Takahashi/Kihara split

[Sandpiper]

There's no point of a comparison with Bazarova. I believe any girl (small enough) who can compete at junior nationals will make a better pair team with Kihara. It's very hard for any man to handle a partner who is technically a drag but very proud like Narumi. If press reports are true, Kihara is the one who made the decision to split and he has the intention to continue pairs skating. There won't be any problem to find a partner better than Narumi. I hope his two year's experiences won't be wasted. Narumi ... she can go abroad or just quit. I don't care.

Yeah, Kihara can just find another partner. And they'll double-twist their way into championships?

Btw, you know this is a common phenomenon, right: Girl starts out in singles, she does all the jumps really well. Once she gets into pairs, she loses one jump, then another... (because guess what? Pairs ain't easy and you tend to lose jumps when you have other things to worry about)

Yeah, Narumi's lack of jumps didn't do the pair a lot of good. Neither did Kihara's lack of strength, his inability to perform harder and better twists/throws, ect. Understandable since he was a singles skater. But let's face it--he wasn't any better a partner than Narumi.

 

[Sophie-Anna]

Yeah, Kihara can just find another partner. And they'll double-twist their way into championships?

Btw, you know this is a common phenomenon, right: Girl starts out in singles, she does all the jumps really well. Once she gets into pairs, she loses one jump, then another... (because guess what? Pairs ain't easy and you tend to lose jumps when you have other things to worry about)

Yeah, Narumi's lack of jumps didn't do the pair a lot of good. Neither did Kihara's lack of strength, his inability to perform harder and better twists/throws, ect. Understandable since he was a singles skater. But let's face it--he wasn't any better a partner than Narumi.

Yes I agree with that double-twist comment. Narumi has problem with solo jumps. We all know. But with Mervin Tran she was able to do a very difficult lifts, enters to the death spirals and other pair skating element very well. And why? It was not about Narumi. That was about partner. Because Mervin was able to lift her up into those lifts. Kihara could not do that. And triple twist??She did with Mervin tran, because he was good enought to do that. These things are also about male partners. Look at Valentina Marchei. She can do pretty difficult lifts after her first season in pairs. The reason? Her partner is good enough to help her with that. Of course the girl has to be flexible, not scared, needs a good balance(Narumi has all of it). But being flexible, being not scared and having a good balance is not helping when partner is not able to help the girl with those pair elements. So why are all people in here saying the bad results are all about Narumi???

 

[chloepoco]

I just loved Narumi and Mervin as a pair....sigh. I hope both Narumi and Ryuichi find partners they are happy and compatible with--it'll probably be harder for Narumi.

Off topic, who's bigger between Narumi and Satoko?

 

[Sophie-Anna]

I just loved Narumi and Mervin as a pair....sigh. I hope both Narumi and Ryuichi find partners they are happy and compatible with--it'll probably be harder for Narumi.

Off topic, who's bigger between Narumi and Satoko?

Narumi has 146 cm in her ISU bio. Satoko has 148 cm. So they are almost same height and Satoko should have 2 cm more if these informations are correct.

 

[chloepoco]

Narumi has 146 cm in her ISU bio. Satoko has 148 cm. So they are almost same height and Satoko should have 2 cm more if these informations are correct.

Satoko might have been great as a pairs skater...

 

[Sophie-Anna]

Satoko might have been great as a pairs skater...

If I'm thinking about it...Yes she would be. She also would do SBS 3 Lz, not many female pairs skaters can do that. But IMO she is great as a single skater.

 

[chloepoco]

If I'm thinking about it...Yes she would be. She also would do SBS 3 Lz, not many female pairs skaters can do that. But IMO she is great as a single skater.

Yes, I love her as a singles skater--one of my favorites this season!

 

[beki]

I was impressed by T/K's very first skates. But then they never improved. It seems he didn't master pairs elements.

It's hard for me to believe Takahashi is difficult. Isn't it clear JSF needed a pair to use in the team event? That pressure must be the reason for the break with Tran. He hasn't fared too well either though there is hope with Castelli.

 

[centerpt1]

Still missing Takahashi/Tran. Japan made a mistake in breaking them up.

 

[evangeline]

Still missing Takahashi/Tran. Japan made a mistake in breaking them up.

I may be wrong here, but didn't the JSF want to keep Takahashi/Tran together, but Narumi Takahashi wanted to split because of the Olympics thing and the possibility of a team medal?

 

[beki]

Well Japan wanted that team medal as much or more than Narumi. Melvin couldn't compete for Japan in the Olympics because he couldn't get citizenship.

 

[StitchMonkey]

Well Japan wanted that team medal as much or more than Narumi. Melvin couldn't compete for Japan in the Olympics because he couldn't get citizenship.

Actually Mervin, but I rather like Melvin.

 

[beki]

Actually Mervin, but I rather like Melvin.

whoops

 

[Rissa]

Well Japan wanted that team medal as much or more than Narumi. Melvin couldn't compete for Japan in the Olympics because he couldn't get citizenship.

Ah, I heard a slightly different version? Mervin was offered Japanese citizenship, but he would have had to renounce his Canadian citizenship, and Mervin opted not to. Correct me if I'm wrong though, I don't remember the source of this information.

 

[Sai Bon]

Sad about the news. Japan must make some sacrifices and plan/invest for the longer term if it wants to nurture pairs and dance. It's pointless trying to cobble together a team together quickly just so it Japan can enter team events. I think Takahashi/Kihara did the best they could given the circumstances; as people have pointed out, it's probably much harder for a male single skater to switch to pairs than a female. If you think of all the pairs who have always skated pairs and don't succeed, it must take extraordinary talent, hard work and luck to beat those odds.

 

[beki]

Ah, I heard a slightly different version? Mervin was offered Japanese citizenship, but he would have had to renounce his Canadian citizenship, and Mervin opted not to. Correct me if I'm wrong though, I don't remember the source of this information.

Yes, I think you're right, I'd forgotten. At any rate, the barrier to them staying together was that they were unable to resolve the citizenship issue.

 

[Violet Bliss]

No. Japan does not offer citizenship to anyone. Japanese citizenship is extremely difficult to obtain and very easy to lose. It would take many years for Mervin to fulfill the requirements, including long residency and fluency in Japanese language. U.S. citizenship is relatively easy.

 

[Interspectator]

No. Japan does not offer citizenship to anyone. Japanese citizenship is extremely difficult to obtain and very easy to lose. It would take many years for Mervin to fulfill the requirements, including long residency and fluency in Japanese language. U.S. citizenship is relatively easy.

One of the Problems of Japan. Shrinking population, tight immigration laws, general xenophobia to go along with their fascination of said foreigners. :hopelessness:

P.S. I say this as a Japanese who loves her country and hopes for better things in the future.

 

[Violet Bliss]

One of the Problems of Japan. Shrinking population, tight immigration laws, general xenophobia to go along with their fascination of said foreigners. :hopelessness:

P.S. I say this as a Japanese who loves her country and hopes for better things in the future.

More of a case of overpopulated desolate islands with no natural resources. Japanese and Singapore economies are testaments to human resource being the most important and valuable of all.

Japanese women are boycotting marriage and childbearing for good reasons. This has prompted the increased imports of brides into Japan. Unfortunately a Worlds medalist in figure skating is not so valued.

 

[StitchMonkey]

More of a case of overpopulated desolate islands with no natural resources. Japanese and Singapore economies are testaments to human resource being the most important and valuable of all.

Japanese women are boycotting marriage and childbearing for good reasons. This has prompted the increased imports of brides into Japan. Unfortunately a Worlds medalist in figure skating is not so valued.

So how does citizenship work for the brides/their children?