Hakuba 1996

At that time, I really wished Mario would enter super-G race as his Europacup races.
Because there was no giant slalom or slalom race which he entered in world cup!!

There might be 2 downhill races (1 is re-scheduled one) and a super-G race
if it was fine weather.
But, as usual, even I don't want to say so at all,
2 downhill races were cancelled because of bad weather.

Even open-drawing was terrible.
It was snowing and snow melt upon our head, and became ice again ang again.

The top 15 racers were lovely!
There were Atle Skaardal, Hans Knauss, Lasse Kjus,
Kristian Ghedina, Werner Perathoner, Fredrik Nyberg, Patrik Jaerbyn, Janne Leskinen,
Richard Kroell (who died October 96 because of car accident),
Kjetil Andre Aamodt, Patrick Ortlieb, Guenther Mader...and some more.

Particularly, Kristian Ghedina was funny!
He acted like the symbol like Jamiroquai (well he wanted to look like a girl)
when his name had called wrong as "Kristina"!



3/3/1996
It was Josef Strobl's 22nd birthday!
My friends and some people who are Marc Girardelli fans sang
"Happy Birthday to You" to Josef
(the act was published on some Japanese magazines...so some Japanese may remember it).
Fortunately he realized what we did...!
So I still remember his birthday
because of this and March 3rd is Japanese festive day for girls!

The race was won by Italian Peter Runggaldier.
The runner-up was Atle Skaardal and Hans Knauss was 3rd.
Poor Hansi became ill after this race
and he couldn't race in the final race Lillehammer, and he lost his title of super-G...

From race sponsers, Peter, Atle and Hansi got Japanese beer called "Kirin Lager-beer".
Those racers had go back to Narita soon after the race by train.
My friends who took same train said it was a fun but also nightmare!



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