Daisuke Takahashi

**Butterscotch17** · 12-09-2012, 01:21 PM

I just had to come to this thread to express my pure joy at Daisuke winning the Grand Prix Final. I still can't believe it is true! I'm so happy for him! I wasn't even confident that he could do it. (I had him as getting third. His win really screwed up my predictions, but I honestly could care less

) Even after his free skate I wasn't sure, because he did make a few mistakes, but it was still such a great performance (not that I could even enjoy the first time around, my poor nerves). But I have gone back and watched it, and I will watch it again and again, enjoying it every time. I'm especially happy that he changed his costume, too!

Since the beginning of last season, I have been wanting Dai to win a GPF, partly because he's never won it before, and partly so that he can add "first Japanese GPF Champion" to his list of "first accomplishments". And also, like I posted on the Men's GPF FS thread (which I haven't read yet, because I agree with demarinis5 - I don't want to hear the negative yet, I just want to savor his victory!), Dai was the only man in the Final who did not win a gold medal on the regular season this season, since he qualified with two silvers. Takahiko won SA, Javi won SC, Tatsuki won COC, Chan won COR, and Yuzuru won NHK. Now, Daisuke won the GPF and he got his gold medal, so those six are all GP gold medalists. It's perfect. Wow, I still can't believe he won. Everyone doubted him and some thought he was "done", but he still did it. I'm on cloud nine. Congrats Daisuke :D

**Butterscotch17** · 12-09-2012, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by starryxskies

I'm praying that Dai doesn't get too comfortable with this win, with the amount of mistakes everyone made, they'll only be coming back stronger than ever later on. But I'm still so happy for him! He's made so many personal (historic) achievements. Hard to accept that he'll be retiring in a little more than a year :(

I hope he doesn't either, but I don't think he will. He knows how good the others are. They did make mistakes, though, and you can bet that Chan will never make that silly mistake of adding a double toe on the end of his double axel again! And I don't want to be reminded about his retirement :( Figure skating will not be the same for me. I will miss Dai and his programs and his charisma and everything so much! I refuse to think about it anymore :'( I'm just trying to enjoy all of his skates while I can.

**deedee1** · 12-10-2012, 10:53 AM

Here is the words Daisuke loves from his days at the junior high school and he believes

:
"As long as you have a dream, and as long as you make every effort for it, your dream is not that far away."

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/photos/...530002-p3.html

Our heartiest congratulations to Utako sensei and Daisuke!

eta: am confused again...should it be 'as far as', instead of 'as long as'???

**Olympia** · 12-10-2012, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by let`s talk

Dai's FS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phjoFbBkop8
Here's the medal ceremony from 546:00 (you can see all GPF here in a very good quality). Dai-chan is so crazily happy, just look at him at around 548:00 when he gets on the top of the podium- ready to jump with joy not like a 26yo man but like a 6-month baby in his crib. Priceless!

:
http://russiasport.ru/user/226/node/7533
Here on youtube Medal Winners ceremony:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYdUuTaA-l8
Dai's EX:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D82Uu1Na2a0

Thanks for the links! I'm just so delighted about his win. It's remarkable to see that his jumping technique is still improving. He is clearly dedicated to giving every last ounce of effort to his skating, both in terms of training and with each actual competition. This is not a guy who stands still. I'm so glad I have the chance to be a fan of his.

**deedee1** · 12-11-2012, 08:37 PM

I've just remembered how adorable I once thought of Nikolai.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnIDi6Rp7bs

My heartiest congratulations to you, too, Nikolai!

An incident or two aside

, I have always appreciated you, because you are one of them who taught Dai how to compete, gave him a confidence, pushed him to go further, and helped him for what he is now.

**starryxskies** · 12-11-2012, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by deedee1

I've just remembered how adorable I once thought of Nikolai.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnIDi6Rp7bs

My heartiest congratulations to you, too, Nikolai!

An incident or two aside

, I have always appreciated you, because you are one of them who taught Dai how to compete, gave him a confidence, pushed him to go further, and helped him for what he is now.

HAHAHAHAH oh my god. That was the best thing I've seen today. It's like he's cursed and chanting some kinda voodoo thing. I know Utako Nagamitsu said Nikolai gets really into the performance but those 2s clips they show on tv does not do that statement justice. He GETS INTO IT alright.

He looks exhausted by the time Dai is finished! I appreciate his dedication to his pupil.

Thanks for the clip!

**pitterpatter** · 12-11-2012, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by deedee1

I've just remembered how adorable I once thought of Nikolai.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnIDi6Rp7bs

My heartiest congratulations to you, too, Nikolai!

An incident or two aside

, I have always appreciated you, because you are one of them who taught Dai how to compete, gave him a confidence, pushed him to go further, and helped him for what he is now.

OMG!! I laughed out loud in the middle of a silent library full of students studying for final exams.

**demarinis5** · 12-12-2012, 07:50 AM

The clip is priceless. Morozov looks possessed at the boards. I noticed that Utako sensei starts doing her own movement
with her head towards the end of the clip. Thanks for sharing deedee!

ETA: Someone is having fun! Photo from ISU Page.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...size=960%2C720

**figuristka** · 12-12-2012, 05:49 PM

Thanks for sharing. Gosh i think he will be more nervous than Dai at Japanese Nationals, and Olympics next year.

**let`s talk** · 12-13-2012, 10:21 AM

The Russian fan club had a meeting with Dai in Sochi and in Moscow at Sheremetyevo. Well, people in that club are not from Russia only but also from Ukraine and other ex-USSR places. In their open page in vkontakte they posted the reports of those meetings and pics. None of fans speak Japanese, they speak some English, and Dai is not that fluent in English too, so the moments that were not clear were translated by his agent Ihara. So, I think the info is mostly correct since the fan club is quite old and very devoted. I translated some moments of these charming fan rants:

They almost lost their hope to meet him. When they finally saw him going out of the hotel, he headed to the bus for the airport, waved him and got on the bus with his suitcases. They were ready to cry

thinking that the fan meeting was over. But at that moment he left he bus and came up to them with "Sorry" for making them wait. They grabbed him but his calm look was saying "Don't worry, I am not going anywhere." That was the most kawai moment for idioticly super happy fans, as they admitted. They started with talking how many fans he has in Russia. Many already left (the meeting took place after the event, just when Dai was going to take a bus to the Sochi airport), many couldn't come to GPF. They gave him some gifts, he signed them books, banners and they took pics.

His impression about Sochi- it's just one big construction site. (Holy true!)

He said that idea of his new costume is his, he feels very comfortable in black. But he doesn't design the costumes, only gave the ideas. He is not planning to change his FP and SP costumes till the end of this season. Maybe one day in the future he will skate EX topless (oh, Was he serious? Can anyone imagine Dai skating topless?

).

He likes Russian cuisine, his favourite restaurant in Moscow is "Pushkin" www.cafe-pushkin.ru/en/ . But he seldom goes to restaurants and mostly he likes cooking for himself at home. He is learning some Russian using self-study books (oh...

). He also enjoys walking around Moscow.

His next start is Japanese Nationals. If the federation assigns him, then he will go to 4CC with pleasure because he wants to compete there.

They begged him

to come to Cup of Russia next season. On the question which GP he doesn't want to attend, he answered that CoC probably (how understandable　

).

He is not planning to make competitive progs with Kenji, but might make EXs with him in the future.

Text in Russian:
http://vk.com/daisuke_takahashi#/topic-2152302_27952438

**deedee1** · 12-13-2012, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by let`s talk

Maybe one day in the future he will skate EX topless (oh, Was he serious? Can anyone imagine Dai skating topless?

).

Oh, let's talk, it's not a very good idea, I would say, to bring this up in the midnight for his fans who live in Japan. Some of us may end up losing sleep...

**starryxskies** · 12-13-2012, 01:08 PM

No competitive programs with Kenji?!?

Ok fine, as long as he goes back with Pasquale. I can't believe no one asked him that!!!! Although, if he wins Worlds with his current FS, I don't think he'll go back with Pasquale for Olympic season...although I'd gladly be proven wrong.

Topless Ex would be such a guilty pleasure hahaha