He once competed in World Cup races, and in 2018 he returned to the snow as the head coach of the All Japan Alpine Team. The following year, he moved to Innsbruck, Austria, and now Kenta Uraki is developing Kesleski as the general agent in Japan. He will deliver the latest information and interesting topics such as European snow culture, gear and technology from a global perspective from overseas.
Records! Surprises! Happenings! The opening round of the 2024-2025 Alpine World Cup was full of buzz
With the world's attention on the event, the 2024-2025 Alpine Ski World Cup finally kicked off this season with the opening rounds of the women's GS (Giant Slalom) on Saturday, October 26th and the men's GS on Sunday, October 27th in Sölden, Austria. Let's take a closer look at what kind of races were held there and what the highlights were
A whopping 67% viewership! Over 1 million people watched the match on TV in Austria
Although attendance at this year's opening race was around 16,800 for the women's race and 17,200 for the men's race, the same as in previous years, Austria's national broadcaster ORF announced that the number of television viewers exceeded its previous record, with 622,000 viewers for the women's race (47%) and an astounding 67% viewership for the men's race, bringing the total to over one million. Considering that the viewership for the Formula One Mexican Grand Prix car race, which was broadcast on ORF on the same Sunday night as the men's race, was only 27%, it is clear just how much attention this year's Alpine World Cup attracted
In the end, the excitement was at its peak, with the return of Marcel Hirscher (Netherlands) and Lucas Pinheiro Braaten (Brazil) and new records being set in both the men's and women's races. However, an unfortunate incident occurred for the Japanese team, making this the opening race that was full of topics
In addition to the race results, we will also be shining a spotlight on other aspects of the opening race, such as the new worldview that Hirscher and Braaten brought to the alpine skiing world, and the unreasonable competition management that occurred behind the scenes of the exciting race
First, let's take a look at what happened on the day!
Here is a digest post from the German wax manufacturer "Holmenkol" about the day's events. They commented that Marcel Hirscher and Lukas Bladen were back in the race. Check out the video on Instagram
The mysterious response to Seigo Kato: Why did the FIS not allow a re-race?
The men's opening round was a memorable and exciting event, but for the Japanese team, a surprising incident occurred that could not be overlooked. We will share as much as we can about what happened so far, including information from men's chief coach Kyosuke Kono and Seigo Kato (Nozawa Onsen SC) himself.
In the men's GS, the 74 competitors started the first run, and it was Seigo Kato, the ace of the Japanese team, who started from the 72nd position, third to the last.
He passed the first checkpoint in 28th place with a good time, and was about to enter the second checkpoint when a member of the Austrian team wearing blue uniforms (later discovered to be Herbert Mandl, the Austrian Ski Federation's Alpine Director, who oversees all alpine events) slipped on the course, and Seigo stepped off the course to avoid him. According to the rules, in such cases the race would be restarted immediately, so the jury would make arrangements for the restart, and the athletes would act according to their instructions
However, World Cup Race Director Markus Waldner informed Seigo that the decision to not re-race the race was a violation of the FIS rule (ICR 623/Rules for Re-races). Naturally, the Japanese team vehemently protested to Waldner, but his decision was not overturned. Waldner reportedly told the Japanese team, "Any delay in the race would affect television coverage and potentially result in significant financial losses."
Discussions between the Japanese Alpine Team and the FIS continued, but the only response thus far has been, "We will impose a penalty on the Austrian team in the form of a fine, and send that money to Kato." However, that is not the problem. It was Austrian Mandl who actually interfered, and if the race had been re-raced, an apology from Mandl would have resolved the matter.
The problem lies in the FIS's lack of sufficient preparations to re-race the race.
In fact, the race that day was managed in an unusual way, with the start intervals from 30th place onwards being 45 seconds apart, but with 1 minute 25 seconds between starts until Braaten's start in 41st place. This meant that the race was running behind schedule. Despite accepting such a measure, there was not sufficient discussion about how to deal with problems when they occurred. In any case, the discussion should have started with FIS admitting their fault and apologizing to Kato Seigo and the Japanese team.
Seigo Kato was obstructed on the course
Seigo himself has now shifted his focus to the next race, rather than lamenting the time that will never come back. However, the Japanese team and the Ski Association of Japan cannot let this end like this. Naturally, they intend to continue fighting until they receive a clear response from FIS. This matter has become a hot topic among many athletes, and action is being taken. Voices, mainly from athletes representing small nations, have reached FIS directly, and it will be interesting to see what kind of response they will receive. For athletes who devote their limited careers to competing wholeheartedly, FIS's unreasonable response, such as this, must never be tolerated
The women's team broke the record for the oldest winner!
The women's Grand Slam was a much talked about race, as the favorite to win, Lara Gut-Behrami (Switzerland), withdrew from the race just before the race due to lack of preparation. However, in the end, Federica Brignone (Italy) broke the record for the oldest woman to win a World Cup race, making it a historic event
▼Posted by Alice Robinson (left) from New Zealand, who won second place, Federica Brignone (center) and Julia Scheib (right) from Austria
Brignone has now won 27 World Cup races. At the age of 34 years, 3 months and 12 days, he came from third place in the first run to win the race in Sölden for his 28th victory. He also won his first World Cup race in Sölden in 2015 at the age of 25, so this victory at a place that holds many memories for him, his first in nine years, now comes with the added bonus of a major record. Incidentally, the oldest male winner was Didier Cuche (Switzerland), who achieved this at the age of 37 in the downhill race at Lake Louise (Canada) in 2011
Norway sweeps the men's podium for the first time!
The next day, a major milestone was also set in the men's race. The overwhelming favorite, Marco Odamat (Switzerland), went off the course in the first run, and a close race was expected. In the end, Norway dominated the podium, taking first, second, and third places. This was a first for a men's GS event. Winner Alexander Steen Olsen, 23, claimed his second World Cup victory.
Second-place finisher Henrik Christophersen achieved his 87th career podium finish. Third place went to 24-year-old Atre Rie McGrath, just 0.1/100th of a second behind Christophersen. Incidentally, fourth place went to Lucas Pinheiro-Braaten, who was a member of the Norwegian team until last year and is now competing for Brazil this season.
▼Posted by second place winner Henrik Christophersen (left)
The Norwegian men's team has consistently produced top athletes in the Alpine World Cup. While the now-retired Aksel Lund Svindal and injured Alexander Åmodt Kilde have both competed for the overall title, the team is also developing young, unique athletes. Norway's training system, which boasts organizational strength superior to that of the skiing powerhouses Switzerland and Austria, could be a model for sports teams not only in Japan but around the world
Marcel Hirscher delivers results in his return after six seasons!
Marcel Hirscher achieved an unprecedented eight consecutive overall victories in the Alpine World Cup up until the 2018-19 season, before retiring at the end of that year. Starting in the 2024-25 season, he changed his nationality from Austria to his mother's home country, the Netherlands, and decided to return to the sport after a six-season absence. However, reports emerged that he had struggled with adjusting his training gear since the summer, and some criticized his return to the World Cup as a way to promote his own ski brand, VAN DEER RedBull Sports
Amidst all this, the FIS (International Ski Federation) announced a rule change that could be a boon for Hirscher. This change was called the "Wild Card" (details of which were covered in my previous column). Known by those involved as the "Hirscher Rule," this unprecedented special rule was designed to make it easier for past superstars to return to racing. It not only grants them World Cup berths, but also gives them a favorable starting position even without points. It's no exaggeration to say it was tailor-made for Hirscher.
Even after the wild card was announced, Hirscher's participation in the race remained uncertain, citing insufficient preparation. However, with less than a week until the race, he himself announced that he would be competing in the opening round. Due to the negative press he had received and the fact that Hirscher himself hadn't yet decided to participate until just before the race, expectations were fading among those involved, and most people predicted that he would have difficulty achieving the "top 30" goal in the first run, which would qualify him for the second run.
As a wildcard, Hirscher entered the opening round, skiing immediately after the seeded athletes ranked within the top 30. However, he actually started in 34th place, behind three other athletes with over 500 World Cup points. Due to the high temperature, the icy course was slightly dug up, but not particularly difficult.
Despite these conditions, he displayed a steady and aggressive performance, surprising for someone returning to the World Cup after six seasons, finishing in 28th place, 2.29 seconds behind the leader. Then, starting third for his second run, he finished on a smooth course, powerful and technical, showing little sign of decline since six years ago. His second run time was a whopping third, and he finished in 23rd place overall. His performance exceeded anyone's expectations.
Indeed, Hirscher's return may have primarily been about promoting his brand. Whatever the reason, his skiing and results, which showed no sign of a significant gap, surprised tournament officials, all the competing athletes, and ski fans around the world, and it goes without saying that he was able to make the best possible brand appeal.
A photo of Hirscher with a big smile on his face that he posted on his Instagram made a big impression.
It received 73,000 likes, and fans were delighted to see the superhero's return, with many warm comments such as, "You are a true visionary, helping to redefine sport, industry and a way of life," and "We knew you could do it. From now on, it's all about the fun. For you and us. We've missed you, Marcel." The
next race is the opening slalom race in Levi (Finland), and Hirscher is currently training hard for this race.
▼Posted by the player himself while training in Sölden in preparation for the opening match
The special presence of Lucas Pinheiro Braaten
Lucas Pinheiro Braaten (Brazil) won the individual slalom event at the tender age of 22 as a member of the Norwegian national team in the 2022-23 season. Fans were expecting him to win the overall title, but he announced his retirement just before the start of last season (details in my previous column).
This year, however, he announced he would change his nationality from Norway to his mother's home country of Brazil and return to the World Cup. This, too, came as a surprise, but this season's opening race marked his return after a year and a half.
After a full season away from racing, he dropped in the starting order, starting 41st in the opening race in Sölden. However, as expected, he showed no signs of slowing down, placing 19th in his first run, just 1.68 seconds behind his former teammate Steen Olsen. Then, in his second run, he skated confidently and flawlessly, posting the fastest overall time and ultimately finishing in 4th place, a perfect comeback that he was very satisfied with. The title of her Instagram post was "I'M BACK HOME BABY💚."
Braaten's results alone are noteworthy, but more than that, he exudes a special presence that is incomparable to anyone else. This time too, he entertained not only the stadium but also television viewers around the world with his dance reminiscent of Brazilian samba immediately after scoring his second goal.
(Below is a post on his Instagram.)
Many of the runners who came down the finish line after him were unable to beat Braaten, and the first to cross the finish line was his former teammate and ally, Atre Rie McGrath, who placed fifth in the first run. Immediately after finishing, McGrath pointed at Braaten with a smile from the finish line, and Braaten, with a beaming smile, jumped into the finish line to congratulate McGrath on his great run, and the two shared a big hug. I'm sure I'm not the only one who got a glimpse of the bond between the two and the time and effort they'd spent together from that exchange.
After Braaten crossed the finish line in his second run, he spent a long time on TV in front of the leaderboard, so many people probably noticed, but their head sponsor was Red Bull, and their racing suit was by Moncler, a global luxury brand known for its down jackets and other items.
Starting this season, Moncler will essentially be supporting the Brazilian team, with Braaten as the sole member, but the fact that a fashion giant has entered the alpine skiing market is newsworthy in itself, and this new brand's entry into the alpine skiing market would not have been possible without Braaten
Braaten describes herself as an athlete, artist, and pioneer. In addition to her talent, she is more than just an athlete; she stands out from the crowd with her unique presence, combining an artistic worldview and pioneering spirit. There was a lot of footage of young women watching the race on-site, and it's easy to imagine that many of them were Braaten fans
Not only as a skier, but also as a person, how much will he grow and entertain those around him? It will be fascinating to see what Braaten does next, not only on the snow, but also off the ice, and it looks like he'll make an impact in other areas too. His registered name, Lucas Pinheiro Braaten, is the name he has used since his transfer this season. He originally competed under the name Lucas Braaten, but after moving to Brazil he added his mother's maiden name, Pinheiro
I can't wait to watch the opening slalom race at Levi!
The next race will be the opening round of the slalom competition in Levi, Finland. The women's race is scheduled for Saturday, November 16th, and the men's race is scheduled for Sunday, November 17th
*For more information on LEVI's SL opening race, click here
In the women's race, it will be interesting to see whether Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), who has extended her record for most World Cup wins to 97, will achieve 100 wins this season. In
the men's race, Manuel Ferrer (Austria), who won four slalom races last season to claim his first individual event title, and Rinus Strasser (Germany), who came second in the event and narrowly missed out on the title, seem to have the slight advantage, but it is a close race where anyone could win. In addition, Hirscher, who won an individual event title in the 2018/19 season before retiring, and Braaten, who won an individual event title two years ago, are also likely to participate, making it an exciting time for spectators.
Manuel Ferrer's Instagram post of his skating at the opening round in Sölden
The Japanese team will have Maeda Chisaki (Murase Gumi Co., Ltd.) and Watanabe Airi (Tokai University) competing in the women's slalom, while the men's slalom will feature Kato Seigo, Koyama Yohei (Benefit One Ski Club), Yohei's younger brother Koyama Takayuki (Izumi Sangyo Co., Ltd. SC), who will be competing in his first World Cup, and Katayama Ryoma (Tokai University), who will be competing in his second World Cup after his first appearance in Selden
Yohei Koyama placed 8th at the Madonna di Campiglio World Cup in December 2021. To break the bad streak of the past two seasons, where he failed to achieve any notable results, he'll need to produce results right from the start. The Levi course features a series of gentle slopes, which he struggles with, right from the start, and the deciding factor will be how close he can get to the leader there.
Meanwhile, Seigo Kato, who suffered this misfortune, also placed 23rd in the slalom after his first run in Wengen last year, starting 51st. Despite failing his second run, his slalom skills are still considerable. We hope he can turn the humiliation he suffered in Sölden into motivation and put in his best run yet.
Information
◆In Japan, the sports channel J SPORTS will broadcast/stream all men's SL and GS races, as well as notable DH and SG races, and a digest of the women's SL. The opening men's slalom race, to be held in Levi, Finland, will be broadcast live from 17:45 Japan time on Sunday, November 17th
The article "Information just before the opening race" that was published one week before the opening race received a great response, and we would like to thank many people for sharing it on social media and blogs.
▼Click here for the previous article
