Snowboarders struggle in cross events on Monday

Lee Je-hyuk of Korea, left, competes in the men's para snowboard cross SB-LL2 quarterfinals at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, China on Monday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Korea's snowboarders failed to reach the semifinals in the men's snowboard cross events on Monday, with Park Su-hyeok, Lee Chung-min and Lee Je-hyuk all finishing in last place in their respective quarterfinals at the Zhangjiakou Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, China.

In snowboarding, athletes are separated into three sport classes, two for athletes with leg impairments and one for athletes with arm impairments. Park and Lee Chung-min both compete in the SB-UL for athletes with impairments of the upper limbs, while Lee Je-hyuk competes in the SB-LL2 sport class for athletes that have an impairment in one or two legs with less activity limitation.

Park finished fourth in his quarterfinal, with Zhu Yonggang of China and James Barnes-miller of Great Britain both advancing to the semifinals. Lee Chung-min also finished fourth, with Wang Pengyao of China and Masataka Oiwane of Japan both advancing.

In the SB-LL2 competition, Lee Je-hyuk finished fourth in his quarterfinal, with Garrett Geros of the United States and Qi Sun of China both advancing.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]