Takahashi and Tran Split | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Takahashi and Tran Split

bsfan

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 10, 2011
The Japaness Fed may already have a partner for Takahashi now. Then she initiated the split. We will see. It is a good thing for Tran in long term.
 

heyhey

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 31, 2011
Disappointed in the news...also to consider that Tran loses Japanese funding...he is not part of Skate Canada and I don't think he is a carded athlete from Sport Canada...so Merry X-mas Mervin...ughhh...
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Which Canadian girls would be a good match for Mervin? Mervin is 22, and 175 cm. tall.
The plus is that he is still reasonably young for a pair skater, and is already with Gauthier's group.
 

chloepoco

Medalist
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
This team had such great chemistry together--I really loved them! I think Narumi is going to come out on the losing end of this break up in terms of success with a new partner. Maybe we'll wake up and find this news was all a bad dream?
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
This is awful. The one world-level pairs team Japan had, and it's ending. I hope they each find a way to excel in skating in the future with new partners, but right now it sure looks bad.
 

phaeljones

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
very sad. this pair was wonderful to watch with their chemistry, spirit and energy. there are a few skating pairs (and skaters) that you just forget about the score card because they are just so good to watch. Tran and Takahashi were in that group for me. I didn't think that the fact that they would not compete at Sochi would be enough to break them apart.

although I wish them both well, I think that Takahashi could have let Tran go earlier. It would have been classier. There is no way on God's green earth that Takahashi doesn't already have a replacement lined up. There was obviously some trigger that caused the tie to be cut at this time and not earlier. Tran has the talent to get a good partner, but really the most difficult aspect of skating for a North American skater is funding. First you need the money, and then you need the talent. Sorry to say. Unless some angels move in and help him, it could be extremely difficult to regain his footing. I hope that Skate Canada sees the opportunity that Tran has for skating in Canada and moves in to help him. Takahashi, I wish the best, but she has the means behind her to make the adjustment. I worry more about Tran on this one. I hope that neither is lost to international skating.
 

let`s talk

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Well-well. The quilty party is that Olympic requirement that allows only citizens to represent the coutry. At the age of globalization and intergration such a citizenship demand is stupid to say the least.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Well-well. The quilty party is that Olympic requirement that allows only citizens to represent the coutry. At the age of globalization and intergration such a citizenship demand is stupid to say the least.

I think this is true, and it's sad, but we should be clear that this is an IOC requirement, not an ISU requirement, at its heart.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
I think Tran will be the one to get a suitable partner easier than Narumi, Canada has better options for him
either Narumi already has a Japanese partner in waiting or I can see her going the Yuko Kavaguti route
 

starryxskies

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Well-well. The quilty party is that Olympic requirement that allows only citizens to represent the coutry. At the age of globalization and intergration such a citizenship demand is stupid to say the least.

I agree. If they are good to rep Japan at Worlds, I don't understand why citizenship has to limit Olympic chances. If Japan allows a foreigner to rep them, IOC should get their heads out of the equation.

I do believe Narumi is at fault here (with the backing of JSF). Mervin has blatantly said that Narumi called it off and it was not a mutual decision. With injury, I doubt she would call the partnership off without having a plan B already. I feel so bad for Mervin, he was a great partner to her. Sad she had to give him this end of the stick. I'm so upset....

So from what I'm reading, it seems like it won't be easy for Mervin to go back to Canada and join Skate Canada? I don't really understand.
 
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Whitneyskates

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
This is a bummer, but I can't say I'm surprised. The citizenship issue was a definitely a huge roadblock and I can't say I blame him for being hesitant to give up his citizenship.
 

let`s talk

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
either Narumi already has a Japanese partner in waiting
So what even if she indeed has some Japanese partner in waiting. I think it's quite obvious that with the current level of pair skating in Japan she has no chances to repeat or betteren her success she had with Mervin. Seems like she is being blatantly used by JSF as some pair skater who will be the last at Team Olympic Event. But they do NEED one pair to compete and medal there. Either she is a fool or her injury is serious enough to compete internationally at the same level as she did last season. So she agreed to make a deal with JSF in exchange of at least Team Event Olympic medal.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
So what even if she indeed has some Japanese partner in waiting. I think it's quite obvious that with the current level of pair skating in Japan she has no chances to repeat or betteren her success she had with Mervin. Seems like she is being blatantly used by JSF as some pair skater who will be the last at Team Olympic Event. But they do NEED one pair to compete and medal there. Either she is a fool or her injury is serious enough to compete internationally at the same level as she did last season. So she agreed to make a deal with JSF in exchange of at least Team Event Olympic medal.

why would she split up for her injury to rush for 2014 ? given they never had that great chances for 2014 but 2018 was an option for them
I doubt Narumi would have that great chances for the Team Event either, though citizenship would have been the dealbreaker here, it could have been Mervin who had issues as well, he had to wait for some time to be even considered to get a citizenship and he may had doubts of relinquishing his canadian ctizenship
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
IMO, LetsTalk is right. The JSF has found a partner for Narumi and they will represent Japan at the team event in 2012. But they will likely finish last, as Japan has no pairs coaches.
 

clairecloutier

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 27, 2003
So what even if she indeed has some Japanese partner in waiting. I think it's quite obvious that with the current level of pair skating in Japan she has no chances to repeat or betteren her success she had with Mervin. Seems like she is being blatantly used by JSF as some pair skater who will be the last at Team Olympic Event. But they do NEED one pair to compete and medal there. Either she is a fool or her injury is serious enough to compete internationally at the same level as she did last season. So she agreed to make a deal with JSF in exchange of at least Team Event Olympic medal.

You may be right that the Olympic team event is a factor. The JSF does need a pair for that event and, once it became clear Mervin wasn't getting Japanese citizenship for 2014, maybe the JSF and Narumi started to consider other options. Maybe it kicked into high gear once Narumi was back in Japan for her shoulder treatment. What if the JSF found her a potential Japanese partner and said--okay, compete with him in the team event in 2014, and then maybe by 2018 you'll be good enough as a team to win a medal in the pairs event? Just a hypothethical idea, of course.
 

starryxskies

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
why would she split up for her injury to rush for 2014 ? given they never had that great chances for 2014 but 2018 was an option for them
I doubt Narumi would have that great chances for the Team Event either, though citizenship would have been the dealbreaker here, it could have been Mervin who had issues as well, he had to wait for some time to be even considered to get a citizenship and he may had doubts of relinquishing his canadian ctizenship

I think it was definitely more Narumi than Mervin on this. His tweet pretty much says it. If he made part of the decision, I'd like to believe he wouldn't have put Narumi on the spot. Considering his personality through the interviews I've seen talking about their partnership relationship.
Now that the cat is out of the bag. I want to say that I hate cats and this is not what I was shopping for. But Narumi has decided, its over

Mervin has tougher competition in Canada too, we already have 2 neck to neck pairs team and there's really not much room for him and said future new partner right now. Maybe if we do well enough for a 3rd spot. Guess we'll have to see after London but at this point, it might be better for him to consider the states as one of his options.
 

clairecloutier

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 27, 2003
starryxskies;691346 Mervin has tougher competition in Canada too said:
This I don't agree with. Yes, Canada has some pretty good pairs with D/R, MT-M, and, at a lesser level, L/S and D/W. However, MT-M's spot on the Canadian podium is vulnerable, as events showed last year, and there's no doubt in my mind that, with the right partner, Mervin could pass a couple of these pairs.

The trouble with the Canadian pairs is they're all noted for their athleticism, not their artistry. And in the pairs event, PCS scores and pairs quality trumps all. T/T's strength was their artistry, interpretive ability, and lovely unison and pairs quality. Which is not to say Mervin would have all those same attributes with another partner, but if he chooses well, the potential is there. I always felt he was the more artistically talented half of the T/T team.

All this said, as an American pairs fan, I would be beyond happy if Mervin chose an American partner and sought U.S. citizenship. Heavens, with the state of U.S. pairs, Mervin would have a decent shot at winning Nationals in his first season, should he choose to skate for us!
 

jjane45

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 23, 2009
IMO, LetsTalk is right. The JSF has found a partner for Narumi and they will represent Japan at the team event in 2012. But they will likely finish last, as Japan has no pairs coaches.

The biggest part is finding a suitable partner, they could train abroad or bring someone in.


All this said, as an American pairs fan, I would be beyond happy if Mervin chose an American partner and sought U.S. citizenship. Heavens, with the state of U.S. pairs, Mervin would have a decent shot at winning Nationals in his first season, should he choose to skate for us!

Well, Mervin and Rockne are of comparable height, right? if Rockne is still partnerless, I don't know how many pairs ladies are available.
 
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