It's been three years since NIPPON OPEN, the largest snowboarding festival in Japan, came to Alz.A big size super pipe and a carefully shaped park.Furthermore, it covers the hot spring hotel next to the slopes perfectly from on to off.After checking in, you don't have to leave the premises.Such easy comfort has become familiar now.So for many riders, Alz is their home during the NIPPON OPEN.This time, such riders had a tense expression just before the start from their real faces.Furthermore, full coverage up to cool riding.We will deliver backstage scenery that you would not normally see in a magazine.So to speak, Super VIP.NIPPON OPEN seen from the special seats.In fact, something like this happened where I couldn't see it.
TEXT & PHOTO: Takuro Hayashi (Takuro “TK” Hayashi)
■ February 2 / Super Pipe Semifinal is sucking
■ February 2 Daytime / Finally the park style is realized!
■ February 2 Night Club / Rail Jam is overdoing warnings!
■ February 2 / The best technical showdown ever
Certainly the weather forecast was downhill, but isn't it okay if nothing goes down here?Riders who have won from qualifying and top professionals who have been invited.Let's all do a semi-final together and pop with Dokan in the Super Pipe final on Sunday!It was a setup, but it was too terrible.The women's semi-final that took place earlier ended under a cloudy sky.However, as soon as the following men's semi-file started, it started to rain, and in a blink of an eye, it started to rain.As for how much it gets off, if you keep the clothes, it will be moist to the first layer in a little 30 minutes.The inside of the boots is also full.I was holding an umbrella that I had prepared for this, so I managed to do something about it, but the video I was turning instead of a memo contained the sound of rain hitting the umbrella all the time.
It was hard to cover, but it was even harder for the rider.Raindrops couldn't provide visibility for the goggles lens, and the bottom of the pipe changed in hardness depending on the location due to the rain.
Of course that wasn't the only cause, but there were some upsets in this semifinal.Kelly Clark, for example, failed to reach the final with two runs.Takahiro Ishihara was flying at a tremendous height, but he missed the landing of 2, probably because he couldn't get used to the pipe.Fumiyuki Murakami was also good at taking off, and although Liszt Mattilla succeeded in his technical routine, he did not reach the final line.
The semi-final held in the rain is a weekday, so the audience is small.However, the session is the first round in which the invited player and the winning team collide.48 boys and 24 girls will participate.Such powerful players compete seriously.In some cases, even Shaun White may disappear in this round.A tough and realistic remaining battle.Perhaps this semi-final is the most "dark" part of the Nippon Open.
Actually, the park style has been canceled twice in the past.The cause is bad weather. For the second consecutive year, the wind was so strong that I couldn't fly.Partly because of that, everyone was nervous about the weather.But!Looking at the weather forecast this year, there seems to be no worry about the wind.But !! Heavy rain the day before.The snow on the course absorbs plenty of water.Bring it there and the lowest temperature at dawn is minus 2 degrees Celsius.It's already Karin Karin's Corrin Corrin.Is it really possible to create a park style in such a hard condition?
The course has one kicker and one regular backside hip.If you think there are only two, you will hit a drumstick.A lot of staff made plans for a long time in the shortage of snow, gathered from various places on the slopes, managed the snow well, and finally created this park.I was surprised at how big the hips were.
Check out this course for public practice.Riders who were on the lookout at first wouldn't be able to get a feel for it.Despite this worry, cabs 5 and 9 and even 10 are thrown out.
In other words, I didn't have to worry about it.The other party is a professional, so if you leave it to me, it's OK.If it's hard, it's hard, and it means that you'll build a technical routine properly.
and!Finally, my dream of three years has come true.Park style is realized at the Nippon Open of Alz.The wind was a little strong and the rider had a hard time, but the third honest word was perfect for the appearance of flying freely with Mt. Bandai in the background.
The final of Super Pipe is composed of 16 Japanese out of 10 boys and 8 out of 5 girls.Well, if there were few foreigners with power, that is not the case.Sean and last year's champion Danny Davis are also in attendance.As for the girls, last year's champion Soko Yamaoka naturally has a list of names, and even the champion of the year before last, Torah Bright, has survived.In other words, it doesn't mean that you won because you didn't have a top.
In fact, the semi-final battle was quite hot, as Liszt Mattilla, Fumiyuki Murakami, and Takahiro Ishihara did not remain in the finals for boys.Most of the riders who survived there were Japanese.Moreover!Speaking of boys, most of the Japanese who advanced to the final are teenagers.In other words, Japanese teens have been tremendously empowered and did their best in the semi-finals.That is the reason why there are many Japanese men in the finals.
Speaking of such teenage routines, 10 is normal and 720 is commonplace. It was a close battle with a high degree of difficulty to incorporate 900.There was a super oversized super pipe that could put out their power.Although it was said that there was not enough snow, I used an artificial snowmaking machine from an early stage to make snow in a planned manner.In addition, the peak of the pipe condition has been adjusted to the final by taking into account the snow that melts in the rain and sunlight.It was this kind of detailed calculation that brought out the power of Japanese players and was able to compete with foreign players as well!
So, this technical battle was really fun to watch.That's because the close battle, which is almost the most difficult in the world, really took place right in front of you.You can do it once a year.What is the front line of freestyle?How about experiencing it and getting excited?Take the plunge in a loud voice and support your favorite rider.Isn't it ant to enjoy snowboarding in such a sports watching style?I thought.
NISSAN X-TRAIL NIPPON OPEN 2007 Competition Report
├PARK STYLE -Final Round- Saturday, February 2007, 2
└ Super Pipe -Final Round- Sunday, February 2007, 2
SBN MYPAGE Alzpark Report
├ Maipe Session in Alz Park
└ School edition, rental edition, curry edition
Yukiwotome Slope Deliport in Alts Bandai
├ DEC.22 Departure-I've arrived at Alz! ~ Supper Forest ~ Roll of hot water of Oruri
└DEC.23 Free Run ~ The Rider's ~ Adventure Kingdom Pao Village ~ Supper Alpine ~ Christmas Wreath Making Roll
