Sombreuil

The injuries go with the territory- he was injured/ sick 2012/13, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2017/18, and 2018/19. Still achieved amazing results. Could well go on and achieve more, he’s only 24 despite the ‘uncle ‘ vibe coming from JSF/ISU. Injury doesn’t stop him, even when perhaps it should. Most importantly, unlike Javier or Patrick he’s not giving off that ‘had enough now’ vibe. I hope not going to WTT signals a determination to get in great condition for next season.

Yoshida Brothers - Storm. Or any of their more dramatic pieces.

‘He will always be a mystery - he likes it that way’

Good idea - so did I

Exactly. I wish Japanese media were as assiduous to drag Waseda into every reference. I replied with the link to Olympic channel who are at least covering the injury angle.

No. 2 son drew this to my attention - Guardian picking up its cues from US media again. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/29/nathan-chen-yuzuru-hanyu-figure-skating

Maybe Mihoko should be doing a bit of pushing, at least on the choreography front. If he can use SLB for an ex he could try someone else for at least the SP. she should be encouraging him to expand his horizons a little. Also he’s been injured and the number of competitions/shows that he seemed to thrive on a couple of seasons ago is probably aggravating that. Deniss Vasiljevs has lost the momentum he had when he moved to seniors. If a jump camp from Ghislain doesn’t do the trick maybe he ought to be thinking of a move too.

JSF sounding a bit like USFSA- only talking about the ladies. No accolade for Takahashi? Good to see Waseda being appreciative.

I really want Yuzuru to do Epiphany but it’s too dark for him - though maybe he’s sufficiently kuyashii to do it atm. Maybe Kevin when he’s a bit older....

I’m very relieved that Y isn’t going to WTT. - and concerned that S is. I wonder whether the punishing schedule of competitions that he has done the last few seasons are catching up with him. I hope he will be choosy about what ice shows he does and get some rest.

Really? I’m dreading an avalanche of les mis and MR - I’d like someone to go off piste - bit of Sondheim perhaps - Sunday in the Park with George or -dare I suggest Sweeney Todd

I don’t wish to add anything apart from the fact that this incident is not news/of interest just to the skating community. My husband, whose knowledge of skating is confined to being aware that I’m up watching tv at odd times this week, came home and proudly dropped the news that ‘ there’s been a Tonya Harding incident at WC’ - so it’s clearly made it’s way onto whatever news/ sports station he listens to on the way home. Believe me, skating just doesn’t make the news on uk radio as a rule.

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Someone was watching the press conference on Japanese news with her Japanese mother who was startled by something Yuzuru said and translated it “ He says he has many secret weapons that he now has to use in the free program”

‘Blinding terror’ is about right....

Yes - I’m afraid I think of Plushy as more of a jumper etc though I know there are diehard fans who argue that he was artistic. I’m not sure Stéphane or Johnny would crack on if they’d had as much surgery as Pluschenko but I have a horrible feeling that Yuzuru would - they both give off the aura that nothing short of amputation would get them off the ice......

I found this interview very interesting- Stéphane is clearly of the Pluschenko/Weir/Hanyu school of loving to skate, whereas Joubert is happy to put his feet up. http://fuckyeahalexeiyagudin.tumblr.com/post/181162843530/brian-joubert-and-stéphane-lambiel-interview

Johnny gets a mention as an influence but not Plushy??

@Glory this one

Aren’t they just- after Team Japans ex at WTT 2015 I bought the Yoshida Brothers CD, I liked Storm so much - let’s just say they aren’t exactly fans of the shamisen

She thinks the piano is the most important thing in the whole world- but you never know.....

Look at the men’s gymnastics team in their awards/Olympics suits - they look terrible. Athletes need made to measure - off the peg is tailored to more ordinary physiques. Kohei Uchimura got a made to measure Paul Smith suit in a trip to London last year and for the first time looked as amazing in a suit as he does on the HB.

Can’t wait to see my teachers face when I turn up with a Japanese book and tell her I’m dropping Clementi for Hisaishi for a bit.....

I’ve just succumbed and ordered the piano book.

I don’t think he would be the champion he is without the difficulties he faced in his formative years - the asthma, the loss of his rink, then the earthquake and tsunami, etc. Somewhere someone wrote that you wouldn’t wish the experiences that forged Hanyu on anyone. His family also are an amazing mixture of supportive and empowering, whilst keeping him grounded. I’m not saying he couldn’t have had that kind of upbringing in a western society but it would have been a lot more susceptible to outside influences, peer pressure etc which might have eroded that iron will, softened that implacable resolve, distracted that impenetrable concentration.