Olympic Ski Halfpipe Skier Touma Matsuura Takes on the Challenge with His Signature Trick, the "Octopus Grab"

The Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics are nearing the end. Freeskiing, especially the men's halfpipe, will see a Japanese athlete compete for the first time in three Olympics and 12 years, since Kentaro Tsuda at the 2014 Sochi Olympics

His name is Toma Matsuura. Hailing from Ono Town in Gifu Prefecture, his weekends were spent with his family heading to the ski resorts of Okumino since he was a child.
With his parents enjoying mogul skiing and freeskiing, it was only natural that he would become engrossed in that field.

At that time, the Okumino area was bustling with skiers like Jun Umemura and Shiita Takahashi, who were energizing the entire area. Matsuura grew up experiencing firsthand the park scene, the different skiing styles that utilized all kinds of terrain at the ski resorts, and the emergence of the superpipe at Takasu.

Currently, the global competition scene is rapidly becoming more high-speed and difficult.
Matsuura is part of this trend, but he is not simply adding up the number of rotations; he is pursuing "style" and "coolness."
At the heart of it all is the free spirit of skiing cultivated in the snowy mountains of Okumino and his unique aesthetics.

Matsuura Toma returned to Japan temporarily after the North American World Cup in January.
We spoke with him at a time when he had almost secured his place in the Olympics, to find out where he stands now.

"You can see the shape even with your eyes closed" - A dramatic change in resolution

In the 2025-2026 season, Toma Matsuura placed 8th in the World Cup at Copper Mountain, securing his spot in the Olympics. Behind this was a clear improvement in his technique, particularly in the "resolution of his images." 

"The image of each trick has become clearer than before. With the switch double, I can instantly visualize how to do it.

I've reached a point where I can visualize every trick immediately, even with my eyes closed. Until last year, I didn't clearly understand what wasn't working well for me.
But now, I'm constantly using the right and left 1260 in competitions, and I can instantly visualize creating this shape at this timing just by moving my body."

From simply "performing techniques" to "being able to create the ideal silhouette in the air," this change is the core of Matsuura's current stability and the beauty of his performances

From the 2024-25 season, he started trying the double (cork) 900 as a new focus. In addition, in the spring at the end of the season, he learned the switch double at Takasu Snow Park.
In order to connect the double 900 and the switch double as part of his routine, he practiced the pipe at Kumagaya Quest in Saitama until just before heading to the World Cup. All of his steady efforts
came to fruition at just the right time in the 2025-26 Olympic season.

Conquering the "non-running pipe." Pay attention to the skiing techniques he has honed through steady skiing

While halfpipe often draws attention with its spectacular aerial maneuvers, the quality of the bottom run is what ultimately determines the winner. What
Matsuura is currently focusing on most, and which is also highly regarded by his coaches, is his "bottom run" from landing to the next exit (lip).

"Speed ​​is everything in pipe racing. Lately, I've been focusing on the movement from landing to the next exit. It depends on the characteristics of the pipe at each venue, but if the pipe is moving, you can gain speed and height without thinking too much, and your rotation will improve as a result. But when you're not gaining speed, it's the sliding of the bottom that's really important."

In particular, the North American series in Calgary and Copper Mountain during the 2025-2026 season were held under harsh conditions where snowfall made the pipes "not run" (difficult to accelerate).

"In those two events, it was snowing, and the skis just weren't running. In those conditions, in order to get the same height as the top riders, you have to accelerate properly when you enter the bottom from the landing, and when you come off the lip, you have to make sure your skis are running.

I think I was always conscious of that this year. The angle of entry into the wall, how you apply your weight, and the quality of the turn itself are what leads to speed. It's a little difficult to put into words why that is..."

Matsuura tried various things to improve the quality of his turns. He didn't just jump through the pipe, but also did lip tricks, skied on different terrains switch, skied in powder, and glided through the park. Through trial and error, he improved the quality of his turns and the overall level of his skiing.

The precision of his flashy tricks is supported by the steady accumulation of his basic skiing techniques.

The world's long-awaited, one-of-a-kind icon, "Octopus"

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The routine that Matsuura will be performing in Milan is one that is unique and original. It is a departure from the high-speed routine that pursues high rotations, and is structured to captivate both the judges and the audience

[Planned Olympic Routine]
1st: Switch left double cork 1080 + double Japan grab
2nd: Right double cork 1260 + tail grab
3rd: Left double cork 1260 + mute grab
4th: Early-oop rodeo 540 + octopus grab 5th
: Double rodeo 900 + Japan grab

The most notable move was the fourth, the Alley-Oop Rodeo 540 + Octopus Grab. This grab requires a complex grip on both skis, making it difficult to create a silhouette

"It seems like there were people who did it in the past, but it's a move that no one does anymore (it's famous as Charles Gagner's favorite trick). It's a move that no one else does, a 540, but when you combine it with an octopus grab, I think it's a trick that makes people say, 'Wow, this is amazing!' I think that's where I'm able to show my own individuality, or style."

In fact, during the World Cup, the image of "Touma = Octopus" has become established among coaches around the world 

"Even during official training sessions, coaches from other countries often ask me to 'show us the octopus!' or say, 'That's what we want to see.' There's a
risk of not getting points if I make a mistake in a competition, but I think I'm actually developing the kind of skating that makes the judges want to see it."

It's not about endlessly adding up rotations, but about changing the atmosphere with a fleeting silhouette. That's one aspect of the skiing style that Matsuura has been pursuing.
Even so, his body is currently in a state of complete exhaustion.

"To be honest, I didn't think I'd be able to ski that well until this season started. I was in pretty rough shape, with a sore back and shoulder.
But I persevered and practiced hard during the off-season training right up until the start of the season, and now I feel a little more comfortable."

So when I arrived in China, on the first day of the World Cup training, I didn't do any doubles at all and focused on riding in the pipe. From the second day onwards, I tried all the doubles I had done before, and I managed to land almost every trick I tried.
The level of perfection was low, so I think it was good that I was able to control the tricks I could use and improve my performance, finishing 10th in the first World Cup event and 8th in the second.

This season, I was able to improve my skills in adjusting tricks to suit the pipe, which was a big benefit."

He makes up for his physical insecurity with his technical coordination and cultivated confidence, a strength that comes from his skiing style, which has allowed him to explore not only the pipe but the entire snowy mountain

"Basically, I'm a pipe skier, but I'd say I'm more of a 'freestyle skier' than just a pipe skier. I aim to be someone who can ski on all parts of the mountain, someone who can do everything.
You can't improve your skiing skills by only doing one specific category. I do not only park skiing, but also freeriding and powder, and I also do jibbing and play around with snowboarding."

I believe all of those experiences have contributed to the way I skate now

It's not just about whether you succeed or fail, or whether you're doing amazing tricks or not. The situation changes depending on the weather, but I think 'style' is something that never changes, so I'm always conscious of doing cool runs.
The originality of my grabs, like the octopus or double Japan, the connection and beauty of my runs. I'd be happy if people would pay attention to that."

Toma Matsuura aims to showcase the indescribable appeal and charm of freeskiing on the Olympic stage.
His unique style is sure to leave a deep and vivid impression on skiers around the world.

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