May 7, 2016

Foreign ski instructors may get visa incentives to work in Japan

The government plans to ease visa requirements for foreign ski instructors to help attract skiers from abroad amid the sport’s declining popularity in Japan, a government source said Saturday.The Justice Ministry is eyeing amending the relevant ordinance as early as this summer, believing instructors ...

Vonn hurts knee in super-G event

/ Feb 28, 2016

Vonn hurts knee in super-G event

Lindsey Vonn suffered a minor fracture in her left knee during a World Cup super-G crash in heavy snowfall Saturday but didn’t rule out her start in a combined event the next day.In a race delayed for three hours due to bad weather, the ...

Shiffrin excited about return to competition

/ Feb 13, 2016

Shiffrin excited about return to competition

The slalom queen is back and raring to go after a frustrating two months out with injury.Mikaela Shiffrin even admits to feeling “jittery” as she prepares to throw herself back into World Cup racing on Monday in Crans-Montana, Switzerland — her first race since ...

/ Feb 5, 2016

Vonn miffed about course conditions

Lindsey Vonn left the finish area with plenty of complaints about the state of the Kandahar course and thinking she still had the fastest time in Thursday’s training for a World Cup downhill.Officially, she didn’t, because late starter Romane Miradoli of France beat her ...

Skiing on the edge of Syria's war

Feb 2, 2016

Skiing on the edge of Syria's war

The snowy ridge of Mount Hermon separates two worlds. In one, Syria’s war rages. In the other, Israeli tourists slalom down ski slopes or drink mulled wine to the sound of techno music.On a clear day Damascus is visible from the top of the ...

Exploring Niigata's snow country

Jan 23, 2016

Exploring Niigata's snow country

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Marred though the view is with power lines and other trappings of modernity, the rainbow that appears at the far end of Tsubame-Sanjo Station seems a rather auspicious beginning. The initial impression that greeted us in front of this largely unpopular station just south ...

1984 Olympic champ Johnson dies

/ Jan 23, 2016

1984 Olympic champ Johnson dies

Bill Johnson craved speed — the faster, the better. He stole cars as a kid, got in trouble for it and was ordered by a judge to make a choice: Ski school or jail.Johnson picked the slopes and wound up taking the sport by ...