Yuzuru Hanyu Will Compete With His 2017-18 SP & FS At 4CC

[DSQ]

Can Gillis Grafström not be surpassed with his three gold medals? Let’s not forget Karl Schäfer who also won two, it’s not just Dick.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Yet more repetition. Four times now for Chopin. Sigh.

A few months ago, everyone was saying "He doesn't care about winning anymore, he's won everything" "All he cares about is the 4A."

Clearly this is a safe choice and he does care a lot about winning. I think he should, since he could win a third OGM, but let's retire this theory that he isn't primarily trying to win events any way he can.

 

[Amei]

(deep sigh) As y'all have said, Chopin for the 4th time is too much. I can live with Seimei (helps that it's my favourite free program of his), but Chopin... And the fact that he was reusing his programs from last season doesn't help, it highlights one of Yuzuru's few shortcomings - he recycles too much.

It seems to me that Yuzuru is trying to channel his Olympic self by using his Olympic programs, but as much as I adore the man I have to say the problem was with his consistency, not the programs. Yuzuru is nothing if not competitive and of course he wants to finally get his 4CC gold medal, but it would've been the same if he had used Otoñal and Origin. And I'm personally disappointed that I don't get to see Otoñal live.

Yuzuru will do as he pleases and nothing is going to stop that, but yet another choice of his that I don't agree with goes on the list. (deep, deep sigh)

Yuzuru and this beaten to death Chopin reminds me of Brian Joubert and the Matrix

 

[Ophelia]

Had to check to see if it was April 1.

Hanyu better be whipping out a 4A at 4CC.

 

[Sorrento]

Perhaps, even now judges have expressed their feelings. Perhaps they don’t quite like Otonal or Origin. After all they were Weir’s and Plushenko’s, not the most loved ones by judges.

I had the same feeling about those two programs all the time. As per his Origin- it's about the way it's made, the layout to the music- it is so tough to catch momentum for quads and fill the program with artistry and meaningful choreo at the same time, he could never properly breath inside the performance. I've always felt as if the music could not lift him up, then there's the body language- he falls down at ending pose stretching out the palm up in the sky. It is very telling: my body is weak but my spirit is lifting me up to fight. Compare this to SEIMEI ending pose: he rules them all! SEIMEI is a magic program in this regard, it fits him as a glove. I can never get bored of it. It's such an uplifting program to watch.

 

[icybear]

Repeating both of last year programs was bad enough, but repeating a short program you've already used 3 times and a free program you've used twice before:noshake:. I dont think the judges are going to ignore this fact when judging him against Chen in the pcs battle.

 

[Mathman]

To me, the whole point of repeating a program is to showcase the difference between the skater you were earlier in your career and the skater you are now. Risk and reward. The risk is obvious -- maybe you were better three years ago and you've slipped a little.

But the reward is also worth considering. Have you achieved a new level of artistic maturity, new insights about matching movement to music?

Considering that Seimei is on the very, very short list of the greatest figure skating performances ever, Hanyu is putting something on the line with this choice.

Edit: On the other hand, maybe he just wants to get in his competitors' faces -- You think you can beat me -- beat Seimei!!!

 

[eppen]

I keep wondering whether for desperation or for confidence boost? Or both together?

I guess he will be going for the 5 quad FS which did not work with Origin at first try. But will it work any better with Seimei that has to be revamped for a 4 minute and 1 jump less format. Of course, the old success of Seimei could give him a mental boost, but physically it won't be any different from Origin really.

And if the 4A attempts did not sway his main rivals in Torino, would eg Nathan be fazed by Seimei? He beat it at the Olympics already.

E

 

[jenaj]

I don’t care, really, that he is reusing his old programs. He was already reusing Otonal and Origin. I do wonder what his motivation is. To win Four Continents? Would that improve his legacy at all? To beat Nathan, who won’t even be there? I don’t think going back to these iconic programs is going to improve his technical score, which is where Nathan is beating him.

 

[Sorrento]

I do wonder what his motivation is. To win Four Continents? Would that improve his legacy at all?

Legacy wise he is going for a full crown in figure skating- like winning the grand slam in tennis: having gold at every major event in your field. In tennis it is used in terms of one year (season) competitions. When it comes to figure skating-winning gold at every major event is an achievement of it's own. Yuzuru had never won 4CC in his entire career. Now's the time. And if you think it is easy then I would like to remind you that he's the only top skater out there who is risking getting very close to the coronavirus, the one that is especially dangerous for those with weak lungs. Some may think he's an... umm, not so smart given his asthma. But he loves to compete and have it all. So he goes there to get the gold and lift the spirits of people up. That is his mission after all.

 

[4everchan]

whatever his reasons : yuzuru wins a lifetime achievement award for most recycling of programs in his career

 

[icetug]

Anyways doing a short program for the fourth season is utterly ridiculous and there should be a rule against using the same program so many times. Can you imagine the Yuzu fan outrage if Nathan dared to do this?

Actually I'd love Nathan doing Nemesis again in some two-three years when he developes his full artistic potential.

 

[Ravyn Rant]

Actually I'd love Nathan doing Nemesis again in some two-three years when he developes his full artistic potential.

I agree. I wouldn't mind seeing "Caravan" again, either. Just not next season.
Back to topic, if Hanyu wants to re-recycle any of his programs he's got the right to do so. When he's on, he could skate to anything and the world would rise to its feet. When he's not at his best, the Hanyu fans will still throw their Pooh bears.
Whatever happens this season won't affect his legacy at all. Best of luck to him for the remainder of the season, whatever music he chooses.

 

[TontoK]

A few months ago, everyone was saying "He doesn't care about winning anymore, he's won everything" "All he cares about is the 4A."

Clearly this is a safe choice and he does care a lot about winning. I think he should, since he could win a third OGM, but let's retire this theory that he isn't primarily trying to win events any way he can.

That "Hanyu doesn't care about winning" was, and is, nonsense. That's something a public relations hack would put out, not something an athlete feels in his heart.

These guys are competitors. I don't doubt that they respect the talent of others, but they also want to win.

PS. Same thing when you hear similar stuff from Nathan fans.

 

[TontoK]

Actually I'd love Nathan doing Nemesis again in some two-three years when he developes his full artistic potential.

Not me. I want to see him continue to evolve and grow artistically, and I don't think he does that skating a program he did as an 18 year old. That program suited him then - fresh and cool and a little brash; I'm not sure what he could do to grow that program. It was pretty good as it was, and he's not the same skater now.

Caravan might be a different story in a few years, but If he did choose to repeat a program in the future, I hope it's some variation of Mao's Last Dancer. Now that's a program I bet would be substantially better from a mature artistic standpoint than it was then.

 

[jenaj]

Legacy wise he is going for a full crown in figure skating- like winning the grand slam in tennis: having gold at every major event in your field. In tennis it is used in terms of one year (season) competitions. When it comes to figure skating-winning gold at every major event is an achievement of it's own. Yuzuru had never won 4CC in his entire career. Now's the time. And if you think it is easy then I would like to remind you that he's the only top skater out there who is risking getting very close to the coronavirus, the one that is especially dangerous for those with weak lungs. Some may think he's an... umm, not so smart given his asthma. But he loves to compete and have it all. So he goes there to get the gold and lift the spirits of people up. That is his mission after all.

To answer my own question, no. Winning 4 Continents would be, at most, a footnote in his career.

 

[evasorange]

Actually I'd love Nathan doing Nemesis again in some two-three years when he developes his full artistic potential.

Tbh I wouldn’t necessarily mind Nathan repeating nemesis because it’s an awesome program and it would only be the second season he repeat it. This is Yuzu FOURTH time in just about as many seasons doing Chopin. There’s nothing new to bring to it. He’s not any more mature then when we last saw this in 2018. IMO going back to so many repeats over the years has actually stagnated Yuzus artistic potential. Honestly he must be really freaking out to go back to this yet again. Any other skater doing a four season repeat would be getting dragged to hades and back for this

 

[liv]

If he decided that Origin just wasn't working for him, it being so late in the season would make it difficult to get something new and reach a certain comfort level, so he's recycling... what are the choices? R/J, Notre Dame, PHantom, H/L and Seimei... R/J is too young for him now, H/L wasn't received that well by the judges until clean at World's... Seimei was well received from the start and, most of all, he loves it. So, the answer is Seimei.

Personally I wish he'd kept Otonal as his sp and only changed his free, but he will have his reasons. It's his career, these are his choices and they are both amazing programs, so I just look forward to watching him compete again because you never know when it will all be over. He has competed with serious injuries for so many years of his career that if he wants to do Seimei and Chopin while healthy for a change? go ahead.

 

[TontoK]

Not me. I want to see him continue to evolve and grow artistically, and I don't think he does that skating a program he did as an 18 year old. That program suited him then - fresh and cool and a little brash; I'm not sure what he could do to grow that program. It was pretty good as it was, and he's not the same skater now.

Caravan might be a different story in a few years, but If he did choose to repeat a program in the future, I hope it's some variation of Mao's Last Dancer. Now that's a program I bet would be substantially better from a mature artistic standpoint than it was then.

LOL. I'm busting on myself here.

Obviously, I know Mao's Last Dancer was ALSO first skated when he was 18, just like Nemesis. But, for me, Nemesis has more limited potential for growth - I see it as more of a young guy's program than Mao's Last Dancer, which I think could be magnificent.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Practically and realistically I think the judges will give Hanyu the pcs. I mean they already are giving ridiculous pcs for Nathan. And the scoring system does not have anything for a new program, originality or deductions for using past programs or choreography. Now the human side maybe but I don't think it will matter for Hanyu.

Under Composition a criteria is literally “Originality of the composition”.

Nathan’s PCS has been exceedingly high but at least he has been clean.

Hanyu will get high PCS at 4CC especially since the only person who could match him on PCS is Brown.