Sukigirl

Thanks @Old Cat Lady for the reminder, but will sit this one out. Have been super busy lately.

Hi @rockstaryuzu I'm ok with any of the designs and totally on board with having an identifier for our meet-ups. Just dropping by to say I really appreciate you putting in the effort to do this and if you need help defraying the costs, let me know.

I just caught up with the news. basically I don’t know how I feel about it...

ALL THE GOOD OMENS PLEASE

Happy New Year everyone! May 2020 bring our favourite wonder boy all he desires. To all satellites, may you enjoy a year of good health and happiness

For those that can stomach T*L, they've been putting out vids recapping the drama. There's a latest twist - Kremlin was asked to comment, and TAT came out with a latest statement. Talk about drama

Aside from overall average, I bombed spectacularly at GPF. Looks like I’m a Boyang

Thanks so much @Old Cat Lady it was fun. Didn’t realise this noob could actually predict fs stuff to some degree of accuracy.

Thank you! Poor Nobu.

Hehe I’m on a roll. Not that my predictions owe any basis to science or careful analysis... edit: I believe I was 3rd last round. So it’s 3+1, which means I’m through to the GPF

yes please!

This is INCREDIBLE. I’m not going to GPF but to Worlds instead. Would love to be able to carry this there

And so it begins * deep breath*

Woah Bronze

Yes, one of the reasons why I’m so glad skaters like Han and Jason are skating still is that not only do you see beautiful skating skills and mature artistry, but Yuzu’s not the only one of his age group still competing. It can be a lonely feeling knowing that you’re the last of your same age cohort still fighting for glory and I hope he takes comfort from the fact that his contemporaries are still around.

Based on what I understand, Hanee is saying that people who accuse him or Yuzu of deliberately causing the accident (at Coc) are wrong, and that they don’t understand how fs works. Both were going too fast at that time to prevent it. He says that seeing Yuzu be able to compete/stand on the rink is great (think this was record later that year) [clip of Sochi] he continues by saying that Yuzu was the first to turn senior, and that he’s always taken Yuzu as a role model and someone he looks up to. Edit: @ happy_fish beat me to it

GORGEOUS GORGEOUS GORGEOUS

The beautiful lilac really pops in photos. It’s unreal the many gradations of colour the light picks up at different angles. I actually wasn’t sold when I first saw Origin costume v 2 but I think it suits Yuzu’s skin tone better than last year’s. Although I think last year’s reveal can’t be topped for the sheer shock factor. and really, Zu, drop the skincare routine already...

Have just caught up. I am unbelievably angry for him and frustrated for him. And I can only imagine how bad it is to BE him thinking what has made him brilliant and celebrated all these years is devaluing bit by bit. I agree with @Katt that it’s too soon to celebrate. SCI was just one competition and the scores he got were due in large part to the fact that his errors were small and the show stopping elements - 4T, combo, and 4S to lesser extent were pristine/ great. I also think JMO that as a set of programs, Origin and Otonal, don’t capture the imagination of the judges. The flavour of the month is hip hop modern whatever, never mind that it’s more dancing than actual skating. And it doesn’t help that he’s repeating. That’s why I think he needs to be pristine to create the wow momentum, when lesser skaters can coast on crowd pleasing music and choreography to create hype for themselves. i totally agree this needs to be seen and picked up by western media. I remember going on [admin edit: don't call out other platforms] and seeing one critical comment that Hanyu was boring because he never says anything and isn’t accessible. I mean WTF?! He talks all the time. You just need to pay attention. Getting the interview circulated in Twitter is a start. This should be seen by Ambessi, Rutherford, McCarvel etc. I’m not on Twitter, but someone could send them the tweets or links. I mean, the top dog in your sport, the one who’s always respectful and polite, is spilling some really spicy tea. I can’t imagine how this is NOT newsworthy. Heck, we should even let T*L know. Even Dave was surprisingly complimentary about Yuzu in their latest show.

Amazing news. It’ll be wonderful to see Dai’s artistry translated to ice dance which really plays to his strengths. The only issue is lifts - he’s no longer a spring chicken in fs and building up stamina and strength to execute those elements safely is my only concern. But holy amazeballs - what an ingenious move, both for him, Kana and JSF who must be over the moon at the thought of someone with the star power like Dai in ID. As is usually the case, I’m thinking how this impacts Zu. Obviously it removes the direct rivalry and all the underlying nastiness that goes along with that. But I wonder if it might point a way forward when the jumps no longer work. Zu loves skating and he watches all disciplines. Dai’s move suggests how he could extend his career in a sport that he has spent his whole life dedicated to. If Dai could spend almost an Olympic cycle out of fs before returning with JSF’s and the fans’ support, so certainly could Zu. although atm I can’t imagine him in any discipline but singles, and jumping like the mad demon he is. I mean, Zu NOT being lifted, but actually lifting someone else?

Oh no, this is terrible and heartbreaking. Condolences to the Messing family

Drinking the blood of his enemies?

Wow didn’t expect Satoko’s move. Wonder if Rika moving up the ranks so fast prompted this. Wonder if TCC was ever a consideration? After all a couple of her compatriots already train there. In any case, wish her all the best. Her Invierno free program last season was my fave ladies’ program, and seeing her practice it in Worlds was an experience.

I was wondering why I felt so gratified and relieved to hear of Brian’s apparent outrage and I guess it’s because I’ve not seen him go out on a limb before to back Yuzu. While he has mentioned Yuzu as being the greatest post-PyeongChang, he had also commented before about cultural difficulties in dealing with Yuzu, mentioned Yuzu’s sheltered lifestyle which seemed to contrast unfavourably with Javi’s, and Yuzu’s strong opinions conflicting with Brian’s ideas in the past. The relationship is professional, but didn’t appear close. All this of course is based on publicly known stuff. What goes on behind the scenes could be totally different, which is why it’s great to know Brian is firmly behind Yuzu in this case. I think the fact that (according to TSL) Doug H texted Dave first and complained about the judging seems to indicate some sort of effort on TCC’s part to mount a counter offensive. Hopefully it’s not a hodgepodge effort and some kind of formal complaint is being lodged, whether by Jpn Fed or whoever.