Shinichi Watanabe participated in the Nagano Olympics as a teenager in a half-pipe tournament.We talked to him, who has been a rider for a long time, about the snowboarding scene and gear.
—What was your move during the 19-20 season?
Watanbe: I have been active mainly in Hokkaido, and now I am doing activities to liven up the snowboard scene, such as holding camps and events, and tournament judges, centering on the activities of the Snowboard Boy Scouts COMPAS, which nurtures the next generation of snowboarders.Despite the lack of snow and the influence of the corona, good snow this season made us the best snowboarder.
— What kind of activities are you doing these days?
Watanbe: In the off-season, I enjoy summer sideways such as boy group lessons and SAJ (Doren) coaches at Sapporo KINGS, and surfing and skateboarding in my private life.
—While you've been involved in snowboarding for many years, I think you've seen and experienced various changes such as the snowboarding scene, changes in riding style, and evolution of gear.How do you think the snowboarding scene, riding style, and gear have changed compared to when you participated in the Nagano Olympics in recent years?
Watanbe: At that time, I've been active as an athlete since I was a teenager, mainly in halfpipe competitions.Now, based on that experience, I have further increased my experience points in BC and freeride, and now I am training juniors and communicating the fun of snowboarding to many people.In recent years, the scale of pipes and parks in Japan has become larger than in the past, and I feel that we are getting closer to overseas.As for gears, the number of gears specialized in various categories has increased, and the technology has evolved to the extent that weight reduction and functions are unmatched in the past.
— What are the “goodness of the past” and “goodness of the present” of the snowboard scene and gear?
Watanbe: Regarding the snowboarding scene, I used to have a strong culture, and there was a lot of stimulus from overseas and it was cool and free.Nowadays, it is recognized as a sport, and I think that the coolness as a sport is becoming more common.As for gears, there were few choices such as freestyle or alpine for boards and soft or hard for bindings, but now the number of gears specialized in various categories is increasing, and easy-to-use gears that match the desired slip are available. You have a wider range of choices.
-I think that your riding style has changed as the scene and yourself changed, but how about that?
Watanbe: I've been an athlete for over 10 years since I was a teenager, so at that time I skated with the consciousness of practicing for the tournament at the halfpipe and park, but when I suddenly saw the mountain, I made it there. I slipped only a small part of it and was snowboarding very narrowly. I realized that "snowboarding is what makes the whole mountain more enjoyable," and I began to find fun and difficulty in skiing the best lines according to the snow quality, terrain, and slopes of the day.
— What binding are you using now?
Watanbe: SPBROTHER HOOD..Very lightweight, aluminum base plate and high back that does not require a heel cup are integrated with the boots, and the force transmission to the board is smooth.The slightly soft high back supports sticky turns. The detachable system that can be attached with 2 actions and can be taken off with 1 action is very fast and easy, and once you use it, you can see the difference from the binding of other systems.
—What boots are you matching?
Watanbe: HEADFOUR BOA FOCUS.. The BOA fit system makes it very easy to put on and take off. Since it is W BOA, I like the fact that it can be fine-tuned and the cuff cut on the ankle makes the joint movement very smooth and highly waterproof.It is recommended for all snowboarders, regardless of age or sex, from beginners to advanced, as well as snowboarders who aim to improve their binding and boots.
—What are you planning to do next season?
Watanbe: In this winter as well, we will train next-generation athletes, host camps for adults, and judge competitions such as FWT, while increasing experience in the BC field and utilizing it for camps.
— What kind of snowboarding do you want to do in the future?
Watanbe: Nowadays, there are many trainings for junior athletes such as slopestyle, but from there, we will carry out activities to convey the deeper world of freeride and to convey the fun of snowboarding to all generations, from children to adults. I want to.
[Profile]
Shinichi Watanabe / Born March 1977, 3, from Hokkaido.
■ Height / 160cm ■ Stance / 53cm
■ Angle / 18 degrees front, -6 degrees back
■ Home Mountain / Kiroro Resort
■ I like all my favorite riding styles / snowboards!
