Daisuke Takahashi’s Article “STEP STEP STEP” English translation
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO11075430W6A221C1000000/
Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei Newspaper)
STEP STEP STEP(Daisuke Takahashi)
The representatives for the Worlds, these three can do it
To the Japanese figure skaters Christmas simply means National Championships. This event has decided the representatives of Japan for the World Championships (Mar 29 – Apr 2 2017) that will determine the number of the spots for the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang in 2018. I saw the games from outside the rink for the first time and found “aww, this nice and tense feelings” with a sense of nostalgia. The moment right before the performance skaters would get nervous and scared. They must be sandwiched between hope and dread, and I imagine I was like them, fully lively in those days and I envied them, although I have no intention to go back there...
The third consecutive victory for Miyahara (center), Higuchi, finished in second place (left) and Mihara, third place (right) -- photo provided by Kyodo
■The tradition continues and Ladies show their toughness in the Nationals
Ladies were smashing. For some reason ladies skate better than men in the Nationals since way back. This season, except Mai Mihara (Kobe Port Island Club) who finished in third place the rest of them in the final group each had only one mistake or so but really skated well without many flaws. The ladies stay strong beyond generations.
Nowadays we have more ladies having skating with speed. All in all, one looks more distinguished skating fast. Among those, Mihara, Marin Honda (Kansai University Middle/High School Skating Club) who finished in fourth place and Kaori Sakamoto (Kobe Port Island Club), 7th place, had great speed that alone can attract attention. Especially Mihara had it perfect paired with stability of her jumps. Her expressions give away that she has just moved up to the senior level, but she has room and potential to improve that aspect.
“I believe this time again more people wanted to see Mao than any other skater” -- Photo provided by Kyodo
It was hard to predict for the ladies. Satoko Miyahara (Kansai University) the Champion and Wakaba Higuchi (Tokyo Nihonbashi Jogakukan High School) stood out above others. They put bits and pieces of difficult elements for the transitions, that fill between the major elements, instead of simple gliding. Satoko, who did the toughest of those, has improved this season not to lose speed while doing difficult things. She has strong advantage to gain points here and there for those. Higuchi had good quality jumps while having hard transitions as well. However, I had an impression that she lost speed in her Free Skating.
I am not so much concerned about securing the Japan’s spots for the Pyeongchang Olympics in the coming Worlds to which these three teenagers, Miyahara, Higuchi and Mihara will go. Neither of the three gives me the fear of breaking down largely. I imagine if they make it to be in the final group of six in the Free Skating, even the first timer Higuchi and Mihara should be able to pull it together reasonably well. To get the largest possible number of spots to send three skaters to Pyeongchang, the sum of the placement of the top two skaters of Japan’s must be 13 or under. Their rivals are predicted to be primarily Russians, followed by Americans and Canadians. I am willing to believe that these three can do it.
Daisuke Takahashi, -- Photo by Seitaro Tanaka
I cannot see what Mao Asada (Chukyo University) felt after finishing in 12th place. After having been in the top for years she had the first experience not to be able to go to the Worlds and that must be a damaging blow to her. But I would look what stance she takes in competing. In my case I decided to retire when I could no longer win, but if Mao feels “I like challenges of competing” “I want to do until I get fully satisfied” then she might as well continue so that she would not have any regret in her competing life. She herself must know that it is hard to compete while having troubles with jumps. And yet I want to see her fighting the battle.
I believe this time again more people wanted to see Mao than any other skater. It proves that she has “an aura” to draw you that many instructors keep saying that it is the most difficult to teach. I think Honda has one too. Mao is a skater from another dimension in this regard as well, giving off the fairylike charms in the past and present days. No one can copy that.
The skaters of men’s single, that include some intriguing middle school youths, had a big gap between the top and the middle layer or under in this event. Now it is an era that one is required to have something else on top of having quad jumps under his belt to compete at a world level. Especially in the men’s senior level one needs compelling skating skills to compete. It is a must-have component for which Patrick Chan (Canada) is the top in the world. The skaters who showed such skating are the top three, Shoma Uno (Chukyo University), Keiji Tanaka (Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts) and Takahito Mura (Hirota co, Ltd.).
■Uno might have had his peak a little too early
“The strength of Uno is continuity of the flow of the program” -- Photo Provided by Kyodo
I would say Shoma had his peak a little too early. He said, “I was in a good condition during the practice before I came (to Osaka).” He might have lost his momentum a little when he came to the venue. It may have an influence on his frame of mind that Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA) had withdrawn from the competition and he had got all the attentions to him. He might have said it had given him “no difference at all” but the people around must have treated him differently so there is a great chance that he had felt the change at the unconscious level. He looked out of gear during the official practice. He was out of rhythm with other skaters, such as, in choosing his paths to enter jumps and he did not seem to be in a good flow probably because of the strain. In a case like that you might not be able to fully focus.
Shoma’s strength is continuity of the flow of the program. He couldn’t land clean quads in this event but he didn’t allow that to interrupt the flow of the performance. It sounds easy but it is very difficult. He can do it because he devotes his attention to every detail of the program. That’s how he gets high score even with mistakes in jumps.
Those who just come up from the junior level to the senior often have great results first off with their momentum and then have a time to falter at around third year. I have a feeling that Shoma is going to be spared from that. Because he got Yuzuru. It is huge to have someone to chase after. He doesn’t have to worry over unnecessary matters. To face a competition one’s mental burden is very different between “I want to beat XXX” and “I should not lose to XXX”. Viewed in this light, you can see how hard Yuzuru’s work, can’t you?
In the Four Continents Championships and the World Championships next year I want you to give your close attention to Kana Muramoto and Chris Reed of Ice Dancing (Kinoshita Club) as well. Chris is a two-time Olympian and Kana was originally a single skater. She only had troubles with jumps but she has been a wonderful dancer, and she has a decent touch of mature charm. I wish them to have a great pursuit to the upper placement.
This competition brought me home to a quiet but deep rediscovery that having good skills and expressions that can earn the points and the performance that would grab a heart are two different things. There are many great performances with their jumps not their forte. Mao and Kanako Murakami (Chukyo University) had them and I also liked performances of Higuchi, Miyahara, Rika Hongo (Chukyo University), and Shoma’s Short program as well. It is a way of watching figure skating to enjoy the parts that scores do not reflect.
(the Bronze medalist of Winter Olympics in Vancouver)
