Japanese skater/skating news & updates

[icellist]

thanks DELTA!

It seems like Kanako has been working on adding transitions. They look very nicely done. Her loop bothers me though because the first looked underrotated and she popped the second. Her 3-3 in the SP looked wonderful and effortless. I still don't like her picking leg in her lutz and flip, but it may just be me. Also, the spins need some work such as the bielmann (isn't up to my tastes) and the tuck of her foot in the flying sit spin, but I may just be nit-picky in those elements. i really think we need a list of banned music and add Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto...

Overall I think Kanako looks in good form. Her step sequences looked quite good except for the misplaced spiral in her FS. She looks a bit taller and skinnier which may just be puberty and a good diet, but it may be worrisome.

[Triple Butz]

thanks DELTA!

It seems like Kanako has been working on adding transitions. They look very nicely done. Her loop bothers me though because the first looked underrotated and she popped the second. Her 3-3 in the SP looked wonderful and effortless. I still don't like her picking leg in her lutz and flip, but it may just be me. Also, the spins need some work such as the bielmann (isn't up to my tastes) and the tuck of her foot in the flying sit spin, but I may just be nit-picky in those elements. i really think we need a list of banned music and add Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto...

Overall I think Kanako looks in good form. Her step sequences looked quite good except for the misplaced spiral in her FS. She looks a bit taller and skinnier which may just be puberty and a good diet, but it may be worrisome.

I agree about her mule kick...it's unattractive. She looks good, but I think she should consider reverting to the 3t/3t (lp only) instead of repeating the loop, which, as you noted, is likely to be downgraded as it's not her best jump. Re:Mendelssohn, at least she used some cuts from the 2nd and 3rd movements that we don't hear too often.

[bartek]

I think she is going to be in troubles in a few seasons because of her awful techninque on lutz and flip just like Asada has been. Bad technique will always cause some troubles, sooner or later. Mao did all those wild jumps when she was young and then we know what happened. Kanako's leg position in her lutz and flip is the most unattractive I've ever seen. And the flutz is very severe. I wonder if she works on it. In case of two loops in her program I think it might be a challenge for her and a way to improve her consistency on it. Of course it can cost her some points in a few competitions but in the end she might get it consistent.

[burntBREAD]

Someone posted on GoldenSkate saying there was a rumor that Haruka Imai has left Hiroshi Nagakubo and has gone to "Yuka team", can anyone confirm this rumor that she's now at the Detroit Skating Club?

[Jeschke]

Someone posted on GoldenSkate saying there was a rumor that Haruka Imai has left Hiroshi Nagakubo and has gone to "Yuka team", can anyone confirm this rumor that she's now at the Detroit Skating Club?

you don´t have to wait long, to see, if this rumour is true. haruka is scheduled to skate at skate america, so wait 5 days and you will see, who´s with her in kiss and cry.
i would like to see her with yuka and jason. haruka has great lines and good stuff to work with, but it will be really tough for her to exist (internationally) while mao, miki, akiko and kanako are all around; it´s not about fighting against one for the 3rd sport, she has to be better than 2 others (which could be worth a worlds top 10 finisher)

[npavel]

Yuka Sato is listed as her Choreographer
http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00010981.htm

[burntBREAD]

Saw this article in the Free Press today, and it confirms that Haruka Imai has switched to the Sato/Dungjen camp (it says Detroit FSC next to her name when listing the local skaters going to Skate America)

http://www.freep.com/article/2011102...ason-kicks-off

[RumbleFish]

I agree about her mule kick...it's unattractive. She looks good, but I think she should consider reverting to the 3t/3t (lp only) instead of repeating the loop, which, as you noted, is likely to be downgraded as it's not her best jump. Re:Mendelssohn, at least she used some cuts from the 2nd and 3rd movements that we don't hear too often.

lol at how the commentator lady said "That was a HHHUGE flutz!" after looking at slowmo of the attempted lutz.

[burntBREAD]

lol at how the commentator lady said "That was a HHHUGE flutz!" after looking at slowmo of the attempted lutz.

The commentator was Machiko Yamada, her coach!

[DELTA]

The commentator was Machiko Yamada, her coach!

She really said flutz? Does that mean that she's aware of the problem and may want to fix is in the future?

[RumbleFish]

The commentator was Machiko Yamada, her coach!

I had no idea it was her own coach. Talk about confronting the reality.

[DELTA]

The commentator was Machiko Yamada, her coach!

She really said flutz? Does that mean that she's aware of the problem and may want to fix is in the future?

[ChibiChibi]

She really said flutz? Does that mean that she's aware of the problem and may want to fix is in the future?

I thought very much all her students have flutz (i.e., Mao, Kanako, Shoma), so maybe that's how she teaches lutz and it's ok with her??

[burntBREAD]

I'm not sure if she said "flutz", but she said "inside edge".

[babayaga]

Two NHK specials about Mao (from Mao forum):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3nD0...ature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2dfo...ature=youtu.be

[sleepypanda]

Kozuka and Takahashi's NHK specials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JBnCWCU1XU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQy5EvpjmYg (contains footage of when Kozuka worked with Kurt Browning back in September; around 4:22)

Speaking of Kurt, here's the clip where he tells Taka to keep telling himself he's a rockstar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-472VYBRjHA

[kittyjake5]

Two NHK specials about Mao (from Mao forum):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3nD0...ature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2dfo...ature=youtu.be

Kozuka and Takahashi's NHK specials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JBnCWCU1XU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQy5EvpjmYg (contains footage of when Kozuka worked with Kurt Browning back in September; around 4:22)

Speaking of Kurt, here's the clip where he tells Taka to keep telling himself he's a rockstar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-472VYBRjHA

Thank you so much!

[Sylvia]

Cross-posting this Japan Times article link here because it also contains news about Miki Ando (besides the Mao Asada editorializing): http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/sp20111109it.html
Two excerpts:

Wise decision: Ando's announcement last week that she was going to sit out the entire season to recharge her batteries for Sochi was the right move.

After skating competitively nonstop for nearly 12 years, and coming off an absolutely incredible season, Ando consulted with coach Nikolai Morozov and arrived at the decision.

She will not skate in the Japan nationals in Osaka next month, and therefore won't be able to represent Japan at the world championships in Nice, France, next March.

The city of Fukuoka has stated its interest in hosting the 2013 Grand Prix Final, the last major event of the next Olympic season. The Japan Skating Federation was cool to the proposal, saying it would have to take into consideration the feasibility of holding the event outside of Tokyo.

[sandra_persch]

I hope this is the right place to ask this question.

At the Open Berlin Championships help in Berlin, Germany last weekend a new girl skated and won the Junior Ladies Category

1 Minami HANASHIRO BSV92 BER 118.50 2 1

http://www.eissport-berlin.de/file/P...M/CAT004RS.HTM

Has anyone heard of her before. I am wondering if she is the skater that was brought to Berlin to live and train after the earthquake & tsunami in Japan.

[Sylvia]

Article about Shizuka Arakawa choreographing a FS to "Miss Saigon" for Shoko Ishikawa this season: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/T111108005337.htm