Wakaba Higuchi

[yume]

Yes her 3lz-3T combos are really telegraphed. Which is not that bad since the combo is high quality, but a different preparation would not be bad. Though there is not many 3lz-3T combos out of nowhere.

 

[sakurano]

Can not she stay with Shae lyn Bourne and Massimo Scali as choreographer, if she changed coaches? they did a fantastic job with her, and Wakaba feels the music better to make it their own.

Wakaba who teaches Nobunari Oda the poses of his James Bond hahaha
finally we have some news and photo with Evgenia.


https://twitter.com/wakahfans/status/980252074582540288

 

[Miss Ice]

Can not she stay with Shae lyn Bourne and Massimo Scali as choreographer, if she changed coaches? they did a fantastic job with her, and Wakaba feels the music better to make it their own.

Wakaba who teaches Nobunari Oda the poses of his James Bond hahaha
finally we have some news and photo with Evgenia.


https://twitter.com/wakahfans/status/980252074582540288

SOOO cute haha! He actually has it down!

Also, if there is a new rule change, isn't it too early to start preparing programs? Especially with the whole artistic/technical program thing. It won't be the best if SP becomes a technical program, since Wakaba seems to be a much stronger FS skater. Also, with the INSANE +/- GOE and lesser BVs, the 3A risk is becoming less and less valuable. :disapp:

 

[sakurano]

SOOO cute haha! He actually has it down!

Also, if there is a new rule change, isn't it too early to start preparing programs? Especially with the whole artistic/technical program thing. It won't be the best if SP becomes a technical program, since Wakaba seems to be a much stronger FS skater. Also, with the INSANE +/- GOE and lesser BVs, the 3A risk is becoming less and less valuable. :disapp:

Honestly I worry a little with the new rules, but I think that the Wakaba team will do what it takes to make sure it's on top. Regarding the choreography it seems to me that we have always done before and readjust after the jumps so I do not think that is a problem.

On a cheerful note Wakaba, Kaori and Evgenia went to USJ yesterday and they were so cute there is a lot of pictures on the Evgenia fanfest so I do not know how to post them here.

The best photo is the one for me <3

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhBtdSKHDq0/

 

[LRK]

Can not she stay with Shae lyn Bourne and Massimo Scali as choreographer, if she changed coaches? they did a fantastic job with her, and Wakaba feels the music better to make it their own.

Wakaba who teaches Nobunari Oda the poses of his James Bond hahaha
finally we have some news and photo with Evgenia.


https://twitter.com/wakahfans/status/980252074582540288

Did they choreograph her programs this season? Because I think whoever did, really "got" Wakaba, and I'd love to see more programs from them.

 

[sakurano]

Did they choreograph her programs this season? Because I think whoever did, really "got" Wakaba, and I'd love to see more programs from them.

Yes they have been choregraphing his programs since the 2016-2017 season .
---------'


https://www.instagram.com/p/BhExFs3lB3M/


-----------

On the video I posted on the state wire of Japanese ladies 2018 -2019

I think she did a 3LUTZ-3LO I did not know she would continue to practice it

 

[sakurano]

Wakaba on Star on Ice Yokohama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTkvsIrW-IM

I'm disappointed she did not do Wakababond or Gypsy Dance as I thought, but her Halellujah is still beautiful.

Wakaba will also perform another ice show in June
http://www.sunrisehokuriku.co.jp/schedule/kdschevent.php?id=7457

If it interests someone, the visit of WAKABA KAORI and EVGENIA to the USJ will be broadcast on April 14 at 3:30 pm on TBS

https://twitter.com/tbschannel/status/982168180196917248

 

[MaiKatze]

PAGE 100!

To celebrate I translated commentary from Wakaba's biggest fans, German Eurosport. To start, we have the short at Worlds, a little bit bleak, but we know there is a happy ending coming! I'm no professional translator and I don't mean to offend with this, but I hope you can enjoy this like the one from CoC!

German Eurosport, Sigi Heinrich and Hendryk Schamberger, Milan Worlds 2018, Wakaba Higuchi Short Program

(S)igi Heinrich: Next up is a favourite skater, dear viewers, of both of us. We can, I believe, say it like this. I hope I can speak in your name, too.

(H)endryk Schamberger: Yes, Yes!

S: Wakaba Higuchi from Japan, who couldn't or wasn't allowed to be in PyeongChang, because she was only fourth at Japanese Nationals. We saw her in Nagoya at the Grand Prix Final, in Beijing at the Cup of China and at the Cup of Moscow last year. She showed great performances in the Grand Prix, but not when it was important to qualify for the Olympics. She skates with a lot of gusto.

H: Aah, actually she was standing. A fall in the combination that costs many points of course.

S: Unfazed she delivers a Flip afterwards.

H: Yes.

S: 17 years old, Wakaba Higuchi. Her Long, by the way, is really awesome.

H: Exactly.

S: James Bond Melodies, Skyfall and From Russia with Love.

H: This is certainly her real strong program. The long.

S: I agree with that.

H: I just fear she will be in a bad position. I so wished for her to get a medal here, after the disappointment of missing the Olympic Games. She does have everything to get one. Well, now after that Fall....mmmh. She needs a lot of luck to get near the medals.

S: It won't be possible.

H: Eh, yes, people said the same before Savchenko/Massot did their long. But you're right. The starting position is conceivably bad, ehm, we have to wait though what the rest of the field will do. But presumably the margin to the medal ranks will be relatively high.

S: Meanwhile the cheers are getting louder in the arena, no wonder, Carolina Kostner came onto the ice, we only saw it out of the corner and this of course will be the highlight of the first day of competition here.

H: Crystal clear.

S: Here we watch the fall once more.

H: Yes, not much missing. The Flip was flawless. Eh and here...

S: She got, to come back shortly once more to the Flip, not very high GOE's for it.

H: Well, for the Flip this is a mystery. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Eh, it was high. It was round, there was a lot of speed going into the jump....

S: Four times, -1.

H: Yes.

S: Where these marks are coming from I have no idea.

H: Yes.

S: Yes, nice how they decorated the Kiss & Cry here in Milan.

H: You cannot really see on the tv screen but it is three dimensional. Really a three dimensional Cathedral they built here. Great craftmanship, eh, but Wakaba Higuchi cares nothing about this right now, because she can see her medal chance disappearing and she is too far away with 65 points.

S: The Italians have always been good at this stuff, carving figurines, Michelangelo and so....

H: Yes.

S: 65 points thats a little disillusioning.....

Original, if you understand German.

(S)igi Heinrich: Und nun kommt eine Lieblingsläuferin, liebe Zuschauer, von uns beiden. Das dürfen wir, glaube ich, so mal stehen lassen, Ich hoffe, dass ich in deinem Namen sprechen darf.

(H)endryk Schamberger: Jaja.

S: Wakaba Higuchi aus Japan, die in PyeongChang nicht dabei sein konnte, durfte, weil sie nur vierte war bei den japanischen Meisterschaften. Wir haben sie in Nagoya gesehen beim Grand Prix Finale, in Peking beim Cup of China, beim Cup of Moskau im vergangenen Jahr. Tolle Leistungen gezeigt in den Grand Prix Wettbewerben, aber dann eben nicht, als es darauf ankam um sich für Olympia zu qualifizieren. Sie ist eine die mit richtig viel Dampf läuft.

H: Aaah, eigentlich stand sie schon. Der Sturz in der Kombination, das kostet natürlich viele Punkte.

S: Unbeeindruckt ein ordentlicher Flip hintennach.

H: Ja.

S: 17 Jahre ist sie alt, Wakaba Higuchi. Ihre Kür ist übrigens ganz toll.

H: Genau.

S: James Bond Melodien, Skyfall und Liebesgrüße aus Moskau.

H: Also das ist sicherlich ihr eigentlich starkes Programm. Die Kür.

S: Das sehe ich auch so.

H: Ich fürchte nur sie wird in einer schlechten Ausgangsposition sein. Ich hatte ihr so eine Medaille gewünscht, hier nach der Enttäuschung der verpassten Olympischen Spiele. Sie hat auf jeden Fall das Zeug dazu. Jetzt nach diesem Sturz....mmmhhh. Da muss sie schon viel Glück haben um noch in Medaillennähe zu kommen.

S: Das wird nicht möglich sein.

H: Ehm, ja hat man vor Savchenko/Massot Kür auch gesagt. Aber du hast schon recht. Also Die Ausgangssituation ist natürlich denkbar schlecht, äh, jetzt muss man natürlich noch warten, was der Rest des Feldes macht. Aber vermutlich wird ihr Abstand zu den Medaillenrängen schon relativ groß sein.

S: Derweil ist der Jubel laut geworden in der Halle, kein Wunder, weil Carolina Kostner eben gerade auf's Eis kam, wir haben es eben nur am Rande gesehen und das ist natürlich das Highlight des ersten Wettkampftages.

H: Ganz klar.

S: Hier haben wir den Sturz nochmal.

H: Ja, also hat wirklich nicht viel gefehlt. Der Flip der war wirklich einwandfrei. Ihm und hier

S: Da hat sie, Hendrik um auf den Flip nochmal kurz zu sprechen zu kommen, nicht sehr hohe GOE's erhalten.

H: Also ist beim Flip nun eigentlich völlig unverständlich denn da gibt es wirklich nichts dran auszusetzen. Ihm, der war hoch, der war auf rückwärts, der war mit viel Schwung im Anlauf.

S: Viermal minus eins.

H: Ja...

S: Also wo das herkommt, das weiß ich nun auch nicht.

H: Ja.

S: Ja ,schön wie man die Kiss & Cry Ecke hier gestaltet hat in Mailand.

H: Das sieht man garnicht auf dem Fernsehschirm, es ist wirklich dreidimensional. Wirklich ein dreidimensionaler Dom der da aufgebaut wurde. Also, tolle handwerkliche Leistung, ihm, aber das interessiert Wakaba Higuchi jetzt relativ wenig. Den sie sieht schon hier ihre Medaillenchancen schwinden und mit 65 Punkten ist sie zu weit weg.

S: Sowas konnten die Italiener schon immer so Figuren schnitzen, Michelangelo und so...

H: Ja.

S: 65 Punkte, das ist ein wenig ernüchternd.

 

[Iron Lotus]

Wakaba on Star on Ice Yokohama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTkvsIrW-IM

I'm disappointed she did not do Wakababond or Gypsy Dance as I thought, but her Halellujah is still beautiful.

Wakaba will also perform another ice show in June
http://www.sunrisehokuriku.co.jp/schedule/kdschevent.php?id=7457

If it interests someone, the visit of WAKABA KAORI and EVGENIA to the USJ will be broadcast on April 14 at 3:30 pm on TBS

https://twitter.com/tbschannel/status/982168180196917248

Haha. Wakaba is Slytherin!

 

[sakurano]

Haha. Wakaba is Slytherin!

Yes, and she also disguised herself as a Sailor Mercury lol that fits her because she is ambitious XD


Thank you Maikatze for the translation of the German commentators, I like to see what the commentators of the skaters think and their comments are very constructive.

 

[Miss Ice]

PAGE 100!

To celebrate I translated commentary from Wakaba's biggest fans, German Eurosport. To start, we have the short at Worlds, a little bit bleak, but we know there is a happy ending coming! I'm no professional translator and I don't mean to offend with this, but I hope you can enjoy this like the one from CoC!

German Eurosport, Sigi Heinrich and Hendryk Schamberger, Milan Worlds 2018, Wakaba Higuchi Short Program



Original, if you understand German.

THANK YOU! How happy they must've been when the result was announced. Thanks for doing the God's work, MaiKatze!

 

[solar]

Thank you MaiKatze for the translation! And yes, I agree Wakaba fits a Slytherin very well. That or Gryffindor!

 

[MaiKatze]

Ha, I was also sorted into Slytherin at Pottermore, so we have that in common!

Unfortunately in these translations, intonation doesn't come over as nicely, but Sigi is a big fan and really empathized the word, Hallelujah and Wakaba's name. Also, the sentence about her physique is meant in a fond way, not an insult at all.

German Eurosport, Worlds Milan 2018, Gala, Original Commentary, Sigi Heinrich

Well, together with my colleague Hendrik Schamberger and my colleague Petra Bindl, ah, we are in agreement: Wakaba Higuchi is a sunshine in figure skating! Even if she doesn't have the most delicate physique, her athletic style just brings something and you could also see this at these World Championships. She wasn't nominated for the Olympic Games, here she was second.

Yes, one should be able to say it, Hallelujah!

Well, unfortunately the athletes are instructed to create a separate exhibition piece, she could've chosen a part of her long program, it's so great, music from James Bond from Skyfall, this is received exceptionally well and she did something exceptional here, she went from rank 8 after the short program to rank 2 in the front, also with the second long program. Great performance from Wakaba Higuchi! If you ask yourself why she was not at the Olympic Games, because she only was 4th at the Japanese Nationals.

Original

Tja, und mit meinem Kollegen Hendryk Schamberger und meiner Kollegin Petra Bindl, äh, da sind wir uns alle einig: Wakaba Higuchi ist ein Sonnenschein im Eiskunstlaufen! Auch wenn sie jetzt nicht die ganz grazile Figur hat, aber ihr sportlicher Touch, der bringt einfach was und das hat man auch gesehen, bei diesen Weltmeisterschaften, sie war nicht für die Olympischen Spiele nominiert, hier ist sie zweite geworden.

Ja, da kann man schon mal sagen, Hallelujah!

Tja, leider sind die Athleten ja angewiesen ein eigenes Galaprogramm auf die Beine zu stellen, sie hätte ja auch ein Teil ihrer Kür nehmen können, die so toll ist, Musik von James Bond, von Skyfall, das kommt sensationell gut an und sie hat auch was tolles geschaffen, sie ist von Platz 8 nach dem Kurzprogramm auf Rang 2 nach vorne gelaufen, auch mit der zweitbesten Kür. Tolle Vorstellung Wakaba Higuchi. Wenn sie fragen warum war sie nicht bei den Olympischen Spielen dabei, weil sie nur vierte geworden war, bei den japanischen Meisterschaften.

 

[MaiKatze]

German Eurosport, Worlds Milan 2018, Long program, Original Commentary, Petra Bindl, Hendryk Schamberger

Warmup

(P)etra Bindl: And the last skater of this group is Wakaba Higuchi...and I miss one skater here at the World Championships Kaori Sakamoto who thrilled us so at the Olympics!

(H)endryk Schamberger: Yes, well because the Japanese have so many good female skaters they wanted to give more Ladies a chance to start internationally, Wakaba Higuchi showed at the Grand Prix that she can get into the front of the pack. In the short, this unfortunately didn't happen, that's why she is in the second group, she could've been a medal candidate, now she is too far away, it would be a surprise if she still could intervene at the top.
....

P: Last year she was 11th at Worlds, Wakaba Higuchi the Japanese, 8th after the short program, so it looks like an improvement, if she can skate as well in this long program.

H: Yes, the the long is a real highlight. Eh, James Bond Melodies. Totally convinced me at the Grand Prix, she has uncanny swing and understands how to take that swing into the jumps and keep it, so she doesn't end up in a standstill after the landing like many others, that is a special talent to have.

Start LP

P: Last skater in this group, Wakaba Higuchi, the 17 year old Japanese on the ice with Skyfall from the James Bond Movie, performed by Adele.

H: Well, this is a Triple Triple Cobination, look at the speed she has going into that, so awesome.

So, now we have the most important element of her long, a second Triple Triple combination.

P: Extremely strong performance from her...

H: Wow!

P:..from Wakaba Higuchi, it was sensational what she showed us here, we just talked to each other during the program, next year my wish would be to see her and Kaori Sakamoto, these two are the absolute young stars from Japan, in the Ladies discipline.

H: And yeah, damn, this could've been a medal, if she didn't have the fall in the combination in the short program, it's such a pity. Sensational long program!

P: On the other hand she has...

H: Standing ovations here in Milan, for the first time, wow!

P: Yes, on the other hand, she fought, and didn't give herself up after the short program, put everything in there in those 4 minutes of the long, and now tears are flowing, but those are tears of joy, that we can see here from Wakaba Higuchi.

H: Yes, and I believe this also was all the leftover anger about missing the Olympics and the flubbed short program, all of this went into the long program today and resulted in that fantastic skate.

P: Yes, her and Kaori Sakamoto are both skaters, that go into their elements unbelievably fast, who have great height in their jumps compared to Satoko Miyahara who is at third place at the moment, after the short, who is quite far away from this quality, in the elements and most notably she skates in a more unsophisticated manner than these two Ladies.

H: Yes, and such a mature presentation, I mean she is only 17. That..eh, if you watch her skate, you would guess she's 24, 25 or so, this was brilliant interpretation and then in the step sequence she put everything she had in there at that final, so if it's not a medal for her, I at least hope she will get the third place in the long program. Wow, is everything I can say. And hopefully the judges won't follow the usual artithmetic of the program component score, so they will rise from group to group, I want to see a 70 now, at the least, in the component scores.

P: Her personal best is around 145,30 in the long program.

H: I believe she is thinking the same, please give me 70 in PCS. That's right!

P: She almost gets her personal best, almost equalizes it. Great, great performance, of course, deserved first place and now even more tears are coming from the young Japanese. A world class effort! Well done!

This is the translation of the long. They also talk about Wakaba quite a bit during the last group and at the medal ceremony. I'm kind of uncomfortable with what they said there and won't translate it. Just so much, they really dislike Satoko and let it show. It's one thing to be a fan of a skater and dislike another as a fan, but as a commentator I wish for a bit more neutrality especially since these girls really like and respect each other. I think it's unprofessional to use Wakaba as a tool to put Satoko down, and that is certainly not their intention, but it comes over like this. So take everything they say about Satoko with a grain of salt, they are biased and have chosen Wakaba as their new Queen. Which is great, only please not at the expense of another.

Original

(P)etra Bindl: Und die letzte dieser Gruppe Wakaba Higuchi...und ich vermisse eine Läuferin hier bei den Weltmeisterschaften Kaori Sakamoto, die uns so begeistert hat bei Olympia.

(H)endryk Schamberger: Ja, man wollte eben weil man so viele verschiedene gute Damen hat einer breiteren Anzahl von Damen, die Chance eines internationalen Starts geben, auch Wakaba Higuchi hat bei den Grand Prix gezeigt, dass sie ganz vorne mitmischen kann. Im Kurzprogramm gelang das nicht so gut leider, deshalb eben in der zweiten Startgruppe, sie wäre auch ne Kandidatin für ne Medaille gewesen, jetzt ist sie allerdings zu weit weg, das wäre eine Überraschung, wenn sie vorne mit eingreifen könnte.
....
P: Letztes Jahr war sie elfte bei den Weltmeisterschaften, Wakaba Higuchi die Japanerin, achte ist sie nach dem Kurzprogramm also es sieht nach einer Verbesserung aus, sollte sie heute hier gut durchkommen, durch die Kür.

H: Ja, die Kür ist wirklich ein Highlight. Eh, James Bond Melodien. Hat mich im Grand Prix total überzeugt hat unheimlich viel Schwung und versteht es diesen Schwung in den Sprüngen zu halten, als sie steht nicht nach der Landung wie viele andere das ist ein ganz besonderes Talent.

Start LP
(P): Letzte Läuferin in dieser Gruppe, Wakaba Higuchi, die 17jährige Japanerin nun auf dem Eis mit Skyfall aus dem James Bond Film, gesungen von Adele.

(H): Also das nenn' ich mal ne Dreifach-Dreifach Kombination, schon mit wieviel speed sie darein geht, ganz toll.

So, jetzt das wichtigste Element ihrer Kür, die zweite Dreifach-Dreifach Kombination.

P: Ganz starker Auftritt, von ihr...

H: Wow!

P:..von Wakaba Higuchi, das war sensationell was sie uns hier gezeigt hat, und wir haben uns gerade uns so unterhalten, nächstes Jahr würde ich mir wirklich wünschen, sie und Kaori Nakamoto, das sind für mich die absoluten zwei Jungstars aus Japan, was die Damen betrifft.

H: Und ja, verdammt, das hätte ne Medaille sein können, wenn sie den Sturz in der Kombination nicht gehabt hätte im Kurzprogramm, ist das schade! Sensationelle Kür.

P: Andererseits sie hat...

H: Standing Ovations hier in Mailand, das erste mal, wow!

P: Ja aber andererseits, sie hat gekämpft, sie hat sich nicht aufgegeben nach dem Kurzprogramm, hat alles reingesteckt in diese 4 Minuten Kür, und da fliessen die Tränen, aber das sind Freudentränen, die wir hier sehen von Wakaba Higuchi.

H: Ja und ich glaube da war auch die ganze Wut über die verpasste Olympiateilnahme und über das verpatzte Kurzprogramm, all das ging in die Kür heute und mit diesem fantastischen Resultat.

P: Ja, sowohl sie als auch Kaori Sakamoto beide Läuferinnen, die unglaublich schnell in die Elemente reingehen, die tolle Höhen haben in den Sprüngen ganz im Vergleich zu Satoko Miyahara die ja aktuell auf Rang 3 liegt, nach dem Kurzprogramm, die alles andere als diese Qualität hat, in den Elementen, und vor allem auch biederer läuft als die beiden jungen Damen.

H: Ja und das...so ne reife Vorstellung, ich mein sie ist erst 17. Das, eh, wenn man sie so laufen sieht, würde man sagen ja 24 25 oder so, das war richtig gut interpretiert und dann eben nochmal in der Schritt Passage alles reingelegt was sie noch hatte zum Schluss, also wenn es keine Medaille wird, ich hoffe es wird wenigstens der dritte Platz in der Kürwertung. Wow, kann ich nur sagen. Und hoffentlich folgen die Preisrichter jetzt nicht wieder der Arithmetik der Programmkomponenten, das sie von Gruppe zu Gruppe steigen, hier möchte ich ne 70 sehen, mindestens, in den Programmkomponenten.

P: Ihre persönliche Bestleistung liegt bei 145, 30 in der Kür.

H: Ich glaube, die denkt gerade auch bitte ne 70 in den Programmkomponenten.
Jawoll!

P: Und sie bekommt fast ihre persönliche Bestleistung, sie schafft es fast sie zu egalisieren. Ganz, ganz toller Auftritt, natürlich verdient der erste Platz und da fließen jetzt noch mehr Tränen bei der jungen Japanerin. Absolute Weltklasseleistung. Toll gemacht.

 

[chloepoco]

German Eurosport, Worlds Milan 2018, Long program, Original Commentary, Petra Bindl, Hendryk Schamberger




This is the translation of the long. They also talk about Wakaba quite a bit during the last group and at the medal ceremony. I'm kind of uncomfortable with what they said there and won't translate it. Just so much, they really dislike Satoko and let it show. It's one thing to be a fan of a skater and dislike another as a fan, but as a commentator I wish for a bit more neutrality especially since these girls really like and respect each other. I think it's unprofessional to use Wakaba as a tool to put Satoko down, and that is certainly not their intention, but it comes over like this. So take everything they say about Satoko with a grain of salt, they are biased and have chosen Wakaba as their new Queen. Which is great, only please not at the expense of another.

Original

I absolutely love both Wakaba and Satoko (as well as the other Japanese skaters). It's nice to see German commentators excited about Wakaba, but as you said, their dislike of Satoko really is obvious. Especially this comment from them "Yes, her and Kaori Sakamoto are both skaters, that go into their elements unbelievably fast, who have great height in their jumps compared to Satoko Miyahara who is at third place at the moment, after the short, who is quite far away from this quality, in the elements and most notably she skates in a more unsophisticated manner than these two Ladies." I mean, helloooo??! Satoko...unsophisticated? Let's get real here! (BTW, thank you for the translation!)

 

[MaiKatze]

I absolutely love both Wakaba and Satoko (as well as the other Japanese skaters). It's nice to see German commentators excited about Wakaba, but as you said, their dislike of Satoko really is obvious. Especially this comment from them "Yes, her and Kaori Sakamoto are both skaters, that go into their elements unbelievably fast, who have great height in their jumps compared to Satoko Miyahara who is at third place at the moment, after the short, who is quite far away from this quality, in the elements and most notably she skates in a more unsophisticated manner than these two Ladies." I mean, helloooo??! Satoko...unsophisticated? Let's get real here! (BTW, thank you for the translation!)

Actually this is the word I had the most trouble with, because they called her 'bieder' which could also be translated as old-fashioned or boring. This is not the only bad stuff they said about Satoko, like they call her mouse and more not so nice words, it has been obvious for years, but at this Worlds it was extreme. I'm not the biggest fan of Satoko but that made me really uncomfortable. Of course, it's great that they love Wakaba and Kaori so much (and even Mai/Marin) but to not stop this bashing, and that is really what it was, just leaves a bad aftertaste in my mouth when I translate their commentary. I want to show to you guys how much Wakaba is loved and not how they put down other skaters. Hendryk Schamberger can be extremely mean and harsh against those he deems inferior. He disliked Mao Asada throughout her whole career and let it show. They are far from perfect, but let's focus on the positive side.

 

[Li'Kitsu]

Maybe something like "uptight" or "inhibited" could also work for "Bieder"? It really is a difficult word to translate (tbh I'm surprised unsophisticated is listed as the English translation at all... not meant against your translation MaiK, but internet dictionaries are using that too, and for me that's not something I would have used at all xD).

A nicer interpretation of what they maybe meant could be that Waka is more "outside the box", with a music choice that is modern and dynamic, and not something more "classical" like Satokos music and program. Without putting better or worse on it, of you just compare the styles, Satoko has a lot of qualities of the "classical female skater" - elegant, good lines, soft movements. Waka is more raw and instead has more power and energy. What the german ESP guys said basically is the negative "over interpretation" of that, at least to me.

 

[sakurano]

German Eurosport, Worlds Milan 2018, Long program, Original Commentary, Petra Bindl, Hendryk Schamberger




This is the translation of the long. They also talk about Wakaba quite a bit during the last group and at the medal ceremony. I'm kind of uncomfortable with what they said there and won't translate it. Just so much, they really dislike Satoko and let it show. It's one thing to be a fan of a skater and dislike another as a fan, but as a commentator I wish for a bit more neutrality especially since these girls really like and respect each other. I think it's unprofessional to use Wakaba as a tool to put Satoko down, and that is certainly not their intention, but it comes over like this. So take everything they say about Satoko with a grain of salt, they are biased and have chosen Wakaba as their new Queen. Which is great, only please not at the expense of another.

Original

Thanks for these translations Maikatze
It's ironic because one of the reasons why I was interested in Satoko and Wakaba is thanks to the critics lol I want to accept that we have our favorites but where I do not agree it is that they pour their hatred on a skater to the profiles of their favorites, for commentators TV I do not find it professional, one finds this same behavior in the forums.
They have their own styles and their own strength and they are there because otherwise the Figure Skating would reduce that to a single image of the perfect skater.

On a cheerful note Wakaba backed up her friend Rikako Ikee for her Sunday swimming competition
I find this friendship adorable, they support each other T_T

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhUC8cWBbSW/?hl=ja&taken-by=ikee.rikako

 

[saphire]

Actually this is the word I had the most trouble with, because they called her 'bieder' which could also be translated as old-fashioned or boring. This is not the only bad stuff they said about Satoko, like they call her mouse and more not so nice words, it has been obvious for years, but at this Worlds it was extreme. I'm not the biggest fan of Satoko but that made me really uncomfortable. Of course, it's great that they love Wakaba and Kaori so much (and even Mai/Marin) but to not stop this bashing, and that is really what it was, just leaves a bad aftertaste in my mouth when I translate their commentary. I want to show to you guys how much Wakaba is loved and not how they put down other skaters. Hendryk Schamberger can be extremely mean and harsh against those he deems inferior. He disliked Mao Asada throughout her whole career and let it show. They are far from perfect, but let's focus on the positive side.

I totally agree. I was annoyed at Ryan Bradley in US for being so dismissive of Satoko's skating, saying that she had no chance of maintaining her position in 3rd after the short program. I really like Wakaba and Satoko skating for different reasons. It is sad and disappointing that commentators much like super fans have to denigrate other skaters to prop up their favorites.

 

[yume]

Lol i didn't notice https://mobile.twitter.com/Phantom_Kabocha/status/983458358979190785/photo/1