Snowboarding: Yuto Totsuka Triumphs in the Men's Halfpipe

Japan's overall talent in various snowboarding events has been on full display at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Through Friday, February 13 (Day 7 of the Winter Games), Japan has amassed six medals in this Olympic discipline. By comparison, Japan collected three medals in snowboarding events at the 2022 Beijing Games.

On Friday night (starting at 3:30 AM JST on Saturday), the 12-man men's halfpipe final included a quartet of Japanese athletes, including defending Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano. That was another reminder of the Asian nation's talent in this winter sport.

At Livigno Snow Park, a new Olympic champion was crowned.

Yuto Totsuka, a three-time Olympian, topped the chart with 95.00 points. He improved the score of his first run (91.00) with a spectacular effort on his second try.

Snowboarding — *Gold medalist Yuto Totsuka (©KYODO)*

Totsuka, a 24-year-old Yokohama native, provided a bold reminder of his place within the global halfpipe pecking order. At his best, he's one of the sport's elite competitors.

In 2021, Totsuka earned the halfpipe title at the world championships. What's more, he's currently ranked No 1 in the FIS Snowboard World Cup halfpipe standings.

Australia's Scotty James finished second with 93.50 points, followed by Totsuka's teammate Ryusei Yamada (92.00).

Also for Japan, Ruka Hirano (not related to Ayumu) was fourth on 91.00.

A Determined Effort by Ayumu Hirano

Ayumu Hirano was seventh (86.50), falling short of a medal in his comeback from an assortment of injuries, including a fractured ilium (one of the pelvis bones) sustained in a mid-January crash in a World Cup meet in Switzerland.

The 2022 gold medalist fell on his first attempt. Then he came back strong on his second try, attempting something called a frontside double cork 1620 double tail grab. It involves four-and-a-half spins.

"Regardless of the result, I feel that being able to give it my all and take on the challenge in my current condition was a really valuable experience for me," he told reporters in Livigno.

"I'm still injured," Hirano was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. "I couldn't do my best here. But I was happy to be here to represent Japan."

The maneuver that the four-time Olympian attempted on his second run was a bold challenge, he acknowledged later.

"Doing 1620 was my plan, however I didn't have time to practice the routine in training [because of the injury]," Ayumu Hirano said, according to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation website. "Rotating that much could sometimes trigger pain, so I relied on adrenaline and painkillers, taking a risk and giving it everything I had."

Totsuka Raises Profile

After placing 11th at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and 10th in Beijing in the halfpipe, Totsuka climbed to the top on Friday with a polished assortment of tricks.

It took a great performance to clinch the gold. After all, as Eddie Pells of The Associated Press wrote, this halfpipe final was "the best snowboard contest in history."

For Totsuka, what was the key element of his victorious performance in Livigno?

Totsuka rose to the top of the standings by brilliantly executing two 1,440-degree triple corks. NBC Sports describes a triple cork as "an aerial maneuver consisting of three off-axis rotations."

And Totsuka's mastery of the trick on this night was a top highlight.

He also expressed pride in himself for being able to do it.

"There was a time when I was really thinking about giving up," Totsuka said, according to The Associated Press. "To be able to do two triples is something I'm quite proud of."

Totsuka also paid homage to Ayumu Hirano, making reference to his breakthrough victory at the Beijing Games.

"Ayumu has been both a hero and a rival to me," Totsuka was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. "Now he inspires me and everyone else."

A Look Ahead in Snowboarding

The mixed team snowboard cross final is on Sunday, starting at 10:35 PM JST. Men's and women's snowboard slopestyle competitions get underway on Monday.

Author: Ed Odeven

Follow Ed's [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.