Ponytails and Quads | Golden Skate

Ponytails and Quads

zanadude

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Country
Japan
Does anybody know why Rika Kihira never wears her hair up? I'd imagine that all that hair flying around free like that does have a tiny effect on the jumps, and when you're trying something as incredibly difficult as a quad jump, I would think that you would want to take every little advantage that you can get.

Come to think of it, has anyone male or female ever nailed a quad with a ponytail? I can't imagine even Trusova doing so.
 

hanyuufan5

✨**:。*
Medalist
Joined
May 19, 2018
No idea about Rika's ponytails (other than that they look great on her), but Trusova's hair is down to her knees, so I doubt we'll ever see her doing much on the ice in a ponytail! :biggrin:
 

Mishaminion

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Rika was asked this once and answered, "I tried a bun before, but it didn't look good on me, so now I always put my hair up in a ponytail. I'm used to jumping with it, too."

https://twitter.com/nest_skate/status/1203036324757827584?s=21

I don’t know if it affects her jumps but I’ve always loved the way her ponytail whips around when she jumps.

I like her ponytail too, it really suits her.

I dont think buns look good on everyone.

Do wish Liza T would at least try to make her own ponytail a bit neater, it is always too messy looking.
 

hanyuufan5

✨**:。*
Medalist
Joined
May 19, 2018
I like her ponytail too, it really suits her.

I dont think buns look good on everyone.

Also, not everyone can keep one up. I have super-super fine hair, and it would probably have to be about as long as Trusova's for a bun not to look puny and sad and droopy. :laugh:
 

zanadude

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Country
Japan
I too think that the ponytail is more visually appealing. But the question was whether the bun was more conducive to jumping quads. And, if so, whether that should take precedence to the visual factor.
 

waltzjump2

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 8, 2019
I don’t think it hinders rotation speed as much as affecting balance, but Rika seems accustomed to it.
 

zanadude

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Country
Japan
I don't think there was all that much incentive for ladies to do quads in the 6.0 era.
 

lizardlass

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
I love her ponytail. It is her signature look. I don't think her hair is long enough for the ponytail to seriously impede her ability to do a quad. If it was, she'd get it out of her face for practice sessions at least.

OT, but I miss Jason's ponytail. :drama:
 

zanadude

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Country
Japan
At least we now know that the ponytail was not the sole reason Jason can't do quads.
 

randomfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
I was always curious about this - glad to see that she finally addressed the question herself! The last time she did a bun was in her first junior season (2016-17).
 
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