February 2018, 2 (Thursday) The final of the Snowboard Women's Big Air at the Pyeongchang Olympics will finally be held. In the qualifying held on February 22, Yuka Fujimori in 2nd place, Reira Iwabuchi in 19rd place, and Miyabi Onitsuka went to the final in 2th place.Three Japanese girl riders who couldn't get good results with the slopestyle performed under strong winds, or are expected to play an active role to revenge their regrets.Although it is just before the final, the article of Onizuka published in the February issue of FREERUN will be specially released.Let's support their success together.

Miyabi Onitsuka

MIYABI ONITSUKA

Aim for the gold medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics

The other day, Miyabi Onitsuka (hereinafter referred to as “Miyabi”) was named in the announcement of the prospective candidates for the Pyeongchang Olympics announced by SAJ.I've been featured as a top athlete for the last few years, and I've met her at media-related events, but the first time I saw her was an elementary school girl who boldly attacked the rails at the tournament and stood out. rice field.Ya has emerged from an early age, has steadily achieved results mainly in the contest scene, and has grown into an athlete who competes in the world's top class.At the same time, if you leave the snowboard, you will find her charm as a female college student who enjoys campus life.
text: Rie Watanabe
(This article was published in the February issue of FREERUN)

It will be updated at the competition that repeats every year

With the Pyeongchang Olympics approaching, this Ya is sought after by various media. He started snowboarding at the age of 5, and has been active mainly in competitions with the support of his family since he was a child, and has produced results.Taking advantage of the difficulty and perfection of jumps and the jib that she has been familiar with since she was little, she is now aiming at the second type of slopestyle and big air and has a track record. It was when I was in the sixth grade of elementary school.
"I've been snowboarding since I was little, and I've been playing and practicing jib-only tournaments up to 5th grade. When I was 6th grade, I first tried a slopestyle tournament, and I was the team manager of BURTON. It was a turning point for me, and since then it has changed to a lifestyle that makes me go on an international tournament every year. "
Ya who has been active mainly in competitions for many years and has also left a record.What she was in the limelight in Japan was the feat of being the youngest in the 2015 World Championship slopestyle and the first Japanese girl to win a gold medal.
"At that time, when I came back, I was very surprised that Japan was in a fuss! I was asked to be interviewed even on the phone, so I was wondering so much !? (Laughs) "
He has been active since then, finishing 3rd in last year's World Championships on the podium for the second consecutive tournament, and at Big Air, 2 at the World Cup Beijing Tournament held in November and the Menchengradbach (Germany) Tournament held in December. It is also new to my memory that I was ranked.

"The Beijing tournament was an easy-to-fly kicker, but I'm glad I managed to get it done in the actual performance because I couldn't match it in the public practice! I was also confident. At the Menchengradbach tournament, I was wondering if I should participate because I hurt my elbow and wrist in the second fall of the qualifying, but I'm glad I could fly! However, the kicker itself is hard to fly and it is too much. I didn't like it ... I'm glad I was in second place, but I couldn't slide as I expected, so I felt that I still needed some basic practice. "
In the blog I wrote after the Mönchengladbach tournament, I should not lose to Carla Somaini (Switzerland) who won the championship by hitting high points with FS900, which is a little less difficult than Ya's technique including CAB720. While talking about his regrets, he also said that he was inspired by the success of Yuri Okubo, a younger man who finished second in the tournament.What is the tournament that left an impression on her, who has participated in countless tournaments and has been on an overseas expedition since she was in elementary school !?
"Everything is impressive and I will never forget it (laughs). I've been repeating the same routine for a really long time, and the place and time to go to the tournament is the same every year. In terms of image, it feels like it's being updated every year. I suddenly thought that when I finished the opening round of the World Cup held in New Zealand, which was the runner-up in slopestyle last year, I participated for the first time in 2011 and finished 8th. By participating in the event and slipping in the same place while practicing, I remembered the feelings of the past and wondered if I'm doing as hard as I did at that time. I noticed that I was able to try BS Double Cork 1080 and make an aggressive jib. I was pushed back by many discoveries in the competition that is repeated every year. "

I have no choice but to do it

She didn't hit the wall mentally because she was spending time on snowboarding for children of her generation to enjoy junior high school and high school life due to overseas expeditions from elementary school students, pressure on tournament results, and often leaving her family. I wonder?
"I don't really have anything to do for my mental health! I read a lot of novels when I was in junior high school, and I got tired of it, so I read a self-development book (laughs). I've had to do it since I was little, so I have no choice but to do it. I remember it with my body. I had to do it, and I think all the overseas riders are doing that. What should I say? ...... It's the same as brushing my teeth, because it's everyday. "
I have no choice but to do it.With that spirit ingrained in the body, instead of keeping the current situation, as a result of constantly trying and moving forward, I learned new tricks with high difficulty and made it my own.Last summer, he released FS1080 at Toyama Kings on SNS, released BS Double Cork 1080 in New Zealand, and made adjustments to BS Double Cork 1080 makeup at the subsequent tournaments.Considering her ability, it seems that there is a chance of winning even if you make adjustments that make the most of the drawers you can make now, but you are eager to try new tricks.And it is definitely taking it into me and evolving.He is in a position to compete in the world's top class and has adjusted other riders at a high level, but even in the world, no player has evolved as visually as she does.

"You have to do it to win anymore! I was disappointed with the result of last year's US OPEN, which I couldn't reach the podium after putting out all the techniques I could do at that time. Double Cork 1080 has an image and is being adjusted to come out. "
If you can control Ya's treasure sword CAB900 and BS double cork 1080, there is no doubt that it will be a gold medal battle in the second type of Pyeongchang Olympic slopestyle, Big Air.Anna Gasser, who is expected to win the championship, may not always be able to make a perfect move.With that in mind, we are further improving the level of BS Double Cork 2, which is now the biggest key to the Pyeongchang Olympics, with the spirit of “doing it because we have no choice but to do it”.

The Pyeongchang Olympics are high-level and spectacular!

As an athlete with high expectations for medals over the last few years, Ya has been exposed to the media a lot.He says he wants to change his image of snowboarding by taking advantage of the changes in the environment surrounding him. "I've always felt that snowboarding has a slightly bad image, such as winning medals at the Olympics but not having many sponsors. So, I've always wanted to change that image! I hope that people will see the skis at the Olympics and convey the fun. "
It is no exaggeration to say that all efforts and adjustments made so far have been aimed at the Pyeongchang Olympics.And it is said that this Olympics is full of spectacular viewers.
"Slopestyle and big air weren't an Olympic sport when I first started, and since it became an Olympic sport, the level of both girls and boys has risen tremendously! That's what made it an Olympic event. The overall level has been raised and the situation is very good. It should be a spectacular and enjoyable competition for the viewers, and I think I should do my best. "
When you ask about your current feelings ahead of the Pyeongchang Olympics !? "I have never participated in the Olympics, so I don't know a little ... I feel the same as when I'm in the same season as usual. However, do you feel a little excited (laughs). I think it's the tournament that sponsors and friends will watch the most, so I have to do my best there! It's a special tournament. "
A cute girl who was attacking the rails with a small body when she was young continues to fight on the world stage, and in February of this year, she will enter the gold medal battle of the Pyeongchang Olympics.Ya has always delivered many moments of smile and joy every time he got on the podium.At the Pyeongchang Olympics, I want her to excite the world with her usual performance and the best smile.
I asked him what he wanted to do after the final Olympics. "I want to get a driver's license! But everyone is telling me that I'm scared (laughs)."

Miyabi Onitsuka
Miyabi Onitsuka
Born October 1998, 10 in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Beginning with snowboarding at the age of 12, he has been active mainly in competitions in slopestyle and big air events since he was in the sixth grade of elementary school. At the 5 World Championships, she was the first Japanese girl to win a gold medal and was in the limelight. In 6, he finished 2015rd in the World Championship, 2017nd in the Big Air of the World Cup Beijing Tournament and Menchengradbach Tournament, and was nominated for the Pyeongchang Olympics to be held next month.Currently, she is also a female college student enrolled in the Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University.The sponsor isHoshino resort, RED BULL,BURTON, Japan Airlines, F.JANCK, Osaka Osho, SAMANTHA THAVASA

>Click here for information on the gear used by Miyabi Onitsuka

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