Sometimes at ski resorts, you'll see kids performing at a level that leaves adults in disbelief. They
possess extraordinary talent and courage, pushing their own limits and expanding their potential without knowing their own boundaries. We took a closer look at the pure and innocent skiing lives of these super kids.
Skiing Memories
Introducing Yuma Shibata, a 10-year-old freeskiier who is based at Hakuba Cortina Ski Resort in Nagano Prefecture.
At the Chanmero Freeride, a local competition in the Hakuba area, he performs astonishing jumps that earn perfect scores from the judges, along with creative and daring lines. He is a performer with a captivating presence and courage that thrills the spectators waiting for the fourth lift at Cortina. And above all, he has the innocence to say, "Thank you for making this so much fun."
Who exactly is this super kid?
I spoke with Yuma-kun with his parents present
First, I asked him something that seemed easy to answer.
Yuma, what are some of your most memorable skiing experiences?
"When I was seven, I did a front flip and I was so close to standing up, but I fell and hit my mouth, which hurt a little. The first trick I did was a 360, then a backflip, and the third was a front flip." Even
from such an early memory, his ambitions were already on a grand scale.
Yuma Shibata. Born in January 2015, he is 10 years old. He was born in Aichi Prefecture, but when he was two years old, his parents moved to Otari Village. They started running "Powder lodge cortina" at the foot of the Hakuba Cortina ski resort.
Living amidst the great nature of Hakuba Valley, skiing has been a part of Yuma's life since he was little, and it's his favorite pastime.
"I started skiing when I was about one year old. My mother would hold me and ski down the gentle slopes of Iwatake many times. When I was about two years old, my mother would put me between her legs and ski down steep slopes at high speeds many times to help me get used to the speed. After a while, I was able to ski anywhere."
...and he read the "script" skillfully. The editorial department had posed the questions before the interview, so he must have prepared a draft to ensure he could answer them properly. He looked so cute with his innocent face as he said "my mother." His father and mother were watching over him. Yuma-kun, are you a little nervous?
voice, "You can ski anywhere now, Yuma!" sounds very happy.
Jumping is like a trapeze in the air
Let's ask a variety of questions at a good pace.
—What's the most fun thing about skiing right now?
"Jumping!" he answered immediately. "Well, big jumps!" he added.
—How does it feel when you're jumping? What do you think about while you're in the air?
"When I'm in the air? It's so high! And when I land perfectly, it feels great!"
she says with a big smile.
—What does the feeling you get when you jump resemble?
"A swing! It's like riding on a giant swing in the sky."
I see, a swing in the sky.
For Yuma, jumping off a 15-meter big kicker seems to be an extension of playing on playground equipment where he can enjoy gravity.
—What's your specialty trick?
"Backflip!"
Check out this video. His landing is so precise, it would put adults to shame. He looks completely at ease.
—How do you land a backflip perfectly?
"Jump high, arch your body straight, turn backward, and when you're halfway there, watch your landing carefully, and if it looks like you're not going to land it far enough, contract your body. If it looks like you're going to overshoot, then stretch your body as much as you can."
In other words, he was able to adjust his movements in the air by himself. It was amazing that he was able to do it naturally without any instruction from anyone! And yet he was able to clearly verbalize his body movements, which is quite impressive for a 10-year-old
—Is there anything you pay attention to when you're jumping?
"Not losing my balance. Maintaining my axis."
—How do you learn to balance?
"Trampoline. I've been going to 'HakuBounce' since I was 6. I also skateboard. In the summer I ride mountain bikes, swim in rivers, and do water jumps. I also like baseball."
For Yuma-kun, all of these are fun games
"It doesn't feel like I'm practicing, it feels like I'm getting better while playing."
" he says casually. He hasn't done any special training, but he already knows how to control his body in the air
The greatness of Yuma
Photo/Chanmero Freeride
In the 2024-2025 season, Yuma-kun participated in a total of four competitions, including the JFO (Japan Freeride Open) and the Chanmero Freeride Open, which is held mainly in HAKUBA VALLEY
"I won all three of the other races besides JFO! At JFO, I tried to do a 360 on a gap right after the start, but the timing was a little off and one of my skis came off. But I managed to ski down part of the way with just the remaining ski. I ended up getting a special prize and a THE NORTH FACE bag!"
he said happily.
JFO is one of Japan's leading high-level freeride competitions with a 10-year history, and Yuma-kun received a special prize called the "Genius Award," provided by THE NORTH FACE.
This award celebrates not only technique and speed, but also the individuality, creativity, and flow of a skier's riding, making it perfectly suited to Yuma-kun.
The slopes at the competition had 20cm of fresh snow on them, and it continued to snow throughout the event. Immediately after the start, there was a steep tree run, and after weaving through the trees, an open terrain with bumps and dips awaited. Furthermore, the snow made visibility rather flat and light, making it difficult to discern the slope's topography. The
fact that Yuma-kun managed to ski part of the way down on one leg under such conditions speaks volumes about his skill and determination.
Furthermore, there's this anecdote:
In the "Omusubi Open" at Happo-one Ski Resort, which is the most difficult course in the "Chanmero Freeride Open" and even adults struggle with it, Yuma-kun delivered a flawless, high-speed run and landed his signature backflip, earning a perfect score of 100 points.
The judges who saw his run reportedly commented, "It can't get any better than this."
This is the skiing on the day. Please check it out
Even Yuma-kun's father was amazed by this
"I was a little surprised by the 100 points. You hardly ever get 100 points in a freeride competition... Well, it's a local competition, so maybe there were some bonus points from the supporters," he said with a
wry smile, adding,
"I'm really impressed that he can nail it on that one crucial run in the competition, he can time it so well (laughs)."
His mother, who was sitting next to him, also
, "Yuma has incredible guts. I guess you could say he's got nerves of steel
.
Photo byChanmero Freeride
Photo/Chanmero Freeride
nowstruggling just to keep up.
As you can see in the video, Yuma's skating is fast, aggressive, and incredibly creative. Even the lines he chooses from drop-ins are full of playfulness
"I look at the whole course from the start, look for places to have fun, and try to take a line with as many jumping opportunities as possible. Speed? I'm not scared of it at all,"
Yuma commented, seemingly aware of this strategy.
"Lately, the speed has increased so much that it's hard to keep up with him... (wry smile)
," said the father.
Yuma-kun's father is actually Yuki Shibata, a professional guide based in Hakuba. In addition to his guiding work, he continues to participate in the freeride competition FWTQ, and is a professional athlete who placed third in the 2023 FWTQ Hakuba and made it onto the podium
This son's skating is so impressive that even his father can't keep up. How on earth does it take to raise such a super kid?
Perhaps they've been thinking about his future and providing him with gifted education since he was little.
"No, not at all. I haven't done anything special. It's just that the slopes are right outside my house, so skiing has been my hobby since I was little.
Around the third grade of elementary school, my body started to develop a bit, and I was able to ski more, so I suddenly got better.
I could ski anywhere on the courses, so I started taking my kids to tree runs in Cortina and some backcountry areas."
But I never imagined back then that we would skate together on equal terms like this, and become like session buddies (laughs)."
Now, the father and son spend about 50 days of the season skiing together. They film each other's skiing with GoPros and smartphones, and they're truly like best friends
The driving force
What does Dad think of his super-talented child?
"I think his concentration and creativity are truly amazing. His concentration when he's doing what he loves is amazing. When he goes to the mountains, he's so absorbed in it that he just skis the whole time. He also comes up with interesting ideas and keeps trying new things. He's really fearless
I don't interfere with his skiing at all. I think he should just do what he wants. The only thing I say is about safety. I'm
very strict about safety, like the risks of bad weather and tree runs, and where to meet other people on the slopes, but other than that, I just watch over him. Just in case something happens, I put a piece of paper with emergency contact information in his lift ticket holder."
When Yuma's father set up PVC pipes in the garden of the lodge, he continued skiing alone in silence until late into the night. His concentration and passion for skiing are just as incredible as his skiing
We asked Yuma about the areas in which he feels he has grown and the new things he has become able to do last season
"I've become able to do 360s while doing grabs. Safety grab 360, Japan grab 360, and tail grab 360. This year, I decided to do grabs for the first time, and when I tried, I was able to do it. I think safety grabs are my favorite."
—What's the next thing you want to land?
"A front flip. I need to get a firm grip on the mute grab. I also want to do a double backflip!! I'm going to do lots of water jumps this summer, and I think I'll be able to do them in the winter."
This is what it means to be filled with unknown possibilities. The word "impossible" certainly doesn't occur to a 10-year-old Air Master
By the way, here she is doing image training for a double flip on a trampoline. Her makeup looks set to rock this winter
—What makes you happiest when you're skiing right now?
"When people tell me I'm good."
Apparently, the thing that makes him happiest when his father says to him is, "You're good." It's quite a mature way of thinking to feel joy when your father, a professional skier, tells you that you're good
—What do you think of your dad, Yuma?
"He's really good. His skating technique and all."
—Is there anything you'd like to say to your dad?
"Thank you for everything,"
he said shyly. Yuma is a good boy who respects his dad and expresses his gratitude for his support.
Free-galloping horse
Yuma-kun is already skiing like this at just 10 years old. Naturally, he is well-known and popular in Hakuba Cortina and the surrounding area. When he goes skiing, the men at the lift station give him sweets and talk to him
Take a look at this video: The morning after fresh snow falls, a long line of over 100 people forms at the Hakuba Cortina No. 4 lift station. It's rare to see a 10-year-old get the gallery excited like this
The cheers from the gallery only made Yuma's passion for skiing even stronger
—What kind of person do you want to be in the future?
"A professional skier," he answered immediately. I thought so!
"Yuma means a horse that runs freely,"
my mother explained.
His mother gave him this name, hoping he would grow up with complete freedom, and it perfectly describes his skiing style.
Faster than anyone, more freely than anyone, he races across the snowy meadows. Adults are constantly thrilled and amazed by his performance.
Finally, when we asked Yuma-kun to give a message to kids and juniors who are skiing, he said...
"Keep trying! There are fun things that will happen if you keep trying."
Super kid Yuma Shibata. How far will this 10-year-old freeskiier soar?
There are few futures that are as exciting as his.