Hachimantai Resort Slalom
Written on February 22nd , 2024 by Eliot Cochrane
Hachimantai Resort Panorama Slalom
Disco Stick Challenge From The Locals
Japan might take a lot of pride in producing some of the best ski demonstrators in the world, but they love their ski racing too. Like in other sports like F1 and golf, for example, ski racing too has its unique fandom that comes out of Japan. Whether it be the maniacs who copy their favorite ski racer’s setup to the smallest details or the old timers who never want to hang up their race suit, Japan has some of the most eccentric racing fans in the world.
Hosting the FIS Alpine World Championships in Shizukuishi during the 1992-1993 season certainly made an impact on the area. Banners still linger, hand-prints in bronze lay in the public for all to see in the capital of Morioka, and a fire continues for ski racing in the area.
Soon it was my turn to give it a go. I’m no stranger to the racing scene so when I got challenged by some of my Japanese skiing friends, I couldn’t turn down the challenge.
Photo: Closeup of gate and snow condition during the first inspection.
Categories
Unlike a FIS race, the race is broken down into multiple sub-categories by age group. Typically for children, they are 1st/2nd grade, 3rd/4th grade, 5th/6th grade, and then 7th/9th grade. From there the gap is usually from high school to 21 years old and then every 10-year increments after that. This year though, the categories were a little bit different. The high schoolers would be in the same class until someone who is 39 years old. This out-of-shape white guy in his 30s was going to take on the local high schoolers and college kids.
Looking through their affiliations, there was only one other person who was not a student. He and I soon got acquainted on the lift and at the start before the inspection. He was a latecomer to ski racing so we made a pact to encourage each other no matter what. Next were some university students who were associated the the regional college for becoming an educator. They had some serious goggle tans so I was worried at the start. To match their goggle tans they had matching ski suits and team wear. Next to them were the high school kids that were all pretty close. Their gear was a mix-match of manufacturers but I know their coaches and some of them could give me a run for my money.
After making sure to beat my age group, I also had to contend with some former national-level athletes in the older class and also one of the top Tohoku skiers in the junior high school age class. With pride on the line, the inspection began.
Photo: Wide shot during inspection of the first course.
The Course
Both courses were incredibly easy courses to remember but were long for those of us not training regularly. Totaling nearly 60 turns and only 5 technical combinations in both courses, my only worry was my stamina.
The course was set in the sun but remained cool as temperatures at the start measured -7°C and -4°C at the bottom. The snow condition was great as it was a nice powdery mix on top of boilerplate ice. Three days before the race it was two days of rain and then a slow temperature drop to -12°C the night before the race. With the course race course closed off during that time, the snow had the right conditions to freeze and become rock solid for the race.
The Race
Run 1
Run 2
Results
Photo: Posted results from the Hachimantai Resort Panorama Slalom.
Within my class, the gap was quite larger than I was expecting with the gap exceeding 10 seconds over 2 runs, I was quite surprised at the results. Going into the second run, I was just hoping to put it on cruise control and not DNF. Yet, once I stood in the start gate I decided to have some fun and go full power and smash some plastic.
The racing was a blast but the prize for first prize left a little bit to be desired. The older classes got a premium shirt with Otani Shohei printed on it, and I got a folding chair, but the younger classes got things like Solomon premium shoes, a CHUMS hard case, and other cool things that I would have loved!
All in all, it was a good day on the slope because I finally got some bragging rights over the ex-racers in the area. It was a lot of fun and hope some other foreigners that maybe aren’t the best can get in there and have some fun.
Photo: Author during the first run of the race.
