Don't forget about Marin Honda! She didn't do well at Nationals this year but I have faith in her too!
State of Japanese Skaters 2014-2015
- Thread starter christinaskater
- Start date
Don't forget about Marin Honda! She didn't do well at Nationals this year but I have faith in her too!
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2014
Japanese girls are amazing. It's one thing to be the wunderkind but it's another thing to have to determination, grit and quick wit to recover after missing the 3-3 combination as Wakaba did. There were also times when Aoki and Marin had a few mishaps and got disappointing placements but they never let the disappointment crumble them. They are so young but they have learned how to compete through mishaps, failure and growing pains. I hope that the intense domestic competitions among Wakaba, Aoki and Marin will serve them well when they are ready to take on the international stage 
. When was the last time Japan had such an amazing depth of young talents? :shocked:
. When was the last time Japan had such an amazing depth of young talents? :shocked:
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- Joined
- Mar 27, 2010
Marin actually did very well at Jr. Nats, she placed 4th I think (over Aoki)! She did have a rather inconsistent season overall though.
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
Yes, Marin won over Yuna at Jr. Nationals. It's interesting as Marin appears to have 3Lz/3F-3T combinations, so when Marin skates clean, technically she could score pretty good. Yuna, on the other hand, has just mastered adding 3L as 2nd jump in combinations since last year, but not (yet) with 3T. So it's a good sign to see Yuna working on 3T. I'm guessing Yuna wants to make sure she can work out the 3Lz/3F-3T combination before moving up to junior. With the help of Coach Tuzuki (aka Hanyu's former coach), it's interesting to see how far Yuna will go. IIRC, Coach Tuzuki once commented in an interview of Yuna and said Yuna actually out-performed Yuzuru when he was of the same age.
BTW, Marin will attend Bavarian Open (along with another Yuna, [Shiraiwa] for Advanced Novice Girls), and Yuna (Aoki) will most likely have another international competition in March.
I don't know what he's getting at. Girls tend to outperform boys in general (they hit puberty faster and peak much earlier).
Thanks for the info. Do you know if footage of the Bavarian Open will be available?
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2012
Yuna is another ardent Yuzu fan. She tries to 'do what he does' and is very determined. I think her coach encourages this.
It's good to set high goals.
Yuna is another ardent Yuzu fan. She tries to 'do what he does' and is very determined. I think her coach encourages this.
It's good to set high goals.
I think I'm just sensitive to over-hyping. The girls are still so young and it's ridic that the media are already calling them Pyeongchang contenders, 'Mao 2.0', etc.
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2012
yes, that does get tiresome. They are too young to have such pressure on them. Sometimes they'll go through rough patches, especially as they go through puberty, and it's better that the whole country isn't breathing down their necks when it happens (because it IS going to happen). Look at poor Julia, one bad season and the it's in the news and social media; probably making the difficulties and pressure much worse than if she were left alone to deal with it in relative privacy.
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2012
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2gpx46_2015四大陸フィギュア開幕直前sp_sport
Some GOOD media attention on the skaters going to 4CC.
Quick Summary:
Starting with Shoma Uno. Those at the rink where he skates say he LOVES drinking milk tea; 2-3 bottles a day. (BTW I tried this particular milk tea. It's SOOOO SWEEEEET. I found it disgusting.
) They all say he's very serious and shy.
His coach says he's serious, but not boring. She likes him a lot. It takes time for him to get into a program, but once it's made, he makes very few mistakes. Shoma says the last year has been his best yet. Landing the 3A -which he has been working on for years, and the 4T which he only just started training was great.
He likes to dance, when he is performing he is not shy.
Mura and Murakami talk about Machida and how they all trained together. They will now strive to carry on where he left off.
They both say they respect him a lot and were really shocked that he retired. Mura wants to show a manliness and his own unique style in his skating.
Satoko is a VERY hard worker. Her coach says they changed her LP layout to have more jumps in the second half and thereby raise her BV. Satoko was reluctant at first because she really wanted to jump her 3-3 in the LP. But they worked it out together. Her coach says she is very humble and works 3 times harder than others.
Rika actually likes dancing and even choreographed her own exhibition program...but her coach said to her, when she was practicing, you aren't giving enough. You're only going half-way.
Rika has been getting one-on-one advice from Akiko this season. They had the same coach. Akiko has been helping Rika with her expression and her performance ability. Akiko tells her how to work on her posture, open her shoulders etc. Rika says she's always had bad posture so she is trying to fix it. (Personal thoughts: I think it comes from being a tall person in Japan. You feel like hunching, just to fit in.) Rika says she knows nothing about how to be a 'Carmen' type of woman but she is trying her best.
Nagai Yuuka, 16, has presence and big jumps. But she did not do well at the previous junior nationals. She changed her training area so that she could concentrate on skating. She is supported and pushed forward by the other juniors, 'if they weren't there, I might not want to push myself and try new things' She placed 4th in Japan nationals! 4CC is her first senior event. She wants to show her best.
Some GOOD media attention on the skaters going to 4CC.
Quick Summary:
Starting with Shoma Uno. Those at the rink where he skates say he LOVES drinking milk tea; 2-3 bottles a day. (BTW I tried this particular milk tea. It's SOOOO SWEEEEET. I found it disgusting.
) They all say he's very serious and shy. His coach says he's serious, but not boring. She likes him a lot. It takes time for him to get into a program, but once it's made, he makes very few mistakes. Shoma says the last year has been his best yet. Landing the 3A -which he has been working on for years, and the 4T which he only just started training was great.
He likes to dance, when he is performing he is not shy.
Mura and Murakami talk about Machida and how they all trained together. They will now strive to carry on where he left off.
They both say they respect him a lot and were really shocked that he retired. Mura wants to show a manliness and his own unique style in his skating.
Satoko is a VERY hard worker. Her coach says they changed her LP layout to have more jumps in the second half and thereby raise her BV. Satoko was reluctant at first because she really wanted to jump her 3-3 in the LP. But they worked it out together. Her coach says she is very humble and works 3 times harder than others.
Rika actually likes dancing and even choreographed her own exhibition program...but her coach said to her, when she was practicing, you aren't giving enough. You're only going half-way.
Rika has been getting one-on-one advice from Akiko this season. They had the same coach. Akiko has been helping Rika with her expression and her performance ability. Akiko tells her how to work on her posture, open her shoulders etc. Rika says she's always had bad posture so she is trying to fix it. (Personal thoughts: I think it comes from being a tall person in Japan. You feel like hunching, just to fit in.) Rika says she knows nothing about how to be a 'Carmen' type of woman but she is trying her best.
Nagai Yuuka, 16, has presence and big jumps. But she did not do well at the previous junior nationals. She changed her training area so that she could concentrate on skating. She is supported and pushed forward by the other juniors, 'if they weren't there, I might not want to push myself and try new things' She placed 4th in Japan nationals! 4CC is her first senior event. She wants to show her best.
Thank you for the link to this great video, Newbiespectator!
I had no idea Mura and Machida were so close. What a touching clip...
Also - I couldn't figure out why Akiko looked so different to me initially... and it just dawned on me. I think it's her teeth! She must have gotten some orthodontic work.
Good luck to all at 4CC!!
I had no idea Mura and Machida were so close. What a touching clip...
Also - I couldn't figure out why Akiko looked so different to me initially... and it just dawned on me. I think it's her teeth! She must have gotten some orthodontic work.Good luck to all at 4CC!!
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- Joined
- Feb 24, 2012
The Japanese men and women might actually allow Japan a chance at a medal at the World Team championships. If they ever went the oly route or added scores then they might be in trouble. Right now the scoring system or rules favours them whereas Canada will get the short end of the stick since they are so weak in men and women. Men and Women have really 4 spots in total so that favours the Japanese team who are far better in singles than dance or pairs. One wonders if the Reeds will ever be dethroned. It will be interesting to see if the Japanese ladies can place in the top 3 or 5 and in particular how do they do compared to the Russians and Americans. It is kind of sad that right now three countries are so dominant in ladies - Russia, Japan and the US. They could win the top nine spots at world's assuming they can hold off Korpi, Mete, Li, the top Korean and especially since Osmond is injured and out.
Thanks for the translation, Newbiespectator!
So I guess she's keeping the 2A-3T instead of the 3Lz-3T... I'm a bit sad, because from a purely aesthetic point of view, I think lutz-toe is much more beautiful. But Nationals showed her that she'll have an easier time getting the 2A-3T ratified, and under the current rules it doesn't lose her points.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
Yep, it's the smarter move. I'm surprised Lipnitskaia didn't keep her two 2A+3Ts, since she was pretty consistent with them, and a 3Z+3T risked flutzing.
Yulia was pulling better scores before she forced back the lutz-toe...
In light of this, I hope Rika considers taking out the 3Lz and 3F-3T in her LP. She's constantly getting e and <. She can continue working on her edge and rotation next year; going off to Worlds with that layout seems a little crazy.
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2012
You are welcome. Akiko seems to be a really concise teacher. The progress that Rika is making this year in presentation is quite noticable. I still don't think the music is a match for her, but she is definitely getting into the choreography more and giving it more pizazz than earlier in the season. I want Akiko to help Satoko too.
I hope Akiko finds the job(?) satisfying enough to continue doing it. Rika is definitely improving and I would love for Satoko to pick up on some stuff as well.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2013
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Oh no, according to today's Nikkei, Yuzuru has sprained his ankle.
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLSSXK40581_S5A210C1000000/ (in Japanese)
But young Shoma was second in the SP after Denis Ten at 4CC. Takahito Mura is 4th and Daisuke Murakami is 6th, but only a few points between them.
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLSSXK40832_S5A210C1000000/ (in Japanese)
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLSSXK40581_S5A210C1000000/ (in Japanese)
But young Shoma was second in the SP after Denis Ten at 4CC. Takahito Mura is 4th and Daisuke Murakami is 6th, but only a few points between them.
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLSSXK40832_S5A210C1000000/ (in Japanese)
Again? :hopelessness:
