The Nippon Freeskiing Open: Big in Japan!

In skiing there is an element of truth to the phrase, "I'm big in Japan." Quite a few skiers are big names in Japan, sometimes without ever having been there. A big crowd turned out at the Open to watch their heroes throw down.




John Symms, for example, is big in Japan.




Andreas Hatveit is big by most people's standards, so he's really big in Japan.




Charley Ager ate lots of sushi in Whistler Village to prepare for the trip. Must have helped.





Of course, since most Japanese are fairly small, pretty much every average-sized North American or European is "big" in Japan. Kristi Leskinen: big in Japan.




It's back again: the "name that skier" NS bandana contest. The first member to correctly identify this skier in the comments below wins an NS bandana and sticker pack!




Sammy Carlson is so big in Japan, he had to check himself as oversize luggage on the plane.




"Are you freestyle skier? Must check this web site!"




Shoya Okasaki is big in Japan too... but he's Japanese, so it's different.




Yes, even Simon Dumont is big in Japan.




Tanner Rainville is so big in Japan, he needed two hotel rooms just to lay down.




Charles Gagnier, on his way to bigness in Japan.




Charles was so happy after he won the slopestyle competition, I thought he was going to dead!




JF Cusson and Shoya Okasaki. JF is so big in Japan, he signed autographs until his hand broke.




Justin Dorey is so big in Japan, he needs two beers just to quench his thirst.




Marc-Andre Belliveau and friends.




Skiers encounter the only thing in Japan bigger than them: Karaoke!