Yuzuru Hanyu

[sweet_Michelle]

It's hard to tell what was Orser's team planning for him during this period. Do you have reports on it

Well, apparently doing 4 shows in 5 days is too much for him, but as Yuzu said himself, he had so much fun during those shows in early Jan, and it is really something that relaxed him mentally from those intense competitions he just came off, so I wouldn't mind his falls in shows, at least he did perfectly fine for the first 3 shows and tried the hardest elements of the night by doing short program for the last one (JSC).

As for Orser's plan, well, Orser mentioned in an early interview last summer about wanting Yuzu to do fewer shows in the future which I totally agree, so maybe we won't see as much Yuzu in the coming summer shows.

For his program, I love his SP this season and the " hello I love you" Ex number. It'd be good if they are polishing the FS, but the technical elements he is doing for the FS is totally level-up, so I wouldn't mind too much if the FS is not as appealing as last season, remember the last time he did a level-up of his FS? That's the LP for season 2010-2011, which is no near as good as the Romeo LP as well.

[let`s talk]

Hearing about the show schedule in the first half of January I thought it must be brutal.

No, it's quite normal for skaters in Japan to have this show schedule. All top skaters, including Kanako who is the same age as Yuzu, skated the same shows plus they went to Tokyo to have SOI shows there as well. In PIW lead skaters skate 8-10 shows for 4-5 days, i.e. 2 shows a day. It's normal here. Just their coaches know how to adjust their bodies to this routine and that is all.

Do you have reports on it?

It was never annouced to my knowledge. Yuzu originally wasn't scheduled in any Jan shows. Later, when he didn't come back to Canada after NHK, he was added to the cast.

However, since the 4CC will be held in Osaka, I can understand why he wants to stay in Japan for the meantime.

Are you sure? I think he went to Canada after SOI shows in early Jan and now is training there. Elene twittered pics of gifts that he brought for her. If your information is correct and he didn't go to Canada, it means he is coachless from NHK for like 9-10 weeks? It's beyond any reasonable ground (and Orser's paycheck).

[sweet_Michelle]

Hmmm. Hearing about the show schedule in the first half of January I thought it must be brutal. It's not "just" skating the shows, I bet there were lots of other obligations and activities including travel that stressed him out. Plus he was coming off a series of elite competitions week after week and badly needed a break. It's hard to tell what was Orser's team planning for him during this period. Do you have reports on it?

Yes, it is busy schedule indeed and not normal for all skaters especially in high season. Yuzu is the only top Japanese male skater who attended all the 4 shows from 4th-8th in early Jan, I wouldn't compare him with the ladies, cuz we all know those men are doing so much hard elements including quads during shows nowadays, and Yuzu is one of those that did the most. Yuzu landed 4T and 4S during the first 3 shows and I guess he could've played it safe by doing the ex number at JSC if he felt a little bit tired, but still he committed to the performance and gave the most difficult program of the night by skating the short.

Skater is not programed to land those jumps, sometime it's just one of those days when they mess up once in a while during shows especially for those who tried the most difficult jumps at every show during very busy schedule. But I give credit to skater for challenging without over interpreting the circumstances and start finger pointing.

[let`s talk]

I wouldn't compare him with the ladies, cuz we all know those men are doing so much hard elements including quads during shows nowadays, and Yuzu is one of those that did the most. Yuzu landed 4T and 4S

This is exactly the approch that Orser's team is applying for Yuzu: push him at max, then he can barely breath on the 3rd show and fell on all jump elements on the 4th. It's really something unhealthy that some people find this brutal policy enjoyable. Lol at the sexist comment of no comparison with ladies. None of the girls went lazy butt, they all tried hard elements for ladies like lutz/flip/combos, including 3-jump combo for Kanako. They and their teams just know where the reasonable line goes, that's why they could perform not in Osaka and Nagoya only but also in Tokyo shows.

[Elsa G]

Orser actually commented in a interview that he would like hanyu to cut off some shows.How come the shows hanyu chose to skate is orser's fault now?

Many skaters put hard jump lay out in their program and some of them never skate the original plan in a whole season and few skaters can't have the jump done in most competitions of their skating life！
Let's compare hanyu's jump lay out at latest competition this season:
GPF: 4T 2S 3F 3A+3T 3A+2T 3Lo 3Lz+2T+2T 3Lz
Japan Nationals:4T 4S 3F 3A+3T 3A+2T 3Lo 3Lz+2T+2T 3Lz
His plan was :4T 4S 3F 3A+3T 3A+2T 3Lo 3Lz+2T+2T 3Lz
Hey,not much difference and he can actually have the roatations done.He didn't out of breath and fell on ice in this two competition,did he?
I would like say his coach team is quite smart to put his flip(it was his final jump and he fell on it at SA) and biellmann(he always lost his speed in the final biellmann spin) in the first half to and his two axel(his best jump) in the second half to maximize the base value.
Yuzuru said in many interview that he likes to push his limit in his training and I think that inevitably contributes to his overtrained body.He didn't gain this habit under Orser.On the contrary,Orser know this and try to convince him to polish his skating skill rather than concentrating the quads.

[Hanaka]

This is exactly the approch that Orser's team is applying for Yuzu: push him at max, then he can barely breath on the 3rd show and fell on all jump elements on the 4th. It's really something unhealthy that some people find this brutal policy enjoyable.

Why do you jump to the conclusion that it is Orser team's approach? I heard that Orser will limit the number of shows Yuzuru performs in in the next season even if he is disliked. ( I think he means "disliked by show organizers") because it seems hard for Yuzuru to decline them. So it's not that no one from the Canadian team cares. Apparently you are a Dai fan? and you sound like you don't want to say anything positive about Orser, Javi and Yuzuru.

Most of Yuzuru's Japanese fans I heard are really thankful to what Orser's team have done for him. They say it's an ideal environment for him, it has good facilities, good training system and he can train with such an elite skater like Javi. Also by training in Canada, he can stay away from all the media hype which is growing kind of crazy these days. About the language barrier, he will overcome it someday. About the programs for this season, I heard that Orser's plan for Yuzu is not to let out all his passions and emotions but to learn to control them in programs. Orser said in advance Yuzu's fans might find them a little boring. If it's true, he knows what he is doing.

[Elsa G]

Apparently you are a Dai fan? and you sound like you don't want to say anything positive about Orser, Javi and Yuzuru.

I don't think she dislike yuzu,But ever since he moved to Canada,she began to bash on hanyu,his performance,his team,his two program choregraphy by two canadians.And his winning at Japan Nationals made the situation worse.
In his interview by Aoshima(I quote from Nonchan's translation):

"Also, there were great difficulties by moving to Toronto, changing coaches. He does not know much English, and he began living in a foreign country. There were big changes in the environment, and that itself gave stress. Again, there were many who did not agree in the coach change, and he felt as if he needed to skate very well to prove that the coach change was a good decision."
The boy knew many fans dislike his coaching change decision and he determined to skate well to prove himself.
I bet many of them wrote him letter to complained about that.Obviously he felt the pressure.
If they couldn't trust Orser team let's try to trust himself.

[let`s talk]

GPF ... Japan Nationals

Precisely the two events for which he trained at home in Sendai, not in Canada. Orser's coaching was like sending him e-mails on iphone or somesuch.

I heard that Orser will limit the number of shows Yuzuru performs in in the next season even if he is disliked. ( I think he means "disliked by show organizers") because it seems hard for Yuzuru to decline them.

And how much he is going to limit them I wonder. Yuzu didn't skate that much in shows last off season. He was in DOI where he presented that stripper EX and fell three times, including on steps. He wasn't in PIW over the Golden week while all Team Japan was there. He was in PIW in July but took part only in half of shows (2 days of 4). He was in FaOI in Fukui where he presented his new Miyamoto's EX. But two weeks later he canceled the shows in Nagaoka, officially due to minor injury. The only show where he was in full was Mao's THE ICE. And the reason why he couldn't decline it is what? IMG? To be fair, it sounds like if Orser indeed said what you claim he said, then the reason why he wants to limit the number of shows for Yuzu is because he doesn't know how to manage his stamina for a long show run (and/or probably doesn't know how to make the right EX ). There is nothing good for a skater's PR image to cancel shows. There is also nothing good not to skate in them in the first place. It's not just cash but also the popularity and contact with the audience that is a mandatory thing if the skater wants to be a true star, not a "made" one. And yes, you are right, I have nothing positive to say about Orser's work with Yuzu. But I have a news for you- it's not Orser uber thread. You can open the one if you wish. Critisizing coach is a fine thing to do in all sports, especially if he claims the things like that:

Orser's plan for Yuzu is not to let out all his passions and emotions but to learn to control them in programs. Orser said in advance Yuzu's fans might find them a little boring.

[giulia95]

Precisely the two events for which he trained at home in Sendai, not in Canada. Orser's coaching was like sending him e-mails on iphone or somesuch.
And how much he is going to limit them I wonder. Yuzu didn't skate that much in shows last off season. He was in DOI where he presented that stripper EX and fell three times, including on steps. He wasn't in PIW over the Golden week while all Team Japan was there. He was in PIW in July but took part only in half of shows (2 days of 4). He was in FaOI in Fukui where he presented his new Miyamoto's EX. But two weeks later he canceled the shows in Nagaoka, officially due to minor injury. The only show where he was in full was Mao's THE ICE. And the reason why he couldn't decline it is what? IMG? To be fair, it sounds like if Orser indeed said what you claim he said, then the reason why he wants to limit the number of shows for Yuzu is because he doesn't know how to manage his stamina for a long show run (and/or probably doesn't know how to make the right EX ). There is nothing good for a skater's PR image to cancel shows. There is also nothing good not to skate in them in the first place. It's not just cash but also the popularity and contact with the audience that is a mandatory thing if the skater wants to be a true star, not a "made" one. And yes, you are right, I have nothing positive to say about Orser's work with Yuzu. But I have a news for you- it's not Orser uber thread. You can open the one if you wish. Critisizing coach is a fine thing to do in all sports, especially if he claims the things like that:

this doesn't seem the road to Sochi, but the ...Everest climbing to Sochi!!

[jjane45]

4CC is sooooo close now. When is Yuzuru flying to Japan? Really looking forward to a great competition!

Is there anyway to send a fan message to Yuzuru over the internet? I assume @HanyusPooh is operated by a North-American fan. (BTW this twitter account is gaining momentum, haha)

[FTnoona]

I really dislike Notre Dame de Paris for music choice. IMO it didn't work for Weir, and it doesn't work for Hanyu. I hope that Hanyu is going to get a good FS for next year. Maybe Wilson is not the choreographer for him. I might be the minority here, but I think Buttle did a good job with Hanyu's SP. It still allows for his youth to shine while at the same time introducing him to a different genre of music to interpret and IMO Hanyu genuinely looks like he enjoys performing it.

[Li'Kitsu]

I really dislike Notre Dame de Paris for music choice. IMO it didn't work for Weir, and it doesn't work for Hanyu. I hope that Hanyu is going to get a good FS for next year. Maybe Wilson is not the choreographer for him. I might be the minority here, but I think Buttle did a good job with Hanyu's SP. It still allows for his youth to shine while at the same time introducing him to a different genre of music to interpret and IMO Hanyu genuinely looks like he enjoys performing it.

I don't think you are. It's just that those who are complaining usually do that loud and often, and you get the feeling it's more of them then there actually are. And yes, Yuzuru seems to like skating his SP. Buttle did a great work with it, and to be blunt, I think Wilson is a little overrated anyway. Really a good choreographer, but maybe another choreographer would be a better choice here. I wouldn't mind having Buttle doing both of Yuzus programms next here. Miyamoto would seem like an amazing choice too.

I am one of them

Me too

[sweet_Michelle]

Lol at the sexist comment of no comparison with ladies. None of the girls went lazy butt, they all tried hard elements for ladies like lutz/flip/combos, including 3-jump combo for Kanako.

Who said anything about anyone being lazy butt? Gosh someone just loves over interpreting and twisting things around. All skater give their heart to the performance, the hightlight for ladies in show is more about the beautiful lines/spins/spiral, not so many lady would try 3A and 3Lz3t in show which I would call the top jumping passes, but for man especially for those who not just try quads in EX number but also with competition program where the transitions going into jumps are much more difficult, and the quad battle they initiate is just wow. They just show different aspect of show skating and I love both, to turn that into some sex issue just says more about you.

Kanako fell on all her jumping passes at one of "The Ice" show last summer, does that mean her coach team was pushing her to the Max to make her fail? She just had a bad day that's all, and I adore her.

Performing in show lights is always hard, skater that challenge the most diffecult elements do have a higher risk making mistake, especially performing several days in a row. It's just lol if any skater had a bad performance means their coach team is coming up with some evil plan to make them fail.

They and their teams just know where the reasonable line goes, that's why they could perform not in Osaka and Nagoya only but also in Tokyo shows.

Oh yes, Yuzu had to performe in SOI Tokyo, cuz god forbid the kid goes back to Canada and train.

Precisely the two events for which he trained at home in Sendai, not in Canada. Orser's coaching was like sending him e-mails on iphone or somesuch.

Oh dear, you are just so desperatly to deny anything Yuzu did related to Canada. No one would gain stamina with in one/two weeks, it's a long way effort building-up the strength, training by themself or not.

[sweet_Michelle]

No one can change the fact that Yuzuru is training with Orser in Canada. I am just a fan who loves Yuzuru's skating and himself. I respect and cheer him through thick and thin.

Ice is slippery, all skater make mistake at practice/show/competition, as I said they are not programed to land those jumps, they just had a bad day and that's all. But hey, someone gotta do what they gatta do, so get used to all the finger pointing and coming up with some crapy conspiracy to explain everything happens on ice, making mistakes or not.

Anyway, It's good for fans to share both cheering and concern in Yuzu's own thread, but spending too much time to argue with someone who constantly insults skaters and even skaters' family is just such wast of time.

[pitterpatter]

I'm not too worried about the bad showing at JSC, all skaters have a bad skate every now and then and I think he's generally been improving wrt stamina this season. IIRC Dai didn't do well at JSC2012, but that didn't mean anything other than that he just had a bad skate that night.

With regard to his current FS, obviously its not as exciting as R&J and most of us here hope he gets a stronger program next season, but I think anyone who plans on using R&J as the standard for every single FS he does from now on is going to end up a very disappointed fan. For me, Notre Dame de Paris is tons better than Zigeunerweisen and tons better than a lot of other senior men programs. While I wouldn't mind if Jeffrey choreographed both programs next season or if Yuzuru switched to Miyamoto for the FS, I think it's a little early to brush David Wilson off completely. If you consider that Abe choreographed Zigeunerweisen one season and then co-choreographed R&J the next, I think a second attempt for Wilson is well within reason. Having your choreographer based at the same rink and therefore able to constantly monitor and tweak the development of your programs is hugely beneficial, so it'd be great if they could make it work.

Count me in as a fan of his SP, I hope they continue to challenge him artistically like this while making use of his youthful energy in future programs. He can't be Romeo every year for the next 10 years, so its great that he's trying different styles.

I'm not the biggest fan of his 'Hello I Love You' EX this season, but the teen stripper references are - his Vertigo program was in the same vein as this one, and he was even younger than he is now. Also, he's 18, not 8 you guys. Plushenko did 'Sex Bomb' at about this age, for goodness' sake.