Daisuke Takahashi

[demarinis5]

Thank you for the translation Kiri433. One of the many things I like about Dai is his honesty.

[let`s talk]

Thanks for the translation, Kiri. Here is Dai's SP on youtube, a slightly better quality (still not HD): www.youtube.com/watch?v=utoS-eWzF8M

[MaiKatze]

Please console me Dai fans! I'm just so sad after today. I thought Daisuke would win 4CC. I'm nearly crying. I want to blame Morozov. I know - that would be really immature...... It's just - I'm so afraid that the judges now won't give him the marks he deserves anymore.

[starryxskies]

I'm right with you MaiKatze. I do believe it was all mental though, which is weird because he usually is pretty tough mentally after a bad SP (re: like everything). I kind of think skating right after Kevin Reynolds was a major factor along with the pressure of skating in Japan. They could be excuses, but seeing as all the Japanese men had a bad night, it's good reason.

I think he'll definitely use this disastrous outing to fuel himself for Worlds in London. I don't think there's any reason to give up on him. Judges still gave him the highest PCS...although very close to Hanyu and Reynolds, he did falter more. But if he skates up to par, his PCS will be back up to the 90s for sure.

The entire competition was very frustrating though...Still trying to get over it.

ETA: You think he's gonna keep at his Moonlight Sonata SP?

[kiri433]

OMG... So Dai changed his shoes just one week before the competition. His hair stylist also mentioned a couple of weeks ago in his blog that he seemed to have motivation issues going into 4CC.

Also, I speculate he probably spent most of his training time practicing his new SP and didn't have time to practice his FS...

This performance in front of his hometown crowd and his parents, too (they rarely go to see him in competitions).
I'm sure he will be back, though!!! Go Daisuke!!!!!

[sampaguita]

This performance in front of his hometown crowd and his parents, too (they rarely go to see him in competitions).
I'm sure he will be back, though!!! Go Daisuke!!!!!

That's so sad. :( I remember my first ISI competition and it was my parents' first time to watch me -- and I made so many mistakes in my program. I cried out of frustration and shame.

I hope Daisuke will do better at Worlds! Changing to a different blade takes time to adjust. Well, better now than in Sochi!

kiri: Thanks for the translation! I really like how Daisuke is able to honestly describe his feelings and look optimistically to the future. He's one of the best skaters I've ever seen, in terms of skill and personality.

[starryxskies]

OMG... So Dai changed his shoes just one week before the competition.

Really? I thought Kiri's translation refers to the change he made before the GP series? I thought he was saying he's still adjusting from that but ..it's been a while. He changed it again?!

[kiri433]

Really? I thought Kiri's translation refers to the change he made before the GP series? I thought he was saying he's still adjusting from that but ..it's been a while. He changed it again?!

According to this article, he says he changed them one week before 4CC:

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/new...005164070.html

The following is NOT translation of the article but information from other sources I found around 2011 Worlds.

Dai usually changes boots every month or so, much more frequently than other skaters, because he doesn't like them too broken-in.

At 2011 Worlds in Moscow, he kept wearing the same left boot he was planning to wear at Tokyo World in March. Because of the earthquake and tsunami it was postponed for a month. He ordered a new pair which arrived shortly before the Moscow Worlds but they didn't quite fit. So he decided to wear the new boot on his right foot (a little better fit) and keep the old boot on the left. And as you all know, the accident happened... The old boot was already so beaten up that he even had a piece of leather inserted between the heel and the blade (you can see this while they were trying to fix the boot after the screw came off during the FS).

So my guess is that he is now really afraid of wearing old boots, so much so that he'd rather wear ill-fitting new boots than beaten-up old ones. Just guessing, though.

[MaiKatze]

Thanks so much for the info kiri433. I didn't know that Daisuke changes boots that often. Understandable that he is a bit paranoid after the 2011 accident. He knows what's best that's for sure. I've calmed down a bit - although I'm getting more scared and nervous for Worlds. 4CC is one thing but if he won't medal at Worlds - his last Worlds - I will honestly start crying. Crazy, it is just figure skating, I've never seen him live or so.....but this is really hard for me.

[Olympia]

Thanks so much for the info kiri433. I didn't know that Daisuke changes boots that often. Understandable that he is a bit paranoid after the 2011 accident. He knows what's best that's for sure. I've calmed down a bit - although I'm getting more scared and nervous for Worlds. 4CC is one thing but if he won't medal at Worlds - his last Worlds - I will honestly start crying. Crazy, it is just figure skating, I've never seen him live or so.....but this is really hard for me.

I feel as bad as you do, truly! I can't even bear to watch the programs. Seeing the results list is difficult enough. I hope he will be okay by worlds, but we have to take the long view and think of next year. My feeling is that judges aren't going to drop him just because he had a bad 4CC. He's one of the finest skaters in the world (we on this thread would say he is the finest of all), and he just needs to figure out his approach and settle into it.

I agree that it is tremendously difficult for us fans right now, though.

[MaiKatze]

I'm right with you MaiKatze. I do believe it was all mental though, which is weird because he usually is pretty tough mentally after a bad SP (re: like everything). I kind of think skating right after Kevin Reynolds was a major factor along with the pressure of skating in Japan. They could be excuses, but seeing as all the Japanese men had a bad night, it's good reason.

I think he'll definitely use this disastrous outing to fuel himself for Worlds in London. I don't think there's any reason to give up on him. Judges still gave him the highest PCS...although very close to Hanyu and Reynolds, he did falter more. But if he skates up to par, his PCS will be back up to the 90s for sure.

The entire competition was very frustrating though...Still trying to get over it.

ETA: You think he's gonna keep at his Moonlight Sonata SP?

I don't know. It would look weird if he goes back to the medley now, and if skated without the mistakes Moonlight Sonata is not that bad, I guess. Personally I still like his old SP better. I fear that, because he has just done it twice, he will take this SP into the next season. I hope this won't be the case. I want complete new programs for Daisuke. By Camerlengo or someone who plays up to his strengths and not to what the judges might like or not like.

I feel as bad as you do, truly! I can't even bear to watch the programs. Seeing the results list is difficult enough. I hope he will be okay by worlds, but we have to take the long view and think of next year. My feeling is that judges aren't going to drop him just because he had a bad 4CC. He's one of the finest skaters in the world (we on this thread would say he is the finest of all), and he just needs to figure out his approach and settle into it.

I agree that it is tremendously difficult for us fans right now, though.

I don't really think they will drop him either, but he wasn't even judged that fairly, when he skated his best. I am afraid this will hurt in the long run. I really get what you say, when you mention that you are afraid to watch it. Watching it live was nearly painful. After each mistake, I couldn't believe it and I nearly looked away. It hurts, almost physically and everything in me screams "No, this isn't happening. No, not again. No!" The look on his face after it was over - it is a look, I don't want to see ever again. I'm happy that you guys feel the same. We can be miserable together! I so hope this will make him stronger and this is not the beginning of the end, as the pesimists are already predicting. :(

[kiri433]

Thanks so much for the info kiri433. I didn't know that Daisuke changes boots that often. Understandable that he is a bit paranoid after the 2011 accident. He knows what's best that's for sure. I've calmed down a bit - although I'm getting more scared and nervous for Worlds. 4CC is one thing but if he won't medal at Worlds - his last Worlds - I will honestly start crying. Crazy, it is just figure skating, I've never seen him live or so.....but this is really hard for me.

Oh, I know MaiKatze, I'm crying, too. But I'm also optimistic that he will bounce back soon as he always has. It seems he has one good season and the following season he struggles. If that's the case, it means he will have a great season next year! And...who knows? Maybe he'll decide to compete at next Tokyo Worlds after Sochi!

[deedee1]

I woke up in misery. I hardly slept last night...;;;

(((Daisuke)))

[let`s talk]

We can watch this fan montage to cheer up: www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_vEYRjw520

I am in love with sapphire Daisuke, gonna be one of my favourite costumes in his career: http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-ge...PEBJ.vsm8I.jpg

Dai has been invited to skate in gala, which was expected in his home town. Gala will be at 15:00 JST, Russian and British Eurosport-2 will show it live. A lot of streams are on the forum. Enjoy!

[demarinis5]

Thanks for the montage, let's talk. Dai does look gorgeous in his new costume!