Speaking ofRichard Berger, almost everyone draws a blank, but mention Richie Bell, and he’s a household name among skiers in China. His masterful runs in *6-Level Slalom* are absolutely mesmerizing. Filmed in2002, the movie remains an unsurpassed classic even a decade later. The intrinsic logic of the movements creates a stunning beauty of turns. Its significance goes far beyond a mere skiing demonstration—it’s a bible for skiers and a flame that draws moths, leaving everyone not only enchanted but also inspired with a desire: to ski likeBerger.
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Image1:Richard Berger
In stark contrast to the widespread popularity of *6-Level Slalom*, the film’s protagonist, Richie Bell, has always been relatively unknown. In today’s era dominated by the Japanese skiing school, many assume Richie, being European, represents the European style. But the truth is quite the opposite—Richard Bergerbears a deep Japanese imprint, as can be seen from his background.
Richard Berger 1968Born in3,23, in Austria—a country that has produced many skiing masters—his talent and passion for skiing quickly made him stand out among the younger generation. He represented Austria in international competitions multiple times and also earned several coaching certifications. He was also an executive atHEAD, responsible for promoting skiing and the products ofHEAD, which is whyBergeronly usesHAEDskis. During his travels competing and teaching around the world, Japan left a profound impact on him. The Japanese approach to skiing technique is marked by a pursuit of perfection and meticulous attention to detail, much like their attitude toward work and product quality. Such an approach is unimaginable in Europe. In the West, skiing is more about expressing individuality—even the typically precise Germans ski in a rather casual manner.
Bergerbegan to enjoy skiing—and even living—in Japan. From the mid-90s onward, he spent extended periods in Japan every ski season. He runs his own ski school in Hakuba and serves as its principal. Teaching is his main job, but he also actively participates in various skiing-related events, including competitions.
Japan has a technical skiers’ competition, which many are familiar with—names like Takuya Sato and Takao Maruyama are well-known. But Japan also hosts an international technical skiers’ competition, with participants from around the world, and rules largely similar to the domestic version.Bergeris an active participant in this event. Starting with the first edition in96, he competed in6consecutive editions, winning the championship in98and consistently placing in the2-6range in other years. While rankings are secondary, what matters more is the growth and enlightenment of a Western expert within the Eastern philosophy and environment of skiing. It’s akin to what we call mastering both Eastern and Western knowledge.
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Image2:2000, Year5Ranking at the International Technical Skiers Competition.Richard BergerCame in second, with Sato Hisaya in third. The championMartinwas also Austrian, and hisMogulskiing was breathtaking.
By the21century,Bergerhe had gradually blended European and Japanese technical styles—his turns were less rigid than the Japanese style and not as casual as the European one; his movements combined the precision and delicacy of the Japanese school with the elegance and freedom of the European approach. That’s why his slalom had an unmistakable brilliance that others found hard to replicate. It also reflectedBerger’s inner temperament, though it needed skiing to be expressed.
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Photo3:Richard BergerAtCarving
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Photo4:Richard BergerOn the snowy mountain
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Photo5:Richard BergerLeaping off a cliff
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Photo6:Richard BergerOn powder snow
Richard BergerGained domestic fame thanks to the spread of "<6Grade Slalom>". Around the04-05ski season, this film made its way to China, where many treated it as a European instructional video. That was another misunderstanding—"<6Grade Slalom>" is a purely Japanese film, shot on the slopes around Hakuba. The Japanese have an interesting approach to making ski instruction videos: when the instructor is a Japanese skiing star, the outdoor scenes are filmed in Europe or Canada, but when it’s a foreign star, the filming takes place on domestic slopes.
Richard BergerhasDVnumerous works, mainly including:
1, "Slalom Technique"(Short turn technique) 1995,
2, "This Is Austrian Skiing"(This is Austria Ski) 1998.
3、"6Level Small Turns"(6 Short turns) 2002year
4"Elegant Carving"(Elegant skiing) 2004year
5"Head Promotional Video" 2005-2006year
6"How to Ski a Pack"(Bump technique ) 2006year
7"Imagination"(Imagination) 2008year
8"How toCarving" 2009year
Among them,2004the year-published "Elegant Carving"(Elegant skiing)can be regarded as the pinnacle of the series. In this work,Bergerit systematically introduces all the essential aspects one must master to become a skilled skier capable of skiing anywhere in the world. It includes the following chapters:
1、Key Techniques: Carving Edges and Switching Edges
2、Basic Parallel Turns
3、Carving in Powder(Skid)and Edge Control(Carving)
4、Wide Turns
5、Short Turns and Edge Control
6、Mogul、Powder Snow, Deep Powder, and Off-Piste Skiing
Just reading the above table of contents is enough to get one excited, yet it’s truly a pity that such an excellent work has not been introduced in China. Those who have the chance to visit Japan might want to check out local video stores for it.
Finally, let me share an interesting tidbit:Richard BergerHis name should be translated into Chinese as Richard Bell, so why does he refer to himself as Ricky in "Level Six Small Turns"?-What about Bell? That’s because Japanese people can’t pronounce theRretroflex sound, so they pronouncedRichardasrichi, andBergerhappily accepted this name.
Here are some basic facts aboutRichard Berger:
Birthday:1968-3-23
Height:177CM
Weight:72KG
Homepage:http://www.sportsunity.com/spe/ric/index.html
(Japanese homepage, featuring his latest schedule in Japan for this ski season)