment that demonstrates the value of the virtuous cycle of youth athlete development that Gangwon Land has maintained for nearly 20 years.” He added, “The passionate guidance from active senior athletes will serve as the best encouragement for young athletes to advance to the world stage.”