I'd say is more about retaining her No. 1 spot. She is the reigning Japanese champ and placed the highest at Worlds. But I guess I can see that some consider Mao still No. 1.
Thoughts on Satoko Miyahara's skating
- Thread starter Mrs. P
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I'd say is more about retaining her No. 1 spot. She is the reigning Japanese champ and placed the highest at Worlds. But I guess I can see that some consider Mao still No. 1.
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- Feb 10, 2014
I have seen her live a couple of times, and in my opinion, she isn't slow at all. She might look slower because she is smaller possibly? It's all very effortless in my opinion.
Agreed. Seen her live at Worlds, I'd say her speed across the ice is around the median amongst the final group. In contrast, her effortlessness of gaining speed is, in my view, better than the rest. She doesn't have the "ooph I'm pushing very hard" look, but don't confuse that for being slow!
I agree with this. I saw her at 4CC in Taipei, and her ice coverage were good and done in good time. Her speed is good and the choreography of her programs are made for her to cover as much of the ice as possible, maybe due to her diminutive size.
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- May 19, 2011
I've been a fan of Satoko since her junior days. She's not as flashy as some of the others but to me that's why she stands out. I am not a fan of her small jumps but, for me, that's the only fault I see in her. She has gorgeous posture, wonderful skating skills and transitions, effortless flow, gorgeous presentation, a subtle but very effective style, beautiful interpretation, amazing spins, lovely programs and to top it all off she's one of the most consistent skaters in the field.
I get Satoko. I just get her. Some people don't but I totally do. I'm a skating purist at heart. I love beautiful skating and Satoko delivers beautiful skating. That's why I love her.
I get Satoko. I just get her. Some people don't but I totally do. I'm a skating purist at heart. I love beautiful skating and Satoko delivers beautiful skating. That's why I love her.
I saw her live at Worlds too and I'm surprised you didn't find her to be the slowest of the top ladies. She also lacked full ice coverage. NBC showed the heat map of her program, or some kind of technical coverage, and she looked as though she only covered 3/4 of the ice surface. That probably hurts her with judges on technical panel.
You must have missed NBCs coverage map that showed her lack of ice coverage. I didn't notice this live in Boston, but watching the taped program reveals she didn't cover the same amount of ice as the other top ladies. I was in the third row at worlds for the short and long. She was markedly slower. The thread was about why some people don't like her, so that's my guess. I happen to like Satoko, but those are the criticisms I've heard regularly.
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- Dec 29, 2013
I've never found her speed to be impressive TBH and while at times what she does with her steps may seem a bit simplistic...she always seems to make an impression on me that shows a good feel for the music. That's why I'm always surprised when people who've seen her live say she doesn't project very well or in other words "skate small". I've always found that peculiar and just goes against my expectations and perceptions.
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- Feb 13, 2014
An Analysts of ladies' transitions in the short program at Boston, you can use Google translate from Russian to English: http://ametist-95.livejournal.com/5684.html
I also had higher seats during the ladies FS therefore higher vantage point so I can see the ice-coverage of all the skaters at that time.
In my opinion Miyahara is actually a great and graceful artist; her choreography and ice presence are (in my eyes) reminiscent of Yuna Kim. But the similarity stops there, because Miyahara plays it safe- way too safe. She doesn't seem to pour her heart and soul into her programs and looks cautious. She needs more artistic energy, a little more speed and ice coverage, many more triples and overall riskier programs to make it to the podium. I think her safeness (or perhaps just her hidden inability?) keeps her from the podium when she has potential in lightness, facial expression, and elegance to make it there.
I think big fans of hers are in love with her Yuna-esque lightness and flow (in contrast with skaters who have a "heavier" presence) and others are frustrated with how slow and and careful she seems compared to high jumpers like Gracie Gold. Just my two cents.
I think big fans of hers are in love with her Yuna-esque lightness and flow (in contrast with skaters who have a "heavier" presence) and others are frustrated with how slow and and careful she seems compared to high jumpers like Gracie Gold. Just my two cents.
Satoko is a lovely skater with so many qualities that sometimes tend to be overlooked for various reasons.
She has excellent posture and lovely lines that unfortunately don't have as much impact as they would on a taller skater with long limbs.
This is something she cannot change, but the quality is still there.
I generally love her programs and her musicality and interpretation is excellent. She also has something around her that draws you in her skating, at least she had that effect on me when I saw her skate in person, she definitely can create an atmosphere.
I'm not sure if this wording is ok but I don't know how else to put it, I find her a very intelligent artist.
The quality of her skating is very nice and of course she is the queen of consistency!
The size of her jumps is really underwhelming though. I would need to see her live again to know for sure, but to me it seems even more obvious now than a few years ago.
Like she has grown since then, but her jumps stayed the same.
The size of her jumps and the lack of flashiness or wow factor is probably what is holding her back from becoming an even bigger contender.
She is doesn't seem like the type that would naturally make the crowd go wild and the arena explode. It would somehow almost feel inapropriate to screem and jump up and down, since the atmosphere she creates is more intimate and dignified.
(Obviously I'm not talking about her skating to a World or Olympic title in front of her home crowd!)
To me she is like chamber music vs. orchestral music. I don't prefer one to the other but they require a somewhat different type of listening.
She has excellent posture and lovely lines that unfortunately don't have as much impact as they would on a taller skater with long limbs.
This is something she cannot change, but the quality is still there.
I generally love her programs and her musicality and interpretation is excellent. She also has something around her that draws you in her skating, at least she had that effect on me when I saw her skate in person, she definitely can create an atmosphere.
I'm not sure if this wording is ok but I don't know how else to put it, I find her a very intelligent artist.
The quality of her skating is very nice and of course she is the queen of consistency!
The size of her jumps is really underwhelming though. I would need to see her live again to know for sure, but to me it seems even more obvious now than a few years ago.
Like she has grown since then, but her jumps stayed the same.
The size of her jumps and the lack of flashiness or wow factor is probably what is holding her back from becoming an even bigger contender.
She is doesn't seem like the type that would naturally make the crowd go wild and the arena explode. It would somehow almost feel inapropriate to screem and jump up and down, since the atmosphere she creates is more intimate and dignified.
(Obviously I'm not talking about her skating to a World or Olympic title in front of her home crowd!)
To me she is like chamber music vs. orchestral music. I don't prefer one to the other but they require a somewhat different type of listening.
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
About pouring her heart and soul into the programs, speed, more triples and everything else, let's see what she does this season with her new programs. She received many positive reviews from people who attended US Classic and she received a standing ovation after her FS.
She did make the arena "scream" and "explode" a few times before. These two come in mind:
Skate Canada 2014 FS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xppK9Mniv14
GPF 2015 SP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XAxWTxT90g
She did make the arena "scream" and "explode" a few times before. These two come in mind:
Skate Canada 2014 FS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xppK9Mniv14
GPF 2015 SP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XAxWTxT90g
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Wow! is all I can say after her debut at the US Classic. She looked every bit the queen and incredibly polished for September.
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- Feb 25, 2014
A very nice program! But she just isn't as strong of a technical jumper as others (needs height). Her footwork often seems a little slow, a little static, just lacking something.
Of course I would love to be able to do anything this girl can. She's a good skater and a graceful one, but I still feel that she needs more refinement and energy, compared to other world-class skaters.
I disagree that Satoko needs more refinement. Personally, I feel that she is more refined than Gracie Gold and Elena Radionova, for example. Satoko has great posture, deep edges, and lovely arms. I do agree that her small physique makes all her movements appear "smaller" than other skaters (I've seen her live at Worlds 2016), but what can she do? All she can do is to do her very best to improve, and that is why I respect her although she is not one of my favorites. I was absolutely shocked how she was lowballed in PCS at Worlds. She should have received a 68-69, not a 66...
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- Feb 25, 2014
She will never get a great deal of height; they forcibly changed her dominant clockwise direction to counterclockwise. People will either have to accept that or keep beating a dead horse. I wasn't pointing out the jumps though, I pointed out the fact that she got a riskier program this season among other things; it's only the beginning of the season. Time will tell whether she will own this risky program or not.
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