Freeskiing competitions, which were popular throughout Japan until the 2010s, are now almost entirely organized by the FIS and SAJ. The "Japan Jr Freeski Open," a competition that served as a stepping stone for kids aiming for the world stage, ended its role after 10 years, and now the number of competitions has decreased, resulting in a loss of opportunities for interaction and experience for both adults and children.
On the other hand, the rise of social media has made it easy to share videos and photos, so the number of people who enjoy freeskiing, regardless of location or skill level, has become more apparent than ever before. New forms of interaction are emerging, where these loose connections on the internet are also being formed in real-world settings.
Freeskiing, in particular, is much more enjoyable when done in a group session than when done alone.
the "HieSta Cup" competition held on March 19th (Saturday) at X-JAM Takai FujiDaisuke Kurata,to report on
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The Hie-Sta Cup isHiromi Sato (ZUMASKIS)andEigo Higuchi (ARMADA). "Hie" comes from the first letters of their names, Hiromi and Eigo, and "Sta" is borrowed from the event where the two first met. There are still some mysteries, such as why they used the kanji for "Hie" and which event it was, but the two men in their twenties planned the event because they were concerned about the decline in competitions and session events in recent years and wanted to create a place for kids to showcase their skills and for freeskiers to interact.
The competition items were originally planned to be two sections, a 2-way kicker and a Rail/Box, but due to bad weather the day before, this was changed to two sections, a 5m kicker and an 8m kicker
Although the day of the competition was cloudy, around 20 freeskiers from a wide range of ages, from teenagers to those in their 40s, gathered to take part. The preliminary round was a jam session, with 16 participants advancing to the finals. The finals were a single-run tournament format, similar to PARKAIR, which the two organizers felt was very special. From the semi-finals onwards, the four participants who advanced to the finals competed in a super final
As for tricks in the competition, SW tricks from SW landings that emphasized flow on two consecutive kickers in the middle class, and transfer jumps that made use of the wide landing of the first one were often seen. The winner was Ayuda Shohei, who decided on Rodeo 3-Coke 7 Truck Driver
2nd: Kenty
3rd: Wakayama Shu
4th: Shibata Yuito
The guest riders and judges wereShunsuke Uemura (Riotskis),Kosuke Kusakari (ON3P), andAkane Nakata (ROXY). During the demo run, they showcased their full style with jumps alongside the two organizers. The MC was Seita Kimura, also known as SEI Ent., a local.
Just like at the JIB FES., which has become a Takai Fuji tradition, he greatly enlivened the event with his MCing, which focused on each individual participant.
It had the feel of a jam session, but also the tension of a single-round competition.
It was a competition event that evoked the atmosphere of old-fashioned amateur tournaments.
Photos and videos of the competition will be posted on Instagram and YouTube in the future.
Hiromi Sato and Eigo Higuchi plan to hold similar competition events during the next off-season and next season as well.
Check their respective Instagram accounts and the Hiesuta Cup for updates.
Hiromi Sato (@hiromi__0220)
Eigo Higuchi (@eigorian2)
Hiesuta Cup (@hiesuta)