If the Japanese Federation is willing to send her to the GP, then why shouldn't Fumie Suguri continue her competitive career?
If the Japanese Federation is willing to send her to the GP, then why shouldn't Fumie Suguri continue her competitive career?
It would be cool if Fumie skated competitively into her 40s. I don't think that's ever happened before. Maybe Gizmo will join her.
I'm surprised she's continuing but I always say let them retire when they are ready. It doesn't matter how I feel about them. I rather them retire when they are ready rather than a injury force them to do so.
I had to look for the answers in Japanese Wikipedia, and yes some surprises! Thanks for the questions, especially #1!Originally Posted by Mathman
Trivia questions:
1. Rank these all-time great Japanese skaters in order of how many Japanese national Championships they won:
Miki Ando, Shizuka Arakawa, Mao Asada, Miwa Fukahara, Etsaka Inada, Midori Ito, Yukari Nakano, Akiko Suzuki, Yuka Sato, Emi Watanabe(Hint: Fumie has five.
)
2. What Japanese male skater has more National Championships than any female? (Hint: his daughter has two as well -- I am not sure if his father also has one, in 1931-32?).
Fumie started twittering some 33 hours ago.
http://twitter.com/fumiesuguri
Still in Japanese only but if you @ her in English she might return in the same language...
Anyone have any predictions look at her grand prix events how she will fare? I see around a 6th place finish in both.
She'll start off this year with Tokyo regionals so we'll know how she does there and predict afterwards.
You can fault her genetics for her lack of flexibility, but it's ridiculous to say she didn't push herself. She learned all those damn catchfoot spirals, I-spin, and donut spin to adapt to the CoP. She's gone for 2 flips and 2 lutzes since 2004. She's overcome multiple injuries since 2002. That doesn't sound like someone who "didn't push herself hard enough."
BTW, here's a recent interview of hers. Sheds some light on her desire to continue instead of retiring like others want her to: http://www.japanskates.com/blog/
JS: Is the Japan Skating Federation supportive of your decision to keep skating?
FS: Yes, they are. I think I have to offer them a lot, you know… When I was young, they helped me so much, so now it’s my turn to give back to them. So that’s what I’m thinking for the next few years.
Fumie is great. She's medaled 3 times at worlds. She's a GPF champion. She's a 4CC champion. I'd say she's one of the most successful skaters right now.
Catchfoot spirals aren't hard to learn. EVERY competitor had to do that. She didn't specifically focus on trying to improve her positions, though. Her genetics doesn't have much to do with it. Sure, she might never have an amazing Spiral Sequence, but it could have been better. Yu-Na Kim didn't have much flexibility 4 years ago, but look how much her stretch has improved since then. Yu-Na's genetics didn't suddenly change.
2Flips and 2Lutzes is whatever. Fumie does that because she doesn't have a 3Loop and it's really the minimum for a top-level skater to be attempting, considering the lack of a 3-3 combination. In some competitions during recent years she hasn't even attempted a 3Sal...she only does toe-pick jumps and double axels. I've also only seen her attempt a 3-jump combination ONCE in her entire career and doing the 3-jump combination is very important with CoP.
So, again, she hasn't attempted to really improve her skating. She keeps dropping her level of skating, in fact.
This is going to be very rude to ask, but does anyone here actually want to see Fumie's skating anymore? I haven't been paying attention to her, possibly because she is, as some of the criticisms here state, deteriorating technically and uninspiring artistically. Her show skate "Padam Padam" is just awkward. I'm not saying these things to be disparaging, but there is something to be said for retiring gracefully and knowing when it's time. Fumie was underscored at the 2006 Oly's and I feel for her; she skated well at the time and was not credited properly. That was the first time I ever saw her, and I took notice of her. However, since then, she hasn't even been a blip on my radar.
I do , and I hope I'm not alone in that regard! I've always enjoyed her.
Well, that's good, then.
Same here!
Yes, she did. Look at her sit spins. She really had to work on those positions to up the levels. In recent years, most of her spins have gotten level fours. But it's obvious she doesn't have the back flexibility that some others have. Yu-Na's a different case-- her stretch has improved somewhat, but she's always had pretty good flexibility in her back. Both of them would do well to point their toes more, though.
And again, I think it's obvious that she has attempted to improve her skating, but there are limitations. Thus the injuries. I get really weary of skating fans thinking that "skater X could achieve so much more if only she weren't so lazy/unmotivated/whatever." We really have no idea what physical and mental demands skater X goes through to attempt these moves that are supposedly so easy.So, again, she hasn't attempted to really improve her skating.
Anyway:
Yes. Especially now that's she's back with Lori Nichol.
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