UPDATED And The Quad Axel Pursuit ENDS: Malinin!

[sk9tingfan]

Yesterday, Boyang Jin posted a proposed 4A in his long program. Hanyu has followed suit:

Yuzuru Hanyu plans quadruple Axel for world championships, coach says

Yuzuru Hanyu may need a quadruple Axel to beat Nathan Chen at the world championships. He wants to become the first skater to land it.

olympics.nbcsports.com

 

[Jammers]

Yesterday, Boyang Jin posted a proposed 4A in his long program. Hanyu has followed suit:

Yuzuru Hanyu plans quadruple Axel for world championships, coach says

Yuzuru Hanyu may need a quadruple Axel to beat Nathan Chen at the world championships. He wants to become the first skater to land it.

olympics.nbcsports.com

What is wrong with Hanyu and Brian? Yuzuru has had so many injuries this seems to be just asking for him to be carted off the ice on a stretcher. Maybe he's retiring after this season and feels he has nothing to lose but make history yet again.

 

[Aerobicidal]

Jin and Hanyu may both fall on grossly underrated 4A attempts before the end of the season, but Dmitriev, Jr. did it first and he looked damn good in the process.

 

[mjb52]

I hope no one tells Trusova about this.

 

[sk9tingfan]

Jin and Hanyu may both fall on grossly underrated 4A attempts before the end of the season, but Dmitriev, Jr. did it first and he looked damn good in the process.

ITA. I just keep remembering the awful fall he took during the GPF on his quad lutz. It just gives me the heebie jeebies!

 

[starrynight]

I expect this 4A is all that’s keeping Yuzuru in competition.

I reckon if he lands it, even if it’s at a small competition he’ll hang up his boots. I doubt at this stage he cares about longevity- he’s already won the OGM twice.

And fair play to him. In a judged sport like skating, I think it’s reasonable to have a defined goal like that.

I hope he lands it and can tick it off his list.

 

[Bonjour Sherry]

Maybe this is why Yuzuru "Recycled Programs" Hanyu is going back to his long for the FOURTH time.

Plus more Winnie the Poohs from his hoards of Japanese grandma fans.

 

[Lilia A]

Please don't do it. Just don't.

 

[Colonel Green]

Maybe this is why Yuzuru "Recycled Programs" Hanyu is going back to his long for the FOURTH time.

Ahem, the third time. The fourth time is the short program.

 

[Marco]

I expect this 4A is all that’s keeping Yuzuru in competition.

I reckon if he lands it, even if it’s at a small competition he’ll hang up his boots. I doubt at this stage he cares about longevity- he’s already won the OGM twice.

And fair play to him. In a judged sport like skating, I think it’s reasonable to have a defined goal like that.

I hope he lands it and can tick it off his list.

Exactly. His only motivation.

If he wins 4CCs this week he will have won all the major competitions there is to win for him. And then to make it into the history books with the 4axel would be quite amazing. Didn't Plushenko use to mention the 4axel all the time?

IIRC he was credited with landing the first 4loop but that wasn't a clean landing.

And I think that's why he is returning to old programs - programs that he is familiar with so he can focus his training on the 4axel alone.

I just really, really hope he doesn't injure himself.

 

[starrynight]

I just really, really hope he doesn't injure himself.

I want him to stay fit enough to get that 4A. But I guess that 4A isn’t going to happen without him doing it.

I think at this point those old programs are just a vessel for the 4A

 

[TAHbKA]

Am curious what is the special weapon (or something of the sort) that Aratunian keeps mentioning in his interviews

 

[bardtoob]

I think Yuzuru will land the 4A.

I also think his jumps will be the last thing to go.

 

[TAHbKA]

Wait, it's.Jing who has 4A.planned which might be a typo. How.did Hanyu.get there??

 

[starrynight]

Wait, it's.Jing who has 4A.planned which might be a typo. How.did Hanyu.get there??

I think there was a recent interview where it was said he is landing good ones in training and is hoping to unveil at Worlds.

I just want Orser to get on Instagram and share. I want to see what a landed 4A looks like.

 

[TAHbKA]

Well, they also said Medvedeva has a 4S...

 

[Fairuza]

Exactly. His only motivation.

If he wins 4CCs this week he will have won all the major competitions there is to win for him. And then to make it into the history books with the 4axel would be quite amazing. Didn't Plushenko use to mention the 4axel all the time?

IIRC he was credited with landing the first 4loop but that wasn't a clean landing.

And I think that's why he is returning to old programs - programs that he is familiar with so he can focus his training on the 4axel alone.

I just really, really hope he doesn't injure himself.

Excuse me, what wasn’t clean about ACI 2016 SP 4Lo?

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Last one to snap their spine or sustain a head injury wins.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

What is wrong with Hanyu and Brian? Yuzuru has had so many injuries this seems to be just asking for him to be carted off the ice on a stretcher. Maybe he's retiring after this season and feels he has nothing to lose but make history yet again.

It seems short term glory is far more important than long term health.

For starters, Lipinski could give them a talk about her hip surgery.

 

[Fairuza]

Last one to snap their spine or sustain a head injury wins.

Do you have the same stance about Trusova jumping all those quads?

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Do you have the same stance about Trusova jumping all those quads?

Yes, I do.

Quads are nice. But the long set ups make for dull and empty performances.

I miss good skating from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

 

[starrynight]

I don’t think you can liken Hanyu to Trusova.

Hanyu is a decade older and at 25 is an adult skating in his grown body and is very much making his own decisions with an adult perspective. He’s also achieved every goal there is and is currently in the final stages of his competitive career. This isn’t a case of risking his career being over before it begins. I would have thought Hanyu would have retired after 2018 ... so if he wants to focus the last bit on a jump that’s fine by me. I expect he’d have retired by now otherwise.

 

[barbarafan]

What is wrong with Hanyu and Brian? Yuzuru has had so many injuries this seems to be just asking for him to be carted off the ice on a stretcher. Maybe he's retiring after this season and feels he has nothing to lose but make history yet again.

Hanyu has always had a self-sacrificing temperament and a hard head. End result he will do what he wants so if Brian cannot talk him out of things he does as much damage control as he can..Remember Boston worlds- he was training on his own in Japan sending vids to Brian daily. He never told Brian he was injured.He arrived in Toronto one month before worlds for some intensive last minute concentration but could hardly hardly walk on one foot. Brian took the quad toe right out of his programs and did what he could. Since then it looks like he teaches quad toe and keeps it in if picked up quickly without loads of repititions but sometimes switches to quad sal as it is picked up quicker with less chance of usage injury.

 

[Fairuza]

I don’t think you can liken Hanyu to Trusova.

Hanyu is a decade older and at 25 is an adult skating in his grown body and is very much making his own decisions with an adult perspective. He’s also achieved every goal there is and is currently in the final stages of his competitive career. This isn’t a case of risking his career being over before it begins. I would have thought Hanyu would have retired after 2018 ... so if he wants to focus the last bit on a jump that’s fine by me. I expect he’d have retired by now otherwise.

There is that elusive 4CC title...

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

There is that elusive 4CC title...

I think Hanyu's got it this time.

 

[sk9tingfan]

Update on the 4A attempt; he or heaven will wait for Worlds:

Figure skating: Yuzuru Hanyu changing gears for himself, worlds: coach

Yuzuru Hanyu's bid to recapture the world championship he last won in 2017 meant turning back the clock and being himself, his coach Ghislain Briand say ahead of this week's Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.

english.kyodonews.net

 

[sk9tingfan]

Another post-practice interview. See his response after the last paragraph.

[ENG TRANSLATION] 4CC 2020 Sponichi Interview

Photo by Yoshiki Kogaito (Sponichi) Original article published 5 Feb 2020 Translation: @axelsandwichProofreading: @yuzueco 　――練習を終えて状態は 　「まあ、感覚は良かったです。あの～、まだつかみきれていないところもあるんですけれども、まあ…

axelwithwings.com

 

[maatTheViking]

I agree that Hanyu is an adult, and at this point I don’t think Orser can control everything. Orser is coach and in the end his job is to help Hanyu achieve his goals. If Hanyu’s goals are to win 4CC and land a 4A - then I’m sure they came up with the best way to do this.

At this point it’s not like his most devoted fans will love him less for recycling programs or that not winning worlds because he falls on the 4A (or takes everything else out of the program) will mean he doesn’t get endorsement deals.

I personally wish he’d chosen to grow artistically at the end of his career, he is an artistic skater and I think this aspect has stagnated. But that’s me and Hanyu can do whatever he pleases.

as for Jin, it will be interesting if he really is going to do it. Honestly I hope he’d get his consistency and flow back for his 4Lz combo

 

[Carolla5501]

I agree that Hanyu is an adult, and at this point I don’t think Orser can control everything. Orser is coach and in the end his job is to help Hanyu achieve his goals. If Hanyu’s goals are to win 4CC and land a 4A - then I’m sure they came up with the best way to do this.

At this point it’s not like his most devoted fans will love him less for recycling programs or that not winning worlds because he falls on the 4A (or takes everything else out of the program) will mean he doesn’t get endorsement deals.

I personally wish he’d chosen to grow artistically at the end of his career, he is an artistic skater and I think this aspect has stagnated. But that’s me and Hanyu can do whatever he pleases.

as for Jin, it will be interesting if he really is going to do it. Honestly I hope he’d get his consistency and flow back for his 4Lz combo

His most devoted fans probably won’t be impacted but people like me are tuning him out

if he does the quad axel, I’m sure it’ll be nice, but unfortunately it won’t overcome the Johnny weir recycled programs. That’s a shame.

 

[MacMadame]

Plus more Winnie the Poohs from his hoards of Japanese grandma fans.

His fans span all age ranges, actually.

For starters, Lipinski could give them a talk about her hip surgery.

I'm pretty sure she'd tell him it was worth it. Hasn't she said things like that in interviews? She's certainly implied it before.