FOCUS: Japanese-Made “ID one” Skis Sweep Olympic Moguls Events

Osaka, April 22 (Jiji Press)–Japanese-made skis dominated the freestyle skiing moguls events at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February. All 12 medalists in the men’s and women’s moguls and dual moguls competitions used “ID one” skis, produced by Material Sports Inc., a five-employee company based in Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, western Japan. Favored by elite athletes from around the world, the high-performance skis are carefully crafted by skilled artisans, underscoring the strength of Japanese manufacturing on the global stage. Conversation with Uemura Makoto Fujimoto, the 67-year-old president of Material Sports, launched his goggle sales business in 1991 and gradually built a wide-reaching network in the skiing world. Among those with whom he formed close relationships was Japanese skier Aiko Uemura, who finished in the top eight in the women’s moguls at five consecutive Winter Olympics, beginning with the 1998 Nagano Games. At a dinner gathering in 1999, their conversation turned to skis. When Uemura mentioned that the skis she was using at the time were not a good fit for her, Fujimoto offered to make a pair himself. Around the same time, Janne Lahtela of Finland, who won the silver medal in the men’s moguls at the Nagano Olympics, also approached Fujimoto in search of high-quality skis. Gold Medal in 2002 These encounters convinced Fujimoto to take action. In 2000, with support from a highly skilled factory in Japan, he developed ID one. Fujimoto placed great importance on making skis that were both flexible and durable. For the core material, he chose domestically produced wood instead of polyurethane, which was the industry standard at the time. By combining hardwood and softwood, he was able to achieve the right balance of strength and responsiveness. He also introduced small notches along the skis’ metal edges, allowing them to bend more easily. After repeated testing and refinements, he completed the first pair of ID one skis. Looking back, Fujimoto recalled being driven by a “determination to help the two skiers win at all costs.” His resolve paid off at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, where Lahtela won gold on a pair of ID one skis. The victory greatly raised the profile of this made-in-Japan brand and led to contracts with top athletes. At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, every medalist in both the men’s and women’s moguls events competed on ID one skis. Japanese skier Ikuma Horishima, 28, a dedicated user of the brand since boyhood, later went on to win bronze in moguls and silver in dual moguls at the Milan-Cortina Games. Connecting Athletes, Factory A former member of the technical skiing club at Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, Fujimoto had no background in either competitive moguls or ski manufacturing. Even so, he became a bridge between athletes and the factory, relying on an approachable personality that naturally draws people to him. Fujimoto said that when he receives requests for new product development, he places great importance on “drawing out (athletes’) true feelings.” When he started working on ski development, he boldly told factory staff that he would become the “No. 1 in the world.” At the time, they did not take him seriously. Since then, however, his company has grown into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of mogul skis. Working quietly behind the scenes, Fujimoto continues to support skiers in their pursuit of success. “It truly makes me happy when athletes using ID one win on the world stage,” he said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]