"The ICE" pix

[Medusa]

I could probably watch Kozuka for hours, even if he didn't do anything but crossovers and spread eagles all the time. Incredible skating skills. I also love how easy the footwork looks with him, which is on the other hand of course not the good, because if it looks easy the tech controller and judges may also think that it is easy...

 

[evangeline]

I could probably watch Kozuka for hours, even if he didn't do anything but crossovers and spread eagles all the time. Incredible skating skills. I also love how easy the footwork looks with him, which is on the other hand of course not the good, because if it looks easy the tech controller and judges may also think that it is easy...

I can watch Kozuka's LP over and over again just to see him do an inside-edge spread eagle, he does it so beautifully and besides, not enough skaters do them anyways.

 

[SusieH]

I loved Kozuka's new short program! The opening movement, the footwork, the spread eagle...everything looked lovely. He just needs to work on his jumps. Since it is still summer now, it's OK to get a little bit rusty. He still has a lot of time.

I read that he took some hip pop lesson in Canada during his last trip to the US to work on the new programs. Wonder how this hip pop element will figure into his programs.... Anyway, hope he has a great time in his first ever olympic season! I don't care for quads that much, but since he does and has been working so hard to land them, I really hope he can achieve this goal this season.

Speaking of the olympic season, maybe it is still not too late for Akiko Suzuki to change her nationality? Sometimes it just sucks to be a Japanese female skater... She will have a higher chance to be in the olympic team, actually almost a shoe-in for the team, in any other countires.

 

[sorcerer]

...Speaking of the olympic season, maybe it is still not too late for Akiko Suzuki to change her nationality?

IOC rule 42 Bye-law 2 says that she'll need three years after her nationality change before she can represent her new country in the Olympics, but that there are exceptions when IOC, JOC, JSF all agree to shorten it.

 

[SusieH]

IOC rule 42 Bye-law 2 says that she'll need three years after her nationality change before she can represent her new country in the Olympics, but that there are exceptions when IOC, JOC, JSF all agree to shorten it.

Oh, that's too bad

But I was half joking in the last post. I assume that the chance for her to change her nationality is pretty slim. I simply want her to at least have a shot at the olympics. According to wiki, she is 24 right now. Time is not kind on female skaters.

 

[sorcerer]

But I was half joking in the last post. ... I simply want her to at least have a shot at the olympics. According to wiki, she is 24 right now. Time is not kind on female skaters.

Which means you're arithmatically half serious ...
Oh I know sorry.

She'll no doubt go to one of the two, Olympics and Worlds(Torino). JSF will take care on that matter, they all say.

 

[Okami]

She'll no doubt go to one of the two, Olympics and Worlds(Torino). JSF will take care on that matter, they all say.

Do they plan to split teams between Olympics and Worlds..? A good idea, actually. I imagine those skaters who will go to Vancouver will be exhausted after Olympics, and those who will not make the team could use some exposure and ISU points.

I don't even know for whom to cheer to make the Olympic Team.

 

[sorcerer]

Do they plan to split teams between Olympics and Worlds..?

They don't "split" ....
According to the document the JSF published on June 12th, the criteria of the selection is the same between the two games BUT that the third criterion will take into account the distribution of skaters so that the selected third skater might differ between the two games.

ETA: Yay I hit 400 !!

 

[SusieH]

Which means you're arithmatically half serious ...
Oh I know sorry.

She'll no doubt go to one of the two, Olympics and Worlds(Torino). JSF will take care on that matter, they all say.

Am I half serious? Maybe She is a lovely, expressive skater. I would really love to see her more in big competitions, whether representing Japan or not.
And no need to apologize. I should express myself more clearly

Personally I would love to see all of the five Japanese ladies in Vancouver (I actually never get Fumie, but I find it very hard not to root for this resolute lady who is determined to grasp probably her last chance to shine at the olympics). But since it's technically not possible, I will hope the best 3 in the national go to Vancouver. I do think olympics mean more to the skaters than worlds.

 

[mycelticblessing]

Mao and Jeff skated to "A Whole New World" from "Alladin", portraying Alladin and Jasmine. The audience loved it!
http://img18.imageshack.us/i/maojeff02.jpg/

That was so cute! Seems like 'THE ICE' will always have a Asada/Buttle program. The Japanese fans can't seem to get enough of the two of them.

 

[Sasilm]

Looks good, from this and the pages in the other thread, Marvin.
Can you give us a brief synopsis of the story?

 

[SusieH]

I read that he took some hip pop lesson in Canada during his last trip to the US to work on the new programs. Wonder how this hip pop element will figure into his programs.... Anyway, hope he has a great time in his first ever olympic season! I don't care for quads that much, but since he does and has been working so hard to land them, I really hope he can achieve this goal this season.

Just want to do a little follow-up: a very short clip of Kozuka taking hip-hop lessons. See 4:30 and 5:00.

I'm not an expert on hip-hop, but it seems his talent doesn't lie in that direction Maybe the camera made him shy?
(In the clip they say that it is Yuka Sato who wanted him to take hip-hop lessons so that he could challenge himself and become more expressive)

They also show his father and mother with him on ice as well as the picture of his paternal grandfather on ice (into 2:00 or so). All three of them are former figure skaters. Amazing.

He's concentrating on practicing 4T, and he sounded optimistic. Good luck to him!

And good luck to him on his new college life! (When the reporter asked him what he wants to do now that he's in college, he said he wants to date )

 

[Tinymavy15]

great clip. Thanks for posting. That practice session did not go too well, but I am keeping an open mind. Did he release his music for the season yet?

 

[SusieH]

great clip. Thanks for posting. That practice session did not go too well, but I am keeping an open mind. Did he release his music for the season yet?

He did. His sp is "Bold as Love" by Jimmi Hendrix. His lp is Guitar Concerto by Hotai Tomoyasu and Michael Kamen (This is the only clip I can find at youtube).

He debuted his sp sometime ago in "The ICE," the very ice show under discussion here in this thread. I like his new sp

 

[SusieH]

He did. His sp is "Bold as Love" by Jimmi Hendrix. His lp is Guitar Concerto by Hotai Tomoyasu and Michael Kamen (This is the only clip I can find at youtube).

He debuted his sp sometime ago in "The ICE," the very ice show under discussion here in this thread. I like his new sp

Here is the clip of his LP, which he debuted at the ice show "friends on ice" last month. All of his jumps looked pretty scary. The spreadeagle was to die for though.

The youtuber also posted Daisuke Takahashi's new ex, which he debuted at the same show. He looked simply fabulous

I can't find any "friends on ice" thread; otherwise I will post it there.

 

[Morning Glory]

Kanako Murakami, Hairspray

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxjTIhUriTA

Congratulations on your winnig of JGP Toruń, Kanako

 

[Olympia]

So many skaters, so little time! I haven't had a chance to watch everything that all of you have so generously linked us to (have to do the job and the housekeeping), but I did watch Asada's exhibition skate. Golly, she just gets better. I admire and enjoy YuNa Kim, and if she wins the Olympics I certainly won't be distressed, but there's something sparkly about Asada that just draws me in. Is it her personality? Her quickness on the ice? Her expressive execution of the choreography? Maybe I'm not well enough educated to analyze it. But I know it when I see it, even if I can't name it. It isn't just the fact that she tosses off those triple axels--I'm not that avid a jump fan. I've loved her since her first senior year, when she won the Grand Prix final. All the stuff girls are supposed to lose as they become ladies' skaters, she's managed to retain, and yet she's not some over-age sprite--she's a maturing artist. I hope she wins it all--but win, place, or show, I hope she stays in skating for a good long time.