micaelis

I have to say that while I would not rate Yuzu as on the elite level while still with Nanami this hardly diminishes the enormous and positive impact she had when he was training under her. Most importantly is the great breadth of music types he skated, both in competition and exhibition, while with her. His ability to skate to so many different styles of music is one of the benchmarks of his current greatness. Recently from this forum I learned how Yuzu seems to have possessed an innate sensitivity to music from early childhood. My own feeling here is that Nanami must have recognized this sensitivity and exploited it in leading him to the music he was to skate to. How much input Yuzu had on those choices I'm not even willing to begin to speculate on, but by having him skate to so many different types of music she was also teaching him how different moves were more appropriate to one style than another. She also, of course, worked with him on his jumps and the other technical elements but I think she must be credited primarily with laying down the foundations of what is today Yuzuru Hanyu the Complete Skater. Brian has stated how when Yuzu first came to him he was somewhat of a loose cannon so that his first priority was to take Yuzu back to grade one on basic skating skills. But I have not heard or read anything from Brian referring adversely to Yuzu's feel for the music he skated to. Obviously Brian must have felt that that aspect of Yuzu was acceptably developed, although I do think that sensitivity to music is something you either have or don't have, so it can't really be taught. What does seem apparent to me is that Nanami, who did most of the choreography for Yuzu while he was with her, realizing Yuzu's sensitivity to music seems to have done everything she could to harness that sensitivity in the creation of her programs for him and deliberately varied the styles of music. The results from those years are testament to her success there and are probably one of the reasons Brian accepted Yuzu as a trainee.

I think any differences here are more a matter of what qualifies as 'elite'. For me being in the elite is being one of the few skaters who are automatically expected to reach the podium in any competition in which they are entered. For me Yuzu attained that position, and in spectacular fashion, in his breakout season of 2013/14 when he took gold at the GPF, the Sochi Olympics and the World Championships. From that time on he was the one to beat in men's skating. Before that, in analyzing the comments of a wide variety of commentators before that season when dealing with Yuzu I had the distinct impression that he was widely seen as up-and-coming but he was still not automatically amongst the expected contenders. They realized that he might be podium possible but they weren't expecting a medal for him. When he achieved the recognition that a podium position was assumed likely then he entered the 'elite' as I define it. Once he achieved that status then any time he failed to medal he was seen as giving a disappointing performance (witness NHK 2014). I realize that the difference here is basically semantic and I was not into figure-skating back then so my analysis is derived from parsing the discussions of Yuzu by various commentators in broadcasts at the time. In any case with Zhenya and Boyang we are dealing with skaters who are expected to medal in any competition they enter which, as I see it, is quite different from Yuzu's situation when he arrived at TCC in 2012. As far as the men are concerned today amongst those still planning to compete this next season, the ranks of the elite consist of Yuzuru Hanyu, Shoma Uno, Boyang Jin and Nathan Chen. Mikhail Kolyada and Dmitri Alliev are just outside that group and could enter the ranks dependent on how they do this season. I thought Mikhail might have made it last season but his poor Olympic performance (as opposed to expectations) denied him that status, in my view.

I like the Bielmann and remember he's been doing it since his novice days so it has a long history with him. What I would like to see, if it is physically possible, would be for him to go directly from a donut to a Bielmann or the reverse. If possible, I think it would bring down the house and leave the judges confused trying to figure out how to score it.

I debated whether to place this post on the Coaching Changes thread or this but decided since this is principally about Yuzu it belongs to here. First - the coaching changes and how they might affect Yuzu. The one thing that strikes me here is that this year's situation at TCC is greatly different from that prevailing when Yuzu came to TCC. At that time both he and Javi were still skaters working to enter the ranks of the elite. Moreover, Javi had been with Brian only a short time before Yuzu came on and I think Brian's approach to Javi would necessarily have been much more tentative than his with Yuzu this year. He's had years to get to know Yuzu and I think he would not even have entertained the thought of acquiring these new athletes had he felt it could have substantially affected Yuzu's ability to train and compete. That he moved forward in the way he seems to have done reflects more than anything else his sense of who and what Yuzu is and his estimation of the qualities Yuzu has to take these developments in stride. I don't think back in 2012 he felt he knew Javi well enough to proceed without consulting him. Second - the new arrivals. There is a significant difference with those arriving this summer, particularly Zhenya and Boyang. Unlike Yuzu and Javi, Zhenya and Boyang both are well-established amongst the elites in figure-skating today. They aren't looking to arrive. They're already there and their trophy collections attest to that. That wasn't the case with Yuzu and Javi back when. On top of that with the more pertinent situation with Boyang Brian was able to proceed being aware of the budding friendship between Boyang and Yuzu. They aren't strangers. They've competed against each other numerous times and that friendship hasn't encountered anything in competition to retard its development. As far as specifics involving Boyang and Yuzu training at times in each other's presence, I think Brian will take into account the feelings of those two when making such a decision. He's dealing with two different skaters here, one who can be said to have achieved his full maturity and the other working toward that. We know that Yuzu has become reasonably self-sufficient as a skater, enough so that I think now he is the one basically deciding the directions his training will take. Brian, it appears to me, is now working more or less as one who gives advice and feedback rather than directing Yuzu's forward development. With Boyang I think the situation is substantially different since he was sent to TCC to train under conditions that are radically different than those he'd had in China. In other posts I've discussed in some detail my view on the politics of all this. Here I'll simply say that Boyang is in TCC to acquire greater depth as a skater and greater polish. He's still somewhat of an uncut gem. He was sent by those in charge to TCC because they (and also I) think he would feel more comfortable there (because of his developing relationship with Yuzu) than, for instance, if he was sent to Raf. As for Zhenya and also Jason, Yuzu will deal easily with their presence since neither of them is a direct competitor with him (unlike Boyang), Zhenya for obvious reasons and Jason because I'm sure that neither he nor Yuzu sees Jason as being a threat to Yuzu's competitive domination. I think Jason is there because that was his decision and I think he is there not simply to learn to jump better (though numerous quads I am sure are not his objective), but rather I think whereas in the past he's been primarily a PCS skater, he wants to ramp up his TES numbers. Brian's a master when guiding his athletes toward TES/PCS balance. I am happy that Yuzu might be acquiring a new training-mate to replace Javi and I have hopes this relationship will not be confined to the rink, realizing that Yuzu is by nature a loner. [Admin edit: No politics.] In the long run I'm glad Yuzu is now being faced with these new presences, partly because with Javi departed Yuzu might have begun to think he was the only show in town. Now he knows he's just one of several. Just as Javi's presence in the past challenged him, these new arrivals will also challenge him and we all know that the more Yuzu is challenged the better he becomes.

Being Yuzu fans we do get spoiled and with Patrick retiring and Javi more or less the same Yuzu becomes the prime mover of the PCS side of things. Thinking about one person's reaction to Worlds this year and the quadmania that was reigning there, things seemed so bleak mainly, though, because Yuzu wasn't there. Had he been there in prime condition the story almost necessarily would have been much better (and Nathan would have been humbled). With rule changes coming along that limit jumps (though not enough, most of us would think) the fact remains that with Yuzu back on the competitive scene things will not be so rosy for the likes of Nathan Chen. Boyang's move to TCC is an indication that the CSA doesn't think jumping is sufficient although Boyang's been working on improving his artistic skills for some time. One thing most people aren't thinking about is something that struck me the other day and that is with the FS program duration shortening Yuzu's asthma will be somewhat less of a factor in his own skating and I think will allow him to do things he hasn't been able to do. It won't be a game-changing situation but it will certainly open up some possibilities for him. The other factor we should realize is that Yuzu, even if he doesn't employ a full arsenal of quads, when he's on he cleans up on the PCS side and we should remember that it is that Yuzu's record scores are a product of the fact that he is competitive on both the TES and PCS sides of the equation. Unlike some I think the rules changes coming along are more likely to favor Yuzu than the out-and-out jumpsters. As far as PCS judging I have to agree that such things are subjective. Yet there are ways to see the superiority of one skater over another simply by seeing how 'dense' his program is. A dense program has hardly any time when there isn't something going on that is important in a non-technical sense. Yuzu's programs are always densely choreographed so that even in his setting up for a jump he's doing stuff that is more than just trying to get the speed necessary to launch himself. That is something most skaters can't do, at least on a routine basis. Such complex setups for Yuzu are not only routine but very much a part of his winning strategies. With that in mind there is an objective way of looking at the artistic element and that is to see how much time a skater spends simply setting up for jumps as opposed to how much time he is doing 'artistic' things that aren't part of the step sequence or the choreo sequence or the spin sequences. If there is very little 'empty' time in his skate you are objectively justified in giving him a higher PCS than those whose artistry is principally confined to the required 'artistic' elements - step and choreo sequences and such, even though you might not find those elements all that attractive. Yuzu's supremacy comes because there is very little that he does on the ice that is just passing the time. He's always busy. And the fact that China is sending Boyang to train near Yuzu is an indication that it knows that Yuzu is the ideal model for their prime male skater and not Nathan Chen.

I think they need someone who is perceived more as a skater in his own right than one who is a Chinese skater. In short, I think they need to 'internationalize' Boyang's reputation. Also they need someone who can deal with international media. Yuzu's become an old hand at that and so is an excellent model there and the Chinese know how readily he is willing to help other skaters (witness his efforts to loosen up the so-very-shy Shoma Uno). I agree with you on the Chinese wanting medal contenders and how TCC might offer a good alternative approach as far as Boyang's skating skills are concerned. My concerns here were that they need somebody to be an athlete spokesperson when one is needed but in order to do that they have to have an athlete who is readily recognized outside of China. Boyang is best-placed to move into that position and his going to TCC is meant to bring about the desired result.

This only highlights even more how unusual a step this is for them, to my way of thinking. Plus it also makes me wonder if Boyang has high connections and if so, what kind. But maybe this talk is getting too political? Anyway, congratulations Yuzuru. What a lovely honour! I said much the following in a post on another thread, but I think the Chinese authorities are needing a poster-athlete for Beijing 22. When seeking such their search is limited essentially to those in the glamor sports, which for winter Olympics are skiing and figure-skating. Right now Boyang is the best candidate they have since he's the one Chinese skier or figure-skater firmly entrenched in the elite of his sport, but his image needs an upgrade. The Chinese skating program is essentially too insular to bring that about so the authorities there decided where best to accomplish this. Having Boyang at TCC working under Brian Orser and training alongside the most visible figure-skater on the planet, Yuzuru Hanyu, exactly fills the bill as far as they are concerned. At least the way I see it the Chinese authorities probably wanted a situation like this as much if not even more than Boyang himself. They need a poised and articulate athlete to speak for the Chinese in 2022 and who could be a better model than Yuzuru Hanyu, who has skills in handling the media (skills preeminently based on just being himself when before the press) that are hard to equal. Add to that there seems to be a growing friendship between Boyang and Yuzuru that also would be invaluable in that it would highlight Boyang as becoming a member of figure-skating's 'Beautiful People'. For Yuzu, of course, it's good that he is acquiring a replacement for Javi although I can see between Yuzu and Boyang a relationship considerably different from the Yuzu/Javi one. Yuzu and Boyang seem to be relating in ways that go beyond skating, although how the relationship will develop from where it is now I'm not willing to speculate on.

I cannot praise this interview enough. The questions and discussion are on a level only rarely encountered in interviews and I learned more about Yuzu from this interview than I've learned from all the other interviews I've seen combined, mainly because of the high quality of the translation sub-titles.

I don't know if anyone else has posted about this but a thought just occurred to me about the shortening of the free skate duration. That thirty-second reduction is almost certainly going to enable Yuzu to do things he hasn't been able to before now because of the limits his asthma puts on his stamina. With thirty fewer seconds to push himself through it means that he doesn't have to worry nearly as much as previously about overextending himself. True, his asthma will still be a consideration to take into account but I can't see anything but positives in the time reduction for him. I realize, of course, that over the years Yuzu and Brian have adopted strategies to avoid repeats of those scenes we all remember from his early years of him almost prostrate on the ice after his skating. Those scenes are long behind us but almost certainly programs since then were put together with the notion of making things such that Yuzu can finish on his feet and bowing to the audience. Now things can be even easier when putting together his programs.

I am simply flying on speculation here, but in defense of Brian it might be that he knew, before the fact, that Yuzu could handle the new arrivals and that Yuzu would go along with these developments. When Brian asked Javi he did so because he might not have been sure how Javi might react. Javi hadn't been with Brian all that long, remember, certainly not the many years that Yuzu has been with Brian at this time and although there is much in Yuzu that Brian finds inexplicable he knew that Yuzu could handle this development. As far as Brian's frequent seeming coldness when speaking about Yuzu, I think quite simply Brian finds himself overawed by the Yuzuru Hanyu phenomenon. There is no way when he initially undertook Yuzu's training back in 2012 that he could have foreseen the sheer phenomenon Yuzu would become. He knew back then that he was dealing with a major talent, but particularly after those two weeks in late 2015 when Yuzu broke the short, long and combined records at NHK and then did it again in his very next competition, not only establishing new records but establishing 100, 200 and 300 as the benchmarks for acceptable winning scores thereafter, well, it's like those in horse racing had to readjust their perspectives when Secretariat broke the mile and a half record by over two and a half seconds at the Belmont. I remember the look on Brian's face at the 2015 GPF when he and Yuzu were awaiting the scores after Yuzu's long program. It's the look of one who is being made to realize that he might be sitting next to a figure-skating version of a 'god on earth'. How can any coach react to having one of his athletes quite simply remaking the sport? I just have a feeling that Brian at times simply stands in awe of Yuzu and as a result he thinks carefully about any remarks he makes about him in interviews.

I'm not too worried about how Yuzu will handle the new arrivals. He handled Javi well, even though we have learned recently not everything was sunny and cheerful. Brian, though, has been with Yuzu now for over half a decade and I'm sure he knows how to act proactively if he thinks something might happen that might upset Yuzu. He's been fortunate, though, that Yuzu does not show any signs of being a male prima donna and I really wonder if when Brian undertook training Yuzu he would end up with not just simply a talented skater but a media phenomenon who just years later would be staking a claim as the greatest skater of all time. I think far more than was the case with Javi, Brian has had to do a lot of learning on the job when it came to handlng media demands for Yuzu and all such related matters. As for the other skaters, we have to remember that Yuzu is more or less a finished product. Brian can't really teach him anything new and so his role and the role of the others there when Yuzu is concerned is one now more on the level of advice and feedback. True, they will work with Yuzu when he is going into what is for him uncharted territory but we have to remember that if it is uncharted for Yuzu more than likely it's uncharted for everyone else also. It will be a situation where everyone is engaged in the same exploratory task. As far as the relations between Yuzu and the new arrivals I see no problems developing. Yuzu and Zhenya will not be competing against each other unless it's a team competition, and I tend to think their training schedules will be more or less separate. As for Jason, comments here have led me to think that by and large Yuzu and Jason will be going their separate ways while at TCC. With Boyang I feel strongly Yuzu will be welcoming him enthusiastically. The two are showing signs of becoming truly close friends and considering Yuzu's loner ways I think that is a development much to be welcomed. True, he has had his mother through all these years but outside of her his world outside the walls of TCC has been decidedly limited. The only impediment between him and Boyang, I think, will be language (I have no idea how much English Boyang has though Yuzu's English I've heard is fairly decent in informal situations but tends to freeze up in formal, public situations, such as interviews). I think Yuzu's relationship with Boyang might, unlike his with Javi, extend outside the walls of TCC. At least I hope so.

This is just a feeling on my part but it's based on Yuzu saying that when he edits the music for his programs (how many skaters mix their own music, I wonder?) he is laying out his routine at the same time so that the music and the moves will match. Is Yuzu evolving to the point where he is the primary choreographer and he brings help in only to add the finishing touches and provide feedback?

Weird, but I liked it!

Time to reassess things with so much that is happening at TCC and how it might affect Yuzu. Zhenya first - from my reading here it seems that what happened in PC may have been a situation of the straw that broke the camel's back. She was dissatisfied going into the competition and after getting ONLY silver decided enough was enough. She knew the degree of autonomy that Brian gives his skaters and decided that was what she most valued. Being a two-time world champion and still being told what she would skate to and what she would do on the ice, well, she'd had enough. So she bolted. I wouldn't be surprised if she threatened the skating authorities in Russia saying she would retire rather than skate another season under the current regime. We'll never know if that was the case but the Russians caved, particularly when she said she'd still skate under the Russian flag, which we do know is the case. Now Boyang - I think most of the politicking here is on the part of the Chinese authorities rather than Boyang himself. They need a poster-athlete for Beijing 22 and for that they need somebody from one of the two winter glamor sports - figure-skating and skiing. They have no skiers who can fill the bill but they do have Boyang Jin, who is now securely ensconced on the elite level of men's skating. But he needs a public profile upgrade, something which they cannot do. The Chinese skating program, like the Russian, is very insular. They need Boyang to be seen as a skater in himself and not a Chinese skater. What better plan than to put him training under the world's number one coach and training alongside skating's number one box-office draw, Yuzuru Hanyu. It doesn't hurt, also, that Yuzu and Boyang seem to be forming a firm friendship. Having Brian at the boards cheering Boyang on, and also Yuzuru Hanyu joining the cheering, will do wonders for Boyang's image worldwide. As a side-effect, Boyang's skating just might improve also. Now Jason Brown, which to me is a surprise, but I'm not really connected to the general figure-skating grapevine so I'm not surprised that I'm surprised. Jason is a skater very much in the Patrick Chan mode - meaning he skates safely for the TES elements and goes to cash in on the PCS side of the board. That being the case, in this new age of quad aerobatics Jason feels that he's going to have to start learning to be impressively airborne. What better place than TCC where one Yuzuru Hanyu, the master of maximum GOE jumps, is to be found and also just coming on board is one Boyang Jin, who more or less started the whole maximum quad numbers revolution. With two senior level jump-masters at his side he just might learn to launch and land himself properly. I'm not ignoring Jun here, everyone, but I think he's finding himself in a training situation he had never envisioned when he started with Brian, training amidst a Who's Who of figure-skating's elite. There is one more to deal with, one Stephen Gogolev. He is not a newcomer to Brian's place. He's been there more or less as long as Yuzu has. There's almost exactly ten years age difference between them (Yuzu - December 1994, Stephen - December 2004) so I'm sure that while they have rarely if ever actually trained together they are well aware of each other. Stephen, unless significantly sidetracked by the growth and hormonal issues of adolescence, is very much skating's coming thing. In competitions limited only to Canadians he's already skating senior level even though he's only thirteen (fourteen this December) At this year's senior-level Canadian Nationals he finished in 10th place. According to Brian he's jumping the quads everyone else is doing, which means he's lacking only the Holy Grail 4A. Even if nobody else is I'm sure Yuzu's keeping a close watch on him, particularly since he's able to do more different quads than Yuzu. If Yuzu is looking towards a threepeat at Beijing I'm positive he's seeing Stephen as one of his prime competitors then. As far as Yuzu is concerned, he knows he can train successfully with potential rivals. His years with Javi have shown him that. Also, in this group, even though Yuzu is only eight days older than Jason Brown, Yuzu is the elder statesman, and I don't use the term 'statesman' lightly. He has a breadth of experience, due primarily to the fact he's been the number one figure-skater on the planet for the last half-decade, that simply eclipses everyone else's. He's the one who can say 'been there, done that' (including surviving one of the world's worst natural disasters in recent years). Add to that my perception that Yuzu is very much an alpha type. Just watch how he initiates things in those unscripted moments on the ice when he and other skaters are simply hanging loose. I'm not worried here. Yuzu is more than a survivor. He's a winner.

I just watched the opening and closing numbers of Fantasy and an idea came up, although it would send the tabloid speculation through the roof. With both Zhenya and Yuzu training at the same facility it would be easy for the two of them to put together an exhibition program that included both of them, one that would not include the lifts and throws of regular pairs and ice dancing, but would have them skating synchronously and in other ways that would highlight their brands of artistry (spinning together, Bielmann together, etc) and also incorporate elements of their individual styles. If they want to defuse the speculative frenzy maybe throw a third person into the mix (Javi?). The two or three together would guarantee a total sell-out (realizing that Yuzu and Zhenya alone carry the clout to fill the seats). Moreover it would set a precedent of sorts, where numbers in which popular solo skaters are teamed together in pairs, trios and even maybe quartets or more are performed. These would be choreographic challenges that if carried off would bring the audience to their feet. Opera has long experience in creating ensembles ranging from duets (almost any opera since the Bel Canto era) to septets (Tales of Hoffmann) and even ballet has numbers greater than the standard pas de deux (pas de trois, pas de quatre). If the pairs and dancers want to get into the act, there might be two or three pairs brought together for a number, with the partners being exchanged during their performance. There are amazing opportunities for combinations that I'm surprised the ice shows have not realized, although I do realize there would be difficulties in putting together such numbers because of the geographic separation of skaters during the time when training is taking place for the upcoming season. With Yuzu and Zhenya now that factor is removed and perhaps if Boyang's situation at TCC becomes more permanent he could be incorporated into the mix. I have a feeling that part of the Chinese strategy for having Boyang go to Toronto is to put him into the international skating mix that extends beyond just the competitions. They're hoping that TCC will create a Boyang brand just as it has for Yuzu and Javi and will probably do for Zhenya. It's significant, I think, that she's doing ice shows now, at least doing them outside of Russia (I don't know if she's on the ice show circuit in Russia, or even if there is such a circuit there). I have a feeling that Yuzu, if he decides to undertake producing ice shows after retirement, may not already be thinking along such lines. He has the creative imagination to embrace such a concept. Whatever the case I think Yuzu and Zhenya on the ice together would be sensational, the only reason making them hesitate being the knowledge that the tabloids and even the mainstream press would want to link them romantically rather than professionally. If they think they can handle the media heat they might just do it.

I think as far as the gay issue goes in relationship to figure-skating, you should realize that the same dynamics in public perception also occur with men's gymnastics, men's diving, as also male dance and ballet, that is to those activities where the man is expected to do something 'beautiful'. It's the trying to look beautiful that makes so many think of these activities as gay, since so many equate the qualities that make things beautiful and those that make things feminine as essentially the same. Interestingly the bias does not seem to operate with men doing things in the other arts, such as writing, acting and music, only just in certain sports and dance. Yuzu, as we all well know, achieves routinely the supreme heights of beauty that figure-skating can reach, thus his scores and medals, but to me his magic is that on the ice he is neither masculine nor feminine - he is just simply Human. He shows us what human beings can achieve when they have the talent, the drive and the technique and apply all of them to creating a work of art. I am sure that Yuzu is aware of speculation about his sexual orientation, as also Javi might realize there is speculation about him, thus I think it extremely courageous on the part of both of them that they were so unabashedly emotional at the end of the FS competition, when Yuzu realized he had the gold and Javi that at last he had an Olympic medal of any color. Their embraces were those of two friends who had escorted each other through the four years of training and competition between Sochi and PC, both realizing through those years that the competition between them was athletic and not personal. In any case I think it fortunate for Yuzu that he is at TCC since Brian and his people are well able to handle the attempts to intrude on Yuzu's private life. Zhenya and Boyang are now also able to avail themselves of TCC's skill at controlling access to its athletes. It is probably the knowledge of how TCC manages access to its trainees that contributed to the Russian and Chinese authorities' willingness to let these two star athletes train outside their native lands. They see that Zhenya and Boyang are in capable hands.

Yuzu has been called, quite justifiably, a 'complete skater' for the way he balances TES and PCS. Yes, but that's not all. He mixes his own music and from what we've come to know, does much of the base-choreography while dealing with the music he's working on. With that in mind we should describe him as 'the more than complete skater'. He'll become the 'absolutely complete skater' when he starts designing his own costumes (unless he's already started doing that).

I found this on a Tumblr devoted to Yuzu and I've not encountered it here although I've barely begun exploring this site (that shows how large the Planet has become). It's a documentary subtitled in English on Yuzu and his dealing with the earthquake and the mental conflicts that almost drove him out of skating. I found myself shedding tears at times. I cannot exaggerate how this is the most extensive media piece on Yuzu and 3/11 [Admin edit: Please don't discuss politics.] I've discovered. If any of you have had any doubts on how deeply Yuzu was effected by the quake and tsunami you won't have after seeing this. The earthquake/tsunami was the most pivotal experience in Yuzu's life so far and this documentary shows you why. https://yuzusorbet.tumblr.com/post/171696522922/2014-august-24hr-tv-engch-subbed-video

The second POTO costume on the right is my favorite of all Yuzu's costumes. I wish they all were that marvelous.

Get used to it. We all learned from the Big News Blackout at TCC over the winter that Yuzu and his cronies are more than willing to indulge in disinformation campaigns to keep the competition off-balance. For all of us fans around the world we just have to realize that when it comes to strategizing against the enemy we're just cannon fodder in the information wars.

Thank you for the correction. I wasn't sure I was reading things rightly. That's why I pasted in the original text.

He's still not fully back, as I read things. Some of the quads he knows are still sort of off-limits. If, however, his 3A is back, then I think he's fairly well off. He just has to unlearn his 3A enough so that he can move forward on the 4A (ie, get his 3A off autopilot so he can work on body memory for 4A). I would love to see him charge into the new season with a fully functional 4A, even if it doesn't have the impressive entry his 3A has. For the other skaters out there the psychological effects would be profound, particularly since I have a suspicion that all the other male elites are working on the 4A. It's like the American/Russian race to the moon back in the '60s. As for the music for this next season, I'm not surprised that it's already been chosen. I've felt that during his long down-time after the injury he decided that he shouldn't waste the opportunity to scout out music for the coming season's programs. I wouldn't be surprised, also, if he doesn't have the basic choreography worked out since he's said in the past that he edits the music envisioning what he plans to skate so that the music actually is chasing after the choreography rather than the reverse.

Jump Sequences: a proposed new definition: a jump sequence consists of 2 (two) jumps of any number of revolutions, beginning with any jump, immediately followed by an Axel type jump with a direct step from the landing curve of the first jump to the take-off curve of the Axel jump. Am I reading this correctly? Does this mean that the second element in a jump sequence MUST be an Axel? Above is a cut-and-paste directly from the ISU website. If this is what it seems to say jump sequences are about to become theoretically very very difficult, with Yuzu the only one who can go into a 3A directly the only one who can benefit from it (recognizing that there are two easier Axel jumps before you get to a 3A). If this is the case there are going to be a lot of skaters (meaning, like ALL of them) and their coaches rethinking how to handle jump combinations.

Some thoughts on the rule changes - As I've commented before, I think it's Yuzu who will benefit most from the changes. The shortening of the FS means that those who are putting the maximum number of jumping passes into their program and require significant setup time to launch will have less time to spend on other elements - spins, steps, choreo. Yuzu, as one writer here informed me, masks his setups by complex moves rather than just skating all out to get airborne. All those moves are garnering him PCS points. Secondly, the changes in the GOE range from 3 to 5 means that there is greater flexibility in granting pluses or minuses by the judges and if it works the way it's hoped it will, the judges will be less inclined to go full tilt on extras, giving a full five for what can only be described as elements executed beyond perfection. Changes I wish they'd put in would have been increasing penalties for multiple falls - minus one point for the first fall, minus two for a second, etc. That would make skaters more cautious in planning out their programs. They'll be more inclined to skate safe. Another change would be to tinker with the PCS scoring in such a way as to bring it more into balance with TES scores. Exactly how to do that I don't know but I'm sure there must be a way. As for the rule of no duplicated quads, while I think it might work to Nathan's advantage I'd say that Yuzu would still come out the winner there since with the expanded GOEs he'd be able to up his score by doing absolutely beautiful triples, particularly his patented 3A. The person I think will most benefit from this is Stephen Gogolev, who according to Brian (who doesn't generally exaggerate) has been doing all the quads (meaning those other are capable of doing) since the ripe old age of twelve. Stephen still has a lot of growing to do so his jumping may be in jeopardy as the inches pile on and the core migrates to unfamiliar places but I think Brian, after the problems with Nam, is already working on schemes to get Stephen through those difficult times. He has the luxury of having had Stephen as a student since age seven and I wouldn't be surprised if even now Brian's been working with Stephen to get him past the upcoming problems and discussed with him what to expect. In closing, I'm not worried about the rules changes since I see Yuzu as actually benefiting the most from them. It's almost as if the ISU, seeing the quad problem emerging and the imbalance between TES and PCS, looked at Yuzu's skating and put together changes that make his skating the model for others and the one likeliest to score maximum points.

Omg is that Yuzu in the centre with his arms up in the air? It's so great seeing him with other skaters! (especially Javi ) It probably is, since it's Fantasy on Ice. Yuzu is the major headliner with FoI so it's normal for them to highlight Yuzu in many ways. Remember that one performance where all the guys are wearing regular fabric trousers but Yuzu's lower half is decked out in PVC (fairly skin-tight, also). Since 2014 Yuzu's always been the last to be introduced in Fantasy performances (saving the best for last). So, as I said, it's probably Yuzu there (Who else might it be?)