Podium finishes give Suzuki renewed confidence

“I wish to brush up my style much more without any change.”

After a strong performance at the 2017 World Para Alpine Skiing Championships, Japan’s slalom Paralympic champion Takeshi Suzuki has a renewed confidence following a disappointing 2015-16 season.

The double Paralympian will compete at his home World Cup in Hakuba from 5-7 March, and then onto the PyeongChang 2018 Test Event, which will also be the World Cup Finals between 9-18 March.

After a World Cup giant slalom win in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in December, Suzuki feels good.

“I could not get any medal in the giant slalom in the last year, but this season, I got the medal in the [giant slalom],” he said. “I think that I could start [a] good season now.

“I participate every year in the Japan-Para Games at Hakuba and also team training at Hakuba. I believe that I am rather familiar with the Hakuba course.”

Suzuki is feeling a similar confidence for the Test Event. He said he has experience of the PyeongChang slopes, and he is aiming to continue to learn from it.

As the super combined bronze medallist from the Worlds in Tarvisio, Italy, and sixth ranked skier in the World Cup in the men’s slalom and giant slalom sitting, he is currently riding some momentum and it could help him rise to any challenge.

As he begins to focus on PyeongChang 2018, he said he will only make minor improvements to his sit-ski and skillset.

“I do not change my skiing,” Suzuki said, adding that competitions in other countries can be “very difficult and high level.

“I wish to brush up my style much more without any change.”

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Live results from both the Hakuba World Cup and Test Event will be available at World Para Alpine Skiing’s website.