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Masashi Abe is a former Nordic combined skier and a coach of Japan national team. He is from Obira-cho, Rumoi-gun (north of Sapporo), Hokkaido. He was active in the 1990s and won three gold medals in the Lillehammer Olympic Games and the Nordic World Ski Championships team events in 1993 and 1995.

He currently serves as a special advisor to Nayoro City, Hokkaido, and the honorary director of the Sapporo Olympic Museum. Here come his thoughts about the Sapporo Skimarathon:

Can you remember your first memories from Sapporo Skimarathon?

Abe: Yes, it was the year after I retired, I participated in the Sapporo International Ski Marathon for the first time. I had never tried a long course before, so I participated just to give it a try. The last uphill stretch was very tough, but I clearly remember the announcement when I reached in the venue: “Olympian Masashi Abe is coming to the finish line!“. This gave me lots of energy so I was able to keep going, even though was totally exhausted already.

What do you think about the Sapporo Skimarathon race course?

Abe: The Sapporo International Ski Marathon course is tough. But you can enjoy the scenery and you definitely never get bored while skiing the race.

A message from a Gold Medalist to the skiers out there?

Abe: Skiing long distances is very tough and sometimes, maybe often, you want to give up. But once you finish, you will have a great feeling you’ve never experienced before! I strongly recommend “Give it a try” if you’ve never experienced Nordic Skiing. The Sapporo Skimarathon is a great possibility for that!

Thank you, Abe! See you at the tracks in Sapporo! By the way: It’s snowing in Sapporo: