The Worlds in Korea - Who is thinking of going?

Pisco Sour

After an amazing few days spent in Barcelona for the Europeans last year I very much have the bug for top class live championship athletics and am planning to go to Daegu for the World Championships this year and throw in a few days in Seoul aswell for good measure.

Upper tier championship tickets (for all 8 days, morning and evening) is around 130 euro, while a lower tier (non home straight) championship pass is around 200 euro. Considering its the exact same athletes the Olympics will offer it is amazing value in comparison to the ludicrous prices being thrown at fans by the IOC.

Having been to Japan and experienced how amazing that country is, I have no doubt that Korea will be just as incredible and provide a similar level of culture shock.

So who is thinking of making the journey to cheer on Derval, Gilly, Rob and co.?

myflipflops

Yes.

If i can get the time off work, it's only a fairly cheap, 3 hour flight to Seoul so not that much hassle for me.

G-Money

Sounds like a great trip and the thought has crossed my mind briefly.

Unfortunately I think I'm going to have to rein in my spending this year as I've a few trips next year on the cards. Which reminds me I need to finalise my ticket application for London. It closes next Tuesday.

Pisco Sour

myflipflops wrote: »

Yes.

If i can get the time off work, it's only a fairly cheap, 3 hour flight to Seoul so not that much hassle for me.

Where are you heading from?

I'll be heading up from Melbourne. Not a short flight but its around 675 euro return which aint bad.

myflipflops

Manila. Can get there return for about 500 us i think.

Brianderunner

I'm booking the week off work anyway, all the good stuff is on during the day (our time) and i'd miss the whole thing in work. Not sure about heading there yet, its a bit of a stretch but would be awesome.

Pisco Sour

Brianderunner wrote: »

I'm booking the week off work anyway, all the good stuff is on during the day (our time) and i'd miss the whole thing in work. Not sure about heading there yet, its a bit of a stretch but would be awesome.

Sure if you're taking the week off work you might aswell do it in style and go to the thing. I flew Dublin to Tokyo in 2008 for 820 euro (my mate then got it for 650 a couple of months later the b*stard ). I'd assume flights to Seoul would be similar. Tickets are dirt cheap. I'm expecting to do the full 2 weeks including flights in under 1500 euro (Staying in hostels obviously)

Brianderunner

04072511 wrote: »

Sure if you're taking the week off work you might aswell do it in style and go to the thing. I flew Dublin to Tokyo in 2008 for 820 euro (my mate then got it for 650 a couple of months later the b*stard ). I'd assume flights to Seoul would be similar. Tickets are dirt cheap. I'm expecting to do the full 2 weeks including flights in under 1500 euro (Staying in hostels obviously)

I see it for 900 euro from London alright. I must give it a bit of thought. Problem is that its only 3/4 weeks from my sub 3 attempt in Berlin.

Pisco Sour

Brianderunner wrote: »

I see it for 900 euro from London alright. I must give it a bit of thought. Problem is that its only 3/4 weeks from my sub 3 attempt in Berlin.

Get some warm weather training in. They have parks in Korea ya know!

G-Money

Aren't the championships only on for 3 or 4 days? Regardless, I will be taking the time off work (assuming I still have a job then) to watch them as the time difference would mean we'd miss them otherwise.

Pisco Sour

G-Money wrote: »

Aren't the championships only on for 3 or 4 days? Regardless, I will be taking the time off work (assuming I still have a job then) to watch them as the time difference would mean we'd miss them otherwise.

9 days long, but one of those days is a rest day with just the womens 20k walk on. That will be a perfect day for sightseeing so, after Olive wins another medal that is.

rainbow kirby

Given that I'm bored and have feck all better to do, I was just having a quick look at flight prices. Looks like you could do Dublin - Seoul for just under €900 on Etihad via Abu Dhabi, plus about another €160 for a Korean Air flight from Seoul to Daegu.

Pisco Sour

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Given that I'm bored and have feck all better to do, I was just having a quick look at flight prices. Looks like you could do Dublin - Seoul for just under €900 on Etihad via Abu Dhabi, plus about another €160 for a Korean Air flight from Seoul to Daegu.

No need to fly from Seoul to Daegu. Its only a short and cheap train ride away.

Brianderunner

04072511 wrote: »

Get some warm weather training in. They have parks in Korea ya know!

Its not that, it's a pain to be in heavy training while on holiday thats all, i am quit tempted i have to say.

Pisco Sour

Brianderunner wrote: »

Its not that, it's a pain to be in heavy training while on holiday thats all, i am quit tempted i have to say.

Just a bit of discipline is all thats needed. Keep the drinking to maybe 3-4 nights or something like that, schedule it around your rest days and recovery days or light days.

And besides I remember last September you went on a 7 day bender and that didn't harm you for the Dublin Marathon very much

Pisco Sour

Went onto the website today and to my shock and horror found that the 9 day package was sold out and so had to book each session individually.

http://www.daegu2011.org/do/front/page/ticket_reservation?lang=en

This link shows what has sold out so far. I find it quite unbelievable that the morning session tickets are sold out for most days. Something doesnt seem right here. Not once have I ever seen a morning session even half full.

So I decided to get booking today. Am booking just the evening sessions and will try pick up morning session tickets when over there to the sessions that have Irish interest.

Pain in the backside having to book each day independently. So I booked the first 3 days, no problems at all. Then when I go to book the 4th day, I get an error when I try to pay on my credit card. I try 3 more times but no joy. My bank must have blocked the damn thing. An Irish credit card being used in Australia to buy stuff on a Korean website. Their suspicions must have been going through the roof. Good security in place, but a bit annoying to be honest.

Pisco Sour

Finally got around to finish booking all my tickets. Have gone for all 8 evening sessions. Day 1 in the upper tier for 13 euro, and the other 7 days I splashed out and got the lower tier tickets for 26 euro! Insanely cheap.

It seems like the cheap morning session tickets are sold out and only the expensive ones remain, but when over there I'm sure there will be tickets banging about. Cant understand why more tickets have sold for the morning sessions than the evening sessions. Koreans clearly have no understanding of the sport

So I've made the first move. Who's next?

G-Money

I might possibly consider going to this if I don't get Olympic tickets. I was talking to a guy at work who is from South Korea. He goes home a few times a year and he usually doesn't book his tickets until about 1 or 2 months before he goes as he says the tickets don't seem to be any cheaper before that time.

Although will there be any tickets for the competition available by then..?

Did you get tickets for the 100m final?

Pisco Sour

G-Money wrote: »

Did you get tickets for the 100m final?

I did indeed. I got tickets to all 8 nights and the 100m final is no more expensive that the other nights. 26 euro from the lower tier, 13 euro from the upper tier. Incredible value.

Pisco Sour

Just booked my flights from Melbourne to Seoul with China Eastern Airlines. 1011 US Dollars return (around 700 euro). 13 and a half hour layover in Shanghai on the way out should be interesting.

misty floyd

The hot dogs there might be a little different than expected.

Pisco Sour

So with Olympic tickets being a farcical fail, who will be joining me in Korea this August for the next best thing, The World Championships (exact same athletes for a fraction of the cost)?

G-Money

I'm tempted alright. Currently waiting to see if my contract at works gets renewed before I make any big purchases. Should know in the next few days hopefully.

ecoli

Just priced this up. Reckon between flights accom for 10 days and tickets it would still work out bout 1000e cheaper than getting to the one event I wanna see in London:D

G-Money

Yeah about €850 for flights, not sure about accomodation costs though. The ticket prices seem reasonable enough.

Pisco Sour

Thought i'd bump this thread to see if any others are thinking of coming to Daegu for the World's in just a tad over 2 months time.

Really odd that the morning sessions are selling quicker than the evening sessions but I guess the tickets are cheaper and Koreans dont know much about T&F so that may explain it.

I've booked myself 2 of the 6 morning sessions this week to add to the 8 evening session tickets I have. Day 1 as Stephanie Reilly and Fionnuala Britton will be competing that day, along with hopefully others. Got that ticket for the hefty price of 7 euro

And have booked a Day 7 morning session ticket literally right on the finish line, for 20 euro. Derval, Hession, and the women's 4x4 will all be running that morning touch wood.

May pass on some of the other morning sessions. Gillicks first round heat kind of clashes with Rob in the 20k walk. The stadium is a bit away from the walk as well by the looks of things.

Away from athletics, anybody I've met who has been to South Korea has nothing but good things to say about the place.

blade912

The ones who are flying out from Dublin what days are you flying out and with which airlines, i am with Korean Air from London. Is there any need to get jabs before heading out, at the moment i am not getting any.