Shoma Uno and Marin Honda team up for Ice Dance
- Thread starter 4everchan
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Hmmm I do want to agree, but Cathy is coaching at Kinoshita and she already has several teams:
- Yoshida/Morita (UtaMasa) - they said they weren't sure about their training plans after Worlds, but Cathy will be likely in charge of them, possibly part-time IAMO again, unless they decide to move out or full-time IAMO
- Kushida/Shimada (IkuKo) - they said they're mainly training in Uji (Kyoto), so definitely Cathy is the main coach, while they're planning a short-time training camp somewhere overseas -not revealed where
- Shibayama/Kimura (AyuTomo) - Japan's top Junior team now, so Cathy will be busy with them this year
- Nagaoka/Moriguchi (YunaSumi) - they will be likely around, with online and part time Germany unless they decide to move to Germany
- Kagotani/Honda (AyuLuca) - 2nd year beginner pair team, and Ayumi works so Kinoshita is the only option available.
Another Ice Dance place in Japan is Higashi-Fushimi and Jingu (Higuchi sensei has just retired recently), Atsuhiko and Shingo's home, and has some teamless skaters or dancers including Chisato, but seem to rely on IAM Montreal for serious dance training. Also in Okayama where Rie Arikawa (Kenji Miyamoto's ex-dance partner) coaches Yamashita/Nagata (KahoYuu), who are originally from Nagoya area, and I think Rika and Shingo sometimes go there for ice time when they're back in Japan. (SumiIbu were Cathy and Chris' first students but they were in Okayama, not Kinoshita.) Aru Tateno and Misato Komatsubara also coach there.
I'll second that. Let me throw away the rumor of JLB and Marjorie teaming up, he needs to be prepared for the wedding anyways
(That said, I sincerely hope she will find a great partner asap
and if it's JLB, I will surely congratulate too.)But seriously, where does JLB actually belong to? I once read somewhere that he is supposedly coaching at MIDA although living in Montreal for Olivia, but was it just a hope and desire from American fans? He could be anywhere as a choreographer, but no bindings job-wise?
Since Shoma and Marin do not have to worry about money at all with 7 sponsors supporting them, it is probably a lot easier for them to find a training place overseas and they'll be able to get better coaching staff and environment that way, maybe.
As for Champery, Koshiro once said he had tried to figure out every possible way to stay in Champery to train but couldn't, and decided to move to Kyoto. If Shoma made it to Champery with Toyota money, that might burn Koshiro so hard.
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- Aug 16, 2018
Shomarin has worked with Aru Tateno in Okayama and Tokyo before, he's in some of their Instagram videos.
The Shomarin sponsor that intrigued me the most is ANA. Do you need an airline sponsor when you're only training in Japan....?
Toyota has been quite supportive of Shoma. Not surprising as he is their most decorated Japanese figure skater, but the current CEO seems to be personally familiar as well. So yeah if there's a figure skater in Japan who would be able to exploit Toyota financial support right now that would be Shoma
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- Sep 22, 2024
JLB worked with Green/Parsons as choregroapher, so he definitely has some ties there but not sure if he's coaching. He was working with Shomarin at IAM and Olivia mentioned in her podcast he does some coaching there with other teams (not her though).I'll second that. Let me throw away the rumor of JLB and Marjorie teaming up, he needs to be prepared for the wedding anyways
(That said, I sincerely hope she will find a great partner asap
But seriously, where does JLB actually belong to? I once read somewhere that he is supposedly coaching at MIDA although living in Montreal for Olivia, but was it just a hope and desire from American fans? He could be anywhere as a choreographer, but no bindings job-wise?
About the partnering with Marjo rumors, idk but for the sake of Marjo I want to believe there is some substance, especially that I saw some recent videos of Jean-Luc doing some running and other cardio training, it looks like he's building his form for something.
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- Dec 4, 2004
I am sure she is on purpose. Actually, I have no idea why women like high heels...bad for your feet....love the pic of her slightly shorter than he is. LOL! Is he standing on a phone book or is she scrunching down? Only the shadow knows.....
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- Dec 4, 2004
Didnt Toyota sponsor Nathan Chen?Shomarin has worked with Aru Tateno in Okayama and Tokyo before, he's in some of their Instagram videos.
The Shomarin sponsor that intrigued me the most is ANA. Do you need an airline sponsor when you're only training in Japan....?
Toyota has been quite supportive of Shoma. Not surprising as he is their most decorated Japanese figure skater, but the current CEO seems to be personally familiar as well. So yeah if there's a figure skater in Japan who would be able to exploit Toyota financial support right now that would be Shoma
Sponsorship is marketing in a different way. Yes, Toyota can give Nathan Chen a new car...but also cash for skating....And ANA can give free flights and cash, but what they get out of it is name and face recongnition with their product....I have no idea if Alysa wears a Rolex watch...but she took the $40 M deal with them.
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- Oct 9, 2011
How did they decide on each other as dance partners? I'm intrigued and interested in how they develop. And I like the "moosh" name, very cute
Wishing the best for them. I saw one clip today which didn't look very good, but it's still early stages.
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- Mar 7, 2015
They are an off-ice couple.How did they decide on each other as dance partners? I'm intrigued and interested in how they develop. And I like the "moosh" name, very cute
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- Oct 9, 2011
Ohhhhhhh....I kind of had that feeling. Thanks for confirming that
The Shomarin sponsor that intrigued me the most is ANA. Do you need an airline sponsor when you're only training in Japan....?
Toyota has been quite supportive of Shoma. Not surprising as he is their most decorated Japanese figure skater, but the current CEO seems to be personally familiar as well. So yeah if there's a figure skater in Japan who would be able to exploit Toyota financial support right now that would be Shoma
Marin had JAL supporting her before, so training place doesn't seem to matter as long as they can compete internationally. They still need to fly when they travel for choreos and international competitions (they do not have one yet but that is their plan anyways) and their fans, a lot of them, will definitely buy flights too. ANA used to support Yuzuru Hanyu, and ANA wasn't sponsoring anyone after his retirement iirc.
Considering how ridiculously cheap Japanese Yen is right now, training in Japan, hiring coaches and buying ice time at some rinks around Tokyo may still be easier for Marin and Shoma, as they don't speak English.
Toyota sponsors a lot of athletes who have the potential to win.
Japanese Toyota athletes:
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- Feb 14, 2018
I am not surprised to see this announcement after all of the videos and their two week training with Igor in Canada. This is going to be 4 years of building momentum for the 2030 Olympics so I don't expect they'll be at that level for a while. It's a perfect time to start. Shoma is still a young man and Marin is 4 years his junior and a lovely skater. It's going to be hard to not watch just Shoma b/c she's going to be spectacular in this category. I'm so excited to see Shoma compete again and if we're lucky enough, we get to watch him for another 4 years. Excited to see their coaching staff, choreographers and where they compete.
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- Aug 16, 2018
She had JAL when she started to train in California with Rafael Arutunian. Of course it didn't quite pan out (her career stalling + COVID) but by then I think she just needed to ride out her contract (same goes with Rika Kihira and her Toyota contract).
I wonder if they will retain Misato Komatsubara specifically for language interpreting purpose in addition to ice dance experience.
It's true. But in Japanese figure skating, Shoma remains the only Japanese figure skater Toyota had that brought home (several) Olympic medals. It's interesting because I thought Toyota was phasing Shoma out when they contracted Rika Kihira back in 2020 but she ended up not making it to the 2022 Olympics while he brought back 2 medals and now he got them for his ice dance sponsor (while she is moving on to Oriental Bio).Toyota sponsors a lot of athletes who have the potential to win.
Japanese Toyota athletes:
International Toyota athletes:
JAL started sponsoring her in 2016 when she was 15 at Kansai university junior high school. Kansai university ice arena started so-called "Kaiser's Figure Skate Club" or "Kansai university KFSC" and Marin and many other skaters training under Mie Hamada started using that name to show where they belong (until Hamada moved to Kinoshita Academy in 2020). In 2018 Marin left both Kansai university high school and KFSC when she decided to train with Arutunian, changed her school to Aomori Yamada high school (so she could finish high school education no matter where she lived) and renewed her contract with JAL into a "所属契約/management contract" or whatever it's called, so she belonged to JAL Ice Skating Club.
JAL continued supporting her no matter her results until she retired in January 2024, which is why I was so surprised that ANA is now sponsoring ShoMarin instead of JAL, kinda leaving a bad taste in my mouth. (JAL still supports Mao Asada.)
I wonder the same. If Misato does not hold any responsibilities with any other teams in Okayama, maybe? I know they are willing to train so hard for ice dance, but I doubt they are willing to learn English so hard for ice dance
Wherever Shoma and Marin find good should be good, I guess.As for Toyota, I know nothing about the current Toyota CEO, although I have seen the ex-CEO being very friendly to Shoma in ToyoTimes videos. If Shoma won the current CEO's heart too with his medals, that's really great.
Perhaps ShoMarin had to wait to reveal their come back until Toyota's contract with Rika was over (until the end of this quad, as we all expected she was to win a medal at Milan several years ago).
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- Dec 4, 2004
Thanks! In the case of Marin and JAL, it makes perfect sense why marketing would chose Marin. And I would assume that most of that marketing would be aimed at Japan itself. I would still be interested in what the support entails....I bet its way more than free/discounted flights. At least that is how marketing works in the US.Marin had JAL supporting her before, so training place doesn't seem to matter as long as they can compete internationally. They still need to fly when they travel for choreos and international competitions (they do not have one yet but that is their plan anyways) and their fans, a lot of them, will definitely buy flights too. ANA used to support Yuzuru Hanyu, and ANA wasn't sponsoring anyone after his retirement iirc.
Considering how ridiculously cheap Japanese Yen is right now, training in Japan, hiring coaches and buying ice time at some rinks around Tokyo may still be easier for Marin and Shoma, as they don't speak English.
Toyota sponsors a lot of athletes who have the potential to win.
Japanese Toyota athletes:
International Toyota athletes:
Japanese figure skater Marin Honda has had a long-standing partnership with Japan Airlines (JAL). She signed a major corporate sponsorship contract with the airline in November 2016 and represented JAL as an official corporate athlete and brand ambassador for her competitive career. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The Sponsorship & Career
- Official Status: JAL has been one of Honda's primary personal sponsors, backing her throughout her international competitive seasons. [1]
- Promotions: As part of her partnership, Honda has been featured in campaigns for the company, including advertisements and promotional spots for the JAL Airline School. [1, 2]
- Retirement/Transition: After stepping back from competitive singles skating, she occasionally participates in exhibitions and media activities connected to the airline. [1]
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