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Laman Ismayilova

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With its inclusion as one of the extreme sports in the Olympics, mogul skiing holds significant appeal for athletes and sports enthusiasts alike.

The first competition involving mogul skiing occurred in 1971, followed by the Freestyle World Cup Circuit in 1980.

The first World Championships were held in 1986 and are currently held in odd-numbered years. Since 1992, mogul skiing has been a medal event at the Winter Olympics.

A meeting between the President of the Azerbaijan Winter Sports Federation, Fuad Nagiyev, and a delegation led by Japan's mogul specialist, Jiro Miyamoto, has sparked exciting developments in this winter sport.

The sides discussed the promotion of mogul-type freestyle skiing in Azerbaijan and the potential for hosting international competitions in Shahdag Mountain Resort.

The Shahdag Mountain Resort is ideal for tourists of all ages. Well-known as the country's first ski resort, the resort is located in Shahdag National Park, 32 km off Gusar District, 2,350 metres above sea level.

The resort plays an important role in the development of winter tourism in the country. Local and foreign tourists are showing great interest in winter tourism. All conditions for this have been created in Shahdag.

In 2023, Russia's TurStat analytical agency listed the Shahdag Mountain Resort among the top 5 ski resorts in the CIS.

Fuad Nagiyev said that the necessary infrastructure for organising mogul competitions at the international level is available in Shahdag and that the mountain resort is ready for mutual cooperation in order to obtain the right to hold competitions of this format.

Recalling that master classes on mogul skiing were organised in Shahdag for both skiing enthusiasts and instructors in 2023, Jiro Miyamoto pointed out that he is ready to show his support in the direction of introducing this sport in Azerbaijan and increasing interest among skiers.

The collaboration with the Embassy of Japan has been instrumental in advancing these efforts, with the successful organisation of the first master class on mogul freestyle skiing at Shahdag Mountain Resort last year.

It was noted that the upcoming master class scheduled for January 27–28 at the same venue, with the support of the Japanese Embassy, promises to further fuel interest in mogul freestyle skiing.

Through this partnership, Azerbaijan aims to lay the groundwork for an enriching experience in mogul freestyle skiing.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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