NOZAWA ONSEN, Nagano Pref. (Kyodo) Slalom skier Kentaro Minagawa, fourth at the 2006 Turin Olympic Games, outclassed his domestic rivals to win his first national championship crown in 10 years Wednesday.
Minagawa clocked the fastest time of 56.28 seconds in the first run and maintained the lead comfortably with another solid run in the second for a winning total of 2 minutes, 0.34 seconds at the Nozawa Onsen ski resort. Ryunosuke Okoshi came second in 2:00.87.
In the women's slalom event, Minami Takeda captured her first national title with a two-run total of 1:48.73, finishing 2.31 faster than runnerup Mami Sekizuka.