æăăŸăăŠăăă§ăšăăăăăŸăïŒ
A Happy New Year to Everyone Here!
Today I found this article:
http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/winter/text/200901020011-spnavi.html
I tried a translation of the interview part:
Comments of the Japanese jumpers after GAP:
Kasai:
- The jumps were good, but the wind was bad, you know. Also during the second jump the weather became wild and I got side wind. Under these conditions there is nothing you can do, but I wanted to get a bit further.
With the ranks I am close to single numbers, now it is up to the conditions and to showing my best performance. My jumps need a bit of improvement. During the Four Hills Tournament I finally have come to feel my capacity and thatâs why it is my wish to reach top ten ranks.
Q: You once won in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
- I like the atmosphere here, but they have a new jumping hill (since the last season) so it is not funny anymore (laughing). The new hill is completely different. My feeling, I think, matched with the old one. The hills they now have in Germany and Austria are all of that kind and therefore they provide no fun. The one that is most difficult to jump from is (the last one) in Bischofshofen.
Q: In the first round you reached 125 meters and this was the same distance as Larinto (Finland), but you lost on the judgesâ points. How was the feeling when you had to wait until the end to see whether you can continue as a lucky loser?
- I wished the other jumpers to have short jumps (laughing). I constantly checked my rank on television, Because either Ammann or Schlierenzauer would definitely remain (as a lucky loser) I thought it would become tight. If I had reached 130 meters I had been on the safe side.
Q: Who is likely to win the Four Hills Tournament?
- I would like Schlierenzauer to win though it seems that Ammann will do it. Schlierenzauer would come up to me and say âThese shoes are nice. I think I should change mine.â Thatâs why I want him to win.
ItĂŽ:
- During my first jump the tail of my skis hit (against each other) and so I lost about 5, 6 meters.
Q: Four competitions within a short time. Do you change the method of keeping in shape?
- This time it is an especially long spell of being abroad. Therefore I have to make sure not to become too tired. But because it is not possible to jump after just relaxing it is essential to maintain your fitness by doing light jogging etc.
Q: Your aim for the Four Hills Tournament?
- There is a lot, but since I am not satisfied with my psychic condition, it seems I cannot set aims for the time being ...
As a first step I just want to show my best possible jumps in each competition.
Yumoto:
- My first jump was good, but then strain came through. The second jump went further, but didnât turn out like I wanted it to be. I thought I could reach a little more distance .... During the approach my viewing direction went down a bit too much and thus my movement in the latter half became bad..
It is four hills on which you have to fight to get points and also the K.O. system is only applied here, therefore I am enjoying the Tournament.
Q: I sthere a jumper to like to face in the K.O. system?
- Evensen (Norwegen). Because once in a competitionI reached the same points as he in a first round.
Q: You have already reached one World Cup victory in this season.
- I look at it (the victory) as if it was not me who accomplished it..... Once you cling to that too much you cannot do your own jumps anymore. Thatâs why I try to completely forget that and to concentrate merely on what I am doing.
Q: Which jumper will win the overall victory in the Four Hills Tournament?
It will be me, hahahahaha. Well, I would say Ammann.
Tochimoto:
- I have become a bit better than before but I am not satisfied. Shortly before my first jump I had an accident , thatâs why I was hasty when I jumped and could not concentrate at all.
Watase:
- I felt strain during the approach. But still I was able come into the second round. Since this had been my aim it feels good that I reached it.
Q: Your opponent in the first round, Romoeren (Norway), jumps excellently when he has got a proper jump. Was he an unwelcome rival?
- Well, whoever will be your rival it makes no difference..... Maybe I thought that I was a bit lucky because he is not in good shape, but I have to do my jump anyway.
Takeuchi:
- I am still tending to bend my body. I am doing this also in the simulation training. Even when I jump as I always did my left ski will go down and get distorted. Because I cannot exercise now (except for a limited time) I am not given a chance to improve this and I can only build on imagination. Although I am in good physical shape I cannot jump. Including the qualification there are three jumps for exercise. I hope that I can use one of those jumps as a chance for a straightforward jump.