|
|
| 2005.6.8 Akira Sasaki |
 |
It’s a bit late, but I must thank you all for your support and interest last season.
The results were not as good as expected and it was an irritating season for both the fans and myself, but I was able to end the season without any injuries. Well, I cut the goal line with a switch at the opening SL race which brought many opinions on both sides but I never regret doing it. Writing so may bring further opinions. But please keep it to yourself because the performance that I did was something that came out naturally after mixed feelings inside me. |
|
| There was just one race during this season that I felt was one of the Top 3 races of my skiing career. It was at Sestriere. To break the news, I really was thinking about retiring from ski racing after the first run. Nothing seemed to work. I couldn’t control my moves the way I wanted to. I couldn’t control my skis. I was really under a painful situation. I pity myself for being so pessimistic by being pressured by these feelings. |
|
My result for the first run was way past 20th place. Being a 1st seeded skier, the results were harsh. If I were one of the challengers just coming into the World Cup, the meaning of this result would have been different, but I’m a member of the top group. I couldn’t shame myself enough. I poured out my feelings to my manager, Ken, for more than an hour after the race but that isn’t going to change anything. At the same time, the inspection time becomes closer and closer, and I knew I had to find a place and time on my own, a place where I wouldn’t be seen or touched by anyone. For the 40minutes before the inspection time, I went back to my hotel room.
I only thought about becoming blank. I told myself that there’s no way out, it’s the end for me if I can’t recover here… I pushed my feelings to the end before becoming blank. If I take a step out of this room, the spectators, team staff, the atmosphere of the World Cup, everything is back to reality. So I had to bring myself to a blank state. Easily said, a blank state is forgetting about the past or the future and just making action by instinct. This is my meaning of a blank state.
During inspection, I run through from the start to the goal line, whipping just the flow into my body and let instinct do rest of the job. Of course, I don’t remember which part of the setting was difficult. At the start line, I wasn’t thinking about anything, a complete natural-high state. My feelings I poured out after the 1st run was gone. I didn’t feel like challenging the poles nor did I think about making it to the end either. Indeed, a Akira-look-alike doll without any stray thoughts.
When I made the start and made it to the finish line, I had the lap time as a result, and my final placement was in 5th place. Honestly, this result was more meaningful than when I came in 2nd place at Wengen. “A moment of transformation into the best from the worst situation”. I can’t quite express it in words, but I was truly happy and impressed. Sestriere is also an Olympic site and it might have been a compatible place for me? |
|
| I really feel sorry that I cannot show you a fantastic race, but from next season, I’m already into the spirit of bringing you an aggressive, “fun and thrilling race to watch”!! Though results are everything in the alpine world, I want to become a racer of not just the results but a racer to be remembered by in every aspects. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind a racer like me in the Japanese alpine world, wouldn’t you?? If you want to see a normal alpine ski, you can watch other Japanese racers. |
|
Don’t take your eyes off all the members of the Japan National Team members next season! Really, they’re all high spirited, and even more, they are all tough and strong. Please please, keep your eyes on them. The team now is the best team yet, all so tough that we can compete against each other.
Please keep your eyes on the Japan National Team and Akira Sasaki,
and please give your hearts out to rooting for us!
We will come back to the World Cup in Japan at the best level!! |
 |
|
|
|
