rockstaryuzu

So true. Must be that sweet green stuff Yuzu put in the chocolate...what was it called? Zunda? That.

There may be something to that. The app notwithstanding, Jason looks way younger without that ponytail.

...and how Origin Yuzu is the only one that's remotely close to right...:)

I love how this app makes Brian 20 years younger too...

Wouldn't it be on the Italian FS federation's site? Or direct from the venue?

It's Worlds. Someone will stream it, whether it be the ISU or one of the big sports broadcasters.

just look at that grin on Yuzu...

My understanding is that the higher-ranked skaters get right of refusal on their assignments but can't specifically request them in advance...and I have no idea where I originally heard that. My guess is that if skaters do have choice in their GP assignments, they probably pick the comps that work best with their training plan. For example, a skater doing ice shows well into the summer might not feel ready to do SA, since it's the first on the schedule in October. Likewise if they're trying to peak for a certain comp after GP season, they might want to pick a mid-November comp or earlier... I don't know how tapering towards competitions works in the figure skating world, but timing probably matters.

You'd hope they would at least allow it at the open practices. Guess this is one of the reasons so many Japanese FS fans travel abroad to watch competitions. That, and the comparative ease of getting tickets.

Ah but it's only a tease... *pout*

In brilliant Sakura pink and Ballade blue...

From your post to Yuzu's ears... I'm planning to attend SC again so that would be amazing

In a glitter stripe zebra shirt...

Maybe I should just book all six of those weekends off right now...can always take them back if I don't need 'em...

Halp, I've been attacked by a beauty!

Swanyu but no HYK though...even though his Helsinki HYK was incredible... Also, the thought of Yuzu and Javi reunited makes me

6 years since his first GPF with Brian as coach.

Agree. Except that most writers wouldn't create a character as good as Yuzu because readers wouldn't believe he could be real.

Someone's trying to write it into existence, aren't they? Of course he'll be back, the lad hasn't done his 4A yet... I do like this picture though.

Can anyone forget how he was so dazzled by being next to Yuzu that Yuzu had to remind him to accept the medal? What a great way to start the season. Luck, be a lady for me!🍀🍀🍀

Happy New Year Satellites!!! Healthy New Year to Yuzu!!! My biggest wish for 2019 is that it be injury-free. Not just for Yuzu, but for all the skaters. I want to watch some 100% healthy, everybody-is-able-to-do-their-best-performance competitions already! My best moment of 2018? Surprisingly, it wasn't when Yuzu finished Seimei and won Olympic gold. It was when he landed that opening quad in Ballade, and showed us all that he was going to be OK. I had such a sense of relief and joy. It was like watched a caged bird break free...everything after that was just bonus items to me.

To my mind, this is what holds back not just figure skaters, but all Chinese athletes in general - the fact that there's way too much political interference in their athletic careers. They have tons of talented athletes who work hard and get nowhere because they don't have the right political connections. My hope for them is that the Chinese government's eagerness for a good medal count in Beijing will for once override their politics and they'll do whatever is best for their athletes. I agree with you, no one gets to the Olympics without a long-term plan. And when I see how Yuzuru did it, I'm reminded of someone else: the astronaut Chris Hadfield. After he came back from his term as commander of the International Space Station, he wrote a book about how he achieved such a big goal, and it goes like this: when he was very young, he decided he wanted to be an astronaut. From that point on, every single thing he did in his life was geared towards that goal. Every decision he made, every step he took, he evaluated it to see if it took him closer to or farther away from his goal, and only did what took him closer. It took him 45 years to get to fly in space but he finally did. Yuzuru is exactly like Chris Hadfield - he knew from an early age what he wanted to do and always kept taking steps towards it. I agree with you about the others - they don't have this quality. Well, maybe Shoma does now. This GP season, it seems as if he's finally woken up and started aiming seriously for something.

Well, I don't think it's too early for the athletes to set goals and plan if they want to go to Beijing. But it's a fool's game to make any predictions. I mean seven weeks ago I was predicting Yuzu to win GPF...and then look what happened. Four years is a long time, and anything can happen. I can say one thing for certain - there's going to be a very strong, and probably pretty large, men's field chasing gold in Beijing. And that's really all that can be said.

According to the interview Brian gave about this, it was pure strategy - they didn't want to reveal what Yuzu could do too soon, partly to psych out the other competitors. And I have to say, it was a stroke of genius.

If Boyang was able to go clean, that's all that matters. He hasn't skated clean in a long time.