Interview with Kosuke Sugimoto, 4th overall at the Moguls World Cup, "Trying to do something for the first time in Beijing"

Although he was out of the national moguls team for a while, he returned to the front stage, finishing 4th in the World Cup overall rankings this season and 9th in the Beijing Olympics. He was briefly released from a tense season in April. He was participating in the Vector Glide test ride event held at Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort. He took time out of his busy schedule of test drives and lesson camps to ask about this season, the Beijing Olympics, and the Vector Glide, which he's the only one to use at the World Cup.

ーーThank you for this season. At the Beijing Olympics, there was an accident that broke the stock, but I finished 9th. Could you look back on the Olympics in your own words?

For better or worse, I had never experienced the Olympics, so it was great to not have any preconceived notions. There was no strange trauma, and I was able to wish with a flat feeling.

There are Olympic rings here and there, and it is truly a dream stage. I thought it was a very intense place. But I've never done it, so I don't know what it's like. Compared to the usual World Cup competition schedule, the Olympics were a bit special. There are four days of official training. But when I started, I felt like I was enjoying myself and had great expectations. I think now that it was a place that made me want to go again.

*You can see Sugimoto's final skating in the gorin.jp archive. https://www.gorin.jp/video/6295678071001

ーーBefore participating in the Olympics, you left a comment saying that the Olympics will be a way to repay those who have supported you. What do you think about that?

I agree. I couldn't make it to Beijing with smooth sailing, so I missed Sochi and Pyeongchang, dropped out of the national team, and managed to make it to Beijing at the last minute.

When I failed to finish in the top 16 in any competition and was dropped from the team, the SAJ organization also changed, and the rules for entering the national team for those aged 21 and above became very strict.

When I went to Norham, which is ranked lower than the World Cup, I was in the position of a player, but until now, I did everything myself, such as air tickets, accommodations, and rental cars that the coaches had arranged for me. Having experienced such things, I am grateful to have a coach who allows me to focus solely on the competition. Takashi Endo and Yugo Tsukeda of Fusion Bumps in Kandatsu took care of me. Thanks to that, I was able to return to the team.

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ーーCompared to the time when you didn't make it into the top 16, you've accumulated good results this season. What has changed so much?

I think one of the reasons is that the skis have changed.
The Vectorglide Camel Hump is very maneuverable, so you can move the skis exactly where you want to go. But I haven't really changed my technique since I didn't get good grades. I keep doing the same thing. I kept doing it, and because I kept doing it, the current judges started to evaluate my skating. Until now, our overall strength was low, but I think we were able to raise the overall level.

ーーAre there any physical or mental aspects other than technique that you were able to raise?

I still do strength training and carry weights, but I quit strength training, which is called muscle hypertrophy.

I got a nutritionist and tried to squeeze my body.
For the 2021-22 season, I'm trying to figure out how much weight I need to lose to get the best performance. At one point, when I lost 7 kilos, I had a lot of lightheadedness when standing up. "This is crazy, this is impossible." This time, I tried to limit the increase and decrease, as if I wanted to gain a little weight. As a result, I found that 68, 9 kg is my best weight, and I am training with that as the upper limit so that the range of increase and decrease does not become large. So, I don't do strength training that much, and I decide how much aerobic exercise that moves my body for a long time per week and work on it.

After that, I had a physical therapist look at me and learned how to move my body correctly.
Focusing on moving the body efficiently, such as how to move each joint. If you don't move it correctly, you can easily get injured. When I left the national team, I asked them to look at these things in private and changed them little by little.

ーーAfter all, when you were dropped from the national team, did you act out of the awareness that you have to change something?

I agree. I haven't changed my skiing technique at all, but I thought it would be useless to continue doing other things. I think it's good to keep doing the same thing and improve your basic skills, but in the midst of things that don't change universally, I thought a lot about where to make changes and make them my strength. By the way, this season, I tried something different every race. Of course, the Olympics are also challenging for the first time.

ーーHuh? Even at the Olympics? What was your challenge?

During the Olympics, I completely changed my usual routine. I changed everything, such as how to start, warm-up method, number of image training, the timing to take off the down jacket before the performance, and the timing to put on the skis.

Strategically, after landing 1 air, I made it the best point to pass through the thinnest possible line about 3 bumps. Because I wanted to make a difference. I think that's probably a big reason why we were able to pass the quarterfinals in 2nd place.

ーーI see. It changes every race.

This season was pretty emotionally painful. Mentally, I want to challenge myself with peace of mind, but I feel like if I don't challenge myself, my growth will stop. But it's not reckless. I push myself in official training while understanding it in my head and setting up an image of what I can do if I do this. I did it in all the games this season to raise my spirits and challenge.

ーーBy the way, even though you were out of the national team, you still had a strong desire to participate in the Olympics. What kind of image did you have of the schedule you calculated backwards to Beijing?

I agree. The cycle of the Olympic events does not change, which is once every four years. I calculate backwards and plan, but if I only think about my grades, it's easy for the skis to become smaller and smaller. The most important thing is that if I do what I think is cool, the points will naturally follow.

Conversely, when I was on the national team, I didn't have that mindset. I was chasing only numbers (results). If I don't get in the top 16, I have to go to the final. That's all I was thinking.

ーーThat's right. Could you tell me about the skis you use? I think you are the only ski brand, Vectorglide, among the players who have participated in the World Cup. How did you meet?

I used to wear Hartskis all the time until I got the Vectorglide. At the time when the brand was discontinued, I tested the current mogul skis from an unbiased perspective. I rode ID one, Rossignol, Faction, K2, Fischer, Vector Glide, etc., and searched for skis that fit my style.

At that time, the ski that hit me hard was the Vector Glide. However, there is one problem. Other brands meet the SAJ usage regulations and can be used in competitions, but at that time Vector Glyde was not approved by SAJ.

So, even if I feel that this ski is good, I don't know if the brand will certify it as SAJ official gear.

First of all, the first hurdle was to tell Mr. Akiba that I wanted to return to the national team and compete on the world stage using Vector Glide. Ms. Akiba listened to my story and told me that she would support me, and she was able to transfer to SAJ's official gear immediately. She felt manly.

It's no exaggeration to say that they obtained the official approval for me, so the pressure is not bad. Because I'm the only one wearing them. It wasn't just because I liked it, I tried all the skis and found the one that suited me the best. It's been two years since I transferred, but I'm the lowest in the brand, lol.

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In the past, he had a track record in the competition scene with moguls, ski cross, and snowboard cross. Vectorglide has an image of powder and backcountry, but with Sugimoto and others who joined in 2020, the challenge in the competition scene has begun again with Japanese players.

ーーYou said that it suited your skating, but could you briefly explain the characteristics of your skating?

I think the characteristic of my skiing is the strength of my overall strength. For example, there are many players who are good at turns and jumps. However, one of the reasons why we are currently ranked 4th in the world is that we can maintain high quality from start to finish. For example, I think that the way I connect bumps after jumping and landing is one of my strengths.

ーーSkiing is a perfect fit for such overall quality of skiing. How is it compatible with skiing in the details?

I also have a crown qualification and did basic skiing. Among mogul players, I think he's the type to apply pressure to the outside leg. Among them, when I put on other skis, I felt that there were many skis that lost the force of stepping on them. When weight was applied to the outside leg, if it was slightly bumpy, it wouldn't return even if I stepped on it, and depending on the situation, my upper body would be crushed and I would often get stuck forward. The Vector Glide will give you a solid response when you step on it. I thought that the gliding ability was amazing.

ーーI see. I like skiing with a firm step on the board.

I changed skis and suddenly the World Cup happened, and if I didn't do well, it would be blamed on my skiing, which was really annoying. But luckily everything I did was on the upswing. I think the power of Camel Hump helped me to really improve my skills.

--Have you tried skiing on slopes other than bumpy slopes?

that's right. The flat slope is also slippery, and the hump is also included. There is also an order to get on skis from the very beginning of the morning. So, for 3 days, I tried shuffling the order every day, squeezing it during the first hard burn in the morning.

ーーDoes it take time to match your skiing with your skiing?

I agree. Especially when you step on it. Moguls are not flat slopes, and the bumps are all different shapes. No two conditions are the same, so even if you skate with the same impression, the feeling you get from the bumps will be different. I think it's quite difficult to combine mogul skiing and skiing.

ーーIn that case, it seems that there are many things you won't understand unless you use skis throughout the season.

that's right. When it snows heavily, when it's crunchy ice, when it snows a little on the bumps, when it's packed snow, etc. Of course, the slope also matters. I really have to ride it for a season.

Actually, there was a time this season when I was trying out new skis.

It is a hard type than the existing standard model. They made me a stiff one with 10% flex and torsion from top to tail. It arrived during an overseas training camp before the Olympics, and I tried skating on flats to get a feel for it.
I thought I'd stop using it if I felt bad about the first two, but I couldn't match the skiing to the ski at all... I didn't use it because I didn't have time until the Olympics. But when I think about it now, I wonder if I could have ridden it if I had continued to ride it a little longer. I'm not sure what to do now, and I'm trying to use it next season.

ーーDo you already have an image of how you can raise the level of your skiing by riding skis that are a little stiffer?

Yes, I think it will go up.
Up until now, when I skied straight onto sharp bumps, the skis bent more than I imagined. I thought that if the skis were stiffer than they are now, the deflection would be suppressed, which would lead to forward propulsion. If I do that, my gliding speed will increase, and I think it will be easier to make straight turns with momentum. However, if Skiing becomes easier and easier to run forward, so I have to be careful there. It's going to be harder than ever to get the best position to move your skis freely.

ーーIt's a little early, but I'm looking forward to your performance next season. I think you had a fulfilling season this season, but what are your goals for next season and beyond?

One thing I want to improve the quality of the slip. My goal is to achieve even better results at the World Cup.