World's first Flair landed by sit-skier Jay Rawe (USA) at Swatch Nines

The 2026 edition of Swatch Nines is fully in motion at Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, and the energy on site is exactly where it should be: high, creative and constantly progressing. Despite the mixed weather windows so far, the crew has stayed locked in, making the most of every session and keeping the momentum strong.

NEW GROUND UNLOCKED

A standout moment of the opening days came from sitskier Jay Rawe, who stomped a never-been-done flair on the quarterpipe. It’s a breakthrough moment not just for the event, but for adaptive freestyle skiing as a whole, and perfectly capturing the spirit of Swatch Nines where new tricks and new possibilities take center stage.

STYLE AND FLOW ACROSS THE COURSE

On the snowboard side, Japan’s homegrown talent has been setting the tone with style-driven riding across the entire setup. Kaishu and Ayumu Hirano, Takeru Otsuka, Miyabi Onitsuka, Hiroto Ogiwara and others have been lighting up the course, mixing technicality with effortless style, flow and real sense of camaraderie.

The skiers have been equally dialed, with Max Moffatt, Elena Gaskell and Jesper Tjäder among those putting their own stamp on the setup, finding unique lines and delivering clean hits throughout the sessions.

ALL EYES ON PUBLIC DAY

For upcoming days on the mountain, the focus remains on progression, expression and making the most of this one-of-a-kind playground. Anticipation is already building for Saturday, April 11, when the Swatch Nines Public Day invites spectators on site to witness the action firsthand. Expect a high-energy session, and a unique chance to experience the unmistakable Nines atmosphere live in Niseko.

WHAT IS SWATCH NINES

Swatch Nines is a friendly antagonist to the world of competitive sports. With unique formats and venues that draw top athletes, filmmakers and photographers, the Nines celebrates human talent and creativity while channelling the original untamed spirit of action sports. Ever evolving to meet the needs of the culture, the Swatch Nines experience now spans four cornerstones of action sports: Snow, Surf, Skate and Bike.