Kim Down Tops Day 1 Qualifications at The World Games Chengdu 2025

The debut of MotoSurf at The World Games roared into life today as Sancha Lake witnessed a day of adrenaline, drama, and world-class performances. With the sun glinting off the water and engines howling, the qualification rounds in Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed Nations Cup set the stage for a thrilling weekend of semifinals and finals.

Mixed Nations Cup – Czechia Sets the Benchmark

The mixed-gender relay brought national pride to the forefront, and Czechia wasted no time stamping its authority. Posting a blistering 1:43.824, they outpaced Slovakia and both teams from the People’s Republic of China in a high-intensity battle. Poland secured the final qualifying spot, edging out the Republic of Korea by a mere fraction.

Top 5 Qualifiers:

1. Czechia – 1:43.824

2. Slovakia – 1:45.381

3. China II – 1:46.552

4. China – 1:47.672

5. Poland – 1:49.189

Men’s MotoSurf – Korea’s Kim Down Dominates

In the Men’s qualification, Kim Down of the Republic of Korea delivered a near-perfect run, clocking an incredible 50.670 seconds to take the top spot. China followed closely with Zhang Maozhu and Feng Zhanghao both in the top four, while Czech star Lukas Zahorsky kept the European challenge alive with a strong third place. The fight for qualification was fierce, with the top 6 separated by less than a second.

Top 3:

1. Kim Down (KOR) – 0:50.670

2. Zhang Maozhu (CHN) – 0:51.207

3. Lukas Zahorsky (CZE) – 0:51.225

Women’s MotoSurf – Czech and Slovak Riders Shine

The Women’s category lit up the course with a display of precision and pace. Eliška Matoušková from Czechia took a commanding first place in 51.910 seconds, with Slovakia’s Sara Zuborová close behind. China’s Gao Jiayin thrilled the home crowd with a strong third. In a sign of Central European dominance, four of the top five positions went to Czech and Slovak athletes.

Top 3:

1. Eliška Matoušková (CZE) – 0:51.910

2. Sara Zuborová (SVK) – 0:52.352

3. Gao Jiayin (CHN) – 0:53.175

What’s Next – From Semifinals to Glory

Friday afternoon will already see the first round of semifinals across all categories: Men’s Group A, Men’s Group B, Women’s Group A, Women’s Group B, and the Nations Cup Relay.

Saturday is devoted entirely to semifinals, with riders pushing to secure their place in the ultimate showdown. Sunday will crown the champions in a day of high-stakes finals and the official medal ceremony.

“Today was just the warm-up. The real battle begins now,” said Lukas Zahorsky, smiling after securing his spot in the Men’s finals. “Every millisecond counts, and I’m ready to push to the limit.”

Fans can follow the action at Sancha Lake or watch live coverage as the world’s best MotoSurf athletes chase their place in the history books.