Team Japan

[Paskud]

Just now, memae said:

It's going to be important for Rika to be able to look to the future and fight for it after having had such a rough season.

I guess you never read her interviews, huh?

[memae]

1 minute ago, Paskud said:

I guess you never read her interviews, huh?

 

Perhaps we don't get the same thing out of them as each other. I take a lot of context into account, including that what one says in interviews is not what is going through one's head when they're in the middle of training and they're sore all over. 

 

Anyway "I guess you never read her interviews, huh?" isn't exactly a useful contribution to discussion, so I'm tapping out now. 

 

 

[Kizuna]

I'm very hopeful that Rika can make this work for her (8 years ago, a certain someone also moved to TCC 2 years before the Olympics and we all know what happened after that...)

 

Among all skaters, Rika is the one who reminds me of Yuzu the most. She seems to be very determined, ambitious and able to analyse her own body condition and mistakes at competitions with great detail. Her fussiness with her boots, blades and costume weight is also reminiscent of Yuzu  And let's not forget those YOLO layouts at competitions she successfully pulled off. Very few skaters have successfully changed their layouts on the spot to maximize points after making mistakes. These days, besides Yuzu, the only skaters who make my heart rate go up before competitions are Rika and Kaori.

 

I really adore Rika. Hope for the best for her. 

[SparkleSalad]

It seems Kobayashi isn't retiring after all, just stepping down from her current position.

 

 

 

[Katt]

Imo Rika is one of the smartest skater in current field. She actually has good vision and strategy. This season she handled her injury well while improving her consistency and not affect by the quad pressure from media.  Its not like she never has rough season, her junior years are not great and as someone who has been watching her since then, I'm impress with how she grew as a competitor.

After all, we don't have much info about this, what's the deal she has with TCC ? Maybe she could spend her summer/pre WC in TCC, the same way she trained in US in the past few years. With a fix secondary coaching team, Hamada doesn't have to travel with her and focus more on her new academy, I can totally see this. 

I just hope fans and media don't put more pressure and expectation on Rika just because she train in TCC and Yuzuru's there, although I don't have high hope. And the possible battle between Rika and Evgenia fans would be annoying.

  

[sweetwater]

I expected this a bit when I read that Rika was planning to switch the club. It was obvious that she wanted to add quads in her repertoire, and she has been working with Ghislain for a while. The harness specialist there will also be helpful while she learns new quads. In other areas, I think she is already very good and has matureness and independence to be able to judge what is best for her. I wonder how Team Hamada is sharing so many students with other teams and how Rika will work with her in the future, but I guess it is beneficial for her in some ways...
I hope she'll continue working with Tom D as well as I love his works with her.

 

As for Ms. Kobayashi, she will resign as the director of JSF's high-performance department at the end of the 2019-2020 season to make way for her juniors but continue working in the department supporting the next director, Yosuke Takeuchi. I think many of you have already seen him on some occasions. He is the one who is supporting Pooh for Yuzu here.

 

He is a former singles skater and represented Japan at Salt Lake City 2002 along with Takeshi Honda. I don't know Mr. Takeuchi's competitive years as I wasn't following FS much at that time, but it seems he had 4T. Although he is struggling with his jumps here, he is lively throughout his performances.

Spoiler

 

 

[Lunna]

 

[yuzuangel]

I also think Rika is one of the smartest skaters out there currently. I feel like it's kinda rare to see someone improving season by season in consistency and technical arsenal, instead of (nowadays) sprinting out the door and getting injured/losing consistency in a few years and burning out.She handled her injury well by skipping jumps even tho it made her a tad less competitive than the Russian girls (although I don't believe she should have been less competitive than Trusova at the state she was in last season), and you just know that option isn't available to Eteri's girls if they get injured. Her mental strength is also very impressive; I was especially impressed during GPF FS when it looked like she couldn't get any jumps in during the warm-up and then she landed them all, except the 4S which wasn't ready but she rotated it. It was very Yuzu-esque haha. She has really grown mentally and that is a huge advantage she'll have in the next few years.

 

It's just too bad that you can make a young girl be ultra-competitive and consistent by training them to almost the breaking point. And those who do have a stream of such girls will always have one whose birthday is only a few days after the Olympics cutoff so there's no need to worry about longevity at all.

[SitTwizzle]

1 hour ago, yuzuangel said:

(...) and you just know that option isn't available to Eteri's girls if they get injured.(...)

Healthcare is not the same in Japan and in Russia, and I am really sorry they cannot get care for instance in Germany like Aliyia Mustafina.

Yet it seems they have been much better followed recently.

[Paskud]

interview with Wakaba 

 

https://www.fujitv.co.jp/sports/skate/figure/utako/utako_48_3.html

[Paskud]

Rika has her own Redbull now.

 

[Kazu]

Finally, regulation of crossing between prefectures will be lifted tomorrow throughout Japan. :)

[Paskud]

brb crying

 

[sweetwater]

Nice to hear that her foot got healed while she had to stay home.

Looks like Yuna still has restrictions but she says she can enjoy training 

[Paskud]

From Cathy Reed blog:

Quote

It's been a while ❤️   To go back to this blog Took a lot of time sorry.......   From everyone I read many messages And In Kansai link For messages and photos Everyone who sent the card From my heart Thank you   Last 2-3 months My heart is My emotions Spinning around A reality without Chris To learn Very very cool   The death of chris in my heart Very big, big hole I made....... This empty feeling In words I will not show it ...   I always Chris and I I'm gonna slide together Ice dance together I decided to teach ...   And suddenly....... Chris has disappeared... With my dream Chris has disappeared...   I never again Can't take Chris's hand I never again I can't slip with Chris...   That The reality is so scary I didn't want to go to the link Things I have to slip alone I was very scared Back to the link Back on the ice To slip I was very scared   In my heart Sense your emotions To learn to deal with it Took a lot of time It still takes time even now every day It's painful...   last week first I returned to the ice ... very much very much It was tough I was scared Don't stop crying Cry forever Because Already I I'm the only one...   But Little by little Little by little Slowly Also For coach work I started to go back.....   The fun of teaching I'm back The fun of seeing the students smile I'm back now Everyone I meet Big in my heart A gaping hole Little by little Little by little To fill It will help ...   I yet every day cry What makes me happy It's difficult But I I love skating I love teaching Can't give up Peel away Go ahead Also I have to find happiness.......🌸

お久しぶりです❤️   このブログにもどるのに たくさん時間がかかりました ごめんなさい.......   みなさんからの たくさんのメッセージよみました そして 関空リンクに メッセージと写真の カードを送ってくれた皆さん 心のそこから 皆さんに感謝してます   ここ2〜3ヵ月 私の心は 私の感情は くるくる回っていて クリスのいない現実を りかいするのが とてもとてもくるしいです   クリスの死は 私の心に とても大きな、大きな穴を つくりました....... この空虚感は 言葉では あらわせません.......   私はいつも クリスと私は これからずっと一緒に滑って これからずっと一緒にアイスダンスを 教えていくんだと決めていました.......   そして 突然....... クリスは消えてしまいました....... 私の夢と一緒に クリスは消えてしまいました.......   私は もう二度と クリスの手をとることができません 私は もう二度と クリスと一緒に滑ることができません.......   その 現実がとてもこわくて リンクに行きたくなかったです ひとりで滑らなくてはならないことが とてもこわくなりました リンクにもどって 氷上にもどって 滑ることが とてもとてもこわかったです   私の心の中の 感情をりかいして それを対処することを習うことに たくさん時間がかかりました まだまだ時間がかかります 今でも 毎日 つらいです.......   先週 はじめて 氷上にもどりました....... とても とても つらかったです こわかったです 涙がとまらないで ずっと泣いて だって もう 私 ひとりだけだから.......   でも 少しづつ 少しづつ ゆっくりと また コーチの仕事に もどりはじめました.....   教えることの楽しさが もどってきました 生徒さんたちの笑顔を見る楽しさが もどってきました 今 私が会っている皆んなが 私の心の大きな ぽっかりとあいた穴を 少しづつ 少しづつ うめていくのを たすけてくれます.......   私は まだ 毎日 泣きます 幸せなきもちになるのは むずかしいです でも 私は スケートが大好きです 教えることが大好きです あきらめることはできません 前をむいて 前にすすんで また 幸せを見つけることをしなくては.......🌸

 

https://ameblo.jp/reed-icedance-blog/entry-12605247863.html