#rostelecom

[biglisbonnews]

Maersk gets closer to ending Russian operations by selling two logistics sites Maersk has almost fully exited Russia.Read more... https://qz.com/maersk-gets-closer-to-ending-russian-operations-by-sell-1850139102

[rondocapri]

Missing Yuzu like a mf tonite…

[yoi-incorrect-quotes]

Yuuri: I hope no one lowkey hates me.

Yuuri, *slicking his hair back*: Highkey hate me. Hate me with every fiber of your being.

Yuuri, *stepping onto the ice*: Go big or go home.

[figureskatingcostumes]

Sara Hurtado and Kirill Khaliavin's free dance costumes at the 2021 Finlandia Trophy and 2021 Rostelecom Cup. They skated to Since I've Been Loving You and Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3 and 4)

[yuzu-all-the-way]

Yuzuru Hanyu's Senior FS Costumes

I. Origin 1.0 (Prince of Darkness)

Note: All the references (interviews, translations, etc.) used for this post are listed below the cut

In the 2018-2019 season, Yuzuru Hanyu came to compete as the newly crowned double Olympic champion. He dedicated his short program (Otonal) to Johnny Weir and his free program (Origin) to Evgeni Plushenko, two skaters Yuzuru admired since childhood.

Origin 1.0 - the costume which has the aura of the Prince of Darkness, as described by Satomi Ito herself, the costume designer¹. I consider this one of the top iconic Yuzuru Hanyu costumes because it deviates from the usual brightly colored ones (think about the blue-based costumes, for example) and he embraces the dark. I do not mean dark as in only color, but also judging by the vibes. The only other costume I can think of as channeling dark(ness) is Masquerade.

There is a striking contrast between the relaxed, skating around Yuzuru Hanyu and the competition mode ON Yuzuru Hanyu. The difference is made specifically by his expression. However, in both instances, the costume seems to create a barrier between him and the rest of the world. Origin 1.0, a black and gold lace-top paired with black velour pants, is the first competition costume worn by Yuzu after winning his second Olympic gold medal and I like to think this costume is made to emphasize that Yuzuru Hanyu is untouchable.

The base of the top is a skin-coloured fabric with overlaid black lace. On the front, the chest's jagged opening creates the illusion of feathers spreading protectively, a subtle dynamism enhanced by the diagonal, slightly winding fabric and golden details orientation. In contrast, on the upper back, the gold fabric follows the curve of the shoulder blades and ribcage, like an exoskeleton, while the lower back's lines are naturally flowing downwards, highlighting the waist. Here and there few dark-red beads can be noticed which confer depth and nuance to the costume.

Origin 1.0 is based on Yuzuru's surname: 『The non-human born of feathers』². As such, the most important detail is represented by the feathers - around 100 handmade black and white feathers by Satomi Ito, applied manually, and the white ones airbrushed black in the middle to maintain the costume's cohesion. Another subtle detail lies in the purple rhinestones. They are seamlessly integrated within the costume so much so that these become noticeable only in close-up photos (see below).

Contributing to the depth of the costume are the purposefully ripped holes within the lace. Satomi Ito took to making those herself in the process of bringing Origin to life². The holes convey a subtle ragged look, of someone who has seen darkness and embraced it. They complement the entire look beautifully, adding to the Prince of Darkness theme.

Origin 1.0 is one of those costumes made of multiple layers with various details applied without looking heavy or overly ornated. It maintains an apparently basic pattern while being full of hidden gems.

At the end of another 'incomplete' season (Yuzu injured his ankle during 2018 NHK's FS practice, winning the event despite it, but having to withdraw from GPF and Japan Nationals), Yuzuru commented in a post-Worlds 2019 interview that the black and gold costume was meant to be "accessorized" only with gold medals (paraphrased)³.

--------------------------------

Personally, I have been quite vocal on this blog about my undying love for the Origin sisters. They are in a constant battle to be my favourite.

Today, Origin 1.0 won for four reasons:

1) the theme is right up my alley

2) there is an easily found translation of an interview with Satomi Ito about the making of the costume (and I'm proud to say I understood the costume and the vision before reading the interview)

3) Yuzu won for the first time both of his GP assignments - he really was determined to have only gold associated with Origin 1.0.

4) 2019 Worlds Origin deserved the gold

1. Translation by @/marika_yuzu

2. "Figure Skating Fan" Magazine 2018-2019 『Born from feathers』 Translation

3. 53:57 YT video

[volchitsa-of-winterfell]

me?  stoned as fuck and literally sobbing at matteo rizzo’s 2021 Rostelecom Cup performance of Two Men In Love?  it’s more likely than you think

[sparkles-oflight]

I'm still mad and salty about Rostelecom cup 2019, so:

[aroacemisha]

Wi-Fi situation update: the issue in the building supposedly got fixed, but our main Wi-Fi network still doesn't work, so we may or may not be being lied to either about what the issue was, or about it being fixed.

Either way, currently using shared Wi-Fi from dad's old phone (not the one mentioned previously, that was from his current phone), because I guess it works independently of whatever our main network relies on.

[thegirlwhorideslikeasamurai]

We need to talk about this

because Yuuri's reaction here is a result of his anxiety disorder and his tendency to self-deprecation and having depressive thoughts. That he ends up here is being carefully foreshadowed throughout the series:

First, Viktor said a couple of things that made Yuuri believe that Viktor only wants to coach him until the GPF:

This

and this

is enough to convince and anxious person like Yuuri that Viktor has no intention to coach him beyond the GPF. Note that Viktor never explicitly states that he will coach Yuuri only for the first half of the season - it's the natural conclusion an anxious brain will draw. And that's neither Viktor's nor Yuuri's fault.

And then this, while Yuuri is within hearing distance:

I'm getting a queasy feeling in my stomach just from watching this scene because I relate to Yuuri so much. If I had eavesdropped on this interview, I would have freaked out internally. Like what does that even mean? Is he talking about his career or is this a carefully crafted answer to convince the press to leave him and Yuuri alone for the next couple of weeks? This secret is probably between Viktor and the YOI creators alone (I have theories, but I'm not going to discuss them here because this post is about Yuuri).

Second, although he becomes more confident throughout the show, the self-deprecating part of Yuuri has a low opinion about his own skating. From his perspective, his contribution to the sport seems less valuable than Viktor's, even when he starts to understand that he's far more than a dime-a-dozen skater. The realisation that he is as least as talented as Viktor, only drives home the moment he breaks Viktor's world record.

Because Yuuri has such a low opinion of himself, he doesn't understand how much Viktor enjoys watching him skate, which is another aspect factoring into his decision.

Third, Yuuri genuinely believes that Viktor wants to return to the ice and would rejoice when Yuuri retires. Having seen Viktor watch the other skaters at the GPF cements the decision he made at the Rostelecom Cup. The fact that basically everyone has told him throughout the last 11 episodes that he's keeping Viktor from skating gives more weight to the idea.

Yes, you got that right. Yuuri deided to retire, before he proposed to Viktor and before he bought two matching rings and put one of them on Viktor's finger. However, now Yuuri knows that Viktor would coach him for as long as Yuuri wants to keep skating, which forces him to release Viktor from his duties at the point he believes Viktor wanted to stop coaching him initially.

"Let's end this" is not about breaking up. Yuuri is releasing Viktor as his coach. He is sacrificing his career so that Viktor can keep pursuing his own career which Viktor once sacrificed for him.

Of course he's surprised that Viktor bursts out in tears.

Yuuri has the right to retire whenever he wants. He doesn't need to consult Viktor. If he thinks (for whichever stupid reason) it's time, he can make this decision on his own.

Is it selfish?

Lol no. Only Viktor thinks it is because he's conflating the coach and the partner and takes it personally. He's hurt and feels rejected because he doesn't understand that Yuuri did it for him and that causes a drama Yuuri was not prepared for.

Is it stupid?

Absolutely. But poor communication skills, Yuuri is too caught up in his mental issues to even think of having a discussion that would lead them to a solution with which both would be happy (both training in St. Petersburg *wink* *wink*). It's not malice, insensitivity, or shitty behaviour that drives Yuuri to this point. It's all about his mental issues. And love.

[goodwhump-temp]

Yuri Whump | Yuri!!! on ICE

1x01 Easy as Pirozhki!! - Anxiety lore, meltdown, depression weight, 1x02 Two Yuris?! - Kicked, stepped on, jealous 1x03 I Am Eros, and Eros is me?! - Anxiety, 'passes' out (20:30) 1x04 Like Yourself… - Failed spin 1x05 Face Beet-Red!! - Nervous, paranoid, face slams into the fucking wall during a spin, nose bleed

1x07 Cup of China Free Skate - Visibly/physically tired, failed jump, very nervous, crying (failed motivation)

1x09 Rostelecom Cup, Free Skate - Overthinking, nervous, hug-zombie

1x10 Pre-Grand Prix Final Special - Insomnia, nervous (lost bag), drunk pictures (21:20) 1x11 Pre-Grand Prix Short Program - Collapses (06:00) 1x12 Pre-Grand Prix Free Skate - Crying

[chatdae]

Episode 9 of Yuri on Ice, Viktor is leaving for Japan (to go be with Makkachin) and he tells Yuuri, "If you're in trouble, just hug him (Yakov), and he'll help you."

I LOVE WHAT THIS IMPLIES ABOUT VIKTOR AND YAKOV'S RELATIONSHIP. (We know Viktor expresses much of his affection through touch. Hearing this quote made me 🥹😭 fr)

Also, the way Yakov rejects Viktor when he asks to hang out in an earlier episode (because he wants Viktor to stop 'playing at being a coach'), but in episode 8 when Viktor asks Yakov to look after Yuuri for the Rostelecom free skate, Yakov says yes. Yakov is a loyal support figure for Viktor and I would die to see more of how he's supported Viktor throughout his life

[veritphoto]

Shoma Uno — Great Spirits SP (Practice) at Rostelecom Cup 2019

[neutronice]

Rostelecom Told Us Everything We Need to Know About Yuuri Katsuki

It is amazing that Yuuri Katsuki skated how he did at Rostelecom.

Think about it. He gets a call from his sister, who is at the vet with Makkachin who is in a bad way. It's quite possible that this call is exactly the same call he got in Sochi, over a dog who in every way represented Victor AND Makkachin.

The lowest he's ever felt skating was Sochi, and it's possible that history is repeating itself. He sends Victor home (because Yuuri KNOWS how it feels not to be there) and he braces himself against the enormous emotional blow that is losing his coach and reliving his trauma.

No one will EVER be able to claim that Yuuri getting that score, and squeaking into the final was not Herculean.

Victor probably KNEW by then what happened in Sochi. And still Yuuri gave him up (and gave up his support) so that he could be with his sick pup.

It makes you wonder if THAT, watching Yuuri fight through his skate, is when Victor decided he wanted to spend his life with Yuuri.

It was certainly a great reason to sprint through an airport.

[figureskatingcostumes]

Tiffany Zagorski and Jonathan Guerreiro's free dance costumes at the 2020 Rostelecom Cup and 2021 Russian Championships. They skated to Survivor (originally by Destiny's Child but covered by 2WEI).

(Sources: 1, 2 and 3)

[yuzu-all-the-way]

Yuzuru Hanyu's first quads landed in competition

[triptychgrip]

Impact of figure skating politics on post-canon Yuri!!! on Ice

So, even aside from the rampant doping, I think many people are familiar with how the politics within the sport of figure skating really suck -- whether that's in terms of how skating federations meddle with their athletes' careers in ways these athletes clearly don't want or don't even know about, the way regulatory bodies -- the International Skating Union (ISU), and its various Commissions -- can and do remain silent when it comes to speaking out on abuse or corruption, or the complete shit-show of bias within judging, sometimes on a ludicrously visible level.

After all, this is a sport where a judge that showed clear bias at the PyeongChang Olympics was not only invited back to judge at the Beijing Games, but was given the position of being the technical controller!

Sheer madness...

It makes sense why Yuri!!! on Ice didn't delve into this stuff in a 12 episode season b/c the reality is: it's a major bummer.

But I work in public policy and am a social justice researcher whose career focuses on institutional change. So I often find myself asking the question "what would cause institutions/people/movements -- especially with a lot of history and influence behind them -- to change for the better, whether by 'force' (public outcry, insider advocacy, etc.) or their own volition?" It's a question I started thinking about a lot almost as soon as I got into Yuri!!! on Ice a few years back, and specifically, thought about in a post-canon context.

Some of the politics-related questions that surfaced for me, included:

-When Viktor returns to skating, how would his federation (the FFKKR) choose to treat his absence? Would they, perhaps, "make an example" of him at the Rostelecom Cup, purposely underscoring his performances? Or, would they have "given up" on him, trying to focus all of their attention/resources on Yurio's obvious rising star potential?

-Further, would they (with tacit or explicit media support) take a negative stance regarding his and Yuuri's highly public relationship -- perceiving Viktor's romance as a "threat" to his ability to return to the field as strong and focused as before -- or would they choose to ignore it, altogether?

-How would Yurio's growth spurt (which is hinted at in canon) impact the FFKKR's treatment of Viktor if the former is no longer able to put out the kind of performance that he did at the Barcelona Grand Prix Final? Or if Georgi retires from the field?

-How would skaters that wish to skate independently of corrupt federations -- something that is currently not possible under the way the ISU is structured with 'member nations' -- navigate their careers, and what avenues would they have at their disposal to avoid burn-out from the shitstorm of pervasive corruption?

-How would politics affect our favorite characters at an event as globally visible as the PyeongChang Olympic Games, and in its aftermath? (I say this with the caveat that I generally write yoi fic w/ the premise that it took place during the first half of the 2016 skating season, though there is no way to pinpoint the actual season).

All of these questions kept circling about in my head, and I felt highly motivated to begin writing a multichapter, post-canon "future fic". Specifically, a fic that would tell the story of married Yuuri/Viktor at the 2022 Olympic Games, but jumping back in time at various points over the previous five years to showcase how a particular scandal -- other than doping -- at the 2018 PyeongChang Games has "followed them" throughout the years (and has deeply impacted the sport/our other favorite characters).

This fic turned into a series called "Gold's On The Inside, Elevated My Feet", which currently is at 293K total words, and is being updated 1-2 times per month.

I know a lot of people aren't into long, novel-length works, especially if they're WIPs, but if you, like me, are fascinated by some of the real-world issues that might impact Yuuri/Viktor/Yurio and others post-canon, I hope you'll consider checking my work out.

I've included a spoiler-free excerpt from Chapter 11 of part 1 of the series, below, that I feel hints at the politics while encapsulating the Viktuuri fluff, friendship antics, and overall supportive themes that I've tried to weave into my stories.

I hope it piques your interest and encourages you to check the series out, or my other Yuri!!! on Ice fics!

---------

“First of all, how the hell would you have even managed to contact me from all the way over in the Kiss and Cry?” Phichit went on. “Did they imagine you had waved a wand to send a carrier pigeon flying through Gangneung Ice Arena to land directly on my head ? After which, it would peck an intimidating message in Morse code straight onto my scalp?”

Yuuri was now hiccuping giggles, and he was pleased to see that he’d begun to wipe a profuse quantity of tears from his cheeks.

When his best friend had told him that he wanted to hear all the nitty-gritty details of his International Court of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) hearing, Phichit had definitely had some misgivings; Yuuri and Viktor had flown to Lausanne for their own proceedings directly after the latter’s retirement party in Milan, and given what they’d told him about each brutally long-winded 4 hour session, he’d known fun things were not in store for him.

“But Yuuri without his glasses on can be very intimidating…very sexily intimdating,” Viktor said with a grin, prompting a playful slap on the arm from his fiance; thanks to Yuuri’s thirsty fans, the hashtag #Yuuri’sNearsightedSexySquintTally had become a staple on the competition circuit, and both he and Viktor had taken to alluding to the phrase as much as possible.

“Yes, I’m sure that’s exactly what permanent-frown-dude-arbitrator was referring to,” Yuuri responded, sarcastically, “my nefariously sexy squinting that so very clearly spelled out that Phichit better file a claim, or else.”

He and Viktor both laughed, and he shared a few more snippets from his hearing before conversation moved along to discussion around the other Olympics claimants’ hearings.

“Oh my god, just imagine Christophe during his,” Yuuri said, before giving Makkachin a kiss, right to the top of her fuzzy head.

The poodle was splayed out across both of her dog-dad’s laps, taking up much of the bench directly in front of the rink boards at Hasetsu’s Ice Castle. After their hearing, the couple had flown to St. Petersburg, spending just a few days there to get Makka and Meni and do a round of cursory packing. They’d then taken off for Japan where they planned to stay until mid-June, which was the beginning of the rainy season.

Even from afar, Phichit had been able to keep tabs on Yuuri thanks to Nishigori Yuuko. After thoroughly bonding with her at Viktor’s retirement party – after all, a willingness to drunkenly act out the unhinged plot of The King and the Skater 3: Because Time Loops Are A Thing tended to solidify people in Phichit’s mind as lifelong friends – she had been messaging him through Instagram as well as contributing heavily in the “Yuuri Support Squad” chat.

Soon enough, he’d be able to keep tabs on him in-person, as his own trip to Hasetsu was just three weeks away.

“He’d be all: ‘And then, my esteemed arbitrators, I got distracted from calculating Yuuri’s grade-of-execution, because my eyes were too busy lingering on his delectably muscled thighs as he came out of his triple-lutz, triple-toe combo’,” Viktor said, in a deliberately put-upon Swiss accent, while lasciviously licking his lips.

Phichit barked out a laugh while Yuuri grinned at him.

“Are you sure you aren’t just verbalizing the thoughts you wish you could have expressed during your hearing?” he asked his fiance.

Viktor gasped, theatrically, and clutched Meni even more closely to his chest before responding.

“I would never think such a thing! I’ve become an expert at admiring your beautiful thighs while simultaneously calculating your GOE,” he said, sounding proud. “As any good coach should be.”