Street Battle COWDAY 2019 Report in the middle of Osaka

top_2019cow136"COWDAY 2019" was held at Umekita UMEDAI Garden in Osaka from February 2nd to 22th, 24.Until last year, the event was held in Nagano and Hakuba for four years as the second type of jump and jib, but this time, the fifth time, it is just a 2019-minute walk from JR Osaka Station. !), it was decided to focus on the jib. ALL Photo: Fuchimoto Kentarou

The venue is surrounded by skyscrapers!
The venue is surrounded by skyscrapers!
COW GIRL will welcome you when you enter the venue
COW GIRL will welcome you when you enter the venue

Why did you change the venue from the slopes to the big city? We talked to Keiji Okamoto, the creator of COWDAY. "When I was in the tournament, there were a lot of people at Tokyo Dome and Sapporo Dome when there were X-TRAIL JAM and TOYOTA BIG AIR, but those tournaments are gone ... Until now, COWDAY has been held at Hakuba 47, and hundreds of people came to watch the game every time, but after all the number of people who can come to the mountains is limited. I was wondering if I could do something in Kansai, where the main sponsor of the event, the head office of Milk Soap, was. "Isn't it possible?" Let people see it and let visitors know how cool it is. The reason I was particular about doing it in the city was because I wanted people who didn't know snowboard to see it. "

Keiji Okamoto who created all of COWDAY from friends and Ichi without outsourcing.I also made the pamphlet I got
Keiji Okamoto who created all of COWDAY from friends and Ichi without outsourcing.I also made the pamphlet I got

COWDAY 2019, held in a big city to spread the appeal of snowboarding, recorded a total of over 8,000 visitors.

In the special vertical, there will be a performance by the Abe brothers!
In the special vertical, there will be a performance by the Abe brothers!
People naturally gathered as the jib battle time approached
People naturally gathered as the jib battle time approached

Although it is a jib contest that is the main content, the interview team visited for shooting only on the 23rd when the final is held.So, from here, let's report on that pattern.

Many people were watching during the public practice
Many people were watching during the public practice

First of all, from the introduction of the section.There are three items, a down rail (about 3 m) on the left side when viewed from below, a flat rail (about 8 m) designed with a head from the out to the landing in the middle, and a double down kink rail (about 5 m) on the right side. ) Is a side-by-side configuration.Also, let's add that the distance from the start position to the rail is quite tight, which is a little closer to the street.For women, only the final at night was held, but for men, the semi-final will be held with the addition of invited players to the riders who have won from the previous day's qualifying.

Jib battle judges.From the front, Ryuichi Hekida, Takayuki Nakamura, Isao Seki
Jib battle judges.From the front, Ryuichi Hekida, Takayuki Nakamura, Isao Seki

When the start signal was given, flashy tricks such as 270 in and 450 in, transfer from the center rail to the side item, etc. were repeated.However, not only was there a big cheer when such a trick was made, but also when the front side tail slide was used to pull out all the kink rails, the gallery was very exciting.I was surprised that there were a lot of spectators who were crazy despite the city event.

MC MAMUSHI and Takato Taniguchi of the commentary also liven up the venue
MC MAMUSHI and Takato Taniguchi of the commentary also liven up the venue
Kazuya Saito fascinated by a cool style
Kazuya Saito fascinated by a cool style
Kaede Yasunaga of slipping full of originality
Kaede Yasunaga of slipping full of originality

However, compared to the riders who attacked with technical tricks, the style-oriented riders who usually spend their time shooting on the street had a low make-up rate and were forced to struggle a little.And it is said that most of the riders who have advanced to the final are Yuki Kadono, Hiroaki Kunitake, Ryo Aizawa, Yutaro Miyazawa, Kaito Hamada, and if anything, the riders who are usually in the tournament. In the result.

Yutaro Miyazawa attacking with dynamic transfer
Yutaro Miyazawa attacking with dynamic transfer
Live broadcast on the web! Takumi Hirata is in charge of MC
Live broadcast on the web! Takumi Hirata is in charge of MC
Kids' snowboarding experience between the semi-finals
Kids' snowboarding experience between the semi-finals

As the sun went down and the items were lit up, a gallery awaiting the start of the final surrounded the venue.

Venue illuminated by fantastic illumination
Venue illuminated by fantastic illumination

Let's explain the final rules here.First, the judges under the course throw coins into bottles with each rider's name on it, depending on the perfection and style of the trick.After that, the rider himself takes a bottle of coins distributed to the general audience and asks them to vote around the venue.The person with the most coins won will win.

Every time you slip, coins will be put in this bottle
Every time you slip, coins will be put in this bottle

First from women's.Many riders struggled because the distance from the starting point to the item was tight, but the battle gradually heated up when Mi-yeon transferred from the center rail to the down rail.Maoi Kunitake also made a transfer, Kyouki Matsuoka, 12 years old, also appealed to the judges with a spin-out, and Asami Hirono pulled out all in a solid style.It was Haruna Ishihara from Shiga who won the championship.The reason for the victory was that the make-up rate was higher than anyone else, and every item showed a styled trick.

Asami Hirono who expressed herself with board slides and fashionable outs
Asami Hirono who expressed herself with board slides and fashionable outs
Anju Matsuoka who attracted attention with a lot of attacks that I can not think of being 12 years old
Anju Matsuoka who attracted attention with a lot of attacks that I can not think of being 12 years old
Haruna Ishihara, who continued to manipulate the board skillfully, always smiled and continued to challenge the section.
Haruna Ishihara, who continued to manipulate the board skillfully, always smiled and continued to challenge the section.
At the end of the session, the riders walked through the area where the galleries gathered.
At the end of the session, the riders walked through the area where the galleries gathered.

After finishing the course maintenance, the men's final started without a break. The first one also served as an introduction to the riders, but the riders attacked as if the serious battle had started from that point.Astonishing tricks such as spin-in and spin-out, transfer while spinning, and 1D spin-out are on parade.If you think that a technical trick has come out, you can see a lot of astringent techniques such as high ollie out that sticks to style and rail in that transfers to the kink part.

The height that I don't think was ollie from the jib item.Yamamoto Conrad was particular about style
The height that I don't think was ollie from the jib item.Yamamoto Conrad was particular about style
Kazumasa Takahashi who won from the qualifying.The sense of balance that rides in terms of the tail and nose is perfect
Kazumasa Takahashi who won from the qualifying.The sense of balance that rides in terms of the tail and nose is perfect
The youngest men is Yusho Yamada, who is 15 years old.The aggressiveness of an adult was shining with the outstanding board handling technique.
The youngest men is Yusho Yamada, who is 15 years old.The aggressiveness of an adult was shining with the outstanding board handling technique.
Front side 360 ​​out by Ryo Aizawa who has both goodness and coolness
Front side 360 ​​out by Ryo Aizawa who has both goodness and coolness

As a result, Kaito Hamada, who made the venue excited with 450 inns, was in 3rd place.The make-up rate was poor in the first half of the session, but Yuki Kadono, who caught up in the second half as if the switch was turned on in the middle, came in second.Hiroaki Kunitake, who made flip-outs, small transfer combos, and masculine transfers, won the championship.

Kaito Hamada who passed the first place in the semi-final.The venue was heated with a difficult spin-in
Kaito Hamada who passed the first place in the semi-final.The venue was heated with a difficult spin-in
After entering the zone, Yuki Kadono carried out transfers and transfers regardless of the regular switch.
After entering the zone, Yuki Kadono carried out transfers and transfers regardless of the regular switch.
Hiroaki Kunitake couldn't imagine what to do next.I was surprised at the number of drawers
Hiroaki Kunitake couldn't imagine what to do next.I was surprised at the number of drawers

<Result> Women's 1st_Haruna Ishihara 2nd_Makoto Kunitake 3rd_Asami Hirono Best Trick_Makoto Kunitake 27_2019cow237 Men's 1st_ Hiroaki Kunitake 2nd_ Yuki Kadono 3rd_ Kaito Hamada Best Trick_ Kaito Hamada 28_2019cow244 Judges voted by the gallery are novel, but there is no doubt that a slightly well-known rider has an advantage.However, anyone should be able to win if they show off tricks and styles that surpass it.The fact that the riders who made various tricks by sticking to "attractiveness" for both men and women shined at the top may support this.A snowboarding event in the middle of the big city in the middle of the season.When it was over, the excited faces of the spectators and the satisfied faces of the participating riders were impressive.I thought that the cold and hot night in Osaka was over, but many people decided to get even more excited at the after party!Check out the short version of the video below that summarizes this event!

In addition, an interview with the rider selected by the interview team as the MVP at COWDAY 2019 will be posted at a later date!