Kazuki Tomono | Page 221 | Golden Skate

Kazuki Tomono

Hi everyone, sorry I've been absent, and sorry in advance for the post I'm about to write - but I feel like someone must say the quiet part out loud so we can be prepared mentally and emotionally for what's in store for Kazuki.

What makes the whole situation devastating is not so much 4CC itself, but the implications of this quote by a JSF official at the team selection press conference, explaining why Kao wasn't selected for 4CC: This time as well, it was a close battle with extremely high competitiveness, and over the next two years, as each athlete strengthens in anticipation for the Milan and Ampezzo-Cortina Olympics, the rankings at the World Championships and Four Continents Championships will be improved. This is the result of strategically dividing the points we want to increase.
Source: https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/5678/2/

Translation: The opportunities were given to the athletes based on JSF's strategy for the upcoming Olympics, and Kazuki not getting an assignment means he is not part of this strategy.

What does that mean in practice?

- Less funding: Since they didn't give him a championship assignment, it's almost certain that his funding will be downgraded from Special Strengthening group (top-tier) to Group A (second-tier), or even Group B based on their ✨ strategy✨

- Fewer assignments: Since they made clear they want to give opportunities based on the ✨ strategy✨ it's very possible that Kazuki won't get a senior B this spring or autumn challenger next season (they only gave challengers for Special Strengthening skaters this season). He *should* still get two GP assignments next season based on his SB/world ranking but JSF will ensure he'll be underscored as much as possible so he won't meet the selection criteria and won't get in the way of their chosen skaters.

- Fewer shows: JSF has a close relationship with the show industry, and some shows only invite the top performers from the previous season. Kazuki being relegated to the second tier might mean he won't get as many show invitations (and consequently less 💸)

In short, the road ahead will be very bumpy for Kazuki and us, as JSF has moved from 'not supporting him' to 'actively undermining him'.

Of course, we know Kazuki is not someone who gives up easily. In fact, he has surpassed expectations in many occasions. It's been amazing as well to see the support from fans online, and I hope he and his sponsors can see this - he is extremely loved and many people expressed sadness that he wasn't invited to MOI and didn't get a championship assignment.

Personally, seeing that we, Kazuki fans, are really many :ghug: gives me solace and a sliver of hope that the sponsors won't drop him, and he will be able to carve his own path in spite of the wicked ways of the fed.
 
KiraraChin said:
Hi everyone, sorry I've been absent, and sorry in advance for the post I'm about to write - but I feel like someone must say the quiet part out loud so we can be prepared mentally and emotionally for what's in store for Kazuki.

What makes the whole situation devastating is not so much 4CC itself, but the implications of this quote by a JSF official at the team selection press conference, explaining why Kao wasn't selected for 4CC: This time as well, it was a close battle with extremely high competitiveness, and over the next two years, as each athlete strengthens in anticipation for the Milan and Ampezzo-Cortina Olympics, the rankings at the World Championships and Four Continents Championships will be improved. This is the result of strategically dividing the points we want to increase.
Source: https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/5678/2/

Translation: The opportunities were given to the athletes based on JSF's strategy for the upcoming Olympics, and Kazuki not getting an assignment means he is not part of this strategy.

What does that mean in practice?

- Less funding: Since they didn't give him a championship assignment, it's almost certain that his funding will be downgraded from Special Strengthening group (top-tier) to Group A (second-tier), or even Group B based on their ✨ strategy✨

- Fewer assignments: Since they made clear they want to give opportunities based on the ✨ strategy✨ it's very possible that Kazuki won't get a senior B this spring or autumn challenger next season (they only gave challengers for Special Strengthening skaters this season). He *should* still get two GP assignments next season based on his SB/world ranking but JSF will ensure he'll be underscored as much as possible so he won't meet the selection criteria and won't get in the way of their chosen skaters.

- Fewer shows: JSF has a close relationship with the show industry, and some shows only invite the top performers from the previous season. Kazuki being relegated to the second tier might mean he won't get as many show invitations (and consequently less 💸)

In short, the road ahead will be very bumpy for Kazuki and us, as JSF has moved from 'not supporting him' to 'actively undermining him'.

Of course, we know Kazuki is not someone who gives up easily. In fact, he has surpassed expectations in many occasions. It's been amazing as well to see the support from fans online, and I hope he and his sponsors can see this - he is extremely loved and many people expressed sadness that he wasn't invited to MOI and didn't get a championship assignment.

Personally, seeing that we, Kazuki fans, are really many :ghug: gives me solace and a sliver of hope that the sponsors won't drop him, and he will be able to carve his own path in spite of the wicked ways of the fed.
Click to expand...
It is really sad what happened to Kazuki at the Japanese National Championships. He is a phenomenal skater, and it is something his fans see. Whatever happens next season, I know Kazuki will be ok. I fully believe in him. If he decides after next season to move on, I could see him doing so many things to stay connected in the sport. He could go professional, create his own ice shows, choreograph programs, teach, be a commentator, a personal trainer... you name it. With his personality he can play so many roles. Next season might be his last or maybe not. He shouldn't give up. Keep going Kazuki!
 
KiraraChin said:
Hi everyone, sorry I've been absent, and sorry in advance for the post I'm about to write - but I feel like someone must say the quiet part out loud so we can be prepared mentally and emotionally for what's in store for Kazuki.

What makes the whole situation devastating is not so much 4CC itself, but the implications of this quote by a JSF official at the team selection press conference, explaining why Kao wasn't selected for 4CC: This time as well, it was a close battle with extremely high competitiveness, and over the next two years, as each athlete strengthens in anticipation for the Milan and Ampezzo-Cortina Olympics, the rankings at the World Championships and Four Continents Championships will be improved. This is the result of strategically dividing the points we want to increase.
Source: https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/5678/2/

Translation: The opportunities were given to the athletes based on JSF's strategy for the upcoming Olympics, and Kazuki not getting an assignment means he is not part of this strategy.

What does that mean in practice?

- Less funding: Since they didn't give him a championship assignment, it's almost certain that his funding will be downgraded from Special Strengthening group (top-tier) to Group A (second-tier), or even Group B based on their ✨ strategy✨

- Fewer assignments: Since they made clear they want to give opportunities based on the ✨ strategy✨ it's very possible that Kazuki won't get a senior B this spring or autumn challenger next season (they only gave challengers for Special Strengthening skaters this season). He *should* still get two GP assignments next season based on his SB/world ranking but JSF will ensure he'll be underscored as much as possible so he won't meet the selection criteria and won't get in the way of their chosen skaters.

- Fewer shows: JSF has a close relationship with the show industry, and some shows only invite the top performers from the previous season. Kazuki being relegated to the second tier might mean he won't get as many show invitations (and consequently less 💸)

In short, the road ahead will be very bumpy for Kazuki and us, as JSF has moved from 'not supporting him' to 'actively undermining him'.

Of course, we know Kazuki is not someone who gives up easily. In fact, he has surpassed expectations in many occasions. It's been amazing as well to see the support from fans online, and I hope he and his sponsors can see this - he is extremely loved and many people expressed sadness that he wasn't invited to MOI and didn't get a championship assignment.

Personally, seeing that we, Kazuki fans, are really many :ghug: gives me solace and a sliver of hope that the sponsors won't drop him, and he will be able to carve his own path in spite of the wicked ways of the fed.
Click to expand...

I can only hope JSF doesn't take things that far :pray: I agree that Kazuki (and most other older boys/men) will need to be on top of his game in the upcoming months, to stand a chance against the young elite talents. I think he will be pushed down to A funding, sadly. JSF doesn't forgive failures, and I'm afraid that one of their best skaters winning fewer medals on the GP circuit than the younger ones, as well as not advancing to the final, classifies as severe offence to them.
However, they'd do well to support *all* of their star skaters. It would be very imprudent to put all their eggs in the Youth basket. Shun and Kao are more prone to injury than Shoma and Kazuki, and Yuma has just come off a bad injury. The season leading to the Olympics is super hard, and even cautious top skaters might get injured practicing new hard elements. And that's when having Kazuki as a reliable, high-ranked backup would be invaluable. I can't be the only one thinking that if Kazuki has dealt with big assignments - 4CC, WC - this well so far, and repeatedly so, he'd perform just as well at the Olympics. I would absolutely not count him out for OG selection due to his scoring potential in highest-stress events; and neither should JSF.

I am confused about the point of a 'strategy' of restricting access to events for the wider top. It does much more harm than good, IMO, depriving alternates and Nats-based picks of much-needed experience - and by extension, it deprives JSF itself of chances of higher placements for those inexperienced skaters. I already am disappointed to see one top skater left out of 4CC, and will be even more disappointed if JSF continues the non-assignment game with Challengers in the autumn. Not assigning Kazuki in the spring and in the autumn would be a disgrace, and there'd be public outcry.
 
@surimi I really hope you're right and things won't be as bad as I'm fearing 😥 I agree JSF's strategy is completely stupid, there is already public outcry for Kazuki not getting a championship assignment...

Meanwhile, it's great to know non-no still has his back 🙌 They said a new Kazuki article will be published next week, on Wednesday. Hopefully we'll know a bit more about how he's feeling about Nats and the future.

 
I am sure that JSF will continue to support Kazuki and he will be invited to ice shows as before. Ice shows are organized by different agencies/companies and I don't think JSF has much influence on who the organizers invite. Because of Kazuki's great popularity and charisma, I bet he is in high demand now.

As for the selection process of the WC and 4CC, correct me if I'm wrong, but based on the selection criteria that JSF had announced in July, I think this is how the WC spots were selected and the 4CC spots were determined.

Selection Criteria for the Worlds:
(1) The winner of the All Japan Championships will be selected.
Shoma

(2) One skater will be selected from those who meet either of the following criteria, based on overall judgment.
(A) The 2nd and 3rd place finishers of the All Japan Championships
2nd - Yuma 3rd - Sota
(B) The top two finishers in the ISU Grand Prix Final
3rd - Yuma 5th - Kao
(C) Top 3 ISU season's best scorers at the end of the All-Japan Championships
4th - Yuma 6th - Kao 7th - Shun

(3) The number of competitors will be selected from those who meet any of the following criteria until a total of three (3) competitors are selected, including those selected under 1) and 2) above.
(A) A) B) C) of (2) above, but not selected in (2).
Kao & Sota
(B) Top 3 in ISU World Standings at the end of the All-Japan Championships
5th - Kao 8th - Kazuki 10th - Shun
(C) Top 3 in ISU Season World Ranking at the end of Japan Championships
4th - Kao 9th - Shun 12th Sota
(D) The top three scorers of the average of the highest two competitions of the total points in the international competitions and the domestic competitions designated by the Department of Reinforcement.
Shun, Kao, Kazuki

Based on the above criteria, it seems reasonable to send Shoma, Yuma, Kao to the WC. As for the 4CC, I have a feeling that if Kazuki had placed 5th in the Nationals ahead of Shun, he might have gotten a spot for the 4CC. I don't think JSF intentionally excluded Kazuki during the selection process. Anyway, he will get two GPS assignments next season, and he can continue to show the world his amazing performance. As for the upcoming event, I hope Kazuki will participate in the Kokutai (January 29-30 for men's figure skating).
 
rRainbow said:
I don't think JSF intentionally excluded Kazuki during the selection process.
Click to expand...
But if they were going exclusively by the criteria, Kao would have been selected for 4CC instead of Shun, because he fulfilled more of the criteria + higher placement at Nats. But, when questioned about that, the JSF official replied that they wanted to spread the opportunities based on their strategy for the Olympics, which means they wanted to give Shun an opportunity as well. But they didn't do the same for Kazuki, which for me speaks volumes - They prioritised Yuma's points even though he's already a household name and would get a good score regardless. Seems very intentional to me, especially if you also consider Kazuki's underscoring throughout the whole season, including at Nats.

Meanwhile, I came across this touching text from a casual fan who happened to watch Kazuki's Halston on TV. This is a clumsy DeepL translation but I think we can all relate to the sentiment: https://note.com/fine_daphne823/n/ned6e285bfca0

The infinity of the expressionist Kazuki Tomono.

No, I was surprised.

I am a fan of sports, theater, movies, and everything else, and I have my antennae up for all of them.

Figure skater Kazuki Tomono.
Once again, I recognized the preciousness of his existence.
And I couldn't stand still.
I posted this article for the first time.

I saw figure skating on TV the other day.
It was at the All Japan Championships.

Men's free program.
He instantly dyed the whole place in his own color
I even felt his power to embrace the rink and the audience.
Kazuki Tomono's skating.

No, without a doubt, more than any other skater
My heart trembled.

This exceptional "expressive power" of his is, of course, the result of considerable effort and natural talent
And above all the pure way he lives his life facing himself and the people around him.
The way he lives his life
The infinite power of expression

Skating to a quiet piano piece is quite a challenge.
Unlike loud music, the rough edges stand out and cannot be faked.
It is like going into battle alone, without armor or weapons.

Tomono, however, pulled it off with aplomb.
Each of these elements
As if he were spinning lyrics, drawing a story within the song.
from his fingertips to his toes (you can tell even if you can't see them with his skates (laugh)).
Also fragile and strong.
It was a supreme four and a half minutes.
I was surprised to find myself in tears.

I felt like I had met a masterpiece of art.

Immediately after that, I enjoyed Tomono's past performances on video.
He created works of various colors in both movement and stillness with his infinite power of expression.
Amazing....
Really, really great.

La La Land, New Cinema Paradise, West Side Story, etc....
And now "Halston".

It's been a long time.
Such a heart-wrenching emotion.

Unfortunately, he could not make it to the World Competition this time.
But I am sure "the time" will come in the near future. His performance will surely make the hearts of people around the world dance.

He is 25 years old.
I hear he's a seasoned figure skater.
I am convinced that his life as a figure skater is about to reach its peak.
As a competitor, too.
Tomono's potential for growth is also "infinite.
He will continue to surprise and impress us.

Its expressive power continues to evolve.
And so does his technical ability.
The older he gets, the more he continues to evolve.

Only Kazuki Tomono can do it.
I hope that the excitement of "infinite power of expression" that only Kazuki Tomono can create will spread throughout Japan and the world.

Now I am supremely excited to see his skating in the future.
 
KiraraChin said:
But if they were going exclusively by the criteria, Kao would have been selected for 4CC instead of Shun, because he fulfilled more of the criteria + higher placement at Nats. But, when questioned about that, the JSF official replied that they wanted to spread the opportunities based on their strategy for the Olympics, which means they wanted to give Shun an opportunity as well. But they didn't do the same for Kazuki, which for me speaks volumes - They prioritised Yuma's points even though he's already a household name and would get a good score regardless. Seems very intentional to me, especially if you also consider Kazuki's underscoring throughout the whole season, including at Nats.
Click to expand...

I am still not sure how the selection + first dibs went, but perhaps Shun is also lucky to be assigned? I recall Shoma declined participation in 4CC, so not sure if his vacated spot offer went on to Yuma who accepted it, or if Yuma had already accepted another 4CC spot, and Shoma's declined spot went to the next in line, Shun.
Anyways, in a deep field, I am not a fan of 4CC/EC and WC both going to one skater, while others, also of extremely high level, are denied. I didn't like it when RusFed was doing that, either. The split teams from JSF last season seemed a much better solution to me. And two Challengers and a B event for skaters who are in need of points, they used to do that for at least one skater, a few years back.
 
surimi said:
I am still not sure how the selection + first dibs went, but perhaps Shun is also lucky to be assigned? I recall Shoma declined participation in 4CC, so not sure if his vacated spot offer went on to Yuma who accepted it, or if Yuma had already accepted another 4CC spot, and Shoma's declined spot went to the next in line, Shun.
Anyways, in a deep field, I am not a fan of 4CC/EC and WC both going to one skater, while others, also of extremely high level, are denied. I didn't like it when RusFed was doing that, either. The split teams from JSF last season seemed a much better solution to me. And two Challengers and a B event for skaters who are in need of points, they used to do that for at least one skater, a few years back.
Click to expand...
Yuma was always going to 4 Conts..to get WS points..Shoma was never going..
 
surimi said:
I am still not sure how the selection + first dibs went, but perhaps Shun is also lucky to be assigned?
Click to expand...
You can read it here, it has a long explanation from the JSF representative on how the selection went, including for 4CC selection. Google Translate worked well.



I think after a performance like the last group FS of Japanese Men at Mationals it's more fitting if they split the assignments, but fully splitting the assignments is actually a rare thing for JSF to do, unless it's the Olympic season (4CC is very close to the Olympic) and/or other factors. And there are also times where the top skaters want to do 4CC no matter what, like when 2017 4CC was held in the venue of the 2018 Olympics. That shuts out any opportunity for others who are not on the very top.
 
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Last season they had no problem splitting the assignments, and it turned out great - gave Kao and Shun the boost of confidence they needed, and rewarded Koshiro for his great performance at Nats, whilst not taking away the opportunity for Shoma, Kazuki and Sota to shine at the Worlds championships. It is precisely because it worked so well last season, the obvious thing would do the same this season, especially considering all top six men did great at Nats.

The reality is, JSF is keen to give opportunities to the skaters they deem 'worth it' - talented, promising, YOUNG - and not giving an opportunity to Kazuki feels like they're saying he's not worth it. It is a slap in the face, considering everything he's done and how much he's improved, and the reason why I feel so sad and pessimistic now 😭
But I hope you guys are right and it turns out to be not as bad as I'm fearing...

Meanwhile, let me embed his post, the caption reads:
All Japan Championships
Thank you so much for your support!
We will try to connect the good and the bad to the next one and grow 💪.

We look forward to working with you again next year!


At least we know he's not giving up :pray:
 
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JSF: I hate you and I don't want you around
Kazuki: That's OK I'll just break the internet instead

Kazuki Tomono's Serial "#Tomonono no Mono Gatari. vol.31
The first update of the new year is a SP project ✨.
The theme is Kazuki Tomono x Make up
▶https://nonno.hpplus.jp/article/118113

Tomono, who showed off his self-makeup at last season's exhibition 🧑‍🎤, challenged two looks with professional makeup this time, delivering a pure and BABY Kazuki using PINK🍦🍰.

 
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