Supporting the development of the All Japan Alpine Ski U16
In order to develop the world's top alpine skiers, we have been supporting the Japan Ski Association's (SAJ) U16 alpine ski team since the 2018/19 season in cooperation with the general incorporated associations Just Loving Ski (JLS) and J SPORTS. We support the activities of young athletes through cooperation with crowdfunding, support for training expenses, production and broadcast of a close-up program on U16 alpine skiers, and broadcast of the JOC Junior Olympic Cup (alpine competition).
The report program for the 2024/25 season has been released!
(Alpine Skiing U16 World Challenge Season 7: A Signpost to the World Cup | J:COM Sustainability ActivitiesPlay Time: 26:00)
Project overview
From the 2018/19 season, in order to develop alpine ski athletes who will stand at the top of the world, we will collaborate with Just Loving Skiing (JLS) and J SPORTS, a general incorporated association, and the Alpine Ski U16 of the All Japan Ski Federation (SAJ). We support the team.
We will collect support funds through crowdfunding, add reinforcement costs from J:COM donate to SAJ, and SAJ will carry out reinforcement activities. The event will be broadcast and distributed as an activity report program, and the activities at the JOC Junior Olympics, the last big event of the season, will be broadcast live.
Support details
Support system
Target amount: 1,000,000 yen
Application deadline: January 13, 2025
A project to support the training costs for the All Japan Alpine Skiing U16 Team to compete on the world stage.
Last season, we received your support and used it as training funds for skiers who are expected to perform well in the near future.
J:COM will support these young treasures as they take on the challenge of changing the future of Japanese alpine skiing.
(J:COM Sustainability Activities | Alpine Ski U16 Team Strengthening Support Project 2024/25Play Time: 1:00)
Support Report
Crowdfunding goal achieved
Thank you very much for your support in our crowdfunding campaign to support the training costs of the All Japan Alpine Ski U16 Team from October 23, 2024 to January 13, 2025. Your support, together with support from J:COM, will be: Just Loving Ski General Incorporated Association It will be sent to the Japan Ski Association.
Total support amount: 2,701,000 yen
- *Total amount including donations from everyone and donations from J:COM
- (The fee of the crowdfunding site READY FOR will be deducted from the total amount above.)
2024/25 season presentation ceremony
From the left J:COM Managing Corporate Officer Kazuhiro Taguchi, SAJ Chairman Masahiko Harada, and JLS Director Emiko Kiyosawa
On March 16, 2025, Emiko Kiyosawa, Director of Just Loving Ski, and Kazuhiro Taguchi, Managing Corporate Officer J:COM, presented a grant to Masahiko Harada, Chairman of the Ski Association of Japan, to support the strengthening of the All Japan Alpine Ski U16 Team.
The presentation ceremony was broadcast on the same day by J SPORTS during its coverage of the "FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup 2024/25."
Enrichment Activities
SAJ will use the training funds to hold training camps (physical and on-snow technical training) and overseas expeditions (Alpine Timbra FIS Children's Cup). In 2022, a training manual was published using the training funds to be used by all alpine ski athletes. In addition, J:COM, as a media company, conducted "media training."
Activities
Training camp (physical and snow training)
Training camps will be held using the training funds. Physically, fitness checks and condition training will be conducted. On the snow, the athletes will ski on hard courses in various sets of slalom and giant slalom runs, and training will be conducted while measuring their times.
Overseas expedition (Alpine Timbras FIS Children's Cup)
The athletes selected at the training camp will represent Japan at the Alpine Timbras FIS Children's Cup, a world championship for youth athletes.
Training Manual
In 2022, training funds were used to create and publish a training manual for alpine ski athletes and coaches across the country.
(Alpine U16 Team Strengthening Support Project Media TrainingPlayback time: 1:01)
2024/25 Media Training
Media training was conducted at the 1st Alpine Sports Talent Discovery and Development Project training camp held in Sugadaira on September 21, 2024. The aim was to improve the media response and communication skills that are important for the next generation of athletes to be successful in the future. Athletes from junior high school to university students participated and practiced how to communicate with others and actually speak in front of a TV camera.
Report Program
(Alpine Skiing U16 World Challenge Season 7: A Signpost to the World Cup | J:COM Sustainability ActivitiesPlay Time: 26:00)
2024/25 Report Program "Alpine Skiing U16 World Challenge"
Season 7: The Road to the World Cup
The program follows the U16 national team athletes who represent the future of alpine skiing. It follows their seniors who are competing in the World Cup, the world's highest level, and depicts their struggles towards the Youth World Championships.
Competition Streaming
Free LIVE streaming of the 2025 Junior Olympics (Alpine events)!
The Junior Olympics, where young people who will lead the skiing world of the future gather, will be streamed live for free on J SPORTS' official YouTube channel.
Please take a look at the activities of the alpine ski U16 athletes who received your support.
- Competition name
- JOC Junior Olympic Cup 2025 All Japan Junior Ski Championships (Alpine Event)
- Venue
- Sugadaira Kogen Pinebeak Ski Resort, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture
- Event date
- March 23rd (Sunday) – March 26th (Wednesday), 2025
- Organizer
- All Japan Ski Federation
Streaming contents (with archive Streaming)
| Streaming date | Event | Streaming page |
|---|---|---|
| 3/23 (Sun) 7:50am~LIVE broadcast |
K2 Men's and Women's GSL Competition | https://www.youtube.com/live/OP1SFmw6kJk |
| 3/24(Mon) 7:50am~LIVE broadcast |
K2 Men's and Women's SL Competition | https://www.youtube.com/live/gsCrrxFGExc |
| March 25 (Tue) 7:50am~LIVE broadcast |
K1 Men's and Women's GSL Competition | https://www.youtube.com/live/TURXfTd2RCY |
| March 26 (Wednesday) 7:50am~LIVE broadcast |
K1 Men's and Women's SL Competition | https://www.youtube.com/live/sBMFtVArMbw |
Category division
K1 category: 5th and 6th grade of elementary school
K2 category: 1st year junior high school to 1st year high school premature age
- *Distribution contents are subject to change.
J:COM賞の贈呈
In the 2024/25 season, which marks the seventh year since the start of support, Ryoma Katayama, a participant in the first year, participated in the FIS World Cup, and as a result, we have established a new "J:COM Award" to honor the tireless efforts of athletes who have qualified to participate in the World Cup and to pray for their future success. As a supplementary prize, the awardee will receive an overseas expedition support fund (1 million yen for athletes who have qualified to participate in the World Cup for the first time, 200,000 yen for athletes who have participated in the World Cup for the first time).
2024/25 season award ceremony (May 14, 2025, at SNOW AWARD)
(From the left J:COM Ohashi and Ryoma Katayama)
Ryoma Katayama (21 years old)
Born in 2003 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. He has steadily improved since his junior days, winning the Far East Cup (FEC) overall in the 2023/2024 season and earning an individual spot in the World Cup the following season. He has steadily gained experience by competing in a total of six races since the beginning of the 2024/2025 season.
Award comment
I am very happy to receive the "J:COM Award". As a participant in the first year of J:COM 's Next Generation Support Project, I believe that the reason I was able to reach the position of playing in the World Cup was because I was able to win a ticket to the Alpine Ski Lift when I was in junior high school and experience it through the project. If the U16 project continues in the future, I hope that there will be players like me who will not only play in the World Cup but also perform well at the World Cup, and I would like to work hard together with them. Please continue to support us.
(From the left J:COM Ohashi and Airen Watanabe)
Airen Watanabe (22 years old)
Born in 2003 in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture. He has been a standout since his junior days, winning the National High School Ski Championships (Inter-High) while still a first-year high school student, and has steadily grown into one of the top skiers in Japan. He will compete in his first World Cup in the 2023/2024 season, and will expand the scope of his challenges by competing in a total of three races in the 2024/2025 season.
Award comment
I am truly grateful for receiving the prestigious J:COM Award. The season before last was my first time participating in the World Cup, and last season I was able to take on the big stage of the World Championships for the first time. I believe that the reason I have been able to continue this far is thanks to the support of everyone who has supported me since I was in my youth generation, and the warm encouragement of J:COM who has supported me for many years. The opportunities and experiences I received back then have led me to who I am today. Encouraged by this award, I will continue to work hard to aim even higher. I would appreciate your continued support.
