Katt

Vincent signed an affiliate contract with Kinoshita, the same kind of Yuzuru-Ana, Shoma-Toyota, Marin-JAL. Its a bit different compare to Yuzuru-P&J or Alina-Shisedo (these case they have products/ad/CM and so on). I read on another forum that Kinoshita only support Narumi, not Mervin Tran when they competed so back then, it has something with Japanese citizenship. I ask a several japanese fans and they all surprised about this deal. And when we have several promise JP skaters have to start funding for their training, some people can't help to be upset. Tatsuki Machida never has any sponsor, Satoko signed with Kinoshita in 2017, after alot of archivements. As for Vincent's popularity, its harder to find a skater that is not popular in japan these days . He's more well known than Nathan in China, mainly he speak chinese and his team push alot in this market.

So, 99% Vincent will be at japan open this year since Kinoshita is the main sponsor

Liza also doesn't like skate at COR, she didn't there even when she was WC/EC/GPF champ. If not Yuzuru, Kolyada have to face Nathan or Vincent. I would say among top 6 men, no one has easier or harder assignments. I take a look at GP's assignment again, and I think the ladies's filed in COR is the least scary. A russian sweep could happen. Imo SA=SC>NHK=COC>IDF>COR As for the men, its quite even, and apart from Nathan vs Shoma, IDF looked like the weakest field, but it would depend on how they skate. Last season, SC's fileds is quite weak on paper but lots of clean SP made the competition more interesting I don't know much about Ice dance and Pairs but NHK's line up for both looked great. As usual I think there would be one or two surprise in both GPF line up for ladies.

I really don't get all the complain about Kolyada's assignments. Other than Yuzuru, no one come close to his GOE/PCS and even BV. He doesn't need to go clean to get silver. Judges are more than ready to give him all the points and his score weren't go down much even when he bomb (unlike Boyang) .He just need to deliever. Facing Nathan at SA is even harder than Yuzuru at SC. I saw some Kolyada's fans relieved at non COR because he always bomb there. I don't pretend that Rusfed treat him well, tbh they rarely treat any skater well, but his case is abit complicate with the mix of health issue (last season), nerves, and the lack of experience from his team.

Ice scope belong to FujiTV. GP series are broadcasted by TV Asahi. Maybe they can share

I only predicted Yuzuru's GPs right. As for the other in top6, only one GP. Yuzuru get good GP, time wise IMO. He used to do this twice already. Its time for that SC gold !!!!! Zhou got back to back GP as I expected, the only way to avoid it is Nathan/Yuzuru do COC and very unlikely. All GPs for men is quite even, SA fields is better than usual. JSF did the right/best thing for Shoma/Yuzuru. Apart from 2017, they can be in the same GP every year, I guess everyone don't want to repeat NHK12 thing again. NHK leave one spot open for both ladies and men as it should be. Hopefully a fair chance for everyone. I can see Ayaka and Koshiro get that. The ladies's fields is tough at all GPs. SC is the scariest one, Rika, Trusova, Evgenia, Mai, Bradie. Satoko and Braide both got back to back event.

Pretty sure all skaters already submitted their choice/wish way before the GP meeting. Rus/Jpn nationals are always 1 week later after GPF so their skaters knew. Today's announcement is mostly about the venue. Yuzuru did NHK-GPF-Nationals in 1 months for 4 times in the past (almost 5 until he WD in 2016 because of flu). Not the best in term of schedule wise, but I think he used to and made it work.

I remember in 2016, a few weeks before GP assigment out, Kolyada said he still wait for Yuzuru's pick (or if he wouldn't do GP at all then Kolyada will move up to top1-3seed) to decide JSF is not USFS. Or at least I hope JSF would give everyone a fair chance for that host spot. I read Dai's article and he mention senior B and WC, not GP.

I wonder if there's any change in assignment with Shoma's sudden spilt with his coaches, given how he would get his choreo in Aug, maybe JSF would try to assign him to later GP ? If he get NHK, I think Vincent would be there. I dont think Dai would get NHK host spot that easy, he would need to get a decent result at senior B or local comp. There's often a private comp to decide this host spot. I think JSF will keep one NHK spot open as usual and announce it in Sept/Oct.

https://twitter.com/junjunjun2112/status/1138724371936059393 <-- Masquerade will end in Toyama. The official EX will be by another choreographer, not sure if its Crystal memories or a new one.

https://twitter.com/MakominaBaby/status/1138720323073740801 https://twitter.com/tomin51/status/1138722208530935808 Combine from 2 tweets : He's able to jump 4lz alot in practice before faoi, but sprained his left ankle because of 4A traning. He had to rest for 10 days and back to the ice 1 week before Makuhari. (It might be a light sprain but please be careful and healthy Yuzuru !!!)

Btw, Gogolev was at Granite club (where Lee Barkell move I think) recently :https://twitter.com/gogogogolev_/status/1138071175026941952 So with Boyang news last year, I only believe skater actually switch to X or Y team until they really train there.

Shoma won't go to a new coaching team to search for a few minutes of nice, sweet K&C. I think people forget that Brian was critized for being cold at K&C at his early coaching days. Even coaches need time to find the right method and how to deal with multiple situations.Just curious, who would be the best coaching team for Shoma at the moment, because according to lots of fans, not Eteri, not Raf, not TomZ, not TCC, then who ? PS : I read on twitter that Shoma might decide new coaching team next year. He might train by himself this season. I don't even know what's his/his team's strategy is.

I thought you mean Shoma's time at Eteri camp. Anyway, it doesn't change much, whether he leave in the middle or stay till the end.

Of course he would leave Eteri's camp at least a few days before The ice happen. Did my post really that misleading ; ;

Shoma still has 2 ice shows, The ice (27/7-4/8) and Friends on ice (30/8-1/9), so i guess he will stay at Eteri's camp until the ice, get choreo in mid Aug and debut at FOI. Maybe he's already tried out other camps.

The fact that he only get choreo in Aug really make me think TCC is out of question. I mean, why wait until Aug when David Wilson always there ? I have a feeling he's still undecided. I won't rule out the possibility of him switching to another japanese coach. (In most coaching changes, it feel like lots of fans looking for babysisters for skaters)

According to japanese fans, Shoma said at PIW he would try out at 3 camps in June and he wont go to Alex this summer. There's not alot options as most top coaching team are crowed. Actually Mishin would be a very interesting choice

I don't know Shoma's traning schedule after injury, but he's known for alot of on ice training. Its just my thought when someone ask if he can gain something with Eteri. It might happen, it might not. Just like Raf, he can fix jumps, he can ruin some. I don't like any of them so it won't be a much difference to me who's he's going to. (I'm thinking Hamada would be a good choice) I'm just glad he might work with other choreographers.

Consitency (maybe) and some actual transition ? I just don't know why people freak out when its come to Eteri while other options aren't any better. I just read the post on his website. He left Mihoko/Yamada, haven't decide anything yet but will do an oversea traning camp soon. Actually there's nothing about going to for foreign coach atm. Maybe he can move to Hamada ?

Eteri's not a worse choice, imo she's better than Raf and TomZ. I do think he already decided for new coach, just not announce yet. There's a tiny possibility of him switching to another japanese coach and doing some oversea camp at the same time. Communication will be tough if he indeed moving oversea.

Wow i never thought he would leave Yamada/Mihoko. The article said the coach will be decided after oversea tranining camp. Isn't Eteri's camp start soon ? The timing is abit odd. Normally most coaching changes are finalized at this time of off season.

Well, Masquerade should stay as an ex only. The structure isnt even close to a competitive program. There's alot of thing need to be done to force it into a SP, its own unique could be lost. Like how can you put 3 level4 spins into this ?. This is a program that only work when he let it all out, and under competition pressure, quads, spin/ stsq levels, its hard to do that. The show lighting and live singing also play a part. The bias against non western music is true, we have 2/3 judges come from europe at every comps, theres no way to be sure asian judges would like a japanese pop song either. Zijun' 2016-17 LP is to a chinese song and they killed her pcs by alot. I think japanese lyrics could still work for a competitve program, check out some Kenji Kawai's songs ( i will put some links later) but masquerade is not. Maybe its just me, but in term of choreo, Crystal memories is more connected. But both should stay as ex only

I want to say that when skater decide to do new jump/moves , it all come down to their own ability and practice first. its not like they look at Jason's sprial or Yuzuru's back counter 3A and decide to put it in their program in the next minute. The influence part is about 1% in the whole process. It would be nice if some people could give Yuzuru credits for whatever new things he does, rather than quickly speculate who influence him. After all we have no clue about his training at TCC, how he interact with people, even media hide alot of his footages.

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