Jin Boyang after his SP: “The flamenco (FS), we just thought we’d try it, and after choreographing part of it I thought, oh it really suits me, so we continued choreographing the rest. The rock n’ roll (SP) was like, I was crazy, and Lori was crazy too, I came up with a lot of the movements and Lori thought they were really good and we thought we could add them in. The part during the step sequence where I play the guitar, that was my idea, and we added it to the step sequence.”
Jin Boyang after his FS: “This year I have to decide firmly to cherish these two programs and add many more movements/elements [to be ready] for international competitions in a month; there is still a lot of time, after the national competition I will continue to work hard.”
Peng Cheng after the FS: “To be honest we don’t have a set plan that we must have this kind of style or that kind of style, we hope to try many different styles, and before 2022, decide which style suits us the best. Every year we gain more experience.”
Jin Yang after the FS: “Because of injury we haven’t practiced as much, this time she was determined to try the triple salchow, like ‘If I don’t practice it now, in future competitions we won’t have as many opportunities to practice.’ I think we still gained something [from our performance today], at least we know which areas we still have weaknesses and can immediately try to fix them, and hopefully give better performances at the Grand Prix events in Canada and Japan.”
Jin Boyang after his FS: “I think my programs this season are two very good programs.” “After five quads, there are two triple axels, so all triples have been removed [from the program]. I think this program is very physically demanding /…/ but with hard work and determination, nothing is impossible.”
Xie Zhong after the FS: “For [Xiangning], pairs is still full of unfamiliar elements, so for her to master every element in six minutes is a very big challenge. But I think she did pretty well.”
Li Xiangning after the FS: “Sometimes I still feel a little nervous, and the elements may fail, but we will try to find the reason.”
Peng Cheng after the FS: “Many athletes are very good but have no outstanding points; this whole time we have been trying to find such an outstanding point. We hope that in some way we can stand out or give people a feeling that grabs them.”
Jin Yang after the FS: “Even with the pop (on the salchow), even though both SBS jumps were not successful, I think our fighting spirit was good, I think we gained something [from this performance].”
Peng/Jin on their SP: “The program is about a rich, successful man whose business failed, but he loves a materialistic woman, and even though he knows they have no results, he is still determined to treat her well. But the woman is actually using her materialistic side to stimulate the man, hoping he will be able to energize himself and continue to fight for his company.”
Peng Cheng on being the top Chinese team on the Grand Prix: “Suddenly we’ve become old athletes. We should take up this responsibility, pick up this burden, it is a necessary process. We will work hard!”
Li Xiangning: “I was very nervous, before going on the ice I even forgot how to skate the program, I had to keep asking him.”
Xie Zhong: “All of my previous partners already had pairs experience, Xiang Xiang transferred directly from ladies’ singles. When we first teamed up we would fall apart while skating, sometimes I would turn around and she’d be gone. It has only been one month since completing the choreography of the program, at first Xiang Xiang felt she couldn’t control the music style, but now there has been a lot of improvement.”
Boyang on his FS: “Since returning from the ice show in Japan (The Ice) I have only practiced properly for about two weeks, many details are still not in place. The rules have changed this season, now my free skate doesn’t have any triple jumps anymore. My breathing after the jumps has not been adjusted properly. This year I actually have higher expectations for myself, [after this competition] I must carefully polish these two programs.”
Boyang on his programs: “These two programs are my best programs so far, they suit me really well and can express my inner feelings. The short program is a bold attempt, the process of choreographing it was crazy, I was crazy, Lori was crazy. The free skate is a flamenco; I’ve skated a tango before, these two styles are similar, but the artistry of the flamenco is a little deeper.”
Boyang on his gold blades: “They’re more imposing, aren’t they, very domineering, I’m very satisfied. Wearing them just feels different!”
Who came up with the heart on Peng Cheng’s costume?
Cheng: (laughs) The coach did.
Which coach?
Cheng: (laughs) …[They thought] it looked very good.
What do you think?
Cheng: Well, at the competition in Thailand (Asian Trophy), after I put on the costume in the dressing room and looked in the mirror, I was like… When I went out I thought the coach would have a problem with the costume, but the coach just said, “Eh, pretty good,” and it really cheered me up, like if the coach thought it was good, then there should be no problem, right?
What do you think about your new hairstyle?
Cheng: Don’t really have any thoughts, just… Well I’m young, should try new things, mess around. I’ve realized that the more I mess around with my hair, the worse it gets, I’m really despairing.
What does Jin Yang think?
Yang: When she’s getting her hair done she is full of self-confidence, thinks it will be so beautiful, but when the hairnet’s off the truth comes out. It’s actually fine, her hairstyle hasn’t changed that much, it used to be pretty straight but now there are some curls … When you first got it done there were huge curls, isn’t it better now?
Cheng: When I went home [Little Sui?] said it looked like her paternal grandmother and Yang Yongchao said it looked like his maternal grandmother and I was like, what does my hairstyle really look like?! Then a coach said it looked “pretty wild” and I just don’t understand, is it wild or…?
Shoma in the Pokémon Center’s 20th Anniversary e-mook:
During summer vacations, I always went to go see the Pokémon movies with my little brother and bought the movies when they came out in VHS/DVD. [T/N: In Japan, Pokémon movies are always released in July around the start of summer break for schoolchildren.] I had different impressions of each film, but the one that stuck out the most for me was “Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation the Movie: Mew and the Wave Hero, Lucario” (“Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew”). I remember reading the books based on the anime and getting yelled at by my mother for playing the games too much (lol). Since I lived near a Pokémon Center, I would go there on game release days. I have a lot of personal, joyful memories associated with Pokémon.
Pokémon Experience | Played the Pocket Monsters games from Generation I (Red, Green, Blue, Pikachu) to Generation VI (X/Y, Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire)
Favorite Pokémon: Hitokage/Charmander | I watched the anime when I was little, and I particularly liked its wild personality when it evolved into Lizardon/Charizard. Think it’s interesting that there is a personality change with the evolution.
Thank you for all your support during NHK Trophy. I’m really happy to have qualified for the Grand Prix Final again this season. But, with my current competitive content, I’m still very far away from the kind of performance I want to reach and the performance to meet everyone’s expectations. With the time remaining until the Grand Prix Final, I will improve on the areas where I can improve and do my best to deliver a great performance for everyone.
p.s. To ensure I’m in my best possible condition, I will go get vaccinated despite my dislike of it.
With about a week left before the 2019 World Figure Skating Championships, the Chinese National Figure Skating Team that is preparing for battle held a public class at the Shougang Training Centre on Wednesday afternoon. Wenjing Sui/Cong Han and Cheng Peng/Yang Jin, China’s pairs entries for Worlds, participated in the public class.
During the class, Sui/Han’s performance was not so good, Wenjing Sui in particular had a lot of difficulty with her solo jumps. Chinese National Team’s head coach Hongbo Zhao said “Sui/Han are not in the best condition, so we said for the 2nd competition of the season (Worlds), just trying their best in their current form is good enough. Wenjing Sui after the Pyeongchang Olympics had a fracture, rested for 4 months, [her] recovery was not so satisfactory. Cong Han’s injuries are also increasing. In terms of the medical and scientific technology available to us, we are doing everything we can to maintain their health, but sometimes you don’t always respond to the treatment.”
Hongbo Zhao shared, “At Four Continents, Sui/Han’s results weren’t great, when we got back, we reflected a lot on it and we are aware of all the issues. But in terms of their progress in daily training, including concentration and ability, they are still a bit below expectations. After Wenjing Sui returned from performing in North Korea, she fell the next day in practice and she lost 10 days of training, she only resumed normal training last week. They are really hoping to perform well at Worlds, however they have had a lot of setbacks which disrupted their training, I am also trying to think of solutions to help them manage their emotions, we will try our best for Worlds.”
Wenjing Sui and Cong Han are the 2017 World Champions and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics Silver Medalists. Their season so far has not gone smoothly, due to Wenjing Sui’s foot surgery they had a very long recovery time. They only appeared internationally for the first time at the Four Continents Championships in early February. However, they won the competition, making people highly anticipate their upcoming participation in the World Championships.
After the open class, Cong Han had an individual interview with the media. He shared “We did not participate in many competitions this season which means there are less opportunities for us to test both our programs. At Four Continents, we found that we needed a lot of improvements with our programs so we made some adjustments, now the program is a lot smoother. Little Sui is working very hard, she has added another training session at night just for practicing her jumps.”
“Right I think we are a little short on time, if we had another month then maybe we would be more prepared. But that’s okay, this is a sport,” said Cong Han.
The other pairs teams headed to the World Championships, Cheng Peng/Yang Jin are the Four Continents Championships Silver Medalists and the Grand Prix Final Silver Medalists.
Also appearing at the public class was Hongyi Chen, who had just returned from the World Junior Figure Skating Championships. She had laready begun preparation for the World Championships and is the sole entry in the Ladies’ Singles.
Hongyi Chen has been nervous about her upcoming competitions, she is nicknamed “model worker” by the rest of team. Since Nationals in December, she has participated in Four Continents, Chinese Championships, World Junior Championships and is about to leave for the World Championships.
“After participating in some many competitions, I think I’m not as nervous as I was before,” said the 16 year old girl. “Going to the World Championships is going to be a learning experience for me, entering competitions is a bit tiring, but I believe I can overcome it.”
The 2019 World Figure Skating Championships will be held from March 18th to March 24th in Japan. The Chinese figure skating team will also include Boyang Jin in the Men’s Singles, Shiyue Wang/Xinyu Liu and Hong Chen/Zhuoming Sun (substitute entry) for ice dance.
The Chinese Figure Skating Association has published their list of entries for the Chinese Figure Skating Championships. Sui Wenjing/Han Cong appear on the list, this will be their season debut. Something else to note is that the figure skating talent Beverly Zhu who just joined the Chinese training team in September, is also listed as a participant.
This year’s National Championships will be held 12/29-12/30 in Harbin, China with all of the main domestic skaters participating. Sui Wenjing/Han Cong were on the list of participants. After the Pyeongchang Olympics, Sui Wenjing withdrew from all their international competitions due to injury, this will be their first appearance of the season.
Right now Sui/Han are training in Shougang, they will be bringing brand new programs to Harbin. The head choreographer, Lori Nichols, says that one of the programs has a very modern feel. Sui Wenjing also shared that they made a program with a Chinese feel. “It will have a lot of new, distinctive choreography, I hope everyone will like it.”
In addition to Sui/Han, Peng Cheng/Jin Yang who just won silver at the Grand Prix Final are also set to compete. Also, Yu Xiaoyu/Hao Zhang who are currently training in Beijing are also bringing brand new programs to Nationals, however they are only here as a test.
Jin Boyang and Zhang He will be leading the mens’ competition with 11 other men, in comparison with the ladies where there are way more entries. The list of entries include An Xiangyi, Cheng Hongyi and many other young competitors. A notable entry is Zhu Yi (Beverly Zhu), the 2002-born Chinese American figure skating talent who will be participating in her first domestic competition.
At US Nationals earlier this year, Beverly Zhu won the novice title with 35 points over second place, touted as a future figure skating champion. In September of this year, Beverly Zhu officially joined the Chinese National Training Team that is led by China’s former representative figure skater, Lu Chen.
The Chinese National Figure Skating Champions will be happening on 12/29-12/30 in Harbin, China. During this competition, Sui Wenjing/Han Cong, Peng Cheng/Jin Yang, Jin Boyang, Wang Shiyue/Liu Xinyu, An Xiangyi, Zhu Yi (Beverly Zhu) will be making appearances.
Sui Wenjing/Han Cong who won the Pairs Silver at the Pyeongchang Olympics have been in recovery for their injuries for the first half of the season. As they recover, they have gotten their programs choreographed and have been easing back into training. The National Championships will be their first competition since the Olympics.
“Originally, we had intended on Four Continents in February 2019 being Sui/Han’s return to competition but by having them participate in the National Championships, they can gradually get a feel for the ice again,” said Shen Xue, the president of the Chinese Figure Skating Association. Sui Wenjing/Han Cong are reported to only perform their Short Program here.
In the first half of the international season, with their teammates sitting out, Peng Cheng/Jin Yang were tasked with representing Chinese pairs alone this season. They performed well at both of their GP assignments to make the final. They won the silver at GPF with great performances in the short and free program. Right now, Peng Cheng/Jin Yang are diligently preparing for the National Championships, they are hoping to repeat their good performances and show everyone 2 perfect programs.
Additionally, Olympians Yu Xiaoyu/Zhang Hao who also took off the first half of the season will be participating. Wang Xuehan/Wang Lei, Tang Feiyao/Yang Yongchao will also be contenders for the podium.
For the ladies’ singles competition, Chinese Grand Prix [T/N: domestic competition, not actual GPs] ladies champion An Xiangyi had 2 new programs choreographed after the competition in September. Zhu Yi (Beverly Zhu), the Chinese-American figure skating talent, will be competing domestically for the first time.
Two-time world medalist, Jin Boyang, did not perform very well at his 2 GP assignments this season to make the GPF. Now that he is competing at home, [I] believe that he will be motivated to perform well and prove himself.
Two Chinese ice dance teams of Wang Shiyue/Xinyu Liu and Cheng Hong/Sun Zhuoming have been training in Canada with the legendary coaches of Dubreuil/Lauzon since the summer. They are specially returning from Canada to participate in the National Championships and this will be their first time competing domestically this season.
Recently an announcement by the State General Sports Administration of China that a National training camp would be organized by Pang Qing and Tong Jian was posted online. The announcement said that as part of the preparation for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the Chinese Olympic Committee has appointed Pang Qing and Tong Jian as head coaches to lead a Pang Qing/Tong Jian National Figure Skating Training Camp with a list of attendees. NetEase Sports has confirmed that the news and the list are real. The source says that the camp started on September 10th and that this was proposed by Gou Zhongwen (T/N: President of the Chinese Olympic Committee).
To prepare for the 2022 Olympics, directors in the General Sports Administration have been trying to introduce a variety of initiatives such as interdisciplinary exchange, youth development initiatives, establishing training groups and so on. Establishing a Pang Qing/Tong Jian National Team not only recognizes that Pang Qing and Tong Jian are experts in working with the body and mind, but also their efforts in promoting development and innovation in the sport. The formation of the new national training team is to help take on some of the preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics, as well as a promotional tool.
Reports say that the camp will have more than one phase. The list of invited athletes that were released are from various clubs and provinces and many have retired or are nearing retirement. “In this group, some of them are thinking of leaving the sport due to injury, some are experiencing uncertainty in their thoughts, the directors think that the athletes are just going through some short term difficulties, and that they need to step in and help them out of that low so that they can realize their own value again.” The establishment of the training a bold move by the administration to try to implement change in the system.
The athletes that have been chosen for the training team will receive training from top domestic coaches and coaches from abroad, they will also find opportunities to go overseas for training. Through these opportunities, they want to see if they can produce some young athletes with potential, but also for the athletes who are about to leave the sport, they hope that through their training, they can help them with their recovery. Athletes are also eligible to receive training grants. More importantly, athletes who perform well can be directly selected for the 2022 Olympics.
In response to the list, the source explained “For Li Zijun, it’s not about her skills, her presentation or her current understanding of her own skating, it is not her time to retire. Yu Xiaoyu is currently looking for a partner, she has a lot of competitive experience along with being mentally strong and she has a clear direction that she wants to take. Presently, China lacks depth in Ladies’ Singles, if she wants to try it, she can.”
The list however, is not a final list, it is only an invitational list, those who are invited are not required to attend, but if they want to realize their dreams and stand on top of the field, they have to opportunity to receive training to help them go to the Olympics for China and to make the country proud.
August 11th, morning time, the daily scheduled training of the Chinese figure skating team was happening as usual. However this time, many foreign coaches were present to help guide Wenjing Sui and Cong Han and other athletes who were there. They are Brian Orser and his team who have trained Olympic Champions like Yuzuru Hanyu, Yuna Kim and so on. Today, Brian Orser signed a contract with the Chinese Figure Skating Association, taking a big step forward in helping to prepare for the 2022 Olympics.
Orser and his coaching team are one of the most successful coaching teams for singles skaters. Under their tutelage, South Korean star Yuna Kim won the 2009 World Championships and the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. Yuzuru Hanyu, under their guidance, won the 2014 and 2018 Olympics along with the 2014 and 2017 World Championships. For the next few years, Orser and other members of his coaching team will regularly come to China to assist with training skaters and coaches, helping them to better prepare for the 2022 Olympics.
Brian Orser’s team includes people like Tracy Wilson, David Wilson, and Lee Barkell. Brian Orser, who has won 2 silver medals at the Olympics, embodies the soul of the team. He is skilled at identifying talent in skaters who are ranked around top 10 in the world and push them to become medal contenders. Tracy Wilson is an expert in coaching skating skills, especially when it comes to the complicated content that high level athletes include in their programs. David Wilson is an expert choreographer and has unique methods for developing personal expression. Lee Barkell is good for jump technique and other difficult elements. Brian Orser’s team also has very specialized approach in how they choose their music, costumes and how they understand the current scoring system. This partnership is not only for the 2022 Olympics, it will also take into account long term development for the 2026 Olympics and to improve the overall level of coaching in China.
At the press conference, Shen Xue, head of the Chinese Figure Skating Association, thanked Orser for coming all the way to Beijing and said that she hoped that this new partnership will help them a lot in preparing for the 2022 Olympics. “I used to be an athlete myself, the growth and development [of an athlete] requires a coach to guide you, self reflection, but you also need input from the outside world. I hope that Orser will be able to share his experience with us and allow our skaters to learn from the best in the world.”
When talking about the details of the contract, Shen Xue revealed “Along with preparing for the 2022 Olympics, Orser and his team will come to China regularly to assist and observe China’s ladies’ single skaters to help CFSA discover talent and potential athletes and coaches for future Olympics Games.”
Before the press conference, Orser and his team attended one of the National team’s trainings. He commented, “They have a really positive training attitude, the youngest ones are especially interested in their lessons, this is a really good start.”
Tracy Wilson was really impressed by China’s top pairs team, Wenjing Sui and Cong Han. “They were very young when I advised them many years ago, I’m very happy to see them improve step by step and become World Champions, it’s the same feeling that I have when I coach Yuzuru Hanyu. Now young Chinese athletes are more and more ambitious, China’s future in figure skating is limitless.”
Taiwanese figure skater Tzu-Han Ting on April 22 won the novice ladies event at at a french competition. The Flag of Republic of China hung in the venue alongside the flags of other countries. At the award ceremony, the national anthem was also played. Tzu-Han is currently trying to get international experience and aiming to go to bigger competitions.
The Rooster Cup is a competition held annually in Courbevoie, in the Paris suburbs and is internationally recognized by the ISU. This is the 10th year it’s being held.
In Taiwan, the number of people who figure skate compared to other sports is relatively small, but in the past 2 years, a new star has risen. 12 year old Tzu-Han Ting participated in Advanced Novice Girls which had 33 skaters participating total.
On the 20th, she scored 45.09 in the short program skating to the Harry Potter soundtrack, coming in first. On the 22nd, for the long program she skated to music from the anime “The Cat Returns,” once again winning this segment with a score of 80.41, to become the champion.
Both scores were personal bests for her and so was the total. score of 125.50.
Tzu-Han Ting said that she was really happy with her winning scores at this competition, she feels her artistry is getting better but there are still some little mistakes.
Tzu-Han Ting actually learned rollerskating first, the coach saw that she was really good and encouraged to try figure skating. The first time she skated, she didn’t fall like the other beginners, so at the age of 6 and a half, she started to figure skate, right now she practices 3 hours a day and about an hour on weekends.
In order to get in morning practice, Tzu-Han Ting gets up at 5:30AM. She laughed and said that if competitions were later, she would fall asleep.
She said the things that bring her the greatest joy when she skates are winning first place, successfully landing a new jump or when she has a breakthrough in her technical or artistic side.
She practiced the 2A for a year, “in that year, seriously, I really didn’t know when I would be able to land it.” But then one day she suddenly landed it. She said it was like “crossing a checkpoint,” now the 2A is one of the easiest jumps in her programs.
There are very few skaters from Taiwan entering international competitions but Tzu-Han Ting is ambitious. She plans on practicing 2 new triple-triples next. Her long-term goal is to compete in big events like the World Championships and the Grand Prix. “The ultimate goal is the 2022 Winter Olympics.”
Tzu-Han Ting currently sees the World’s number one skater, Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu as her goal, she especially likes his program “Hope and Legacy” program. She hopes that she can meet him one day.
Tzu-Han won the Bronze Medal at the Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy for Basic Novice A Girls in 2016 and won the gold at the SEA Figure Skating Open Challenge for Advanced Novice Girls in Thailand. In the future, she will continue to gain competitive experience internationally.
Compared to sports like baseball, badminton, tennis etc. Taiwan isn’t known for figure skating, however Tzu-Han’s coach Chen Guowen believes that as Tzu-Han Ting improves, she will become a figure skater worth following.
↳… you got really mad at each other (0:10) Guillaume:Fortunately, it almost never happens. Gabriella:Yeah… It happens like maximum once a year. Guillaume: Whenever it happens, it’s usually because we don’t manage to do something and I I’m starting to say that it’s her fault and she says that it’s my fault and we end up not talking to each other and just looking away. Gabriella:And we just keep repeating the same thing: ‘it’s you!’, ‘no, it’s you!’, 'no, it’s you!!’ and we stop talking to each other but we eventually just go back to normal. Guillaume: And then, we’re just: 'fine’!
↳… you thought about the World Championships title for the first time (0:48) Guillaume: I remember there was a time where I said to my mom in the car - it was a long time ago - that my goal was to participate at World Junior Championships and after that, stop my career. Since then, lots a things happened but… I think it’s something that just gradually happened. Gabriella:It gradually happened and even the year where we became Ice Dance World champions [in 2015], we didn’t expect to win [after GPF 2014, their goal was a top 10 at Worlds]. So, it happened sooner than our own will.
↳… something scary happened to you on the ice (1:37) Guillaume:We didn’t really have any very 'scary’ accidents. Actually, every time Gabriella had a big injury, I wasn’t here and her concussion wasn’t the result of a scary fall. We thought it was an unimportant fall and we only realized that there were something else later. Gabriella: I remember that there was a time at Lyon where we fell during a lift. Guillaume: Yeah, we were doing a kind of back somersault and we stumbled and fell. Gabriella: It wasn’t something serious but I got scared when it happened.
↳… you missed training for a reason you can’t admit (2:25) Guillaume: Well we won’t confess now in front of the camera! Interviewer: Did it already happen? Gabriella: I don’t dare saying it to Guillaume but I’ll say it to the camera… [laugh] I’m joking! Interviewer:A train that got delayed, a time where you overslept? Guillaume: Yeah, but that’s not something that we can’t admit. All the times where one of us overslept… 'overslept’ (emphasis on the quotation marks)… It happened lots of times because when we were younger, we were starting training at 6A.M on the ice [before middle school/highschool classes] so… it was hard.
↳… you won’t skate together anymore (3:02) Gabriella: Of course it will happen at one moment or another. Guillaume: (joking) No, never! Gabriella: I don’t know, it will be something unknown to us because we always skated together, well almost always. Not skating together anymore would also mean stop our careers and stop skating and do something else in our lives. It’s very hard to imagine it but I think it will happen day after day, we’ll see what we want, who we are, what we want for the future. However, it’s something really hard to consider now.
Interview with Vanessa James and Morgan Ciprès: Solo or duo?
↳Win a medal?(0:08) Morgan: I think it’s better as a duo. We can share it with someone who really won it the same way as you did. So I think that it’s better as a duo. Vanessa: Yes, I agree! Except for the prize money because we have to share it [laugh]
↳Going shopping?(0:27) Vanessa: I prefer to do it in solo. I don’t like waiting for the others or having them staring at me. I like taking my time. Morgan: I prefer going shopping in solo too. I like having someone’s opinion but once I’ve bought the article so it’s a bit too late.
↳Go to see a movie?(0:40) Morgan: Never do that in solo! Vanessa: Duo! Duo!
↳Have practice?(0:45) Morgan: It’s the same as winning a medal. I think that we can also share a practice. We [Vanessa and I] are used to do it as a duo. Vanessa: Duo! I’ve already done both. As an individual skater too. And I love the sharing and the complicity. I prefer doing it as a duo. Morgan:And I’m super nice so… [laugh]
↳Buy an apartment or a house?(1:06) Vanessa: I don’t know yet! Morgan: [laugh] We haven’t reached that step yet! We’re thinking about it, we’ll see.
↳Dance?(1:15) Vanessa: Duo, if you have a good lead! Morgan: Yeah, duo if you have a good partner.
↳Life?(1:23) Vanessa: Ohhh, what a question! [laugh] Morgan: We don’t know yet. We’ll see! Vanessa: I would say duo. Morgan: I would say duo too.
↳Watch figure skating?(1:35) Morgan: As you wish, you can do both but doing it with someone is good too. We can give our opinions, make comments… Vanessa: Yeah, duo. I think that it’s great to watch pairs with someone so the man [skater] can watch what the woman [skater] is doing and vice versa.
↳Odd jobs?(1:57) Vanessa: Duo because I don’t like doing odd jobs. Morgan: Duo, yeah. It’s always good to have a friend’s help.
↳Take a selfie?(2:07) Morgan: It’s cuter as a duo. Vanessa: A selfie? Alone, in solo.
↳Take a bath?(2:17) Morgan: For me, it’s better in solo because we don’t fit in the bathtub. I’m too tall. Vanessa: I don’t really like taking a bath, I prefer taking a shower. So I would say solo.
↳Wake up?(2:30) Vanessa: [laugh from both Vanessa and Morgan] It depends… I would say duo though. Morgan: Yeah, as a duo. Vanessa: Hugging and all… It’s great!
“I’m the one who should be expressing my gratitude.”
Translation of an interview with Yuma Kagiyama and his father and coach Masakazu Kagiyama at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Please do not use/repost my translations without my permission.
Interviewer: And now, we have Yuma Kagiyama, who won a silver medal in men’s figure skating, and his father Coach Masakazu. Congratulations!
Yuma: Thank you.
Interviewer: Now that some time has passed, has reality set in that you won a silver medal yet?
Yuma: Let’s see… Well… It hasn’t really set in that I’m a medalist. When I look at the medal, I’ll think ‘I won a medal,” but I’m already looking towards the next thing. We already held our reflection meeting.
Interviewer: We want to ask the two of you many things today, but there’s a video we’d like you to watch. Start!
6 year old Yuma in the video: My dream is… I want to go to the Olympics.
Interviewer: So adorable! This is a video from when he was 6 years old. Masakazu, isn’t he cute?
Masakazu: Now that you’ve shown me a video like this, I won’t be able to yell at him anymore. It’s too much.
Interviewer: Coach Masakazu, did you think he would really go to the Olympics at that time?
Masakazu: No, I thought he was just saying the word Olympics, and he didn’t know what the Olympics are. He probably knew that I went to the Olympics and was influenced into saying that. He was so young, so I don’t think he really understood.
Interviewer: Yuma, did you have a period of time where you wanted to distance yourself from skating or a rebellious phase?
Yuma: Hmm… well…
Interviewer: Masakazu is laughing a lot but…
Yuma: I think I did… There were times that I couldn’t concentrate by myself. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. I was told what to do, so I did it, and I was done for the day. During that period of time, I didn’t seriously confront skating.
Interviewer: Masakazu, we heard from you before that you planted a seed in Yuma during this time he wasn’t seriously confronting skating. Could you tell us what seed you planted at that time?
Masakazu: I only planted a seed when he was very, very little. He said he didn’t like getting yelled at, but he still went to skate, so I think the seed he planted himself played a big role. Normally, if you don’t want to skate you stop going to the rink. I think that’s the case for a lot of people, but he at least kept coming to the rink. The content of his practice may have been lower, but because his friends were there - it doesn’t matter if it was for that reason. He kept going to the rink and skating, and that was one of the things that saved him. I guess you could call that a seed.
Interviewer: Masakazu, there was a period of time when you were ill and couldn’t accompany him.
Masakazu: As a parent, it was difficult that I had to make him become independent at such a sensitive time in his third year of middle school. Normally, it would be appropriate for him to be selfish or go through a rebellious phase… That’s the age where I’d have to wake him up and drag him to practice, but he woke up by himself in the morning and went to practice alone. I had to make him do that, and it’s painful… It was painful.
Yuma: But I think that because I had to become independent then, that’s why I have my current personality… I’m able to do those things naturally now, and that’s the biggest sign that I’ve grown. My personality changed, like becoming methodical, like if I can’t sit still if I don’t do what I’m supposed to. After waking up at a certain time, doing what I’m supposed to, and going to practice every day, I was able to do it all naturally, and that shows I’ve grown up.
Interviewer: Since we have both of you here today, could you express your feelings of gratitude to your father sitting next to you?
Masakazu: So embarrassing…
Yuma: Eh… Thank you very much.
Masakazu: I should be thanking him, since I’m the one who’s been taken all the way here because of him. I’m the one who should be expressing my gratitude so… Thank you very much.
Yuma: I’m also grateful to people like staff, sponsors, and my middle school and high school teachers who keep my skating career in mind. I have to keep working harder to repay them. From now on, I want to continue following my own path without giving up.
Interviewer: We’re looking forward to it. Thank you for your time today. Congratulations!
An interview with Yuzuru Hanyu about the “Let our gratitude reach him!” campaign that started in May, as well as the YUZU DAYS series is approaching its fourth year. Published on myrepi on October 11, 2018. Please do not use/repost my translations without my permission.
I want to say “thank you” and “congratulations” to the readers that have supported me Firstly, it was truly thanks to everyone’s support that I was able to repeat my title like this. Thank you very much.
This is about when I was a kid, but I liked baseball so I often watched it. In the MVP interviews, people often use the expression “It was thanks to everyone that I could hit a home run today.” When I was a child, I’d think “Is that really true?” at those words, because it’s physically impossible for voices of support to carry the ball. However, because I’ve continued skating, I now feel that support is something that can be changed into strength.
This is just my interpretation, but support means expectations, and that turns into pressure. Pressure, using homework as an example, is like when you make progress and work towards a goal because there’s a deadline, right? It feels like you’re changing that pressure into strength. So, because of everyone’s expectations and support, I thought “I want to win the gold medal. I have to win it” and that it became my driving force. So I really am turning support into strength, and I want to say “thank you” for that. But even more than that, everyone’s power manifested into results through me as a vehicle, and I want to tell everyone “congratulations” for that as well.
To me, YUZU DAYS is a place I can stay true to myself I believe I am speaking openly in YUZU DAYS. It’s exclusive to members and in series format, so I can relax and speak about myself.
I think this is a place where I can convey my true self with ease, say what I really want to say, and openly say “this is how I am” and “I’m this kind of person.”
I want the comment section to be a place you can be yourself It also comes across to me that everyone is leaving comments with peace of mind. It’s probably because I’m speaking with peace of mind, so everyone can also write [their feelings] and be at ease.
I can also communicate through skating and appearing in media, but there aren’t many places where everyone can directly tell me their individual thoughts. I want this to be a place where people can say those things here. I can be myself because a place like this exists, and I want the comment section to become somewhere everyone can be themselves too.
I want YUZU DAYS to be a place where feelings of “congratulations” and “thank you” from the heart can be expressed.
An interview with Yuzuru Hanyu on the 2018 Winter Olympics, where he became the first man in 66 years to repeat his Olympic title despite a severe injury just three months prior. Please do not use/repost my translations without my permission. Published on myrepi on October 11, 2018.
My feelings as I headed into the Olympics: I’m okay, so don’t worry I was injured this time, so it was strongly conveyed to me that everyone was waiting and cheering for me while worrying. When I entered the Olympic rink, I was thinking “Everyone, I’m okay so don’t worry” to everyone supporting me. I also skated while thinking “I’ve received everyone’s feelings of worry for me, and I’ve come back alright.” The three months before entering the Olympics were very difficult, but I had decided “I want to do this much” with concrete goals. I practiced while completely believing that I could win the Olympics if I at least achieved these goals I set for myself. I was finally able to achieve those goals during the last practice before leaving for Pyeongchang. That’s why, when I entered the rink, it felt like “I’ve finished my preparations to win.”
The steps of my free skate: I wanted to remember this moment I can never return to Out of all my performances at the Olympics the steps at the end of my free left the greatest impression on me. Right then, I felt that “I’ve won this Olympics,” so I let my joy explode while I skated. I ended up jumping the triple lutz before that in a weird direction and it wouldn’t have been strange if I fell, but I held on. I was amused that I didn’t fall, and I completely became my true self after that. There are things I have to express for the performance, so I don’t think it’s good to conclude things with my own happiness. The Abe no Seimei that I portray in SEIMEI has the image of a mysterious person with immeasurable ability, but I became my true self during those last steps and it ended up feeling like “I’m just happy!” (laughs) But in that moment, I think that was good in its own way. I wanted to properly feel the joy I could only get a taste of at this Olympics and commit it to my memory. My life may go on for many decades, but that was a moment I can never return to again. I wanted to remember it and enjoy it from my heart.
I felt the most free the moment I got on the podium The moment I felt the happiest was when I got on the podium. When I stand in the gold medalist’s spot, I never put my feet down anywhere and just get on the podium like ‘dun!’ It’s partly because I want to remember the moment. As a side note, this time I was so excited and full of adrenaline that I didn’t feel any pain whatsoever in my foot. (laughs) The moment I got on the podium is when I felt “Right now, I am the most free.” In the world of sports where results are everything, I was able to prove that I had done my best up until then. Even if nothing was said, by being in first and by giving the best performance, it felt like I was standing in a territory that wouldn’t be invaded by anyone. I felt that as “freedom” inside myself, and it was a very happy moment.
Your support last season gave me power. Thank you very much.
Sota Yamamoto’s interview from Figure Skating Team Japan Fan Book 2018. Notes in parentheses are part of the original text. Please do not use/repost my translations without my permission.
ーLast year, you made your competitive comeback at the Chubu Regionals that were held at the end of September. What are your thoughts reflecting back on this year? Sota: Above all, solely the feeling that I enjoyed skating last season. I’m glad I was able to participate in various competitions, and I think I was able to genuinely come face to face with skating.
ーWhen we spoke to you last summer, you were still unable to jump in your condition. After that, you recovered with a speed that exceeded our expectations, and we were truly surprised. Sota: Yes, it really started from thinking “I should be okay if I just skate around, so I’ll try getting on the ice,” but I gradually came up with goals as I did this and that. They might have been small goals from the perspective of the skaters around me, but clearing them one by one became fun for me. I started thinking “I want to give an even better performance.”
ーIt must have taken a lot of courage to compete while your injury still wasn’t completely healed. Sota: Personally, when I submitted my entry for Chubu Regionals last year, I had absolutely no intention of competing. Skating itself was really fun, but I was frustrated that I was falling behind the other skaters with my elements, so a lot of complicated feelings were mixing together. However, my coaches and everyone supported me, and I eventually came to terms with competing.
ーMany people in the audience were moved by the beauty of your skating at Chubu Regionals and Western Sectionals. Sota: It made me happy when I was told “good for you” and “I was moved,” but I personally thought I still had a lot to work on. I felt like I had to show an even higher level performance.
ーAnd then, you participated in your first National Championships in 2 years in December. The huge cheers of “welcome back!” from the audience echoed through the arena. Sota: I strongly felt “I can finally compete at Nationals,” but when I stood in the rink and looked towards the stands to see a big audience, I thought “being able to skate on a stage like this is a cause for joy.” I received a lot of applause and cheers, as well as messages from various people after my performance, and the realization of “I’m glad I competed” welled up inside me.
ーTakahashi Daisuke-san said that you left a deep impression on him and became one of the reasons he decided to come back. What were your thoughts when you heard that? Sota: I felt happy, but also a bit like it was more than I deserve (laughs). Well, I don’t think he started thinking about [coming back] just from watching my performance. He probably watched many skaters’ performances and battles and then started to think that.
ーNationals were the qualifying competition for the Olympics, but Yamamoto-senshu, your fighting figure in the midst of that is what resonated in Takahashi-san’s heart. Sota: I’d be really happy if that were true, and I want to work towards being able to have people think that way from my performances. In addition, being able to watch Takahashi-senshu’s performances is a cause for joy for not only me, but all skaters. I may be able to watch him from up close as a skater competing in the same category, so I’d like to watch, learn, and study various aspects if I can.
ーAre you currently able to practice without feeling any sense of discomfort from your injury? Sota: I fractured a bone three times, so I do somewhat feel a sense of discomfort or something similar to that. I still have a bolt in my foot but the hospital doctor told me it won’t interfere with skating, so I don’t want to overthink it.
ーHow is the condition of your jumps right now? Sota: The number of triples I could jump during a practice was low up until a little while ago, but I’m gradually increasing the number now. I also want to increase the different types of jumps I can do, so I’m doing that kind of practice as well. (note: interview was taken in late July)
ーPreviously during your talk with Hino-senshu (note: from Quadruple Axel 2018), you said you could jump up to 3T-3T for combinations, but what kinds of combinations are you practicing now? Sota: I’m fine up to salchow-toe, flip-toe, and lutz-toe.The triple axel and quads follow in order after that, so… Everyone is jumping those, so I have to make them my goal.
ーWill your next task be to clear the triple axel? Sota: Yes. I’m still not tightening up for the rotations at all, but I want to do it since it’s next in order. (note: after the interview, he successfully landed a triple axel at Asian Trophy)
ーDo you have a lasting impression of how the triple axel feels? Sota: The other jumps feel fine, and there are no problems when I check myself in videos, so I believe [the success] of the triple axel depends on my mindset. If don’t feel that I can practice it with positivity yet, but I want to do my best since I’ll have to do it someday.
ーYou must have felt some fear when your challenged the triple axel as a junior, but what about now? Sota: I wonder… I haven’t jumped it in awhile, so I think there will be different emotions. I’ll give it my all if I’m going to do it, and I want to properly incorporate that mindset.
ーWill quads follow as an extension of that? Sota: I can jump up to a triple toe without thinking about it, so I want to concentrate on [quads] as my next task after the triple axel.
ーNow then, please tell us about your programs for this season. Sota: Both my short and free are choreographed by (Miyamoto) Kenji-sensei. The short program is to a piece called “Air on the G String,” which I skated to at Heroes & Future 2018 in NAGANO. It’s a very beautiful song, but I think it’s difficult because there isn’t an exciting part in the piece. I have to skate it beautifully while being careful of the expression of each change and variation [of the song] without using too much power.
ーWho chose the song? Sota: I did, more or less. I listened to various songs and thought “This one is nice.” At first I thought it would be difficult, but I also wanted to properly express it in my own way, so I told Kenji-sensei “I’d like this song, please.”
ーIt seems like it will turn into a program that thoroughly makes use of your beautiful skating. Sota: It can if I work pretty hard, somehow (laughs). The coaches at Howa (Sports Land) also tell me “If you skate it properly, it’ll become a program that really suits you,” so I want to skate it well at a competition.
ーIt was spoken highly of at the show in Nagano. Sota: Mmm… The other skaters also told me they liked it, but I personally think it’s still lacking. I want to practice so that I can skate it even more beautifully.
ーWhat kind of advice did you receive from Miyamoto-sensei? Sota: It’s a piece of church music, so he told me that I have to bring out its sublimity. He choreographed poses like crossing myself and praying to match the music, so I want to act those out well. I don’t have enough knowledge of music, but I want to express it with a majestic image.
ーI felt that your spins have improved even more after watching your performance at Nagano. Sota: The song for the short is calm, so I’m being conscious of hitting accents and spinning fast.
ーHas your flexibility also improved? Sota: During competitions, I’d end up getting nervous and stiffening up no matter what, but I’m being especially conscious of not using too much power for the short.
ーYour costume, which seems to sway with the wind while you skate and spin, is also wonderful. Sota: My designer suggested it to me. She made my costume for Jekyll & Hyde last season with the image of a mantle. It isn’t a mantle this season, but I like it because it flutters and matches the music.
ーHow long have you been asking your current designer to create your costumes? Sota: Since the season I skated to Poeta and Piano Concerto No. 1. She always sends me a few sketches, and I pick the one I like. During the fitting and after it’s done, I’ll make requests like “I want it to be like this here,” but I’m very grateful because she always makes very good products.
ーPlease tell us about your free program as well. Sota: It’s a piece called Nobunaga Concerto. I like the song that’s in the second half of the program, and I said “I want to use this” to Kenji-sensei and requested it. It often plays during the emotional scenes of the drama Nobunaga Concerto, so it would be difficult with just that one song. We decided to use it in the second half of the program, and Kenji-sensei picked the song for the first half from the soundtrack.
ーWas the final product as you imagined it? Sota: I didn’t know what kind of song would be used in the first half, but I’m happy because Kenji-sensei made it really cool. He’s knowledgeable about Oda Nobunaga too, so he explained each situation and scene for me. He explained it very detailedly like “This part has this kind of image, so we’re going to do this movement” so it’s easy to perform. If I do my best, I think it’ll become a cool program.
ーDid you like the manga and film versions of Nobunaga Concerto to begin with? Sota: No, I just thought the song was cool at first, and then I watched the movie in bits. I still haven’t read most of the manga, but I want to read it when I have time.
ーYou haven’t done a Japanese-style program since Tenchijin (13-14 SP). Sota: When I skated to Tenchijin, I was only focusing on doing my best with the elements, but this time I want to give a performance fitting of a senior. Nobunaga Concerto isn’t really used in figure skating, so I want to show its appeal in my own way.
ーDoes the costume also have a Japanese image? Sota: My designer also came up with the image for this one, but it resembles a kimono. I personally like it a lot.
ーNow then, your goal for this season? Sota: First, I want to improve more than I did last season. I can only attain that sense of accomplishment in competitions, so I want to place better than last year in competitions and give performances with content. (note: he was assigned to NHK after the interview)
ーYou were with Hanyu Yuzuru-senshu, who you look up to, at the ice show in Nagano. Were you able to meet him for the first time in awhile? Sota: Hanyu-senshu participated in the show starting from the second day, but I heard someone say “Hanyu-kun is skating in practice” and dashed over to go watch him (laughs).
ーWas there time to interact with him? Sota: There were a few chances to talk with him in the changing room. He told me “Rehab is difficult, but don’t lose and do your best,” and I was so happy. No matter what might happen to me from now on, I will never forget those words. They really gave me strength.
ーThose are heavy words coming from Hanyu-senshu, who conquered his own injury. Sota: Yes, I’ve firmly received them. Hanyu-senshu overcame his injury and became Olympic Champion, so I think he’s really cool.
ーWere you able to take a picture together? Sota: We weren’t (laughs). However, there’s still the firm reality of participating in an exhibition together with him, and I was able to watch his performances and practices many times with these two eyes. That’s more than enough for me.
ーThank you very much. Lastly, please give a message to your fans. Sota: Thank you for always supporting me. I want to do my best so that I can give improved performances from last season, as well as leave even better results than last year. I’ll be counting on you again!
The training camp for Japanese senior figure skaters was held in Karuizawa, Nagano from July 22-25. On-ice and presentation training was open to the press on the 24th.
10 ladies and 5 men participated that day, including top skaters like Satoko Miyahara who finished 4th at the Pyeongchang Olympics and Wakaba Higuchi who finished 2nd at Worlds. They used a training menu rich in content, which included being monitored while skating their programs for the 2018-19 season and receiving technical instruction on skating skills and spins from 2006 Torino Olympic bronze medalist Jeffrey Buttle.
Marin Honda (16), who moved her training base to Los Angeles this spring, was among them.
In LA, Honda trains under Rafael Arutyunyan, who coaches top world-class skaters like Nathan Chen. She had the chance to speak to Coach Arutyunyan at last year’s Japan Open in October and was invited to tryouts. This was the trigger for her to move her training base abroad.
“Coach Rafael told me I should try coming to America, so I decided to go and develop my potential by going to tryouts once. Tryouts were really tough, and I thought that I could become stronger if I practiced like that, so I changed my training base.”
After skating in Prince Ice World at the end of April and moving to America with her older brother Taichi, she participated in ice shows and training camps in Japan, coming and going from Japan to America. Her days were skate-filled and fulfilling.
“I’m at the rink from around 8am to 5pm, doing various activities like on-ice practice, off-ice training, and dance. I was surprised that there are coaches following and teaching us from morning warm-up until the last training session. I’m taking lessons with amazing skaters like Nathan and Ashley (Wagner), so I can practice in a good environment and learn a lot.
“As of now, besides the language and food, I’ve only had experiences that make me glad I came to America. In terms of the language, I understand vocabulary used in skating because the words are used in Japan as well, but I doesn’t know how to say what I want in regular conversations, so I feel uncertain. But I want to try my best with it.
“I like Japanese food a lot, so I started craving it after a month. But, compared to when I was in Japan, I can have a lifestyle with skating at the center because I can’t be carefree and just go out to have fun.”
She lives with just her older brother in America, and they cook their own food 5 days a week. She cooks and eats tamagoyaki, her specialty, every day. Going out to eat once every two weeks on a day off is a source of happiness for her.
“I’m enjoying (my skating lifestyle in America). It’s a country where you can change your mood from on to off really easily, and the climate is good too, so it’s a place where even if you’re in the rink from morning to night, you can think ‘I’ll do my best starting tomorrow’ when you step outside. I want to work hard with the language too so that I can answer interviews in English one day.
“I’m dead tired with practice every day, but 3 months have passed (since I came to America) and my muscle aches are gone and I’m even used to the tough practice.”
Honda, once a moody person who hated practice, has a firmer grasp on her goals than when she trained in Japan, and she’s able to have meaningful practices that she is conscious of.
“By completely changing my environment and starting a new lifestyle, everything has changed, even things like the way I jump. I think that plays a big part. Also, I now understand how difficult it is to go to the Olympics and that it’s no good if my feelings are shallow. By watching (other skaters), I realized how much hard work is necessary, so I want to desperately do my best for the next 4 years.”
Her new programs for this season, where she will work towards a fresh start, are the danceable song “Seven Nation Army” for the short (choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne) and songs from the Chinese film “Lovers” for the free (choreographed by Lori Nichol.
“I can show a fun and new side of myself with both programs, so it’s a new start. I want to properly perform the role of the strong female protagonist in the free. I had no confidence for the entire year last season, so this season I want to practice so that I can have confidence in myself and get good results.”
Interview with Brian Orser in Kobe, published on June 28, 2018. Please do not use/repost my translations without my permission. (x)
－The state of Hanyu’s right ankle recovery? BO: Its condition has gradually gotten better. He’s jumping 4T, 3Lo, and 3A. We have to think with a long-term view, and Yuzu is doing things patiently.
－The rule change is expanding the -3 to +3 7-point GOE evaluation scale to a -5 to +5 11-point scale. BO: The mens free program will be 4 minutes instead of 4 and a half minutes, so it’ll be even more difficult. The skaters on our team are always practicing transitions, skating skills, and how to show effortless speed. That becomes their strength.
－Do you believe these rule changes mean fair winds for Hanyu? BO: It’s a good change. He’s a very well-rounded skater, not just a jumper. He has extraordinary spins and steps, transitions, and he can work with all choreography. He’s well-prepared.
－Is there any change in Hanyu after his repeat Olympic win? BO: Nope. He always has enough motivation. It’s even more amazing that his mood hasn’t come down after winning the Olympics again. He loves skating and competing. He’s matured, and he’s shouldering a lot of responsibility. He always has all kinds of goals.
－Will he be introducing 4A? BO: If he’s healthy, there’s no reason not to. He has good technique. He tried it a little last year, but since it was Olympic season, his strategy was to focus on the Olympics. Yuzu is ambitious, so I won’t stop him. As long as he’s physically prepared.
－Evgenia Medvedeva, who won silver at the Olympics, is training under you now. BO: (They are) skaters who are hard workers with wonderful personalities. It’s a very good thing for Yuzu. I’m really looking forward to it.
Yuzuru and Sano’s talk corner from Continues With Wings Day 3, featuring Mura for demonstrations. Please do not use/repost my translations without my permission.
S: Today, well, Hanyu-san is in sneakers, so I’d like to introduce Hanyu-san’s wonderful techniques today (Y: Hahaha so embarrassing), but we’ll have Mura-san demonstrate.
Y: Ganbatte ganbatte~ Everyone’s expecting things from you.
M: Could you stop raising the hurdle…
S: Let’s introduce today’s program, or rather the technique we’ll be presenting. Video, please.
(video of Yuzuru’s spread eagle - 3A - spread eagle from Ballade 1.0)
S: Entering from a spread eagle, a triple axel. He lands and does a spread eagle, and changes [edge] here. (x2)
Y: He’s very good.
S: Hanyu-san is.
Y: He’s very good, isn’t he?
S: Very good.
Y: Very good.
S: He’s really amazing.
Y: Truly.
S: Was my commentary a little annoying?
Y: Not at all!
S: It was okay?
Y: I really like Sano-sensei’s commentary. I think all skaters definitely do. There’s no other commentary that’s so fun to watch.
S: So then from now on as well (Y: Please do), along with my own skating… Well then, what you just watched was [an axel] from an eagle, but now we’d like to have Mura-san to do the normal entry for an axel, backwards on the right foot.
Y: Ganbatte ganbatte~
S: It’s okay, the number of rotations doesn’t matter so….
Y: It doesn’t matter so…
S: 4.5 rotations is fine too!
Y: 5.5 rotations is fine too!
(Mura jumps a normal 2A)
S: From one foot, on a back outside edge, he switches to his left foot and… double axel! That was splendid.
Y: It was very beautiful for an axel if the number of rotations don’t matter. Amazing, as expected.
S: As expected.
Y: As expected of Mura-kun.
M: I don’t think I’ve ever jumped an axel while being this nervous before.
Y: And there’s no music too… Did you want music?
S: That was a normal axel just now. Usually, when you’re first taught the three jump [t/n: aka waltz jump], it’s from a right back outside edge and then you jump forward like just now. This is one of the first things that’s taught, so it’s an important foundation. But by the way, that’s insufficient in Hanyu-san’s case.
Y: Insufficient…
S: Yes. As for where you’re aiming, it’s for GOE+3. Yes.
Y: (holding 3 fingers up) Three!
S: An axel for the sake of getting GOE+3. First, he does a spread eagle, then when he lands he does an outside eagle and then an inside eagle from there.
Y: Ganbatte~ The number of rotations doesn’t matter.
S: Yes, it’s okay. The number of rotations doesn’t matter at all.
M: I’m going to say this beforehand, but I haven’t even done this a single time.
Audience: (cheers)
Y: The audience is completely wishing for a triple axel.
S: Does it feel like it’ll go well?
Y: He was practicing it quite a bit, but there wasn’t a single attempt that went well. Ganbare~
S: It’s okay, it’ll go well. From a spread eagle… A triple axel!!! Spread eagle, change [edge]. It went well! You did it!
Y: You did it! How did it feel?
M: It’s super scary.
S: Super scary. Hanyu-san, when was the first time you did it?
Y: I’ve always practiced jumping axels from spread eagles. That’s true for the single axel too, as well as the delayed axel I’m doing now, which is an axel that I bring my legs together after opening them. I’ve always done those from a spread eagle, so it might be better to say that this is my foundation. That’s why, even when my axel from a normal back outside edge like what Mura-kun just did falls apart, I use the spread eagle [entry].
S: Wow, that’s how it is. That’s quite… But it’s conversely working for you as a positive. It’s wonderful. Mura-san, you did it for the first time just now and your heart was pounding, so maybe that’s why your back outside [eagle] was a little short?
M: That’s true…
S: I saw it like that to a certain extent, but the audience surely is satisfied with that, so it’s okay. Thank you very much.
Y: I saw Mura-kun jumping an axel from a spread eagle for the first time.
M: You know, while I was competing, I didn’t do it a single time.
Y: Well since you’ve become a pro skater, you have to challenge various things now.
M: Yeah…
Y: You have a lot of work.
M: I think you let me experience something really good.
S: It seems like we’re out of time, so I’d like to end this corner.
