Office for Sports Promotion

Furuya:My father has been sailing for a long time, so I've always been at sea since I was little.When I was in the third grade of elementary school, my boyfriend's father encouraged me to start sailing, but at first I didn't really enjoy being out on the water.Whenever I could see Enoshima Yacht Harbor, my stomach hurt and I had to go to the bathroom.
　I think I started to enjoy it when I entered high school and started seeing results.Up until then, even when I went to sea, it was more fun to hang out with my yachting friends on land (lol).

eight mountains:I originally started alpine skiing because of my mother.When I was in elementary school, I was so serious that I transferred schools in search of snow.However, in junior high school, I could no longer beat the skiers in my club, and I began to worry about what I should do going forward.
　At that time, my father used to sail, and he told me, ``With your physique and sense of balance, you can aim for the world on a yacht.'' That's how I started sailing in high school.It's like a passing of the baton from my mother to my father (lol).

eight mountains: Furuya is one year younger than me, but he was already a star player when he was in middle school, and when he joined the team, he was a tough guy...no, he was reliable (lol).Anyway, my first impression was that he had a good physique.I also thought he was a quick-witted player.
Furuya:My first impression of Yayama was that he was huge.I heard that he started sailing in high school, but he seemed to have an intimidating aura about him that wasn't just an ordinary person.He had such a charisma that I couldn't resist him, or rather, I wanted to follow him (lol).
eight mountains: No, I started playing in high school, so I was really bad at it at first.Furuya was better than me, and no matter how many times I tried, I couldn't beat him.However, I was told, ``With your physique, you can aim for the world stage,'' so I guess I got a lot of attention (lol).

eight mountains:I was aiming to compete in the 2016 class until the Rio de Janeiro 470 Olympics, but when the Tokyo 2020 Games were decided, I decided to compete in the 49er class. The 49er class is an event that requires a large physique to ride, and you also need to have good taste.I thought that Furuya, who I had ridden with in high school, was the best skipper in my life, so I asked him to team up with me.
Furuya：I had always wanted to participate in the Olympics in a yacht.However, I didn't have many opportunities to do so, so when I was approached, I immediately decided to work with them.

eight mountains:The 49er class is the star of sailing, and those who reach the top of the 49er class are said to be the top of all sailing.It's fast, and it's really cool.I had an admiration for such events, but one of the reasons I chose this sport was that it was advantageous to athletes of my physique.Since there were not many athletes trying out in Japan, I decided to compete in the 2020er class for the Tokyo 49 Games.
Furuya:I had the impression that Japanese people would have a hard time riding the 49er class.The appropriate weight for a pair is about 160 kg, so considering their physique, there are not many Japanese people competing.It is an event that I admire as a sailor because of its speed and power.When you go out to sea and ride a 49er, everyone looks back and says, ``Oh, it's a 49er,'' so it feels good to be on board.That's why I think it's an aspirational sport for many sailing fans.

eight mountains:Since we started competing in the 49er class, I feel like our level is catching up with the world, and I feel like we're overtaking players who were at a higher level. Both of us were beginners in the 49er class, but since we had a foundation in other events, we were confident that once we learned how to handle a boat, we could move up in strategy and other areas.
Furuya: There aren't any players who feel like they've been overtaken from below, so I think they're steadily stepping up in that sense.I think I can still get better, and right now I'm doing the best I can.
eight mountains:Until now, Asian athletes had never competed in world tournaments, so by competing with top European athletes, we were able to communicate with them, and they started to see us on the same level. I think so.
Furuya：Younger players sometimes say things like ``Good job'' and ``Hi! Boys!'', so I feel like I'm still being looked down upon (lol).I feel like I'm going to beat him to the point where I won't be able to say that next time.

eight mountains: The situation at the sea changes depending on the wave and wind conditions.At the same time, the ship is running at the very limit of its performance, which can sometimes turn the ship upside down.I think you will enjoy watching such a powerful performance.
Furuya: Above all, the sense of speed is very different compared to other sailing competitions.Also, each yacht has the national flag of the participating country, so I think it's easy to support.Furthermore, the 3-digit sail number on the sail will be used to determine if you are in the top 10 in the world and your ranking in the previous year's World Championship.

Therefore, the players on the boat with "1" are the top players from the previous year.Even those watching for the first time can tell that a player with a single digit sale number is a strong player. It's a system only for the 1er class, so I think you can enjoy it in that way as well, unlike other events.

eight mountains:I have been supported since I was in the 470 class, and I am receiving strength from the people of Tokyo, so I think I have to do my best as an athlete.
Furuya:I looked at the website of Tokyo Certified Athletes and learned that there are other athletes in various sports who are also doing their best.I think there are only a handful of players who can play an active role, but I want to leave something behind so that I can live up to the expectations of those who have been recognized.

eight mountains: It's only been four years since I started competing in the 49er class, but I want to do what we've done over the years and win a medal.It's important to do well at the Olympics, but I hope that by doing well, sailing will become more popular.
Furuya: At the Tokyo 2020 Games, I want to win a medal with the brightest color.I would like people to learn about the sport of sailing and get them interested in the sea, and I would be happy if the number of people who watch the sport and those who are involved in the sea will increase, not just the number of people who compete.