Japanese rising star brings his unique style and energy to the Proteam community
Swatch is stoked to announce Japanese snowboarder Kaishu Hirano as our latest Proteam athlete. At the age of just 21, Kaishu is already a force to be reckoned with in park and pipe and holds the Half Pipe World Record for highest jump (24.4 ft/ 7.4 m) which he set at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.
The goofy rider began his action sports story as a skater and surf enthusiast, growing up next to the beach in Murakami City in his native Japan. Once he discovered snowboarding, his rise became unstoppable in his preferred discipline and his performances have gone from strength to strength.
Scoring an amazing 3rd place at the X Games in Colorado in 2024, he adds a second bronze medal to the one he won at the same venue in 2022. As he continues to gain confidence and experience with his appearances on the major international stage, he has set himself apart as a contender for competitive glory.
Known for his unconventional personal style and his exuberant style of riding, Kaishu’s story has resonated strongly with fans and his following at competitions and on social media is growing by the day. His craziest dream is to make it to the top of the podium at the next Olympics in 2026 alongside his brother Ayumu, who is also a snowboarder.
Like many of our Proteam athletes, although he trains hard, he continues to indulge his passion for other action sports when he is not competing. Kaishu loves the ‘three Ss’ as he refers to snowboarding, surfing, and skating. Being a member of the Swatch Proteam opens a door to a whole new world for Kaishu. He is always keen to learn from others and is looking forward to being a part of our unique community of athletes and to experiencing the camaraderie the team is known for. Using watches to express his personality and what time means to him, Kaishu has identified the gold-colored 43mm IN THE BLACK model from the IRONY Chronograph range as a personal favorite.
He will debut as a Swatch Proteam athlete at the iconic Swatch Nines Snow event in Schilthorn, Switzerland in April 2024 and is looking forward to connecting with the other athletes, exploring the unique course, and testing some new moves. The course promises to offer a unique creative challenge and represents a new playground for this park and pipe specialist who has gained a reputation for catching serious airtime in the pipe while staying true to the essence of snowboarding with incredible style.
Swatch is super excited to have Kaishu onboard as our latest winter sports Proteam athlete and to helping him reach new heights in his chosen sport.
KAISHU HIRANO BIOGRAPHY
3rd FIS WC Mammoth Mountain, USA HP 2024 February
3rd X-games Aspen, USA HP 2024 January
2nd FIS National Championship, JPN HP 2023 March
3rd FIS WC Copper Mountain, USA HP 2022 December
9th Winter Olympic Beijing, CHN HP 2023 February
3rd X-games Aspen, USA HP 2022 January
2nd Winter Youth Olympic Leysin, SWI 2020 January
