Goodbye Yoshie

[Tinymavy15]

http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/402474

 

[demarinis5]

I am surprised she did not retire earlier. She is the most miserable looking skater on the ice in my memory. Yoshie looked so unhappy to me which I think carried over to her skating. I found her skating dull, labored and second rate. If she is going pro she better learn how to smile or she will have trouble connecting to the audience. JMHO (Sorry if I offended any Yoshie fans)

 

[Mafke]

I'm sad about this as she was always a personal favorite and I wish her all the best.

Unfortunately, her strengths were speed and power in a discipline that's chilly toward those properties in ladies. I think she looked uncomfortable in the last couple of seasons because she was trying to fit her naturally boisterous and exhuberent style within the traditional fairy princess straightjacket (she really had no chance whatsoever under COP). Earlier on, when she wasn't worrying about how undainty and unpretzel-like she was, she looked like she was having a blast.

 

[slutskayafan21]

Unfortunately, her strengths were speed and power in a discipline that's chilly toward those properties in ladies.

Funny enough I thought those were the biggest strengths of Debi Thomas, Irina Slutskaya, Midori Ito, Tonya Harding, and Miki Ando as well. The judges though do not seem chilly to those ladies. I am not saying Yoshie is on a level with any of those ladies, just that I am not sure I agree with you is all.

 

[iluvtodd]

I always liked Yoshie for her athletic ability and spunk, even though her strength was not in her artistry. After the medal ceremony at 2005 Skate America, as the photographers were taking pictures of the lady medalists (Elena S., Alissa, and Yoshie), I waved my little Japanese flag for her. She seemed very appreciative of that, and she bowed and smiled a very sweet smile to us. I wish her all the best!

 

[JonnyCoop]

Funny enough I thought those were the biggest strengths of Debi Thomas, Irina Slutskaya, Midori Ito, Tonya Harding, and Miki Ando as well. The judges though do not seem chilly to those ladies. I am not saying Yoshie is on a level with any of those ladies, just that I am not sure I agree with you is all.

I completely understand what you mean. The ladies you mentioned were good at a style that I refer to as "technical artistry", wherein despite the fact that they would never be confused for a ballerina, a la Sasha Cohen, they were able to use their strengths and parlay them into interesting programs; it worked for them and it was beleivable. Yoshie, instead of trying to go the balletic route, should have just tried to improve on the basic style she had; when she went out there and tried to "pretty it up", if you will, the effect was completely unconvincing and it fell flat. She didn't need a style overhaul; she just needed to learn how to feel and respond to the music better and get stronger choreography in the vein of Debi, Midori, Tonya, Irina, etc, etc.... Viktoria Volchkova is another skater who I think could benefit from this; I'm not buying HER as some kind of ballerina either.

 

[Tinymavy15]

i liked she skating, but she had not made thet world team in i think 2 or three years and with no chance of the japanese getting any weaker, yoshie knew that she had no more chances.

 

[iloveaxel]

can she do 3A and/or 3+3? I'm surprised she has never mastered these jumps since she's such a great jumper.

 

[krenseby]

I always liked Yoshie for her athletic ability and spunk, even though her strength was not in her artistry. After the medal ceremony at 2005 Skate America, as the photographers were taking pictures of the lady medalists (Elena S., Alissa, and Yoshie), I waved my little Japanese flag for her. She seemed very appreciative of that, and she bowed and smiled a very sweet smile to us. I wish her all the best!

I've seen some of her skates and her speed and energy are impressive. She looked she was flying on ice... I don't really care for her to try to be the ballerina/artistic type. She would be fine as the outgoing, energetic skater that she started out as as.

 

[saltypig]

Good luck in whatever you do Yoshie!!

For those who don't know her that well here is a short bio of her:

http://www.japanskates.com/bios/Yoshie/YoshieBio.htm

 

[xfuneralforyesterday]

I really like Yoshie. She has loads of character and has a brill smile! I'll miss her being on the competitive stage.

Will Nana Takeda replace her on the senior team now?