On February 2025, 2, the "NEKOMA MOUNTAIN BIG AIR by SCLOVER" was held at Nekoma Mountain in Fukushima Prefecture. This competition is a big air competition festival that brings together top riders from Japan and abroad at one of Japan's leading snow parks. The design of the jump hill is calculated to allow athletes to perform at their best, and it evolves every year.
A day of world-class battles
The aim of this event is to develop snowboarding culture and raise the level of competition. It is known as a place where the top riders in Japan gather and show off their difficult tricks, and many famous riders from Japan participated this year as well.
The event was in jeopardy of being cancelled due to heavy snowfall that continued right up until the tournament, but thanks to the efforts of the staff it went ahead without a hitch.
The players were in top condition and gave their best performance.
Spectacular jumps by notable riders
The most notable competitor at this year's tournament was the world's first successful "2340" (six and a half rotations) at the recent X Games, where he won the gold medal.Daisho Ogiwaraplayer.
Furthermore, Kaito Hamada, Ryoma Kimata, and Hiromu WatanabeA fierce battle ensued between top-class riders, with the winner being decided by the total points for two of the three jumps.
The winner was Taito Ogiwara. In his first run, he performed a perfect switch backside 1 nose grab, dazzling the judges with his style and height, earning him a high score. In his second run, he performed a backside 1620 melancholy, winning the 2 million yen prize.
Second place went to Maifuyu Shirakawa. On his second jump, he cleanly landed a switch backside 2 melancholy, and on his third jump, he cleanly landed a backside 2 double grab. He also posted on his Instagram account how happy he was, "First time in a tournament to do two-way jumps and make SB1620&B3."
In third place was Daichi Watanabe, a 3-year-old first-year junior high school student who is supported by Monster Energy as part of the "Monster Army" as a next-generation rider. He landed a backside 13 Weddle in his first run and a frontside 1620 Indy in his second run, demonstrating his outstanding skills.
Research and development projects also underway
At this year's tournament, the psychological state of the athletes was analyzed with the aim of improving their performance. This was done in cooperation with the Cabinet Office's research and development project "Realizing a society where people can live positively even in adversity," and was an initiative to analyze the athletes' tension and psychological state during the tournament and use the results to support the athletes.
During the tournament, physical measurements of the athletes will be taken and performance data will be collected.The measurement data will be used to improve players' mental and physical performance.
The rigors of big air competition
It is not easy to win this competition. The competitors are all top riders with world-class skills. To win, you need not only technical ability, but also mental strength and the ability to adapt to the weather.
Especially the big airJump height, rotations, style, and landing accuracySince all performances are evaluated, mistakes are not allowed. Furthermore, due to schedule changes caused by heavy snowfall, the athletes were unable to secure enough training time. Nevertheless, the athletes showed their best performances, and the battle at the highest level became heated.
NEKOMA MOUNTAIN FEST 2025 will be held simultaneously
Nekoma Mountain is known for its excellent powder snow and well-maintained snow park, and is an environment that can be enjoyed by beginners and advanced skiers alike.The Big Air jump is of the highest quality in JapanIt boasts a rich history and is a place visited by many riders.
In addition, the simultaneousNEKOMA MOUNTAIN FEST 2025" featured live music and a food festival, and was crowded with not only snowboarding fans but also many other visitors. This event, which combines sports and entertainment, is likely to attract more and more attention in the future.
We look forward to seeing even more evolved performances from the riders at the next competition!
Photo: zizo
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