Sota Yamamoto | Page 28 | Golden Skate

Sota Yamamoto

asyuraniel

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 24, 2018
It’s quite easy to see who JSF would like to promote as the next. See who they tag together with yuzu and shoma during first half session. Last year kazuki, this year it’s Sota. Not complaining, it’s good for Sota. 😃
 

surimi

Congrats to Sota, #10 in World Standings!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Thanks for sharing!

I must admit I am quite disappointed in Tatsuya's answer to the question where they're supposed to name what they admire about each other. He's apparently been expecting the question, and yet he could only come up with 'choreo for Nobunaga concerto' which isn't even Sota's work but Kenji's? Lame. Especially considering Sota had very nice things to say about Tatsuya's skating. Someone tell me it's just a mistranslation or something.

I bought the tickets for Finlandia today. :dance: Fellow Sota fans who are considering going had better hurry up since the cheapest seats already aren't available on the judges' side - apparently Shoma's participation works like a magnet ;)
 

rRainbow

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Country
Japan
Hi, surimi
Regarding the way Tatsuya praised Sota, I did not read the original Japanese text so I am only guessing, but I would like to offer my 2 cents. As you know Japanese language is vague and the same sentence can be interpreted and translated a little bit differently sometimes. Another thing to consider is the question, which asked each of them what performance of the other impressed him.
Q:…about what of each other’s performance do you think “It’s great” or It’s amazing”?

To this question, Tatsuya came up with an answer that Sota’s Nobunaga performance was great.
Tatsuya: I really liked the choreo of your free Nobunaga.
Sota: Ooo, Thank you! It’s the part where I draw the bow right.


Here, “I really liked the choreo of your free” may mean “I really liked your choreography moves," praising Sota for executing the choreography beautifully.

Tatsuya looks up to Sota, and on many occasions he has mentioned his admiration for him. In a recent TV interview by Kanako Murakami aired on July 25, https://www.nitteleplus.com/program/sport/friendsplus_2019.html, Tatsuya said many nice things about Sota such as:

Q about Sota:
Tatsuya: Usually we have a casual chat, but once on ice I realize that he is on a whole different level. Because he went through injuries he trains smart and efficiently. Also he impressed me with his diligent practice of spins and steps in addition to the jumps.
Q: Is there anything you want to learn from him by watching him?
Tatsuya: Everything [laughs].

Another excerpt from the same interview:
Q: Your jumps are awesome, and your speed is great, I mean skating speed. Is there anything you pay particular attention to?
Tatsuya: I am asked this question all the time and I usually answer “I follow the example of Sota.”
 

Tsurara

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 3, 2018
I must admit I am quite disappointed in Tatsuya's answer to the question where they're supposed to name what they admire about each other. He's apparently been expecting the question, and yet he could only come up with 'choreo for Nobunaga concerto' which isn't even Sota's work but Kenji's? Lame. Especially considering Sota had very nice things to say about Tatsuya's skating. Someone tell me it's just a mistranslation or something.

I bought the tickets for Finlandia today. :dance: Fellow Sota fans who are considering going had better hurry up since the cheapest seats already aren't available on the judges' side - apparently Shoma's participation works like a magnet ;)

It's another "lost in translation" case and not adding what's lost, I believe, plus some interpretation difference of the notorious slang, "yabai" - I can't exactly say if this person's interpretation is right or wrong because I wasn't there (at the interview) to actually hear it being said.
I'm bad (or lazy) at reading embedded texts on Twitter, so I didn't check everything, but it also seems this person skipped the following part where it explained Tatsuya admiring and copying Sota's skating and everything all the time.
Also, even though he does seem to be rather careless in his wording, please remember that he is a young teen who can't always deliver or organize what he has in mind right away, no matter how much time he had to prepare. (Not like everyone is used to nor good at being interviewed either, and it also has a lot to do with interviewer's skills in interviewing and writing/editing afterward. Young ones don't know how their words get edited and interpreted yet, until they experience and get used to seeing supposedly 'their own words' being printed, sometimes out of context or with added context. My 2 cents :biggrin: is that you particularly need to give huge benefits of the doubt when reading fs magazines in Japanese.)

What he actually meant by that response, imo, as rRainbow said, is that he liked Sota's performance for Nobunaga concerto, not just Kenji Miyamoto's choreo work, and this particular choreo part probably left him a strong impression. That part of the interview reminded me about an old story: when Machida-kun did East of Eden (Firebird too) before, I heard that many young skaters were amazed and impressed with his performance so much that they were often seen imitating the memorable choreo movements by him. (And maybe Sota was one of them?)

I hope you enjoy Finlandia!!!:hap10: I'm already waiting for your beautiful report again!
 

cornception

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
It seems like there's some misunderstanding regarding how Tatsuya feels about Sota, so here's some more senpai-kouhai interaction from the same magazine. :)

-- Tsuboi senshu has always taken Yamamoto senshu's skating as model right.
Tatsuya: There's been many chances for us to skate together, and my eyes naturally followed him. Because of that, people around have said "it's similar" about our skating.

-- Recently it feels like it's not just your skating, even your soft movements from the elbow are similar.
Sota: Ahaha(laughs)
Tatsuya: Maybe it's because I see it a lot in practice.

-- As Yamamoto senshu sees it, is your skating similar?
Sota: It really is similar. But there is also a lot I learn in return (from Tsuboi senshu)
Tatsuya: I'm honoured!
Sota: Seriously, seriously (laughs). There is speed and the edge work is correct, so when I see it I think purely that "he is good"
Tatsuya: Thank you!
Sota: It's just I don't usually say it (laughs).

--Are you happy that people say "Your skating is similar"?
Tatsuya: I'm happy.
Sota: Not "I dislike it"?
Tatsuya: I'm happy!
Sota: That's because the similar parts are not the bad ones right (laughs).
Tatsuya: Ahaha (laughs)

:)

Link : https://twitter.com/hanenohikari/status/1155433706347089920?s=21
 

rRainbow

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Country
Japan
Thank you, conception, for the explanation and clarification!
Also, many thanks to you for producing such great translations and sharing them in your tweets. If you have time, can you please post more often?
 

cornception

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Thank you, conception, for the explanation and clarification!
Also, many thanks to you for producing such great translations and sharing them in your tweets. If you have time, can you please post more often?

Actually my friend was the one who translated the interview but I'm the one who bought the magazine :) I posted the translation here with her permission and btw my friend always post Sota's translation on twitter :) and also can you post your translations on twitter?
 

surimi

Congrats to Sota, #10 in World Standings!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Thanks for the clarification, everyone! good to learn that Tatsuya still admires Sota.

@ Tsurara - aww, thank you! :eek:: I'll try to do my best, but there's a saying - "you don't step into the same river twice". I hope I get to see Sota and co. up close again, but we'll see. :)
/Btw, while it's true that Tatsuya is still young, it won't hurt him if people question his words and what he may mean by them. Au contraire - it's all a part of the learning process for a young athlete who likely hasn't had as much experience with handling the media as, say, top Russian ladies his age. It's good if he learns that the more famous he is, the more likely people are to nitpick and dissect every word, so caution never hurts. Look at Yuzuru - I suspect there is a better reason he prefers to give interviews in his native tongue than that his English isn't good enough. Sorry about the OT!/
 

rRainbow

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Country
Japan
Actually my friend was the one who translated the interview but I'm the one who bought the magazine :) I posted the translation here with her permission and btw my friend always post Sota's translation on twitter :) and also can you post your translations on twitter?

Thank you for your tweets and please tell her thanks. I read her translations and they are great reads.

Sorry I don't use any SNSs because I'm a dinosaur who doesn't even use a smartphone either. You are always welcome to use my online translations, but please keep in mind that I'm not proficient in English. I'm just trying to do a little bit better job than google translation.
 

KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Just wanted to say, good luck to Sota at the Gensan Summer Cup!
I hope him and Kazuki can be together at the podium :luv17:
 

surimi

Congrats to Sota, #10 in World Standings!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Good job for Sota on the SP! He sits in 2nd after Kazuki, and got 67.50 points. :) His jump elements were 4S, 2T2T (meant to be 4T3T), 3A. Big congrats to Sota, this is his first 4S in competition - not just post-injury, but ever. He leaned forward at the landing, but it was successful. ^ ^ He gives a reason for the messed up combo on the chunichi website, but I'm too busy to try and translate it now. Can anyone assist?
You can see a gif of his 4S here: https://ameblo.jp/kmn-psn/entry-12504829168.html No full vids yet AFAIK.
I hope to read the protocols soon. I wonder if he managed all spins and StSeq level 4... That's my dream for him for this season.
Considering this is his first comp of the season, he has done very well so far. Now for the free. Good luck, Sota, rest well!
 

KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Congrats to Sota on landing the 4S for the first time in competition, in addition to a clean 3A! :clap:
Shame about the popped combo, but great effort!
 

cornception

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Sota got 67.50 points for SP at Gensan. He did 4S(hand) 2T2T* invalid combo, invalid FCSp (he tired to do his pre-injury flying camel entry but couldn't get enough rotation for the spin), 3A in the second half, CCSp4(?), StSq, and final spin CCoSp4(?).

Sota said he blank out when he failed to do the quad combo and it affected the spin.

link :https://twitter.com/hanenohikari/status/1160560637509951488?s=21


p/s : I wish he put transitions, the program is empty. The Stsq has nice ice coverage and his Sit spin is lovely as ever.
 

surimi

Congrats to Sota, #10 in World Standings!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
^ regarding transitions, I think he's sacrificing them for now to focus on the difficult new content. And he's tackling a lot of it.

Random chaotic observations coming...
- Given the hardest elements he could jump in Challenge Cup were one 4T per program, and 3A2T, he's made huge progress in not even 6 months.
His new FS layout: 2S (meant to be a quad) 4T3T 4T 1A2T 3A (what's 転 ? Fall or turnout?) 3Lz1Eu3S 3F. That's 3 quads in just the free, and five altogether! wow! Sota is upping his game hard. I think he deserves to be cut some slack in terms of performance ;) ...
- ... but not in terms of costume. Orihara san, what have you done? The previous costumes were so lovely. I get that a deceased lover's (IIRC) shirt is supposed to be the centerpiece of the song, but why does it look like said lover has monkey-length arms, and why does it look as dirty as a 100-year-old unwashed curtain? https://www.chunichi.co.jp/chuspo/article/figure/news/images/PK2019081202100161_size0.jpg I don't like that shirt, though the loose sleeves are pretty.
- Sota's combined score is 207.68. The costly mistakes brought about by the upgrades cost him some, but it's not a bad start at all!
- I'm glad the sanrenzoku isn't his last element anymore! The splat at Nats showed how costly that can be, when he had no further jump passes to attach the remaining two jumps to. Great choice of the last jump, too, as the flip still seems to be Sota's best/safest jump. I swear I'll try ask him that question if I get the chance, because I really want to know.
- I really want to know what he'd planned for the botched 1A2T combo. Was it a triple-triple? Or does Sota prefer to learn quad-triple combos over 3A ones? I wouldn't be surprised if 3A3T scared him still, it's obvious he's one of the skaters who don't love that jump at all.
- if anyone saw him skate, can you confirm if he really was faster in the second half? And what did he look like at the end of the program? Was he as exhausted as last year in August, or did he look more energetic when he finished? So many questions.
- he looked quite happy in the KnC - https://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/20190812/18/kmn-psn/47/01/j/o0409048114532610524.jpg?caw=800 - but he told the reporters he was very kuyashii because he'd wanted to win. ;) haha, he'll get there eventually!

Good job, Sota!
I hope Kazuki invites him to a BBQ party to enjoy the delicious beef together. Who would resist that smile? https://portal.st-img.jp/detail/f7d1c6df4bb6f5682a658eef9dfef4b7_1565601851_2.jpg ^ ^
Podium with all three boys, Sota, Kazuki and Taichiro: https://portal.st-img.jp/detail/13e81a0679e53de7dba1b4589054e2b4_1565603072_2.jpg
 

cornception

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
- if anyone saw him skate, can you confirm if he really was faster in the second half? And what did he look like at the end of the program? Was he as exhausted as last year in August, or did he look more energetic when he finished? So many questions.

He was very exhausted half a way through the program.. every men were exhausted tbh.
 

KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Congrats to Sota on his silver medal at Gensan Summer Cup!

I know he didn't get the meat he wanted, but he has reason to be proud!
He landed the 4S for the first time, in addition to a clean 3A on the SP, and a 4T and 4T3T in the free! That's incredible!
Regarding his programmes being empty, I do think that's quite normal for early season, as the skaters are not yet on form and still getting used to their layouts. I'm sure they will add transitions as the season progresses!
I completely agree with Surimi re: his FS costume, it's not a very flattering shirt and with the sweat it became see-through... :slink: Hope that's a placeholder and they'll get something better later on.
Also, he looked huge on the podium! Is that because he was next to Kazuki who is tiny, or did he actually grow and beefed up quite a bit? :eeking:


PS- The Tomono family is throwing a sukiyaki party with Kazuki's victory beef, and given how long Sota and Kazuki have known each other, and the fact Sota's presence at the competition really inspired Kazuki to go for it, I'd say Sota DESERVES an invitation! :ddevil:
 

rRainbow

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Country
Japan
Thank you, cornception. Translation of Sota's interview from JSF camp which you linked above:
https://youtu.be/9_DnOnxnQW4

- How are you doing?
S: I started putting together both free and short programs, and I am working hard to incorporate various elements into them and practicing hard to complete the programs to showcase my artistic presentation, steps and skating skills.
- How was your last season?
S: Last season I was fortunate to be sent to many competitions and gained a lot of experience, but it was also the season I was not able to achieve good results most of the time. But I feel I deserved the results because I could not train more. This season I want to train fully so that I can approach the competitions ready to give a hundred percent.
- How do you train during off-season?
S: The major change I had was that I went overseas to get both programs choreographed by Pasquale Camerlengo-san. They are very difficult programs, but if I can bring out the best in them I hope they will develop into very moving programs, so I am doing my best.
- How is your training going?
S: I have been doing almost the same off-ice training as before. I feel my on-ice training has changed a lot. I’m training jumps more now.
- Aren’t you scared of jump training?
S: Most of my fear is gone by now.
- Are you taking on a new challenge in order to win?
S: I’ve been practicing much more so that I can land jumps cleanly. Particularly I added the quad salchow in both short and free, and I am working hard to increase its success rate.
- At present how is your quad salchow?
S: Rather good. I am ready to bring it in competition.
- How are your thoughts about challenging yourself?
S: Other skaters would consider salchow an easy jump, so I am not satisfied with it. This season I added the salchow, but considering other types of jumps I don’t think I should stop here now.
- In practice you often succeeded in landing quads. Is it difficult to land quads in programs?
S: Yes, it is hard [laughs]. I have done run-throughs several times before, but I have never done all the jumps properly. I am practicing in order to put in all the jumps in the programs. I am still working on the order of jumps by trial and error and I have not decided whether my opening jump should be the salchow or toe-loop. I am going to make a decision and keep practicing.
- You skate to the type of music different from before. Does that affect your practice?
S: It is relatively easy to focus on jumps in the first half, or should I say I can skate with the flow and I can jump somewhat easily. The music builds up in the second half so I want to focus thoroughly on my skate in the first half.
- What is your goal this new season?
S: This season I would like to make every day count working hard aiming for good results and wants to be a hundred percent ready to compete.
 
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