| SASAKI Akira (JPN) |
26,Sep,1981. Oono (Hokuto-city), Hokkaido
181cm / 77kg
Club: Global Extend Ski Club
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SKI: Blizzard
BOOTS: Tecnica
BINDING: Marker
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| St.Anton WM SL/19th |
Wengen 03 SL/ 2nd |
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| Schladming 03 SL/ 8th |
Shiga Kogen 03 SL/ 6th. |
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| Park City 04 SL/12th |
Chamonix 04 SL/9th |
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| Kranjska Gora 04 SL/4th |
Sestriere 04 SL/5th |
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| Schladming 06 SL / 2nd |
Shigakogen 06-I SL / 2nd |
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World Cup Ranking
General
2001/-, 2002/-, 2003/48th, 2004/38th, 2005/49th, 2006/25th, 2007/72nd,
Special
2001 SL/-. 2002 SL/-. 2003 SL/15th. 2004 SL/11th. 2005 SL/14th, GS/55th.
2006 SL/7th. 2007 SL/23rd,
World Championships
2001 St.Anton. SL/19th.
2003 St.Moritz. SG/38th, K/DNF, GS/DNF, SL/DNF.
2005 Bormio. SL/DNF.
2007 Are. GS/28th, SL/DNF, SC/36th, DH/30th, SG/54th.
Olympic Games
2002 Salt lake City. GS/34th, SL/DNF.
2006 Torino. SL/DNF, GS/DNF.
World Cup
| 2. |
SL: |
Wengen 03, Schladming 06, Shigakogen 06-I, |
| 4. |
SL: |
Kranjska Gora 04, Beaver Creek 06, |
| 5. |
SL: |
Sestriere 04, Sestriere 05, |
| 6. |
SL: |
Shigakogen 03, 06-II, |
| 7. |
SL: |
Adelboden 04, Alta Badia 07, Kranjska Gora 07, |
| 8. |
SL: |
Schladming 03, |
| 9. |
SL: |
Chamonix 04, Wengen 05, Are 06, |
| 10. |
SL: |
Flachau 05, |
| 12. |
SL: |
Park City 04, Beaver Creek 05, Lenzerheide 05, |
| 13. |
SL: |
St.Anton 04, |
| 14. |
SL: |
Madonna 06, Kranjska Gora 06, Kitzbuhel 06, Adelboden 07, |
| 17. |
SL: |
Yong Pyong 03, Schladming 04, |
| 23. |
SL: |
Schladming 05, |
| 24. |
GS: |
Soelden 05, |
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Wengen (SUI), January 19th - 2003 - Japan's Akira Sasaki missed by only
4/100 of a second a sensational victory in Wengen's treacherous slalom
and the chance to improve the record of his model, Ivica Kostelic, who
won his first race last winter in Aspen after starting in 64th position.
Sasaki wore bib 65 in that exciting slalom won by Italy's Giorgio Rocca.
Akira, who never qualified before this race for a second slalom run, only competed in his twelfth World Cup slalom in Wengen. He also took part in a giant slalom.
The 21-year-old champion from Hokkaido, the Island situated in the North
of Japan where the 1972 Winter Olympics took place, was 39th in Bormio,
less than half a second away from the qualification. On Wengen's step slalom
course, he finally managed a great first run to clock the seventh best
time in the morning. Yet he wanted more - much more: a historical first
victory for Japan in a World Cup race! He attacked again hard in the afternoon
and only Giorgio Rocca, the leader in the first leg, was able to resist
his pressure. Thanks to an excellent final part, Rocca finished ahead of
him by 4/100 to celebrate his first victory in the World Cup tour! But
Sasaki will for ever remain the hero of this 2003 slalom in Wengen!
Akira Sasaki is the second Japanese skier to finish 2nd in a World Cup
slalom. In March 1988, his countryman Tetsuya Okabe finished just behind
the great Alberto Tomba in Norway's Oppdal! Akira was more than pleased
by his extraordinary achievement which enlarges the horizon of Alpine Ski
Racing. gI have a hard time to believe what's going on here, I'm very
surprisedh he said to the press with the help of a translator. gIt's
a dream which came through for me today. I'm so proud to be on the podium
next to Kostelich. He also explained that he is a student in the sports
University in Tokyo and that he is skiing since the age of three and racing
since he is sixteen.
Some good Europa Cup races qualified him for the World Cup and he felt
very lucky to have achieved this break-through on such a demanding hill.
gI like the hard snow and the conditions were ideal for me hereh he added.
Sasaki who used a older pair of racing skis is saving the new skis given
to him by Kostelic in Bormio for the World Championships in St Moritz.
He aims to become the first Japanese skier to clinch medals since the legendary
Chick Igaya, who won silver and bronze in 1956 and 1958.
His astonishing performance propelled him much higher in the slalom standings but he still has a good chance to achieve a similar performance in the next difficult slalom in Kitzbuhel and Schladming where many Japanese reporters are expected to attend the races. He has a good chance to be a favorite for the gwinStar of the Seasonh award presented at the end of the winter in Lillehammer, Norway, during the World Cup Finals!
Patrick Lang |
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| Biorama Basel |
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