Shizuka's future

[Joesitz]

Right now, she is doing quite well. If she stays on track, she'll be in the top 3 at the Olys. A lovely skater and I wish the best to her.

Joe

[Nadine]

Thanks for the correction gkelly!

So she went from 7th in 1996 to 8th the following year (1997), then shucked it all & proceeded onto Seniors. Therefore, I assume her highest finish @ Jr. Worlds was 7th (correct)? Thanks in advance. Btw, I got my info. on Shizuka from her bio @ the ISU site. (:^)

***Note: that eskatefans does come in handy, now - first time I checked it out was a week or two ago when a poster named "Donna" gratefully supplied the link - haven't been back there since though. Must do so. ***

Originally posted by gkelly
Nope, she finished 7th in 1996.

http://www.eskatefans.com/skatabase/...adies1990.html

1996, Brisbane, Australia
1 Yelena Ivanova RUS
2 Yelena Pingatcheva RUS
3 Nadezhda Kanaeva RUS
4 Fumie Suguri JPN
5 Tara Lipinski USA
6 Vanessa Gusmeroli FRA
7 Shizuka Arakawa JPN
8 Shelby Lyons USA
etc.

In retrospect, I'd rather compare Shizuka's fantastic win @ Worlds this year to Irina Slutskaya (whom has a long & industrious career of having medalled many many times in international competition) than to Maria Butryskaya. Furthermore, Irina was a gorgeous powerhouse skater with lovely presentation, and whom also set records (aka first lady skater to land a 3Z/3R in competition @ 2000 GPF, first female skater to land TWO 3/3 combos. @ 2000 GPF & first lady skater to land a 3/3/2 @ 2001 Worlds; still remember falling off my seat when I first read about it live on the internet :lol: ; also highest finish for a Russian lady @ the Olympics - 2nd). Thus, I truly hope that Shizuka's path follows more closely Irina's than Maria's (aka oldest lady to win @ 1999 Worlds & also first Russian lady to win Worlds; 1999 once again).

***Note: without Irina in tiptop physical condition, it looks like the Russians are in for a long drought. At least Europeans have wunderkid Carolina Kostner (3/3s & 3/3/2) & veteran Julia Sebestyen (best jumps by anyone in the world).***

Peace, Nadine (;^D

P.S. Oops, can't forget Americans, as I am one (lol) ~ they're still going strong as evidenced by this past Jr. Worlds (aka silver & bronze) & Sr. Worlds (silver & bronze). But, as predicted, Japan is the new rising power, and well-deserved.

MODIFIED TO ADD: thanks berthes ghost for the follow-up (interesting), and as to the JSF, I personally think they'll do anything they need to do in order to get those World & Olympic medals (doesn't matter from whence the coaching comes from). Also, Ogre Magre, you bring up some interesting points about Team Arakawa....hmmm....never thought about that. However, without a doubt American coach Richard Callaghan deserves a heck of a lot more credit than TT (whom only worked w/Shizuka for a couple of weeks; btw she's overrated in my book except for choreography; she's no technical coach like the former). JMHO.

***Note: off-topic, but I've been thinking all year that Michelle Kwan should go back to Frank Carroll - the one whom taught her how to land 7 triple programs with one 3/3 - no ifs/buts/whats about it. As Krisiti Yamaguchi stated in her book "F.S. for Dummies", when it comes down to it, the judges start counting the jumps & whom lands them (doesn't matter if underrotated, small, etc., as long as they're landed). JMHO.

[Raissa]

[He can come and train me anytime. [/B]

He has really a great deal of charm
About him, I would say : "If he ask me twice, it's because I have not heard the first time"

[hockeyfan228]

Originally posted by Jaana
Of course one should not forget to give Callaghan also credit for Arakawa´s success, but I understand that team Tarasova changed and polished her programmes and also polished her skating.

I recently read an article in which Tarasova did just that -- she credited Callahan. (I wish I could find it again, but I can't.)

[Ptichka]

Actually, I believe Tarasova's maiden name is Mrs. Politica Diplomatus.:D She always credits her students' previous teachers -- Kudryavtsev (Kulik), Nicks (Sasha), in the beginning even Mishin (Yagudin). She also tried to not say anything negative about Dubova (Klimova & Ponomarenko, Bourne & Kraatz), Lininchuk (Gretchuk & Platov), Zhuk (Rodnina & Zaitsev).