portrait: Noriaki Kasai
Noriaki Kasai – the rocking legend
When the speaker says „There comes Noriaki Kasai!“, then the arena screams. It's clear, they love the athlete in the yellow suit. Everyone loves him. As often said: The fans cheer for the jumpers of their own nation – and of course they cheer for Kasai!
Nori Kasai jumps since so many years, more than half of his rivals weren't even born then.
Born on June 6th 1972, he takes part in World-Cup competitions since 1988 (17.12.1988 in Sapporo). His first competition in Europe was the Nordic World_Championships in Lahti in 1989, (his first World-Cup appearance followed in Thunder Bay in the same year). It was the first of 33 starts in World-Championships (21individual and 12 with the team). Back then, he got a place in the 50s. In the meantime, he celebrated 6 podiums in WCSs in the years 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2009. Will this continue this year in Falun as well?
„I feel like being in my mid-twenties, physically and mentally!“, he said at the beginning of this year.
1992 he flew to 182m in Harrachov and was crowned ski flying world champion! And that he still knows how to fly is clear, as he sailed to 235m in Vikersund yesterday (13.02.15). This is his personal best! With this he overtook his old record of 225m set last year, when he won a ski flying competition in Bad Mitterndorf.
Nori got his first WC points 1989 in Lake Placid (USA) and stepped onto the podium for the first time 1992 in Lahti on rank 3. Since then, he counted 54 individual podiums in the World-Cup, with 17 victories. Along with the team he was on the podium 11 times, 3 times of those on the highest rank.
In the WC overall, he was 3rd 2 times (1992/93 and 1998/99) and also in the Four-Hills-Tournament, he finished in the top three as 2nd in the same seasons.
This year it was his 24th Four-Hills-Tournament participation.
He took part in 7(!) Olympic Winter Games from 1992 to 2014 so far and grabbed 3 medals, 2 of them in Sochi (2014): A silver medal in the individual competition and bronze with the team – at the age of 41! With this, he's the oldest ski jumper to ever win an Olympic medal!
And it seems that he isn't fed up with ski jumping at all.
1,3pts were dividing him from winning the Gold medal, that Kamil Stoch took instead. The Pole lifted his helmet for the exceptional Japanese on this evening! And so do the other athletes. Simon Ammann was quoted to find a place for the picture of him and Kasai winning ex equo in Ruka on the wall in his living room, Peter Prevc told „He is an inspiration for me!“ and Kamil Stoch said „A great man, a great athlete!“.
A long while he was more popular in Europe, than in Japan. After winning the silver medal this changed. Nowadays he masquerades sometimes, when going out.
Kasai, who is one of the most consistent athletes of the last 3 decades, celebrated victories in most seasons that he appeared in the World-Cup. The last one so far was the shared first place of him and Simon Ammann in Ruka at the end of November 2014 this season. But also in the season before he took home a victory from the Kulm in Bad Mitterndorf, where he won conveniently ahead of Peter Prevc and Gregor Schlierenzauer, both half as old as he is. Schlierenzauer might have the highest amount of victories on his account but Noriaki Kasai broke records of his own. He is the oldest active jumper in the international field, the oldest WC-winner and as said before, the oldest to get an Olympic medal. Whatever he achieves in the near future, it means breaking records again.
He started to jump parallel but in contrast to his competitors at that time he had no problem to adjust. He was actually absolutely clever, when he screwed the binding slantwise so that he didn't have to turn his feet outwards so much, when jumping in V-style. It was predicted to produce injuries because he had to turn his feet inwards at the landing but Noriaki did it anyway and nothing happened. The suits became smaller throughout the years but Nori just shrugged his shoulders and got along with that. No rule change is is too hard or odd for him, no, he is flexible. Instead it seems the older he becomes the better he is.
As it was put in a German newspaper „looking from the side it seems like he would be scratching his ears with his skies“. He is brave to jump the way he does. But not only this. His style is unbelievable stable, barely a correction or a shaking second. He sails like it would be the easiest thing in the world.
He knows, what to do and what not to do. He leaves out training and trial rounds, jumps only, when he things he needs some practice and takes the time he needs for relaxing. That shows he's not only experienced but also wise. Does he have an advantage knowing all the hills way better than the rest in the field?
While others might have stopped jumping after a season on the 51st rank in the overall, Kasai didn't think of quitting. He didn't lose his pleasure, took his time and improved again.
While in other nations the older ones have to fight hard to not be pushed out of the team by younger athletes, this won't happen in team Japan. Noriaki is still their best jumper.
„It is simply a real happiness for me, to still be able to ski jump.“, says this humble and calm man.
Last year, he finally found his personal happiness and got married to Reina Harima. Travelling throughout the year made him take so long for this.
His club is Tsuchiya Home of the domestic construction enterprise Tsuchiya Holdings in Hokkaido, where a place in a bureau is waiting for him should he ever wanting to quit. But obviously he feels no desire to do so. When asked by a German newspaper, how long he would like to keep jumping he smiled and said: „Until I'm 50.“ Seeing him now, you all will agree: This is not quite absurd! We're excited.
Noriaki Kasai is the living ski jumping legend. And we're blessed to see him performing so wonderfully still.
- by Peggy Kierstan
