Interview with Daisuke Kazamaki (Schankel Kazax Team - Japan). - How was your experience racing in AIC stage 1 and stage 2 in Singapore? - First of all, congratulations on the successful launch of AIC! I really enjoyed racing in Singapore. - Do you find it tough to race under the very hot sun on the track with so many turns (AIC-1) and in the wet conditions (AIC-2)? - Yes, the conditions were very difficult for both races. AIC 1: I reached Singapore only a day before the race. The temperature in Singapore was over 30 degrees Celsius and very humid. It was a stark contrast to Japan's weather. The temperature in Japan right now is only 5-10 degrees Celsius. This made the race very hard for me, but it was the same for other participants. AIC 2: I forgotten to bring rain wheels and to make matters worse, I only had brand new wheels with me. As you know, new wheels are bad in the rain. I was feeling like a school boy who didn't bring a pen for exam. - We have noticed you are using 4x110 mm set up. Did you have any problem with it during AIC races? - Only on the right turn in the first race. - In the 1st AIC race you were the most active skater throughout the race. We couldn't count how many times you have attacked. Have you been planning to get away from the main group like you did last year in Korean Inline Cup marathon? - I also can't remember how many times I attacked. My race plan was to attack as much as I can. I'm not a sprinter and have slim chance when it comes to bunch sprint to the finish line. That is why I need to breakaway in order to win. However, I was already feeling tired after 10km. Maybe it was because of the right turns or the hot weather. I'm also not in a very good form - I was really busy with my work in February and didn't train much. I like aggressive racing style, I like to create chances. If successful - feeling is overwhelming. If not - never mind. I still think skating is fun and I love it regardless of the outcome of the race. Tedious race when everybody is waiting for the final sprint. I hate it; it's not for me :) - In both races you have been with the leading group until the end of the race but failed to get on the podium. If you can change the way you have raced - what would it be? Different strategy? Different equipment? Having more rest before the race? Something else? Yes, my target was 1st place or top 3 at least. However, I couldn't make it this time. I don't want to make excuses by saying I was too busy in February to train for this race. I'm going to work hard and definitely will be in good condition and attack more in the next AIC race! Details of my strategy? Hehe - that's a secret!! Daisuke in AIC-1. Photo by Lawrence Ang - We know you have raced in many countries besides Singapore -China, Korea, Taiwan, even Russia. Where was the best place to race so far? - Actually I have been racing in Australia, USA, Chile, Spain, Italia,, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, France, Russia, China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. I can not choose best country - I enjoyed and had fun in every race. - What is you favorite race? - My favorite is 200m ITT track race. I also like long distance races and enjoy racing in the World Championship. My best result is 11th in the 10,000m point race which was held in Spain. On top of that, I still hold two National records. - What were your best skating memories? - That would be the time when I joined the Fila Verducci International Team in 2000. I travel in Europe with Chad, Derek, Massi, Ippo, Fabio M - the all stars dream team; they were already multiple world champions. I was staying together with Ippo in his apartment... Great memories, but please don't ask about my results : I also like training camps in Taiwan very much. I was spending 2-4month there every year when I was younger (18-25 years old). I think the Taiwan coach Huang is best in cornering technique. He was teaching me something new every year! Our team have been doing international exchange program with Taiwan for the past 12 years! - We know that in between AIC races in Singapore you have visited Malaysia and Indonesia. Are you planning to go there again for racing? What is your dream country to take part in skating competition? - Yes, I love to travel and I'm very interested to race in Indonesia where I have many friends. However, I went to only to Batam Island in Indonesia this time, without any skating. I'm also very interested to race in India. - Please tell us about your training program? Were do you usually train? Are there a lot of tracks in Japan? Is it legal to train on the open road? - 60% of my training program is off skates drills. You can't skate on the road in Japan and we don't have track. I think Singapore has a similar problem. Public roads - it is impossible for race and train there in Japan. Too many traffic police who will stop you immediately. Usually, our team has skating session in the driving school compound once a week; we also use a small gym (50 sq m) for technical training. On weekends we go to some place where it's possible to skate but it is far away from my city. A 200m bank track will be open in April. - We were told that you are working with young skaters back in Japan. Any of them has potential to represent Japan in international competitions soon? - Yes, I think so. Some kids' skaters (about 10years old) are faster than me when I was junior high school age. A couple of them are very talented. However, it is a reality that in Japan many young skaters are leaving this sport. Mainly because there is too much unfairness in competitions and team selection process. I hate it. I'm 30 years old now and I feel responsible to try and change this situation for the youngsters. - One of the talking points during the first two AIC races was the performance of the young skaters from India. What are your impressions about them? - They have produced great results, but not only that. I have observed them in a race - they grew up a lot just in one week. They were just following us in the 1st, but in the 2nd stage they have been attacking and working as a team. They are fledglings who totally follow the cock in 1st stage and hawks in the 2nd stage. -Skaters from the Japanese National Team have not been prominent on the international scene in the past year or two. Why is it so? Can you tell us more about skating situation in Japan? - Japan has 3 skaters who can perform internationally. In 2008 World Championship, Hideaki Kita got 11th place and Nachi Shinozuka got 6th or 7th even though they both fell during the race (very unlucky). I think it is good results. Maybe you are comparing current results with the Asian championship in 2006 and 2008. In the 2006 Asian Championship which was held in Taiwan, Japanese skaters won a lot of medals. One of the reasons was due to the asphalt track which they could adapt easily so they have performed at 100% of their ability. However, when the Japanese national team went to international championships they had no time to get used to the different tracks as they always arrive late. Normally they only have 2 days to practice on the track before the competition starts. I think they are only performing 60%-70% of their ability because of this. Another important factor - the Japanese skaters don't have a coach with them. They are doing all the planning, management and training during World Championship all by themselves. They don't speak English well and nobody was there to help and advice them in the big race. - Are there any skaters in Japan who makes a living by racing? Do top skaters have financial support from the government? - No support from the government, only some product sponsorship from skate manufacturers but not for all. When going to world championship, skaters pay for everything including National Team uniform. - You are responsible for bringing Kim Bum-Sik, the winner of KIC 2007 & 2008, to race in AIC-1. Is he a good friend of yours? How did you manage to persuade him to come here? - He is a good friend of mine. He is very kind and helped me a lot when I'm travelling to Korea. I'm in contact with him on MSN messenger almost everyday. I didn't do anything special to persuade him to take part in AIC. We always think about national and Asian inline skating and this is the first Asianic Inline Cup. We felt that it was our responsibility to support anyone who is doing something for our sport. Maybe it sounded too serious? Let just say we both love skating too much to miss this opportunity :) - During AIC-2 prize presentation it was announced that there will be a big night race in Singapore - June 13th in the heart of Singapore prime shopping district with good prize money too. Do you have plans to come back and race here? Will you be brining more Japanese skaters with you or may be even your overseas friends from other countries? - I cannot promise anything now, but I'm making plans to race in Singapore AIC event in June. I will try to bring some other skaters from Japan too. My result in first two AIC stages wasn't good, so I must come back to Singapore for revenge :) - What is your take on Singapore skaters? What do we need to do in order to successfully compete with countries like Korea for instance? - I think they need a strong coach who can help them with technique, physical training, strategy, information and experience. - Anything you want to say to people around the world who will be reading your interview? - See you skating in Singapore, Japan or somewhere else! Attack by Daisuke in AIC-2. Back to Media