Skier Lands Never-Been-Done Trick at Japanese Freestyle Event

This season’s Swatch Nines event at Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, Japan, has only been underway for a few days, and never-been-done-before tricks are already going down.

The latest comes courtesy of sitskier Jay Rawe, who landed a flair in one of the course’s quarterpipes. For context, the trick resembles a barrel roll, where a skier takes off facing forward and lands in the same direction.

Check out his move below.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Video: Jaw Rawe Flair, Swatch Nines 2026

“I've been dreaming about it for, like, five years,” said Rawe of the flair. “So it's pretty cool to have a feature that I can actually try it on and for it to go successfully. It was just amazing.”

Swatch Nines called it a breakthrough moment for the event and adaptive skiing as a whole. Rawe’s trick also perfectly illustrates the point of Swatch Nines as a freestyle incubator and laboratory.

The gathering isn’t a competition in a traditional sense (organizers say it’s a “friendly antagonist to the world of competitive sports”). The formula is relatively simple. Build huge, otherworldly freestyle features. Invite the best skiers and snowboarders around. Give those athletes a week to try whatever tricks they want.

That premise departs from the freestyle competition status quo, where skiers often stick to what they know. Trying moves well outside your comfort zone isn’t the safest way to land a podium-winning run. But when you aren’t worried about your score, you might be more inclined to push the boundaries a little further, just like Rawe did. 

Unsurprisingly, he’s not the only one who has taken advantage of the purpose-built course. 

Here’s Elena Gaskell doing her thing.

And Jesper Tjader stomping a signature trampoline trick (yes, the Swatch Nines course has a trampoline).

As the week continues, expect more highlights. You can stay up to speed by following the Swatch Nines Instagram page.