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jennibeultimate · 3 years ago

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Personal recap NHK 2021 - Men

As always personal recap means just this completely personal opinions - bias included! Also this is mainly for myself...if you like it fine, if you don't it's also fine. I don't care.

First I am extremely sad that Yuzu wasn't here and that he has to go again through such pain in an Olympic season. Get well soon Yuzu! ❤️ (I was also looking forward to have Yuzu and Shoma in one competition and it didn't happen which made me sad😔) BUT I will refrain from looking at the comp with Yuzu's absence in mind. Yuzu wasn't there, so we don't know how he would have performed or how he would have placed. I can imagine Yuzu is happy his fellow compatriot won as he always wishes the best to all competitors!

NHK Trophy Champion Shoma Uno! 🥇❤️

Shoma just radiates confidence like he didn't for the past two years. Breaking 100 again in the SP internationally after 3 years drought. He is on fire this season! 🔥

The SP Oboe Concerto is just perfection. It highlights all his strengths, his beautuful lines, his deep edges and how he is the music in this. Also the costume is so gorgeous! 😍 Shame about the 2T instead of 3T but it's ok to not be perfect at this point of the season. The most important part is to show progress and confidence imo.

I am not a fan of Ravel's Bolero at all, but Shoma's version doesn't sound much like Bolero so I am ok with it. I still prefer DOMO but his Bolero is well constructed and has some really cool unusual moves for him. The first half of the program was nuts 4Lo, 4S and 4T2T all landed beautifully. Maybe he got a bit too confident and loosened up so he made some couple mistakes after, but I don't think that's too bad. Add that 4F points in and he breaks 300+ points. 290 points is still a new personal best under this scoring system. 😄 I am super happy he is where he is now. Thank you Shoma, thank you Stephane! ❤️

2nd - I am bit devided on this. In the SP I think Vincent Zhou belonged to top 2 but after the free skate I would probably have Junhwan Cha and Vincent reversed. Both of them got calls (which is totally fine imo), but I think Vincent's free program also lost a lot in presentation when mistakes started to add...imo Junhwan Cha is the superior performer on a good and bad day. I see the improvement though that Vincent tries to include more artistry. I think both his programs are actually well constructed. I just think his skating in general is a bit sketchy and not flowing as good.

3rd - Junhwan Cha's SP is a masterpiece. It's sooo good. I loved it so much last week and was so happy he could deliver it again just one week later with jetlag etc. ❤️ Good fight also in the free skate. His ina bauer is to die for! 😍 I think he needs to shorten the time he needs for his big jumps like quads and 3A. Especially the 3A needs a lot of preparation.

I am really happy he got a medal here! 🥉

4th - Makar Ignatov is uhm..interesting....I dunno his jumps look good. His air position especially good, but his landings seldomly have flow...and the rest of his skating is very slow and laboured. He has no glide at all. His SP suited him music wise, in the free the music was overwhelming him completely. He could a have had any music and his program would have the same connection it did have in the free. He doesn't have the projection to put up with such a gigantic classical music, you need aura for it and he doesn't have any.

5th - Matteo Rizzo does have the projection and performance abilities that Makar is lacking. I liked his SP very much, unusual and fitting to him. His jumps are ok but without more content he won't get further ahead. His free was also lovely. Overall steady performance.

6th - Alexander Samarin - Once he was only jumps. Now he did only quad and a clean program which served him well. I never ever liked his skating at all and the Matrix short may still be ok as I think it suits him, but I totally don't get the free skate at all. It's just weird. But I do think he is a friendly guy and I found his surprised face about his free skate score adorably funny. 😄

As for the rest of the places there were some skaters that spring to mind. Sota Yamamoto had a lovely SP (though that version isn't my favorite), but sadly couldn't deliver the same in the free. Kao Miura is definitely an exciting newcomer. A bit chaotic at this point but I am sure with time he could be a top contender. Tomoki Hiwatashi had a good free skate and I always admire his flexibility.

Nam Nguyen is just kind of a shadow of his old self. Even though he is not so old, it will be his last season and looking at what he delivered here it makes sense and he somehow lost all the fire and looks slow. He can be an entertaining guy, so I hope that he gets to perform in shows after his career. It's again a story of someone that was promoted to glory far too early at 12 years old and couldn't keep up with expectations and also puberty hit him hard.

I really do love Camden Pulkinen's skating, but he makes so many mistakes it's just heartbreaking to watch. I fear he will never get to the heights his beautiful skating would deserve...

Congratulations to all medalists! 🥳🥳🥳🥳 It was an interesting event!

Also I will party hard that Shoma won!

#figure skating #shoma uno #vincent zhou #juhnwan cha #nhk 2021 #personal recap #the post no one was waiting for but i do anyway

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intyalote · 3 years ago

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watched フィギペディア羽生結弦 - I hadn’t seen it before (actually before this I hadn’t seen any of his documentaries oops) and it’s really fun seeing all the old programs again with commentary! making me very nostalgic. ended up having a bunch of incoherent thoughts about his entire career, don’t open the read more unless you want my unfiltered live reactions vaguely sorted by program.

mission impossible

- realizing yuzuru’s JGPF 2009 SP (the first win of his super slam) and sui/han’s Beijing 2022 SP (the last win of their super slam) were both to mission impossible soundtrack… there’s something meaningful there.

- lol the straight line stsq requirement I forgot that used to be a thing. can we bring it back please.

romeo and juliet 1.0

- ロミオでもあって羽生結弦でもあって 😭

- they’re showing GPF version hm. I prefer the worlds version, stsq fall and all, but this one is nice for being so sharp if not as personal and passionate.

- commentator calling the chsq カッコいい is absolutely correct. so good.

parisienne walkways

- “[parisienne walkways] is a very adult song with a strong character that I can’t put my own interpretation into yet” I want this 17yo yuzu to see his skcan19 gala performance of the same program… so commanding. and then that recording of the german commentator going “yes sir” to the 4S in LMEY lmao.

- “ここからのトリプルアクセル!” commentator is rightfully amazed. PW 3a is always so good because of how the beats line up exactly with the entering steps right down to the GOAT back counter itself.

- ok this PW commentary is just too much “完璧ですよ… なにそれっていう感じでね”

romeo and juliet 2.0

- ahhh R&J 2.0. never my favorite but that back counter 3a2t in the second half is still insane, and the layback ina bauer… momentous.

- random thought but I’ve missed seeing him do sit twizzles… he did them in beijing gala practice for white legend but I don’t think he’s put them in a program since 2014 rip.

- oh I forgot how absolutely deranged the GPF 2013 podium was with yuzu hardly believing that he won/still くやしい about the sal while chiddy looked about to crack. 13-14 chiddy really went through it huh, I don’t blame him one bit for going a little off the rails when yuzu scored over 100 and beat him again at the olympics.

phantom of the opera

- awww he’s singing along to the “softly, deftly” part he must have been so happy TCC finally let him do phantom. when you see yuzu’s dramatic teenager side come out it’s no longer at all surprising that mark is such a diehard fanyu they’re exactly the same.

- “not just the ordinary phantom, but the phantom as me… I want to make POTO mine” and he did! the only POTO program as far as I’m concerned davis/white whomst?

- that rocker-counter-loop right in front of the judges is one of my favorite one foot clusters ever.

- another random thought but the zagitova rule is really one of the worst things the ISU has come up with. now everyone does basically the same free layout and it’s Boring. plus it’s yet another advantage for high BV jumpers only since there are fewer ways to catch up now.

somebody to love

- oh my god why are they showing the bieber ex… yuzu’s dark past.

- plushenko’s face keeps showing up on posters in the bg making me wonder if yuzu ever tried to copy the sex bomb ex in practice.

- 3a-3a sequence... you little showoff.

hello, I love you

- he doesn’t know what he’s doing but it’s kind of endearing how bad it is.

- oh this is the origin of those blinding lights hip thrusts... yeah he’s definitely copied sex bomb in practice why did I ever doubt that. also who thought it was a good idea to let a 17yo do this program but I kind of want to see the current yuzu who actually has some upper body muscle do it.

- “a brief intermission before yuzuru hanyu loses all of his clothing” skam 2012 announcer you will always be famous.

notre dame de paris

- TEB gala might be the best he’s ever skated it... what an effortless and huge 4t that was.

- god the interpretation in these spins is something else, so much improvement in just a year.

- 4t-3a-3a... showing off again I see

PW again (2015 gala version)

- can hear the stars in the commentators’ eyes oh my god he’s really a legend by this point.

- 4LO+3A+SEQ??? HOLY SHIT I didn’t know he did that! why hasn’t he ever done a 4lo combo/seq in competition... he’s literally the best in the world at both 4lo and 3a it’s glorious I’m screaming

#figure skating #yuzuru hanyu #posting this for myself bc i just re-experienced the entire 2010-2014 quad and it was. something.#romeo and juliet 1.0 #phantom of the opera #parisienne walkways #notre dame de paris #hello i love you #mission impossible

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aimeejses · 3 years ago

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Choreographic Movements

According to ISU technical handbook, choreographic sequence can include：

steps, turns, spirals, arabesques, spread eagles, Ina Bauers, hydroblading, any jumps with maximum of 2 revolutions, spins.

But we all know that the above-mentioned elements can not only appear in choreographic sequence.

★Some examples of “maximum of 2 revolutions”:

1A, 1 Delayed axel, Waltz jump, Stag jump, Split jump, Walley jump

★Some example of “edge elements”

1.Two feet edge elements: Ina Bauer, Spread Eagle, Besti Squat, Cantilever

2.One foot edge elements: Hydroblading, Spirals, Lunge, Shoot the Duck

★Yuzu’s special edge elements

The left is a Lunge, but the right is also a Lunge.

Some fans call the movement on the right ��Pistol Pose”.

Yuzu can also do a movement which is called “Prince Move” by fans.

#Choreographic Movements #Yuzuru Hanyu #figure skating #羽生結弦

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sugar-petals · 5 years ago

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Can u introduce yuzuru to us the caro way?👀

so you want to know about the one and only. ♡😌

yuzuru hanyū (25) of sendai, japan: the most beautiful ice prince with a heart of gold.

….an artist clearly not of this world, he’s been sent to us from another realm. 19 world records, two olympics won, dubbed the greatest figure skater of all time. and the most precious bean on top of that.

but let’s start from the beginning, shall we ♥︎

so, want to spot yuzu on the ice? use this checklist. slender silhouette, an even slimmer waist, feather-like outfits (he sketches those himself; the fandom lovingly calls him swanyu), soft blushy face. he has great androgyny.

outside of performances, you see him either with a deer’s gaze or the brightest, biggest eye smile. also, he’s usually found sitting with his wife:

which is the ice 😄 these two are together forever. you can discern yuzu from a mile away by how he treats his working ground.

there is a purity to him. you’d not guess that this is one of the most ardent athletes if you didn’t see what’s around his neck after competitions. the guy’s cuteness is as compelling as his skating technique.

look for it: yuzu’s face is super suave and rosy up close, even after his most energetic performances. some men are handsome, others pretty, he is both.

even acoustically, he’s hard to miss. applause is all around, and he’s highly expressive. if you see a crying young man getting the high score, that’s yuzuru hanyu. you’ve not seen more beautiful happy tears.

and score reactions, anyway:

so, aye loves, the rumors are true. a cutie-pie off the ice, animated, a real unabashed meme — yuzu is easy-going, talkative. cheery, cheeky, one of a kind. his facial expressions are a league of their own.

if you thought this is the sort of guy who watches cat videos, you are correct 😄

yuz-uwu hanyu, everybody:

his undoubtedly feline behaviour is often unexpected, it stands out with its adorableness, too. a sweetheart par excellence.

and, how else could it be: vice versa, the big beast on the rink. he’s cutesy, dorky, very well-spoken in daily life, but when it comes to skating, his seriousness escalates. you blink once and suddenly hanyu is a bedazzling, strutting lion :’D his performances stun with confident elegance.

he becomes full of ardor, drama, and focus. you’d never suspect so much fire burns in him. a showman and ambition icon, hands down.

his skating is dynamic, perfected, and emotional. if you want to see art and the extra mile, tune in when hanyu competes.

the downside is; more light, more shadow. it leaves him crawling on the ice afterwards. yuzu performs so hard, it’s worrying.

he delivers it all. you won’t believe it:

this guy is an asthmatic.

the symptoms aren’t as bad as they used to be, but there are still regular attacks. he said that he’ll never take it as an excuse and often recalls how he started skating because of it. he’s a badass, extremely inspiring. yuzuru defies all limits, including gravity. his jumps have legendary status.

off the rink, you guessed it: he turns into a wholly different person.

it all dissolves completely when he’s dorking around again.

don’t let it deceive you, he’s the no other option than first place type. he could not be any more decorated with titles, he achieved the grand slam in all competitions as of 2020. and still, king of sportsmanship hanyu is respectful and smiley towards all colleagues and never lets anyone feel left out. especially when it comes to his juniors (e.g. yuma kagiyama, 16, below) which says a lot about him.

he bows in every direction before an audience, too. lower than a 90° angle, even. this is more polite than any existing formality in japan.

talk about audience: i introduced fellow japanese skater shoma uno last week, who’s more uncomfortable with social contact and aggression. yuzu, extrovert he is: the exact opposite. he withers away with no people and competition. he’s befriended rivals, had crises over not having someone who could challenge him. when a competitor retires, he’s the one crying in their arms (e.g. with team mate and bff javier fernandez from spain below).

beside his competitive spirit and princely wow factor, hanyu is popular for his winnie pooh tissue box that he caresses, squeezes, and carries everywhere. he loves good luck charms & rituals, pooh is the most important one.

fans throw pooh plushies on the ice after his performances because of it. since it’s gotten so intense, yuzu recently started cleaning them up himself on top of the flower girls for the upcoming skater who could get delayed otherwise. (more about what happens with the piles of plushies later.)

so, the burning question is.

what made yuzuru hanyu emerge so outstanding an entertainer? how does someone causing so much uproar become like that? it’s not just what kind of appearance he was given, although he really looks his part to a T. you don’t have to be an insider to see it right away.

like literally to a fault. and you can tell the way his blades sound on the ice is different. it’s soft even if he does the most hardcore quadruple jumps. i think it’s because his drive to do this is a higher one, hanyu has an altered relationship with the ice. where his devotion comes from has a more severe reason so, massive trigger warning.

this is no exaggeration: yuzuru is considered a hero to the japanese. a survivor of the earthquake 2011, he narrowly escaped the collapsing rink in his hometown on that very day. he’s often talked about how the ice shattered underneath his feet and it was the moment that defined his life forever. he could have been dead by the age of 16. his motivation has been set ever since. this man is compelled by something bigger, that’s why you hear it and you feel it. he wants to skate not just for himself but others and seize every day.

youtube

much of his copious charity work — that’s where all the pooh plushies go — went to mend the consequences of the tsunami ever since, he’s looked upon as a great hope in japan. the minister gave him the people’s honor award in 2018.

now you know why yuzuru has such a fanbase and treats the ice as sacred, you see it in every gesture. his manners are without a single flaw, he helps staff repair the ice after performances.

you might think it’s odd, but he honors the ground. he’s invested in the integrity of it. that’s why he’s the best skater. it’s gratitude and the will to live fully.

he hates to fall on the ice, he hates to damage it. alongside his feathery weight, that’s why the sound he makes while gliding along is so tender.

i think that’s also why hanyu’s signature element is the ina bauer. it doesn’t rely on brutal force, instead this element slides across the rink like a swan. yeah, oh my god.

it’s his most well-known dramatic move. the way he surrenders into it.

hanyu’s back arch and perfect split allow him to do elements no other male skaters can. his biellmann spin, for instance. i know, it’s ridiculous.

and those are just two elements of dozens and dozens. hanyu is a kinetic wizard. i highly rec this record-breaking delivery of his olympic program. in front of his home crowd! he’s just… mind-boggling. i live for his smiles here.

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exceptional skater, exceptional mentor: it’s time we look at another puzzle piece that made yuzu the way he is. the masterful brian orser is hanyu’s beloved coach. missing gold by just one mistake at the olympics 1988, brian is now committed to give others what he couldn’t have— successfully so.

orser took the ice prince to gold twice, this hasn’t happened in 66 years. brian is the nicest and most supportive pooh carrier and yuzu’s utmost rock. hanyu’s talent rests safely in these hands.

he gets strict about punctuality lmao! but other than that, his guidance is gentle. canadian he is, brian’s courteousness mixes well with yuzu’s politeness. their bond is strong. as. hell.

brian picked up yuzu from rock bottom several times. most fateful being hanyu’s accident with a fellow skater during competition warm-ups nov 2014. they collided at a high speed, it was unspeakably nasty. yuzu got knocked out for half a minute and had grave breathing problems but still decided to skate on with what later turned out as an almost-concussion. brian was the most worried ice dad in the world that day.

yuzu cried and crouched and bled like mad and my heart has been broken ever since. i hope he never suffers like that again. promise me you don’t search up the video, it’s a harrowing watch like a stab to the chest. sadly enough, hanyu’s body has still been a notorious wreck, esp. ankle issues regularly give him a hard time 😔

it hurts like a bitch with every jump landing but he takes meds and still manages to win, god knows how. sometimes even with crutches on the podium. at his worst, he’s still the best, it’s a tragedy.

he’s been recovering, or always is, but he pushes himself through injuries. his ambition and perfectionism are boundless. the cause is more important to him than his well-being. this is not an easy guy to stan once you see how he sacrifices and self-destructs. so, it’s good someone protects him.

mostly from himself because nobody has profoundly surpassed hanyu. he has let himself no choice than to contest himself. not even health, only age can stop yuzu. i think that brian understands this ‘curse of a genius’ effect. his mere presence can make hanyu say these rare words:

his two other coaches contribute to that. tracy wilson (left) has proven to understand his playful side the best while ghislain briand (right) helps yuzuru deal with his fears. so you got 3 people taking care of the golden boy. brian once said: “he is very sheltered” and you can see it’s true.

yuzu eased into learning english and communicates well with his coaches. like with everything, he studies hard and often forces himself to speak during interviews to practice. his skills are astounding. his speaking voice is also very soothing, very amicably low and high alike. yuzu is highly intelligent. he always says something eloquent and interesting.

now, privately, hanyu is very much like you’d expect someone so devoted to skating would be like. he doesn’t go out, has no social media, can’t eat nor sleep very well. no cameras allowed during practice. it figures he is attached to winnie pooh, think about it. in the cartoon, pooh is someone who sleeps, eats, and engages with friends plenty.

these are the things hanyu can’t do, doesn’t have time/energy/incentive for. he is barred from balance in life but can at least admire this little carefree plushie for it. especially because pooh represents eating lots while yuzuru doesn’t have a good relationship with food (he says it doesn’t go well with jumps etc.), hanyu lives vicariously through him.

what’s more, you have to see how he throws himself onto others and never wants to let go, yuzuru is extremely cuddly.

to the degree that mere social customs can’t meet how much he really needs. so, what else can he resort to, he loves mascots and plushies. it’s how the tale goes in japan generally, tough work ethic, high responsibility, high pressure, so people turn to cute fluffy things.

he always fondles pooh’s head, even pretends he’s come to life so he has someone to snuggle with. i think that his isolated lifestyle doesn’t help. so, he gets his affection at least there, you can see how happy it makes him. and again: he does this all for charity.

that’s why fellow skaters are so important to hanyu. it really brings out his social spirit and comforts him best, it’s so wholesome. i’ve not seen someone react so relieved to being embraced, like he’s not been touched for months. skating this, skating that. at the end of the day, hanyu wants love.

as he once said, what motivates him is to express himself in the first place. hanyu is a romantic. it’s written all over him. it reflects in his music choices, his elegant motion, how he designs his outfits:

… and how thoughtfully he talks about marriage. he has big plans for starting a family and coaching after he retires. i won’t be the only one squeezing lucky charm pooh in my imagination so it turns out well for him. please make this heart of gold heal and see all his wishes come true ♡🐻

#thank you for attending this talk ❄️⛸#i need a moment this was emotional #figure skating #yuzuru hanyu #brian orser #anon #cub mail 🐅#long post #team japan

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macaroni-rascal · 3 years ago

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Just going to make one long post about the women's event, rather than a bunch of short ones...

Rino! I enjoyed it so much, she has so personality on the ice, her knee bend is just glorious, she has amazing basics, her first spin was stunning. The other spins traveled a little bit, and she has some issues with rotations, but I really enjoyed that program and her skating!

Mana! Her triple axel was STUNNING, the speed and surety of it, I fully gasped out loud, I thought she was setting up for a double! Her knee bend is also amazing, she was such ease over the blade, I love her. The one foot transition into the spin was so lovely. I think she needs to work a bit on flexibility, but wow! Japanese skating is in such good hands. I clapped for her.

Seoyeong! She's lovely, if a little stiff. I love a little counter entry into a double axel. Such a shame about her combo, she has an amazing lutz edge, which is just great. I think she needs to work on her expression and her spins, I found them both lacking here.

Nicole! The combination was great, you could hear the skate on the ice. I love that sound. She skated a lot better than she did last week, which is awesome for her. I'm not a giant fan of the program, but I'm glad she's happy.

Amber! I hate the dress a lot. I'm very glad she went for the triple axel, even with the mistake, she really needs to put it into the program, good on her for getting that combo off right after. Her first camel spin are lovely. I want a more sassy, strong program from her, she has the power and personality to pull it off.

Poor Daria getting hurt in the warm up, that's awful. I hope she takes time to heal and gets better. That's such a shame.

Eunsoo! Shame about the combo mistake, but glad she pulled that double toe off her flip. I'm not sure we can call it an improvement for last week, but at least it was "clean" so to speak. She told is much better, the wind looking a little less out of her sails. The ending is powerful, that program can create a moment if she goes clean.

Alysa! She is still skating a quite junior-ish, the first opening moves with the flailing arms really show her lack of refinement, but she has improved, her speed especially, though it could be more improved. Shame about the axel. She needs more tension and control in her upper body, for sure. She does the Karen Chen thing of having her hands in fists sometimes, and its a giant pet peeve of mine.

As an aside -- bless NHK for actually knowing how to film skating, and showing mistakes in the replays, after Italy, its so welcome.

You! Shame about the axel as well, but her combination was lovely, good on her for popping that off after the mistake. The edge out of her flip was stuuuuuunning. She had a small wobble in the step sequence, but recovered well. I love the spread eagle into ina bauer moment a lot.

Kaori! That was just amazing! Her speed and power is unmatched, the cameras could barely keep up with her!! I'm so glad she got the clean skate she was looking for, she looked so free in the step sequence. The transition into the double axel was lovely. Bless the crowd for getting behind her and clapping along. I loved it from start to finish. Not my favourite program from her, but so lovely! She's such a gem.

#konner talks skating #what an event!!!!!!!!!!!

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triplelutzmoreliketriplecry · 5 years ago

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JUNHWAN SERVED CONTENT THIS NATS!!

Short Program Score: 89.61

CLEAN. CLEAN CLEAN CLEANNNNN!!! (minus urs)

Honestly this program is so well knit!!! All the music beats are used and every jump is well integrated into the music! This program on its own isn’t very suited to Junhwan’s style as he’s more fluid and the song wants harsher movements but in terms of interpretation while keeping his skating quality up high he did very well!!! Peak example were the head turns and the sequence that starts off the second half.

I’m just so glad he got to perform this clean. He’s been having trouble starting from the second half of last season trailing into the first half of this season and I think this was a great first step in pulling out of the slump!!

Free Program Score: 164.83

ALMOST clean!!! Almost!!!!

The fall was so sudden and unexpected (his 3Lz3Lo aside from edge problems is very consistent!) but he did that jump just after he succeeded BOTH of his quads which makes me think he put too much power into the jump.

DID I MENTION SUCCEEDED BOTH QUADS??????

THIS 4T MAN. THIS 4T. CLEAN TOE, NOT UR, AMAZINF HEIGHT, GREAT FLOW!!!!!! This is now on my list of favourite jumps ever. And the choreo our of it is amazing, he’s used the music to build up to the jump, it’s just—*chefs kiss*

I’m not really a fan of his quad sal because it’s so easy to ur on, being a really slidey edge jump. And this time it was ur again sadly. I do miss his quad flip because I think it’s technically better than his quad sal and while he did get a ur call for it at ACI (the validity of which we can discuss) it was far less ur than his ured salchows.

THIS PROGRAM. I LOVE IT. DID I MENTION THAT??? The costume is ON POINT, his Ina Bauer blessed our eyes again, his spiral into 3Lo was fantastic as always, AND HE DEALT WITH THE LONG DROP.

In case you don’t know what I mean, this program’s most intense beat is a part near the end where the music fades, then drops into a series of arpeggios but arranged in an even more intense way. The silence lasted too long for Junhwan to enter the spin ON the drop, and adding extra steps didn’t help him with that. BUT NOW. HE USED AN AAMZING SPREAD EAGLE TO ENTER INTO THE SPIN. ITS ON TIME. IT SENDS THE MESSAGE. ITS BLESSED. AHHHH.

Looking forward to the gala (if there is one...)!!!!

#figure skating #cha junhwan #korean nationals 2019 part 1 #triple lutz cries

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the-real-xmonster · 6 years ago

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Hi Alice, this message has been sitting in my outbox for almost a year, haha, thought I'll try ask :). First and foremost, thank you!! can't say enough how much I love your blog. What do you most look forward to for Yuzu in the new season? For me besides his 4A(!), I'd like to see more variety in his spins and ChSq, especially the latter, as much as I adore his ina bauer and hydroblade, maybe its time to try something new and different? Am I being too greedy?

Hello there, sorry for taking forever to get back to you on this (work is crazy and I just picked up a new video game so like… haha… *whisper* please send help).

So, first, no, I don’t think you’re being greedy. I’d also want to see more variety in Yuzu’s ChSq in particular. I love the flavorful touches he put on his hydroblade this season by linking it with the one-foot Axel in Otonal and switching up the position in Haru yo, Koi - I hope to see more of such creativity next season, with possible application on the layback Ina Bauer as well. In addition, I’d give anything for him to bring back the sit twizzle (no Yuzu I still am not forgiving you for taking it out of Origin)

or any extended twizzle really

choreographed inside Ina Bauer

and even just a simple change edge spread eagle.

The thing is, Yuzu has so many nice, “wow” moves in his arsenal, I’d say it’s just a matter of him figuring out the right music and the right way to incorporate the right selection of moves into his choreography, which brings me to the next thing I very much look forward to, which is new music. I can say with confidence that I wouldn’t have any issue if he chooses to repeat Otonal and Origin next season, but if he decides to construct one or two new programs, I really hope he’d pick something classical, especially so if it’s for his LP. Yuzu hasn’t had a free skate set to classical music since… what… his first season as a senior? A violin concerto, a string quartet, a sonata, any kind of chamber music with a violin in it - I’m game. I think Yuzu and his style have both matured enough that now’s a good time to revisit that most fundamental of combinations: skating and classical music, and I believe he’d do a stellar job given the fitting music.

Continued:

Secondly, I’ve heard Kurt Browning commentated more than once that he’s amazed how relaxed/“quiet” Yuzu’s upper body was when he jumped, I’d like to ask if you can elaborate that point more, better yet, can you show me how “not-relaxed” other skaters might be when performing a jump?

I actually have touched on this same topic before and miraculously enough I was able to find that old post, here you go.

In that old post I used Patrick, Shoma, Javi, Nathan, Boyang (the 2017 WC top 6) for juxtaposition, but it should be noted that none of those 5 is whom I’d call a “muscled” jumper. Their upper body might not be as totally relaxed as Yuzu, who is absolutely in a league of his own in that regard, but their takeoff postures are all fair enough to look at, and they don’t overuse their upper body to force start the rotation either. If you want to know what a truly “not relaxed” upper body looks like, I, sadly, have to point you to Junhwan (as discussed here in comparison with Javi), and Zhenya, especially back around when she was in junior / first turned senior. See the way she pushed her arms out taut and tensed up her shoulders before both of the jumps?

Now you can compare Zhenya’s 3F3T against this combo of Kaori’s below to see the difference between her takeoff and one with a quiet, relaxed upper body (most of the Japanese ladies are pretty good at that, but I think Kaori is truly the standout example even among her teammates).

Continued:

Thirdly, in regard to the current rivalry between Yuzu and Nathan, I felt the same as Brian Orser that it kind of reminds me of back in 2013-14, when Yuzu was a teenager rising star chasing Patrick the 3 time worldchampion. And Yuzu was known as a great jumper back then while Patrick was renowned for his skating skills, and it was very excited to see them go against each other. Now Yuzu is so well rounded (pray for his ankle!) and Nathan is developing quickly too, are we gonna see more of that excitement in the next year or two? I hope its good for the sport. Sorry about this long Questions post. :)

Yes, of course, it’s good for the sport to have a lot of variety in (1) the natural baseline abilities of the skaters (2) which areas each skater chooses to focus on and (3) the strategies employed by the skaters, as a result of (1) and (2) combined. It’s also great for the sport to have a new generation developing and competing against the older one(s), whilst both continuously pushing / inspiring each other to move forward. A sport lacking such generational movement, IMO, is as good as dead, and no matter how intense the competition among the existing generation is, when you look at it as a whole, such a competitive landscape would ultimately feel somewhat… bleak (for lack of a better word). I know that feeling very well because that gloom and doom mood just about sums up the prospect of men’s tennis for the last half of the decade. Sure it’s been fun and it still is, mostly, to watch the holy trinity of Roger - Rafa - Novak trying to one-up each other on how many entries they have in the history book, but one can’t help but screaming into the void, from time to time: where are all the darned kids?

So, yeah, you could say that, even though the outcome of their competition might not always be to my liking, I’m glad that a rivalry of sort exists between Yuzu and Nate, I think it does make the men’s competition more scintillating to follow for new and old fans alike, and just as importantly, I believe it’s part of the reasons why Yuzu’s decided to stay with us for at least another season.

Here’s to an exciting 2019-2020 skating season!

#replies #figure skating #yuzuru hanyu #life-is-a-foreign-language

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notebookfilledwithscrabbles · 5 years ago

Text

Worlds 2019 – Yuzuru Hanyu FS by J SPORTS

Translation post 22

Original language: Japanese

Translator’s note: This is not a word-for-word translation. I paraphrased some of the things said in the broadcast to clarify the main point.

Announcer: Chizuru Kobayashi. She is a freelancer who has been working for figure skating programs on J SPORTS for years.

Commentator: Makoto Okazaki. ISU Technical Specialist and a coach. He won a bronze medal at 2001 Winter Universiade as a singles skater and has been contributing figure skating columns titled "岡崎真の目 (Eyes of Makoto Okazaki)" to Sponichi.

(Hanyu takes a deep breath and shakes hands with Brian, Ghislain, then squeezes Pooh)

Kobayashi: And here comes Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan, who was in the 3rd place after the short program.

(PA announcer calls his name and Hanyu leaves for his starting position)

Okazaki: Overwhelming amount of cheers.

Kobayashi: Yes, they are cheering wildly. He is 12.53 points away from Nathan Chen who was 1st in the short.

Okazaki: These cheers will surely give him a boost.

Kobayashi: I think so, too.

(Hanyu starts his performance)

Kobayashi: (t/n: His program is) "Origin," an arrangement of his idol Evgeny Plushenko's "Tribute to Nijinski." He is going to attempt four quads. The first one is going to be a quad loop.

(4Lo)

Okazaki: Quad loop. He saved the landing.

(4S)

Okazaki: Quad Salchow. Aww! It might have been a bit under-rotated, but he did a good job saving it.

(FCCoSP)

Okazaki: Jumped into a flying camel spin. Camel upward, camel sideways. This is a flying change-foot combination spin. From sit sideways to upright forward. A level 4 spin.

(Stsq)

Okazaki: Step sequence. Right rocker, counter, twizzle. Left rocker, counter, counter.

(3Lo)

Okazaki: Triple loop. Well-controlled despite the short set-up.

Kobayashi: Here comes another series of quads.

(4T)

Okazaki: Quad toe. Very nice!

(4T-3Aseq)

Okazaki: Quad toe, triple Axel sequence. Again, he did a very good job saving it.

(3F-3T)

Okazaki: Triple Flip, triple toe combination. This one was also nice.

(3A-1Eu-3S)

Okazaki: Three-jump combination consisted of triple Axel from a backward-outside counter, single Euler, and triple Salchow. This one was also well-executed.

Kobayashi: And that was the last jump. (t/n: in this program)

(Chsq)

Okazaki: And now, it's the choreographic sequence. Ina Bauer on forward-outside edge. Hydroblading.

(FCSSp)

Okazaki: Entered from a difficult air-position. Sit forward. This is a flying change-foot sit spin. Completed 8 revolutions in sit behind position. It's a level 4 spin.

(CCoSp)

Okazaki: Entered with a difficult entry. Change of edge in camel position. Change of foot with jumping. Included a variation in a non-basic position. This is a change-foot combination spin, level 4.

(After Hanyu’s performance)

Kobayashi: Loud cheers from the audience. People in commentary positions around us are still applauding.

Okazaki: Hahaha. It's amazing!

Kobayashi: It's wonderful.

(Hanyu takes a bow to the audience)

Kobayashi: This is the world championships held in Saitama, Japan. The atmosphere in the arena is just incredible.

Okazaki: And an incredible amount of stuffed animals are thrown into the rink. (Laughs) Wow, this is spectacular...

Kobayashi: Indeed. ...Well, he was amazing.

Okazaki: Yes. Well, he reeled a bit on the landing of the quad Salchow and the jump looked a bit under-rotated, but other than that, he controlled everything so well.

Kobayashi: But (t/n: the landing of) the Salchow was also incredible. How could he stay on his foot that way?

Okazaki: Without stepping out or falling, right? That is something only he can do.

Kobayashi: Definitely.

(Hanyu comes back to the board)

Kobayashi: The Russian commentators sitting next to us never stopped applauding after he landed the last jump. It was amazing.

(Hanyu, Ghislain, and Brian take seats in the Kiss and Cry)

Kobayashi: Look at the amount of stuffed animals. It must be tough to collect them.

Okazaki: Yes...

(During the replay of the highlights)

(Hanyu at the beginning of the program)

Kobayashi: He looked completely concentrated.

Okazaki: Yes, as if he was in the zone.

Kobayashi: Exactly.

(4Lo)

Okazaki: The quad loop. Looks good. (t/n: When he landed it,) His weight shifted on his heel for a moment but (t/n: he saved it) with no trouble at all. Excellent.

(Ice Scope data: Distance 2.20m, Height 0.64m, Running speed out of the jump: 9.5km/h)

Kobayashi: If I remember correctly, he injured his right ankle. Is that correct?

Okazaki: That's right, but he didn't make us feel its impact on his performance. He really is back on form.

(4S)

Okazaki: Ah, it does look a bit under-rotated, but from here... despite being almost in the sit position... (t/n: he regained his balance)

Kobayashi: That made us feel how strong he was.

Okazaki: It's incredible.

(3Lo and 4T)

Okazaki: Then there were jumps with a short set-up like this. This kind of jump does not make it easy for you to have a good flow out of it, so it is very difficult to control your body while landing it, but he still managed to hold the landing position. That's impressive.

Kobayashi: Indeed.

Okazaki: The lack of flow makes this kind of jump look less flashy, but it is very hard to go into a jump with a difficult entry and maintain control of your body even after landing.

(4T-3Aseq and the coaches watching it)

Okazaki: This Axel was also with short set-up and entered from a back outside counter... (t/n: I think he probably confused it with the other Axel in the 3A-1Eu-3S)

Kobayashi: Yes. He is the only one who can do such a thing.

Okazaki: Yes, and taking everything into account, it is natural for him to receive huge GOEs.

Kobayashi: Right.

(3A-1Eu-3S)

Kobayashi: Coach Orser's jump was bigger than usual.

Okazaki: Yes... This is the three-jump combination. This also looks good.

Kobayashi: This was the last jump in this program.

(Ina Bauer in Chsq shot from above)

Okazaki: The whole arena had already gone wild in excitement during this choreographic sequence.

Kobayashi: It was intense.

(Close-up shot of Hydroblading)

Okazaki: This also consumes your energy, and he did it at the very end of the program. I think he fought so well until the end.

Kobayashi: I agree.

(When they show the footage of his face at the end of his performance, the audience cheer loudly for him)

Kobayashi: Now this is what champion is. Yuzuru Hanyu, the winner of two consecutive Olympic titles and the two-time world champion.

(Hanyu and the coaches in the Kiss and Cry)

Kobayashi: Now, what kind of scores should we expect?

Okazaki: I can't say.

Kobayashi: I am sure they will be huge.

Okazaki: (Laughs) They are still collecting the stuffed animals.

Kobayashi: Yes. It is a hard job.

(PA announcer announces his scores)

Okazaki: Ah, he scored over 200.

Kobayashi: Amazing. He scored 206.10. His technical score is 110.

Okazaki: Wow.

Kobayashi: And (t/n: his total score is) over 300! He did it.

Okazaki: Wow, it's incredible to score over 300 after falling behind in the short that way.

Kobayashi: It is indeed incredible. His total score is 300.97. At the beginning of this season, ISU restarted all the records, but in the end, it was Hanyu who broke the 300-point barrier.

Okazaki: Yes. I guess he managed to put a big-enough pressure on the remaining two skaters.

Kobayashi: I agree.

#Figure skating commentary #worlds 2019 #yuzuru hanyu

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waterlinkedgirl · 5 years ago

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NPoT chapter 267-269

Alright! Let’s get this quick summary going!

We start off with Atobe standing across Tezuka from the court.

He asks if Tezuka’s doing self-training all alone. Apparently, Germany’s having an off-training day, at which Atobe concludes they’re not even seeing Japan as a threat. (Atobe no, before important rounds you take a day off so you’re in top shape--)

”So you’re coming to snoop on the German village then?” “Idiot. I’m not a cheap guy that I’d do such a thing.” He picks up the racket at the net, "I’ll be your self-training opponent.” The subtitle reads ‘will it really end at only training--...?’

Meanwhile, we cut to a bunch of middle schoolers coming to snoop on the quarterfinals of Switzerland vs America, proclaiming it their great Operation Spy.

The text below reads; “Cheap guys”

Kenya calls to Momo that it’s definitely good to snoop on the Swiss who made mincemeat of Japan in the qualifiers, and Momo tells Kenya that if they don’t snoop on America they’re gonna regret it. “Right, Echizen?”

“Who’re you talking to, we’re pros of snooping, y’know!” (I love this call back to the camp, with Momo and Kenya getting along and the infamous Ina Bauer secret mission)

The scene cuts to Dudu Obandu (or Dodo, I’m never really sure sthsgtsgh) the birdman, with his superior leg strength winning in doubles vs the Swiss!

You must jump This High in Prince of tennis before your jumps get acknowledged as amazing.

The muscle men Albert and Randy from the Swiss however, take the next doubles with ease. ‘Why are they naked?’ a very good question, Ryoma, a very good question indeed. Even though it ends at the shirts.

Singles three is the prodigy nobleman who defeated Kite’s shukuchihou with ease, Henri Nobel... Meanwhile America sends out Kiko!

I’m glad they’re showing matches of the other bracket as well.

We cut to! Sanada, Yanagi and Sengoku enjoying some food, with Sengoku mentioning that the Australian girls are all so cute ♡ (Sanada: Is that all there is to you Sengoku) before a hand raps Sanada’s shoulder--

Who would have thought Oswald is such a cutie?

Meanewhile, Henri vs Kiko goes on. Kiko sets out to score with a chance for a drop shot, but Henri is already at the net! Kiko changes his shot at the last moment, but the ball hits the cord-- “I can’t believe it... It got such a heavy spin from the net by chance...”

It’s in, and Kiko wins 6-4 6-4!

“You had some crazy luck, didn’t you?” “No matter how many times you’d try, you won’t win ♪” “Hmph. You only think that because you’re lucky--”

Kiko flicks Henri’s forehead, and to Henri’s shock, a bird’s dropping falls right in front of his nose.

“You’re right ♪ A lucky strike is something you take with your own hands.”

So basically, Kiko is this combi of Momo’s instinct and Sengoku’s luck, I’d guess!

It’s 2 matches to 1 for America, and next up is Swiss’ Peter! He announces his revenge for making Henri lose.

hamsom :>

In one fell swoop, Peter takes the momentum of the game. They call him the starring role (most valuable asset) of the Swiss, to which Kenya retorts “How many more stars are there?!”

But suddenly, Peter seems to be in pain. Old wounds start aching and his muscles start cramping, to which his opponent Alan slyly remarks “Oh my, have you got a cramp?”

Dr. Alan Hopkins, nicknamed the ‘tennis doctor.’ (Alan what happened to your oath. Alan no--) He's nicknamed this for his ability to take advantage of old wounds and habits, stealing your freedom through overexerting your weak points. As if a scalpel is slowly sinking into you.

The American captain Rheinhart watches with his eyes closed.

The Swiss wanted to take the victory in the last match with Amadeus the pro, but it’s looking like they won’t make it that far. If Peter doesn’t forfeit soon, he may be seriously injured.

However, Peter refuses to give up! He wants to connect to Amadeus no matter what. His teammates are shouting at him that he’s done enough already, when the coach calls the referee--

Alan forfeits.

There’s an outrage in the audience by I think Momo but it could be anyone, after all, why would Alan forfeit when Peter is no longer in any state to fight?

Ryoma, however, sees the reason behind it. “A complete victory.” As long as the American team doesn’t beat Amadeus in S1, there’s no meaning for their victory.

Ralph Rhinehart vs Alexander Amadeus, commences.

It’s a fierce battle!

Amadeus takes the first game, but after the very next serve, Ralph is already at the net, attacking. But with Amadeus’ Ballena lob he can easily pass Ralph by overhead--

Except Ralph returns it, and quicker than Amadeus can react and much stronger than expected it lands in his court. 1-1.

We cut to Atobe and Tezuka’s rally! Atobe uses World of Ice, however Tezuka pulls the ball in with his Tezuka Zone. “The Tezuka Zone, huh. I’m already tired of that!” ‘The ball’s trajectory is returning to what it was...!?’

But even with Atobe breaking the dead-angle icicle, Tezuka manages to return it.

Atobe puts his racket aside.

“There’s a mountain of guys who want to fight you in the Germany round.　They'd better watch out not to become a stepping stone on you way to becoming a pro!" ”No matter who I'll end up fighting... I will win!” “Those words... You’re fighting for yourself, aren’t you? I’ll be looking forward to tomorrow!”

#Atobe's one to last sentence doesn't make too much sense like he might mean it that Tezuka has to watch out but ashifumi doesn't make too #much sense there #you thought you'd seen the last of me? so did I almost! dthdcftghcfth #I hope the next two batches will be ready a bit quicker than this one #prince of tennis #new prince of tennis #shinteni spoilers

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silverfootstepswrites · 6 years ago

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Butterfly [52]

summary It’s too unfair.

A couple minutes before intermission began, she felt her phone buzz. The screen lit up with the picture of Itachi mid-pizza slice that he hated.

“Uchiha-sensei,” she greeted him. Ignoring the way that Karin’s eyebrows rose.

“I’m sorry if I creeped you out,” he immediately said.

“Huh?”

Sakura ducked behind a pillar, trying to avoid Karin’s prying eyes. And prying ears.

“I should have told you I was coming,” Itachi clarified. Sakura blinked a few times.

“Oh, no, that’s.... well...why are you sorry?” she asked. She could hear a muffled conversation going on near him. Someone was arguing whether or not to buy one of the t-shirts being sold outside.

“I’m not sure. But I always got the sense that you didn’t like us getting mixed up with this part of your life,” he replied.

Sakura considered this for a long moment. And then Mangetsu squeezed her shoulder as he walked past, mouthing ‘Gotta ask you something’. She nodded.

“Um... so... I gotta go-”

“I understand. Sorry fo-”

“Do you mind sticking around at the end?” she went on. There was a pause.

“Oh.” She could almost imagine the way his eyes widened. As if he had expected her to ignore him when he’d come all this way to see her.

“I’ve got a meet and greet, but I’m free after. As long as your mother doesn’t mind waiting for a bit,” Sakura added. Finally, she heard Itachi chuckle.

“I’ll try to convince her somehow,” he replied.

Mangetsu eyed her as she jogged up to join him.

“Why’re you smiling like that?” he demanded as he held his hands out in front of him.

“Because I’m happy to see you,” she replied in the flattest voice possible. Mangetsu snorted, shaking his head.

“Suuuure,” he retorted, drawing out the syllable. And then he nudged his hands toward her again.

“You know that part when we do that spin together? During the second half of the song?” Mangetsu asked. They laced their fingers together. And Sakura leaned back a little, half-miming the movement that he was talking about, her left hand resting on the back of his neck to help her balance.

“I just want to make sure that you’re okay with that. I know that your knee’s been a little wonky,” he went on.

“I’ll be okay. This bad boy’s all taped up,” Sakura assured him.

They both flinched when Haku sprang up beside them, his phone in his hand.

“I’m live on Instagram. Say hi,” he demanded.

“Hi, Instagram,” Mangetsu obediently replied.

“Bye, Instagram,” Sakura said instead, turning her head away. Mangetsu pulled her upright when she tapped on his shoulder. Their hands disengaged.

“So here’s Japan’s hottest new pairs team. Haruno-senshu, what do you have to say for yourself?” Haku went on, shoving the camera in her face. Sakura let out a long breath. She pulled the phone from his hand and handed it off to Mangetsu. Mangetsu looked puzzled until Karin wandered over to cover the camera with her palm. Sakura seized Haku in a headlock, pinching fingers clamping onto his side. Haku howled in pain before he tried to bite her arm.

“Uh,” was all Mangetsu could think to say.

“He’ll be fine,” Karin assured him, leaning an elbow on his shoulder.

Once the intermission ended, there was little time to goof around. The program was packed with solo and group performances. Several members of the audience burst into tears when Sakura went out alone, in the same maroon costume she had worn to the Olympics. She did her short program, feeling a little less limber and a little less steady than she had two years ago. But the rush of wind was exhilarating as she spun and carved her way across the ice.

She arched her back as she transitioned into an Ina Bauer. Itachi’s mouth hung open a little as she glided past him.

There were a few other performances after that. The crowd screamed wildly as Karin, Suigetsu, and his partner did an intricate routine that involved ribbons. And there was open weeping when Haku did a routine to an orchestral piece. He even wore a gold crown on his head, as dramatic as always.

Her “pairs” routine with Mangetsu was met with applause. Of course they couldn’t do any of the throws or crazy lifts that actual pairs skaters did. That took years of practice and a level of athleticism that they didn’t have. And she wasn’t really willing to crack her skull open for a performance like this. But skating with Mangetsu took her back to those old days. When she wore frosted eyeshadow and his suits were always a size too big for him at the banquets.

At the end of the night, all the skaters came out to greet the audience. They waved both their hands, bowing and blowing kisses to the crowd.

When Sakura glanced over her shoulder, she saw that Itachi was gone. His mother sat alone, hands clasped together and eyes sparkling as she clapped as hard as she could. Sakura couldn’t help but wonder where he’d gone.

Holding hands with Karin and Haku, Sakura bowed with everyone else. She tried to scan the crowd to see if Itachi had moved, but he really had disappeared.

The meet and greet took place after the rest of the audience had left. Just the people who had paid extra sat in the very front, clutching their handmade signs. Sakura recognized a couple of the faces. They were the hardcore fans who had probably come to each of her performances. Spending all their money and free time to follow her. And when they saw the recognition in her eyes, these people usually broke into tears. Sakura hugged them, laughing as she rubbed their backs and took selfies with them.

When Sakura got to Itachi’s mother, she couldn’t help but smile. It was amazing how much he resembled her. The same almond-shaped eyes and narrow face. Sakura bowed deeply. Mikoto’s eyes popped open.

“Uchiha Mikoto-san?” she asked.

“Oh my goodness!” Mikoto gasped. Sakura straightened.

“Oh my! I should be the one bowing! Thank you so much for the autograph. I don’t know how Sasuke-kun got it. I’m so sorry that you had to go to all that trouble,” Mikoto babbled, squeezing Sakura’s hands between hers. They were warm. The grip strong but not painful.

“Where’s that son of mine? I can’t believe he’s missing out on this! He’s the one that called asking me if I had an extra ticket,” Mikoto went on, glancing around. Sakura suppressed a giggle, mashing her lips together as she nodded.

“I’ve always been such a fan. I know it seems silly, but I’ve always sort of thought of you as one of my children. And it might sound strange, but I’m so proud of you, Sakura-san,” added Mikoto. Sakura’s smile faded. Just for a moment. And Mikoto stopped talking as she saw the shift in Sakura’s eyes.

Swallowing down a lump in her throat, Sakura smiled. She bowed her head again. Deeply.

“Thank you very much,” she replied.

The meet and greet ended with reluctance. Sakura and Haku blew kisses, arms around each other’s waists. And Haku didn’t make fun of her when she sniffed a little against his shoulder.

Once the meeting had ended, everyone picked up their bags and gear.

“Let’s get dinner! Shimizu’s buying!” announced Suigetsu, one hand cupped around his mouth. Haku grimaced, but didn’t protest. It looked like he had lost some sort of bet.

“Sorry. I’ve gotta run. I’ll see you all tomorrow,” Sakura replied, already inching toward the exit.

Karin tilted her head to one side. Grinning, Haku pulled her close to whisper in her ear. As Sakura ran out the doors, Karin and Haku were both laughing.

“You go, girl!” Karin called after her.

Sakura ignored them as the heavy metal doors banged shut behind her. She glanced down at her phone. She had messaged Itachi about where to wait, but he hadn’t replied to her at all. To her dismay, the lobby was empty except for the few staff members cleaning up the table where they had sold t-shirts and posters. Sakura bowed to them as she walked past.

The meet and greet had taken a little longer than she had expected. And then the end-of-night meeting with the staff had gone on for several minutes. It was pretty late. She couldn’t blame him if he had gone home with his mother already.

Sticking her hands in her back pockets, Sakura exited the stadium. And she nearly collided with Itachi.

“Woah!” they both said.

“It’s cold outside! Why are you...”

She trailed off as he thrust a bouquet into her hands. Bright red and pink roses with sprays of little white flowers. The petals and wrapping were cold as her fingers closed around them. When she gaze up into Itachi’s face, she saw that the tip of his nose was red. She reached for his hand. His fingers were just as cold as the flowers.

“Were you..... Did you just get these?” she asked.

“I ran to three different flower shops until I found one that wasn’t closed,” he confessed. And then he rubbed the back of his neck. “I probably shouldn’t have come empty-handed in the first place. I can’t believe I missed the end. My mom said it was amazing,” he added with a sigh.

Sakura felt the corners of her mouth go up. Her chest squeezing, almost painfully so as she was hit the realization again. Just how thoughtful, kind, and awkward he was. And how much she liked those things about him.

“Thank you,” she whispered, gazing down at the flowers. Missing the way he stared at her when she did.

And then her chin jerked up.

“Your mother?” Sakura demanded.

“Oh. She said she was in the bathroom. I think she said she was fixing her makeup because she cried after meeting you,” explained Itachi. Sakura bit her lower lip, trying not to smile at that. Itachi watched her expression.

“No, you can laugh. It’s pretty funny,” he assured her, chuckling a little.

She felt his thumb stroke across her knuckles as he spoke. They both froze. Clearing their throats and looking away, they pulled their hands apart. Itachi flexed his fingers nervously before sticking them in his pocket to grab his phone. He swiped his thumb across the screen.

“Oh. She’s on her way out now,” he read.

“Hang on. You’ve got an eyelash on your face,” Sakura pointed out.

“Where?” Itachi swiped at the wrong cheek. Sakura gestured with her free hand. He bent down a little, eyes closing. She scratched her nail lightly under his right eye. After a couple tries, she pulled her finger away. His eyelash clinging to the tip of her nail.

“There we go,” Sakura announced. Itachi’s eyes opened just as she blew it away. And for a moment, all they could do was smile at each other. Not that anything was funny.

It just felt nice to stand there together.

“By the way, there’s a really good izakaya not too far from here. You said your mother likes seafood, right?” she told him. Itachi leaned in a little closer as she pulled up the menu on the phone. They muttered the items together as she scrolled down the list. Sakura lifted her head when she heard the door open.

Mikoto stood there, her hands over her mouth. She burst into tears all over again.

“Oh! So Sasuke-kun met you because Itachi-kun already knew you from work!” Mikoto realized almost an hour later. They sat together at a low table. The glossy surface reflected Mikoto’s face back as she leaned in toward Sakura. Itachi sat across his mother, skimming through the menu.

It had taken Mikoto several more minutes to calm down outside the stadium. And Sakura had escorted her back into the bathroom. Mikoto had apologized to her probably ten different times. But Sakura didn’t mind. She held Mikoto’s purse as the older woman washed her face and patted it dry with paper towels from the dispenser.

“Oh, I must look a mess,” sighed Mikoto, dabbing at her nose.

“You look wonderful. Don’t worry about a thing,” Sakura assured her. And Sakura had linked her arm through hers as she led her out of the restroom.

“The sushi here is supposed to be very good,” Itachi remarked to no one in particular. His phone sat on the table and he scrolled through it with one finger. He glanced back and forth between the screen.

“Mm... sayori should be in season right now. Hotate? Oh and maguro too,” Sakura wracked her brain, trying to remember which fish would be freshest in March.

“Amaebi?” Itachi suggested, reading off the menu.

“Ooh, yes,” Sakura agreed. Regular shrimp tasted good. But amaebi had a special sweetness to it that she loved.

When she glanced up, Mikoto was staring at her in sort of a daze. She blinked several times when she realized that Sakura was looking back at her. Her cheeks colored.

“What type of fish do you like, Oba-san?” asked Sakura.

After the waitress dropped off tea and took their orders, Sakura rubbed her knee a little under the table. Itachi followed the movement of her hand, forehead wrinkling.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yeah. Just... sometimes it gets a little achy if I don’t get enough rest,” Sakura admitted.

“That’s...” Mikoto hesitated. Itachi and Sakura looked up at her. Sakura smiled encouragingly, eyebrows rising.

“Well, Haruno-san, you hurt your knee before the last Olympics. Is it from that?” Mikoto inquired. Sakura sighed.

“Yes. I had some great doctors, but... that’s how injuries are. It doesn’t just go back to how it was,” admitted Sakura, giving her knee a couple of slaps.

“Mom was devastated when she found out you were hurt. She even went to a temple to pray for your recovery,” Itachi recalled to Sakura, ignoring the way that Mikoto’s eyes widened. She looked horrified, shooting furtive glances at Sakura. Sakura giggled.

“That’s very sweet, Oba-san. Maybe I recovered so quickly because of you,” Sakura said to Mikoto. Who gave her a sheepish smile in return.

The conversation grew less stilted as the evening went on. Sakura found her eyes drifting to the bouquet Itachi had bought her. It sat on top of her duffel bag, plastic crinkling and shining whenever the waitress breezed past it with more food or tea. One time, Itachi caught her staring at it. And the corner of his mouth pulled up before he turned his attention back to his mother’s story.

“I’m so sorry for keeping you late. You must have missed your train because of me,” Sakura suddenly realized as the waitress came to clear away their plates. Mikoto flapped a hand at her.

“We’re staying with one of my nephews here in Osaka. Our train isn’t until tomorrow,” Mikoto told her, which put her at ease.

“Osaka? You have family here? I thought you said everyone lived in Koto,” asked Sakura, turning to Itachi.

“My cousin, Shisui. He moved here last year for work,” answered Itachi. And Mikoto’s eyes sharpened a little.

“Is that the cousin who crashed a bike into a telephone pole or the one who dropped his phone into the ocean?” Sakura inquired.

“Both,” Itachi sighed.

Mikoto’s lips puckered, like she was about to say something, but sucked the words back into her mouth last-minute. All Itachi saw was a peculiar smile on her lips when he glanced at her.

When dinner ended, Sakura and Mikoto argued over the bill for a minute. When Sakura firmly insisted on paying, the strange smile returned to Mikoto’s face. Itachi didn’t understand when his mother gave him a proud look behind Sakura’s back.

As they headed out into the night, Itachi flagged down a taxi. He opened the door for Mikoto. Sakura helped her inside, handing her her purse when she had settled into the seat. But before Itachi could get in too, Mikoto shut the door.

“Make sure Haruno-san gets back to her hotel safely, Itachi-kun. A young lady shouldn’t be walking around alone at night,” Mikoto ordered, lowering the window.

“Oba-san, it’s fine,” Sakura tried to assure her. But Mikoto pretended not to hear her.

“Don’t stay out too late, my son,” Mikoto said before she ducked back in to say something to the driver. The taxi pulled away. Mikoto stuck her hand out the window to wave as the car grew smaller and smaller.

When Itachi looked back at Sakura, she had both her hands in her pockets as she rocked back and forth on her heels. She smiled at him.

“Shall we go?” she suggested.

Itachi laughed. “Yes.”

The streets of Nishi-ku were just as well-lit and organized as Tokyo’s. Even though it was so late, there were plenty of people out at night. Women carrying shopping bags. Friends carrying drinks and laughing at some inside joke. There were also couples too, holding hands or linking arms as they ambled down the walkway.

Sakura motioned for Itachi to follow as she began heading down the street.

As they drifted farther and farther from the busy part of the city, it grew quiet. Until, suddenly, she realized that it was just the two of them. Feet hitting the concrete in tandem. Her gear occasionally clinking inside of her duffel bag.

“Thanks for coming all the way to Osaka,” she suddenly said.

“I almost couldn’t. The tickets were all sold out by the time you told us,” he replied. And then she saw his head tilt to one side.

“Did you do that on purpose?” he wondered. Not at all accusatory.

Sakura shook her head. They stopped at a red light, waiting for the sign to change.

“....No.... just.... I guess I’ve always been used to... doing things on my own? I mean.... even when my parents were alive, they didn’t know much about skating. So... like... I just.... made choices and they went along. And... I dunno....” Sakura trailed off. She felt Itachi nudged her arm when the light changed. They crossed the street together.

It was a long time before Itachi spoke again.

“Can I tell you something?” he asked.

“Sure.”

“That’s pretty inconsiderate to the people around you.”

She finally looked at him. At the half-smile softening his face and his words.

“I understand that you’re used to being independent. But at least let us know what you’re doing so that we can support you. I’m sure Inuzuka-san and Nara-sensei would have wanted to come too,” he pointed out. She faced forward again. But she was still listening when he added, “They’ve been cheering for you since the beginning. Even if you couldn’t see that.”

“I know. I know they were,” answered Sakura.

She would have been stupid not to know that. From all the phone calls and care packages, even a fool could have seen how much they loved her. How much they were thinking about her. Even when she had felt so far away from everyone, she had known.

They passed in front of a cafe that had closed for the night. The sign outside still glowed blue, buzzing faintly.

“I know they love me a lot. And I’m always grateful. But...” she broke off in the middle of her thought. Mouth tightening.

“But?” Itachi urged her.

She was quiet again. For another block. When they reached another red light, Sakura tucked her chin against her chest. “But the person they’re cheering for is gone now. I’m just... me,” she told him.

The light turned white. Before she could take another step, she felt Itachi’s hand close around her wrist. She tilted her head to look at him.

“You didn’t have any gold medals when they started cheering you on,” he stated.

Sakura felt her chest tighten a little at the look on his face. And then, Itachi suddenly looked away, avoiding her eyes. She would have been a little hurt if she hadn’t heard him mumble, “And you’re still amazing. So stop talking about yourself like that.”

Gnawing on her lower lip, Sakura turned her face away too. Her cheeks, her ears, even her chest felt a little hot. When Itachi finally released her wrist, her fingers grasped the edge of his sleeve instead. She could feel him staring at her, but she kept her gaze trained on the sidewalk.

She huffed out a big breath through her nostrils.

“... Can we hold hands?” she asked. She wanted to melt into the ground and die when he didn’t answer. After several seconds, she felt his hand move. She released his sleeve. Before she could stuff her hand back into her pocket, she felt his fingers weave between hers.

“It’s kind of cold. We should keep going,” Itachi mumbled, avoiding her eyes as much as she avoided his.

“Yeah.”

#butterfly #writing #itasaku #you're welcome #oh you two awkward potatoes

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kevystel · 7 years ago

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I'd like to hear about teenage vitya's attempts to outpace the Big Sad

we’ve passed the point of so much headcanon content in general that i often forget all we’ve seen of teenage viktor in the show is christophe’s ep 7 flashback where we see vitya being incredibly poised for a 17-year-old. he seems to already have his media persona down pat. gives me millie bobby brown vibes ngl. personally i imagine teen vitya being brattier than show-timeline adult viktor while still doing whatever the hell he wants with supreme grace and calm self-confidence

(send me teenage viktor prompts)

Viktor enters seniors at age fifteen. His free skate is ambitious, powerful, if a little overdone — everyone and their mother has done Swan Lake and especially if they’re Russian — and it plays to Viktor’s strengths. Lilia drills him through the choreography until he makes it work. A safe, reliable choice for this year’s newcomer to seniors, even if that person happens to be the junior world champion. A solid program. Viktor falls three times the first time he skates it in competition.

The first time, he loses his balance on a jump that’s always been his weakest. The second time he should have landed perfectly. Viktor stops keeping count after that. But he watches it played back later and sees himself, furious and close to tears, throw in a difficult jump combination Yakov wouldn’t approve of to make up for the loss in points, and then slip and fall immediately afterwards. The next minute or so is hailed as the most passionate skating judges have seen from Viktor Nikiforov so far. His Ina Bauer gets played back a million times. Viktor doesn’t remember finishing the program.

The commentators call it ‘heart-stopping’. Yakov calls it a glorified temper tantrum. Viktor doesn’t see what all the fuss is about. He didn’t injure himself on the ice, and he didn’t discover anything new, either. He’s always known he had this in him.

Figure skating at this level introduces you to a small, tightly knit, yet highly international community. You meet all sorts of people. You gain new perspectives. Viktor breaks the first of many stereotypes by being Russian and a lightweight. He discovers this at age seventeen, his first year at the Olympics, throwing up in the bathroom of somebody else’s hotel suite while they laugh and hold his hair back. Viktor decides he’s having fun, and that he should go back for more.

He does have fun, quite a lot of it. He goes out alone most of the time and tries not to get lost in foreign cities — foolhardy boy, as Yakov would call him, but that doesn’t matter since Yakov neither knows nor cares. Viktor enjoys himself; he’s easy to please, he likes trying new things, he likes dancing, he’s a good dancer and he likes attention and he gets attention and what��s not to like? He’s not not having fun. He’s not not attracted to all these people. So it’s fine. Viktor likes performing: that’s all.

Viktor’s never been a quitter. He keeps going back, even when he’s one hour deep into a club and bodies are pressed up on all sides of him and he realises he’s bored, and then he isn’t… anything, and he isn’t thinking anything, either. He supposes he isn’t drunk enough, that’s all. He supposes he hasn’t practised enough. This is supposed to feel real.

#yuri on ice #victor nikiforov #viktor nikiforov #depression tw #ask meme #youremarvelous

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yhella18 · 4 years ago

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Women's Singles Short Program of Figure Skating from the Winter Olympic Games 2018 in PyeongChang || A Sport Analysis

Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. This sport performs freestyle movements of jumps, spins, lifts, and footwork gracefully. Its name derives from the patterns (or figures) skaters make on the ice, an element that was a significant part of the sport until recently. There are various kinds of figure skating, including freestyle, pairs, ice dance, and synchronized team skating. The style of competition and the moves and techniques of the skaters vary for each category of skating. Figure skating has become one of the most popular sports of the Winter Olympics (Hamilton, 2019).

Today's blog will focus on Women's Singles Short Program of Figure Skating from the Winter Olympic Games 2018 in PyeongChang. This analysis will also consist of the court dimensions, equipment, basic skills, technical and tactical skills of each team, rules of the sport, officials of the sport, and the overall performance.

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Court Dimensions

Figurer Skating Rinks has an overall length of 196.85' (60 m) and width of 98.43' (30 m), for a total area of 18,707 ft² (1738 m²). The corners of a Figure Skating Rink have a radius of 27.89' (8.5 m). Also, a figure skating rink is a frozen rectangular surface with curved or circular ends on both sides used to host the Olympic sport of figure skating. Skating rinks vary in size depending on the athletes and performers' skill level, with the largest being an Olympic-sized rink. Skating rinks are often used for both figure skating and ice hockey games, and dimensions are typically the same for both. Unlike hockey, a figure skating rink is clear of goals and markings to allow athletes and performers the maximum amount of unimpeded space. It is meant to provide a smooth and hard surface, and the rink ice temperature ranges between -5.5C (22F) and -3.5C (26F) (Powell, 2020).

Equipment

Figure Skates

Figure skates are boots with blades attached to the bottom. They are used in ice skating to propel oneself across ice surfaces. It allows a person to move adeptly across a sheet of ice. A skater can glide quickly and stop and start soon because of the design of the blade. A person can also turn in a controlled way when on the ice. A fast skater can go much quicker than a fast runner.

Skate Guards

Figure skating guards are usually made of plastic with a simple spring or other mechanical devices to hold the guards tightly to the blades. They can be found in many colors and with internal lights that blink as the skater walks. They are also called 'blade guards'. Figure skating guards historically were made of wood, but this has been supplanted in the last thirty years by plastic.

Boot Covers

The main reason to wear boot covers is to protect the ice skate. Most figure skate boots are made of leather and under it are sharp blades. When doing moves with one foot or both feet in the air, there is a risk that one skate's blade damages the boot of the other.

Costumes

The movements involved in figure skating engage the entire body. The motion and flow across the ice require smooth actions of the arms and legs, powerful gliding strokes, quick turns and rotations, explosive jumps, and fast footwork. The clothing that the skater wears can enhance these movements while at the same time allowing the skater to maintain a comfortable temperature while moving efficiently and without distraction. This blend of aesthetic and functional possibilities of dress mix in action becomes almost one with the skater, the result being a total athletic and artistic expression.

Pair of Tights or Leggings

Tights keep the legs warm and cool when you're in a freezing ice rink, doing high-intensity exercise. Tights are the best type of "foot-underwear" to use in ice skates. Tights generally have a soft seam (if any seam) at the toes. Seams can be dangerous to a skater's foot in an ice skate. They are also less bulky, which is preferred for skates because skates don't have room for heavy fabrics in addition to your foot. Also, it protects the legs from ice burn when an athlete falls. They need to be covering their legs when they skate because falling on the ice can result in nasty abrasions.

Gloves

Gloves not only keep the hands warm, but they can also protect an athlete's hands to some degree from injury when falling. They are also helpful when performing figure skating elements that involve grabbing the skate blade and enhancing the visual appearance of an athlete.

Basic Skills

Turns

Figure skating turns are an essential part of the sport. Some turns are part of the basics, and others are advanced and difficult to perform. Figure skating turns are vital because they are part of the progressive figure skating moves. For example, the entrance to certain jumps includes a three-turn or a mohawk.

Steps

Figure skating steps skills that, when put together, form what is called a footwork sequence. Some figure skating steps are variations on or combinations of turns. Power three turns, twizzles, and running threes are examples.

Spins

Spins in figure skating are often the most fun for the skater and most appealing to the figure skating audience. Crowds love to watch an elegant or super-fast spin. There is so much important information about figure skating spins that we have an entire section devoted to these figure skating skills.

Jumps

Jumps are spins in the air. A jump is a backspin in the air. These figure skating skills have become one of the most critical aspects of the sport since the creation of the international judging system. Triple and quad jumps receive so many points that they overshadow most of the other skills when competing. Some of the most elegant skaters have lost in competitions because another skater executes a series of moment-grabbing jumps.

Spirals

Spirals are glides with one leg way up in the air. There are many variations of these figure skating skills. The first figure skating spiral learned is usually the arabesque. Skaters will then learn a catch foot variation. Essential aspects for figure skating spirals are good extension, get the free leg extended high in the air, and moving steadily across the ice. A change of edge during a spiral will receive extra points.

Moves in the Field

It is a name given to elements of figure skating that emphasize essential skating skills and edge control. In the context of a competitive program, 'moves in the field' include spirals, spread eagles, Ina Bauers, hydroblading, and similar extended edge moves.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Each Team

GROUP 1:

Bradie Tennel from the United States of America

Tennel is a 20-year-old woman who was considered to be the most powerful in group 1. Her consistency was her asset, but she fell due to her triple combination jump like a human being. Despite that, she had many combinations of spin, and she got her powerful footwork back. She was also able to do the triple combination that she failed from the beginning. Her music was Taeguki by Dong-Jun Lee. It was soft from the start and turned into intense when it's in the middle part of her performance, making her do series of turns. Then she ends her performance with a beautiful spin using the edges.

Isadora Williams from Brazil

Williams is a 22-year-old athlete who had an excellent interpretation of the song Hallelujah performed by K.D Lang. She dances like she moves with the song and puts the expressions needed to convey it. Her technique was to play safe, which made her to the jumps safe and well-executed. Also, she has a good pace of music which was suitable for her performance.

Anna Khnychenkova from Ukraine

Khnychenkova did great at first; however, due to the pressure of having an international event, she keeps on making mistakes which made her disappointed. She has four red out of seven on the Technical Score. However, it was an excellent performance wherein she likely stomp on her feet which rhymes with the song's beat.

Diana Nikitina from Latvia

Nikita's performance was very casual and had a good development pace. The way she moves her arms, it's like she is portraying something. She's more on the choreography and had interpreted the song entitled Soldier of Love by Sade. To think that she was still 17 years old. It was so good to watch.

Kim Hanul from South Korea

A height of 4'11, this 17-year-old girl proved that despite not having blessed with the height, her attitude and the skills in figure skating overpower who truly she is. She started with a good speed, and she tends to change her positions in each spin. She had a good entry with her layback, and it was fast gaining her a lot of points. Hanul tried her best to have her desired performance.

Anita Oestlund from Sweden

Oestlund is a 17-year-old girl who started with continuous footwork and good flow on her performance, but her first element was invalid since she made a mistake on her rotation. Regardless of the mistake she made, her show was most of changing direction on her feet or, to be exact, the series of the bracket. Then, she ends her performance with a spin; however, it was a big mistake since it did not sync with the music's end. She still needs to improve physically and emotionally.

GROUP 2:

Li Xiangning from China

Xiangning is the fourth 17-year-old athlete who performed in the short programs. Her music Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (Soundtrack) was like a lullaby and soft to hear, making her movements smooth. She used good speed throughout her spins and completing all of her positions and movements. She also made a mistake since it was not fully rotated but still work it in the end. She showed a classical performance and used her spin and speed to create a picture for the audience.

Alexia Paganini from Switzerland

Paganini showed an elegant performance with the song Forbidden Love (From Romeo and Juliet). The music and her costume truly sync with one another, creating an illustration. Besides, she had good speed and footwork, which made her have an excellent start with a triple toe. She made sure to make her jump to have some good height. She also had good decisions on the last part since she wanted to do triple lutz and triple toes but decided to a safer and lower scoring.

Aiza Mambekova from Kazakhstan

Mambekova's start of music (Amanama, Hourshaker Radio Edit) gained the audience's attention and followed it with her hand movements. She's using the music with her steps sequence. She may have good height, but the rotation of hers is not quick enough. Unlike other performers who didn't sync with their finishing part of the music, she had an excellent finish. It was openly a piece of exotic music for an exotic performance. All in all, she showed an enjoyable performance.

Emmi Peltonen from Finland

Peltonen is a 19-year-old woman who is a 9th generation Olympic athlete. Her asset was her speed. She showed a mighty pace, thus, causing her to have a messy and big jump from the start, which was considered high-quality jumps. She also performed a fantastic lift with her body movements and sequence. The commitment that she showed was a good design, and she is good with her transitions. She indeed had a satisfactory performance.

Larkyn Austman from Canada

The song Mein Herr (From Cabaret), Austman had chosen, was happy and lively. She was like dancing instead of skating, in interpreting her music. However, she had a hard time with her jump, possibly due to her movements. She hadn't a lot of international experience, but she did her best on her performance and still considered it a good performance.

Mae Berenice Meite from France

Meite is somewhat like Austman, who showed more on dancing than skating. She started it with exaggerated hand movements. It was indeed a lively performance, and she has established good choices and wise decisions with her high jumps. Her step sequence may be slow, but the crowd is enjoying her performance.

GROUP 3:

Kailani Craine from Australia

Craine is a careful 19-year-old athlete. She's playing safe with her spins and jumps but still considered to be an excellent show. The step sequence she did was using the edges, and she was terrific at her speed at changing transitions. Her expression, which was a big smile to the audience, was a significant part of her performance. She has the sense of music, leading her to have fantastic performance, gaining perfect green points in the technical score.

Ivett Toth from Hungary

Toth had a different and astounding concept. Back in Black, Thunderstruck by AC/DC, the music relates to the biker look that she had since it was a piece of rock music. She also good with the opening jump combination and had a good flow throughout the show. She used her skating skills, balance, connection, and music delivery to make her performance much more extraordinary.

Giada Russo from Italy

Russo's start was suspense, in which the audience was made to wait for her opening jump. She used an exciting transition of her music, the Eyes Wide Shut (Soundtrack), and the way she ended her performance was different, unlike the other athletes. She showed her expression and the composition that she wanted to convey.

Leona Hendrickx from Belgium

Hendrick's performance is more on exaggeration. She had a wild show since she was like swaying her arms and body with emphasis. She used firm edges on her skate and had good speed, movement, and strength. She also had a good flow across the eyes, and the blade moved well, so she hasn't struggled to get speed. Then she finished her performance constantly with the rate she had.

Nicole Schott from Germany

Fantasia is a 21-year-old woman who made her performance smooth and soft, syncing it with her music, Nella Fantasia. She used series of turn and step sequences that can make the viewers see the curves on her. She made her jumps not high but still well executed. It was honestly a clean shot and a calming performance.

Nicole Rajicova from Slovakia

Rajicova showed suspense but with a soft touch kind of performance. She used her transition well enough and made her change of speed to be noticeable. She also made a lot of steps and big jumps. It was pretty clear on how she has executed, and every element was received a positive grade of execution.

GROUP 4:

Kaori Sakamoto from Japan

Sakamoto is a 17-year-old girl who made the music Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Van Beethoven shine on the audience and made a decadent version of the song. She used fantastic lift and made her jump when the music turned fast. The leaps and spins that she has executed were of equal quality, and every spin was good as her jump. She made it look like it was effortless and easy to skate around. It was frankly a brilliant performance which made her have all the green lights for the technical score.

Mirai Nagasu from the United States of America

Nagasu is like Peltonen, who was into speed which forms into messy, and the pace was so immense to which she failed at the opening jump. It was almost over-rotated and over-blind. However, she was powerful enough and executed many higher jumps and sometimes show have shown good balance in her performance.

Gabrielle Daleman from Canada

Daleman is a 20-year-old woman who chose her music to be Habanera (From Carmen) by George Bizet. She had a great flow and speed, yet a shame that she fell in the opening jump since it doesn’t have a good rotation. Despite the imperfections, she used the interpretation of the music and showed excellent swaying of her feet. The way she skips, skates, and dance were outstanding. Also, all the moves were finished, and the jumps were always big and majestic. Overall, she had a good performance on her performance.

Karen Chen from the United States of America

Chen’s portrayal as a swan relates with her music, On Golden Pond by David Grusin. It was a smooth kind of music. She left the other jumps to the second half of her performance to get the bonus for her score. She also used a quick change of direction and made a lovely sparrow portray the wings. She ends her performance with a beautiful spin and her hand symbolizing the loon calling throughout the music.

Elizabet Tursynbaeva from Kazakhstan

Tursynbaeva’s started with an exaggerated hand movement. She chose the song Carmen Performed by David Garrett and executed a lot of fast magnificent combination spin. But sometimes, this causes her to struggle with the speed in one time spin on her performance. Moreover, she tends to put some walk or stomp on her feet. It was a well-executed show.

Choi Dabin from South Korea

Dabin’s choice of music was soft at the beginning with dramatic effects. She moves her body and hands to show some drama and brought emotions to it. Since she had a strong core, she executed a lot of tricky jumps. She made her footwork look simple and not changing of direction. This causes her to have all green lights in the technical score. She moves and executes contrasts with her gentle exterior or appearance, which was an advantage to her.

GROUP 5:

Evgenia Medvedeva from Russia

Medvedeva's used a ballerina style that rhyme with the music, Nocturne by Frederic Chopin. She made her expression to be sad and longing. Her performance was calm, showing the elements perfectly and elegantly. She also had an excellent presentation of the eyes, especially from the beginning, wherein she closed her eyes and opened them to impact when she moves. She created beautiful shapes with her spin and end with an exhale that she was finished. It has an impact on the audience.

Satoko Miyahara from Japan

Miyahara is a 19-year-old woman who showed a smooth and precise performance. She made sure that there was no blade movement when she's changing position and had a secured jump. Her performance was with transitions and excellent compositions. Her movements have meanings, and they were sharp and precise. This causes the audience to see a cultural dance.

Kaetlyn Osmond from Canada

Osmond showed quite an intriguing performance. She made her look to be sophisticated, and madam look. She made risk since she made her first jump high, and she did well. The hops were fast and big. In simple terms, all of the jumps she made were superior. Overall, it was delightful to look at, and the audience was fascinated by how sassy she had performed on the rink. She also made the viewers picture that they are in a café in Paris drink coffee in the 1950s.

Alina Zagitova from Russia

Zagitova is the youngest contestant on this program. She is a 15-year-old girl but has shown a fantastic performance. Her standing point is so attractive and original that it made the audience anticipate her performance. The changing of the expression from fierce to soft is the same with her movements. She danced like a swan will move and had an exciting entry before the significant jump. She also made beautiful and brilliant spins. She did her jumps in the second half to get more scores since it was said that there was an additional 10%. Then she ends it with a genuinely long combination spin and then an arch of the back with her hands wide apart.

Carolina Kostner from Italy

Kostner is the oldest athlete performing at this event. She has shown elegancy and portrayed a hurt and scared woman. Her expression is a must. Also, even though the music is quite soft, her movements were rough and strong. She got a sophisticated look on her face when she was performing. Moreover, the performance and composition reflect all of the wanted interpretations.

Maria Sotskova from Russia

Sotskova is a 17-year-old contestant and the last one who performed. She looked like the Swan Princess with the costume and how she achieved her dance. She reminds me of that movie from Barbie of Swan Lake. However, due to being pressured since her two other teammates were in Top 1 and 2, she made a lot of mistakes. Regardless of that, she made an unbelievable performance.

Rules of the Sport

The rules depend on the type of figure skating: women’s singles, men’s singles, pair skating, as well as pair ice dance. Since this blog only focuses on women single, then it will only tackle that.

During single skating, women are obliged to skate two programs – short program and free skate. For a short program, which can last up to 2 minutes 40-50 seconds, figure skaters are required to perform eight compulsory elements (double or triple axel, triple or quadruple jump, one combination of jumps, several different types of spins, and two-step sequences) in any order. The omission of one of the elements should be fined.

Scoring

In Figure Skating, athletes are scored according to the ISU Judging System by a panel of judges (usually nine judges, including a technical inspector and a referee). This system functions by awarding athletes different amounts of points for different types of moves and how efficiently and effectively these moves are executed. A Grade of Execution (GoE) is calculated, and then a Scale of Value Table is used to turn this grade into an overall mark.

The main aspects scored during a typical Figure Skating performance include skill, footwork, performance, interpretation, overall execution, choreography, and timing. Often, the more complex maneuvers will be scored highest provided they are executed correctly. For example, more rotations in a jump will lead to a higher mark.

Officials of the Sport

Accountants

The accountant's role begins weeks, sometimes months, before a competition. Working with the Local Organizing Committee and chief referee, accountants are responsible for preparing the paperwork that communicates the following information:

When each event of competition will begin

Where it will be held

Which skaters will be in each event

In what order they will skate

Accountants are also responsible for providing the judges, referees, and technical panel officials with documents for recording their decisions. Finally, the accountants are responsible for ensuring that the scoring software is set up correctly, the scores are entered accurately, and the results are calculated correctly.

Technical accountants are a subset of accountants who specialize in the rinkside computer equipment setup and operation utilized for automated scoring under the International Judging System (IJS).

Announcers

Announcers are responsible for announcing competitors before they perform at a competition. Announcers might also be asked to tell scores, names of officials, and other general competition information as necessary. Like the voice of an event, announcers need to be able to work as part of a team and have the ability to communicate effectively with competition hosts, referees, and other officials.

Ice Technicians

Ice technicians are utilized at certain qualifying and international competitions to ensure the ice surface's safety and quality. Primarily used at large competitions, the ice technician is the go-between for the event referee and arena personnel and ensures each event runs safely and smoothly.

Judges

Judges are likely the most well-known type of figure skating official. Though the days of scorecards are long behind us, U.S. Figure Skating still relies on judges to adjudicate competitions and interpret rules and regulations. Currently, judges work in all four skating disciplines and every competitive opportunity U.S. Figure Skating offers.

There are also two different classifications of judges:

Test Judges: who can judge test sessions and nonqualifying competitions

Competition Judges: who can judge nonqualifying and qualifying competitions

Music Technicians

Music officials are responsible for the setup, tear down, and operation of the equipment used to play music competitions. Requirements for the role include basic knowledge of audio equipment, basic knowledge of figure skating competitions and their protocols, basic operational knowledge of computers, and the ability to work as part of a team.

Referees

Referees are the designated leaders and spokespeople for an event. They also manage the panel of judges and, depending on the size of the competition, may serve as one of the event's judges. Before becoming a referee, one must be certified as a judge. The event referee's responsibilities include:

Timing the programs.

Taking certain deductions (in IJS).

Deciding on all protests with respect to their event.

Conducting pre-event meetings (usually held at qualifying competitions) and allowing a skater/team to restart a program that has been stopped by U.S. Figure Skating rules.

Chief referees are responsible for setting up the competition schedule, assigning officials, overseeing seeding and draws for events, interpreting rules, deciding on protests and any breaches that occur without objections, and determining if the ice's condition will permit conducting the competition.

Technical panel officials are required for any events using the International Judging System (IJS).

The Technical Panel is composed of the following five people:

The Technical Specialist (TS) verbally calls the elements as they happen.

The Assistant Technical Specialist (ATS) whose primary purpose is to take written notes on all of the elements performed and to contribute to any decisions on technical calls during the "review of elements".

The Technical Controller (TC) supervises the panel and breaks ties on technical decisions during the "review of elements" when the T.S. and ATS disagree. The T.C. is also responsible for "rule vetting" the program and can throw out any elements that break the rules for that level and specific program.

The Data Operator (DO) inputs the codes of the elements and levels of difficulty into the computer system. The D.O. also flags elements called "for review". In the U.S., the D.O. also replays the video clips of the details during the review process. The D.O. is available to assist the T.C. in the process of "rule vetting" if the T.C. is unsure or makes a mistake.

The Video Replay Operator (VRO) marks clips of elements for review. This person replays the pins in place of the D.O. in international competitions. However, in the U.S., this person is not involved in the review process.

Bibliography

Figure Skating. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2021, from Sportwiki: https://sport-wiki.org/sports/figure-skating/#Equipment_for_figure_skating

Figure Skating Rules. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2021, from Rules of Sport: https://www.rulesofsport.com/sports/figure-skating.html

Hamilton, S. (2019, May 13). Figure Skating. Retrieved April 4, 2021, from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/sports/figure-skating

Officiate. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2021, from US Figure Skating: https://www.usfigureskating.org/support/officiate

Powell, B. (2020, April 1). Figure Skating. Retrieved April 5, 2021, from Dimensions: https://www.dimensions.com/collection/figure-skating?1bf07b95_page=2

The Basics. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2021, from Go Figure Skating: http://gofigureskating.com/skills/index.html

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