Suguri Switches Coaches | Golden Skate

Suguri Switches Coaches

hockeyfan228

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
According to a post on FSU, an article in Yomiuri On-line reports that Suguri has moved to Chicago to train with Oleg Vassiliev:

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16874

I don't read Japanese, and I don't know if the article says anything about this being her idea or the idea of the Japanese Federation, but I think it's ironic that the Japanese Ladies' program has as much depth as any other country, yet the top skaters have left Japan to train in the US with non-Japanese coaches. Maybe it's getting a little overwhelming among the top coaches in Japan, having all of that talent in one place.

I know a lot of people will object to this, but in my opinion, in the two competitions in which I've seen her skate live (Worlds 2003-4), Suguri's fast and furious cross-overs, expecially at the beginning of the program, are not particularly smooth and that she loses a lot of speed in the middle of her program until the very end, when she picks up into fast footwork into a very fast ending spin. I also think her "dancing" in all four programs was awkward, and that, particularly in Dortmund, she didn't have the authority, edges, or flow over the ice that any of the skaters in the top six or Rochette or Poykio had. Even Kostner, in a terrible LP performance, had more natural flow and ease. To me, she looked like a 7-12th rank skater, not a returning bronze medallist.

I think this will be a great move for her, if Vassiliev can smooth out her stroking and her transitions and help her to maintain power and speed throughout her program.
 

rtureck

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
hockeyfan228 said:
According to a post on FSU, an article in Yomiuri On-line reports that Suguri has moved to Chicago to train with Oleg Vassiliev:

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16874

Since Fumie has wonderful basic skating skills, and she is working on her presentation, I think it is a a good move. Didn't Yuka left Japan to train in Canada for a while?


I know a lot of people will object to this,
Diagree, not object.

in the two competitions in which I've seen her skate live (Worlds 2003-4), Suguri's fast and furious cross-overs, expecially at the beginning of the program, are not particularly smooth and that she loses a lot of speed in the middle of her program until the very end, when she picks up into fast footwork into a very fast ending spin.

I didn't see her life at 04, but in 03 I fell in love with her basic skating skills and edges etc. I won't call it fast and furious, but nice speed and with control. LOL, even though I watched her life in 03, it has been a while, I have to review the tapes. I was very much in love with her Chopin piano concerto #2 sp. She did not impress me as losing speed , actually she is one of the few skaters who seem to be able to generate speed and power out of no where. I have to see if the music tempo slowed down in the middle of the program or not. As usual I was in awe of Lori's music editing skills with that piece.

Dortmund, she didn't have the authority, edges, or flow over the ice that any of the skaters in the top six or Rochette or Poykio had. Even Kostner, in a terrible LP performance, had more natural flow and ease.

I wasn't there, I guess speed and flow varies, but Fumie lack edges? One of Kostner's strengths is her flow, edges and speed, she probably can out speed, flow and edge e.g Cohen any day. Kostner's FI/FO spiral has a deep inside edge.

She does not look like a returning bronze medalist

I think Fumie should learn how to peak in the appropriate event. She kicked everyone's butt at GPF, she is capable of doing well.

I think this will be a great move for her, if Vassiliev can smooth out her stroking and her transitions and help her to maintain power and speed throughout her program.

I think Fumie has wonderful stroking, power, and speed, but since no one is perfect of course she can improve.
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Extremely odd choice. IMHO Vasiliev did nothing for Volchkova's skating (though I am aware that this may be due to Vika's personal problems rather than coaching). Even in regards to Totmianina & Marinin -- while they have certainly improved over the last few years, I think this is mainly due to their "natural evolution", as well as good choreographers they've been working with.
 

Linny

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Vica

Who is Vica with now? I miss her and want her back in good form...Linny
 

jesslily

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
I think she should make coach change to get enough attention, but I don't think she moved to the right direction. Vasiliev did not do much for Victoria Vochkova, and the pair he coached for the past two years are always looked strange to me. As a matter of fact I never like T&M's skating.
Hope Suguri find a great coaching situation. She is a very nice lady.
 

Chrystia Mee

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 31, 2004
Wow! This thread seriuosly shocked me. I'm a huge FUmie Suguri fan so I haven't decided what I think. But I'm leaning towards change might be the right thing for her. Her basic skating is fantastic and she's got a lot of talent. When she's on, she does very well. I don't agree about yor comments regarding her speed, but everyone seems to have varying opinions when it comes to FUmie. I hope that she has an incredible comeback season.
 

IDLERACER

Medalist
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
thisthingcalledlove said:
Vika is back in Moscow with the Kudriavtsevs. She is being coached by Maria Kudriavtseva
All I know for sure is that a week and a half ago she was in El Segundo.
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
IMO, she was moved out from Sato so Sato can concentrate on coaching Ando. Japanese cultural the senior in the field usually get a lot more respect, may be Fummie and Ando trained under the same coach make them both uneasy? After all we don't see much of direct competitors trained under the same coach.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I agree with RTureck that Fumie's edges, strength, flow and speed are excellent But she can also do a delicate flower of a performance, like her program with the fans in COI. (I mean fans like you fan yourself with, not the cheering people in the audience.) This program stole the show in COI this year, IMO.

But I agree with Hockeyfan that sometimes it is either/or with Fumie. She needs to display her power and speed simultaneously with her grace and beauty, not alternating between them. I thought Shizuka pulled this trick off nicely in Dortmund.

Mathman
 

lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
jesslily said:
. As a matter of fact I never like T&M's skating.
.

Well, if you never like T&M's skating; a different coach is probably not going to change that. ;)

While Vasilev hasn't had much experience, outside of Vika-and I did like her 2003 LP & Exhibition. It should be interesting to see what happens.

Fumie has the basic technique sometimes it is just time to try a new style/coach.
 

BronzeisGolden

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I hope this turns out well for Fumie. She seems to have the potential to be wonderfully versatile. I think we should wait and see. It sounds like Vasiliyev is a bit of a mystery. Perhaps he will be just what Fumie needs. As for Fumie vs. Carolina.....sorry, for me, there isn't even a question: FUMIE! Carolina is usually overmarked, IMHO. I know she has great speed, edging, etc., but she seriously needs to work on refining her presentation. I find most of her performances awkward and uninteresting.
 

Vash01

Medalist
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
I am surprised that she chose to go to Vasiliev. She has been coached by Sato for years and may be it was time for a change, but I am not quite sure why she chose Vasiliev. Only time will tell.

Re:Fumie and Carolina there is not even a comparison. All Carolina has right now (or did upto worlds 2004) was raw speed, and some triple jumps. Fumie is a complete skater who just needs that missing piece, like Shizuka did before she went to TT.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
Olympics are approaching, I think Suguri made a necessary decision. She needs a coach to concentrate on her skating to prepare for the Olympics. I´ll join those that are a bit supprised of her choice. Anyway, it was best to make the change now and not in the Olympic season, LOL.

Well, we will see how matters will be with Suguri...

Marjaana
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I definitely agree with Hockeyfan's comments of Fumie at Dortmund, but I just put the whole competition as the exception to her fine skating. She was off that Worlds and her QR was very poor. I don't think she will skate that poorly in the future. She'll be back in shape.

A skater has to decide what to do in search of the goal. If changing coaches, is one of the decisions, then so be it. Good luck to her.

Joe
 
Last edited:

Chrystia Mee

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 31, 2004
Joesitz said:
I definitely agree with Hockeyfan's comments of Fumie at Dortmund, but I just put the whole competition as the exception to her fine skating. She was off that Worlds and her QR was very poor. I don't think she will skate that poorly in the future. She'll be back in shape.

A skater has to decide what to do in search of the goal. If changing coaches, is one of the decisions, then so be it. Good luck to her.

Joe

Actually Fumie's Worlds experience in Dortmund is a shame. Her sp and lp were both wonderful. And of all of her lp's done at Worlds, this years was her best by far. She was 5th in the free skate and 7th in the sp. ANd that's with her scores held down because of skaters yet to come down. Just a nasty qualifying experience which wasnt helped by the fact that she skated so early in the QR. Do we know anything about Fumie's programs for this upcoming season by the way?
 

hrmsk8ngnutt

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Chrystia Mee said:
Do we know anything about Fumie's programs for this upcoming season by the way?
Here's what I found on the ISU website:

http://www.isufs.org/bios/isufs00000011.htm

SP: Pink Panther Theme
LP: Tango Para Percusion by Lalo Schifrin, Carmen Fantasie by Franz Waxman, Carmen by George Bizet

The SP is a departure for her again, the LP is yet another Carmen - but I'm still looking forward to seeing both. Lori Nichol is still her choreographer.

Herm (sk8ngnutt)
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
The Pink Panther will be great for Fumie! Just so she doesn't wear a pink pants suit!!!

The Carmen Fantasie by Waxman is from Lori Nichols all-time fave CD, Humoresque by violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. I think it is the same music that Michelle Kwan used for her Fate of Carmen SP in 1999. The Tristan and Isolde Fantasie that she choreographed for Sale and Pelletier is on the same CD, as is the title song, used by Jose Chiounard in her Harlequin routine that she won the Canadian Open with a few years ago.

It's all good stuff.

Mathman
 

KwanFan1212

Joey Votto Fangirl
Final Flight
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
I guess time will tell if this is a good choice for Fumie. I really like her skating and I look foward to seeing her new programs this year. And IMO, with her using Lori Nichol again, that is a good bet for some wonderful programs. I love her choreography! :D
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
The Carmen is a mixture of different composers so the Bizet tunes will be limited. I'm actually looking forward to this. Nice to see Fumie is hanging in there and serious.

Joe
 
Top