How Team Japan became world-beaters in Olympic snowboarding

Livigno, Italy –

Year-round training, team spirit and a large contingent of talented and determined athletes to inspire one another.

That’s the secret sauce to Japan’s recent dominance in snowboarding, which has seen the country grab three gold medals and six medals overall through four freestyle events at the Milano Cortina Olympics, with more hardware likely on the way in the slopestyle events later this week.

“I think they are just born with snowboards on their feet,” Australian halfpipe rider Scotty James joked on Friday after finishing as the runner-up to Japan’s Yuto Totsuka and one spot ahead of Ryusei Yamada in a thrilling men’s final.