Japanese Nationals 2013-2014 - Men | Page 4 | Golden Skate

Japanese Nationals 2013-2014 - Men

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
comfortable lead by Yuzu :)
too bad about Takahashi's injury but even if he places 4th again tommorow there is no way he is not going to the Olympics

Kozuka or Oda will be the sacrificial lambs
 

Panini

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Soooo happy for Machida :yay: Hope he skates clean tomorrow too. To think that noone thought of him as a serious contender until this season. Gosh.
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
Joined
May 4, 2013
Daisuke probably should make the team based off how the JSF interprets the criteria for their selection. He has the world ranking and the NHK performance to his favor. Nonetheless, it could attract scandal if he makes the Olympic team with a very flawed performance.

It would get interesting if Kozuka beats Machida (they're only 2,5pts apart) and Takahashi stays 4th (or even gets overtaken by Oda). Then, with
1-Hanyu; 2-Kozuka; 3-Machida; 4-(or even 5-)Takahashi, would the JSF take Takahashi over Machida? Machida had some great showings in the season...

I think Kozuka knows that if he wants to make the Olympic Team, he has to finish 2nd. 3rd won't be enough.
 

Panini

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
What happens if both Oda and Kozuka beat Takahashi? Oda has had some good freeskates and Kozuka is comfortably 3rd.

My guess is JSF would still send Takahashi. Oda/Kozuka/Machida aren't very likely to get a medal at the Games so switching one of them with Takahashi won't change Japan's chances much. But with Takahashi being so popular and the defending OBM, I would think having him on the Olympic team would be good for publicity and general morale. Although they would have a hard time justifying it if the point gap between Takahashi and Oda/Kozuka is huge.
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
Joined
May 4, 2013
umm... a little off-topic, but concerning Kozuka: Was his sweat outburst (blue shirt, CoChina LP, he was already soaked before the LP) from this season ever addressed?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQHvioDIJRQ
Seems like more and more japanese skaters have a towel in the kiss and cry, regular tissues don't seem to do it anymore! :think:
 

Srin Odessa

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 23, 2012
It would get interesting if Kozuka beats Machida (they're only 2,5pts apart) and Takahashi stays 4th (or even gets overtaken by Oda). Then, with
1-Hanyu; 2-Kozuka; 3-Machida; 4-(or even 5-)Takahashi, would the JSF take Takahashi over Machida? Machida had some great showings in the season...

I think Kozuka knows that if he wants to make the Olympic Team, he has to finish 2nd. 3rd won't be enough.

Kozuka would have have have a better argument than Machida about making the Olympic team. It would be easy for the JSF to argue that they want a two time Olympic veteran like Daisuke over someone who performed well throughout the season but never skated on Olympic ice or even at Worlds. Historically, skaters usually don't perform well at their first time and even phenoms are lucky to make the podium. Daisuke could be good anchor if the younger skaters buckle under pressure.

I just hope we don't have a repeat of last season where the Japanese men imploded after nationals. It seems that the Japanese men had difficulty preparing intricate, multi-quad programs after for late internationals events. It would be crazy if the people who get left of the team skate well at senior Bs or Worlds. Similar to Oda's performance at Bavarian Open, I think heads will roll if the Olympic team under performs but the people who got left off skated well at other events.
 

bluelutz

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
Wasn't that Angela Nikodinov who was with Murakami at Kiss and Cry?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDio6vgID3w

I did not know she was coaching him as a member of Frank Carroll's team.
I am glad that this year's Japanese Nationals finishes on 23rd,
so all the foreign coaches can fly back home just before Christmas.
 

aragray

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
I hope the JSF posts protocols soon.. machida's good when he's on but he seemed to lose control a bit at the GPF i wonder if the JSF trusts him to handle the pressure of the olympics. But even when Machida lands all his jumps, I don't get the 'wow' factor coming from him like I do from Dai or Yuzuru. Maybe it's just my flutz OCD getting to me..
Felt so bad for Dai after the short program.. so unlucky to have to skate right after Yuzuru :(
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcpAxdPsJ4Q Taka at 4:58 on the triple lutz combo .. so much grit and fight in this performance :')
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
Joined
May 4, 2013
yes, I was surprised when I saw her and thought it was Nikodinov, so I checked it out on wikipedia, she's listed as one of his coaches.
 

SimplyLex

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 22, 2013
No matter what the final result, they have to send Daisuke to Sochi. Otherwise the entire skating world will be disappointed.
It's not necessarily fair, but it's true.
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
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May 4, 2013
No matter what the final result, they have to send Daisuke to Sochi. Otherwise the entire skating world will be disappointed.
It's not necessarily fair, but it's true.

I'm sure they really want to send him.
IF things don't end up the way they want, maybe they'll delay naming the Olympic Team... and say they'll let a few skaters compete again at a later date, citing Takahashi's injury as a reason.
 

snowflake

I enjoy what I like
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Yusuru is just awesome. Could be I'm a bit bored to watch this SP, having seen it many times, but I think it was smart of him to keep it. He makes it look so easy and smooth. And the major part of the olympic audience has never seen it before :clap:

Love Machida's SP too, though I still want Oda in Sochi.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Yusuru is just awesome. Could be I'm a bit bored to watch this SP, having seen it many times, but I think it was smart of him to keep it. He makes it look so easy and smooth. And the major part of the olympic audience has never seen it before :clap:

Love Machida's SP too, though I still want Oda in Sochi.

I love how Hanyu's SP and LP are actually different attitudes and such contrasts in interpretation. :)
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
For once Oda did not "Oda" himself out! :p Kozuka has 12 points on him (and 8 on Daisuke) but I wouldn't count any of the top 5 out at this point. The FS could be a game changer. I'd say the only person who has some major breathing room is Yuzuru. He would have to fall several times in the FS to get off that podium (and by several I mean basically miss half his jumping passes).
 

StellaCampo

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 19, 2011
I hope we'll be able to see the protocol soon. I don't quite understand why Kozuka's TES is as high as 47, with botched 4T and 3Lz combo. Kozuka himself is surprised with the score he got. Kozuka has had no success with these two jump elements in SA and COC.
I have question marks with both Kozuka and Takahashi. They have been inconsistent with their jumps, particularly quads, and they both have injury issues. Although I like them both and would like to see them in Sochi, it would be very tiresome to see them perform knowing that they will probably not land their quads yet again.
Hanyu and Machida are the ones whom I find comfortable to watch, as they have been consistent with their jumps, relatively speaking, this season. In addition, they are clearly improving, which is a joy to watch.
So, I would send these two to Sochi, definitely, and the third one, who knows.
 

pitterpatter

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Im holding out hope that dai will rally back in the free skate, I'm honestly a little scared to find out what the JSF will do if he finishes 5th or even 6th. I can't imagine them not sending Dai to the Olys, but this is such a high profile event, they've been hyping the fight for spots and the 'final showdown' for a long time. if it turns out that all that was just lip service, and all the skaters they featured didn't actually have a shot, I can imagine there'd be some sort of negative controversy from the public and the wider skating community.
 
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