Skaters on Team Japan | Page 14 | Golden Skate

Skaters on Team Japan

the DOI videos have Nobu and Akiko as commentators, lovely.

Akiko, Akiko, Akiko..... You have no idea how much I miss you:cry:
Zigeunerweisen　and her, just great!
 
I’ve just found out that Akio Sasaki has retired:cry:.
Probably, many of you in this forum don’t know about him, but, he is one of the skaters who I have been looking forward to see at Japan Nationals every year.
He has been always fun to watch, but very unlucky for him, he was Japanese.

Here is my favorite program of him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eArsX28DIIo
(Japan National 2012, right hand side. Original video had erased due to copyright policy:cry:)
His last performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKvJbNFXxpg
A short TV program featuring his retirement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW_tjIedzwU:

Thank you Akio, my best wishes for you:clap:
 
lady_bee said:
I’ve just found out that Akio Sasaki has retired:cry:.
Probably, many of you in this forum don’t know about him, but, he is one of the skaters who I have been looking forward to see at Japan Nationals every year.
He has been always fun to watch, but very unlucky for him, he was Japanese.

Here is my favorite program of him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eArsX28DIIo
(Japan National 2012, right hand side. Original video had erased due to copyright policy:cry:)
His last performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKvJbNFXxpg
A short TV program featuring his retirementhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW_tjIedzwU:

Thank you Akio, my best wishes for you:clap:
Click to expand...
Yes, I was sad and disappointed to hear that too. He is a natural born showman, larger than life personality on ice and he skated with energy and passion, such an entertainer.

It seems according to the short documentary his local rink is closing, he can't afford to move - so he kind of had no choice but to retire. Such a shame, and as you say - unlucky to be Japanese, competition is too fierce in Japan.

On a more positive note, very pleased to see that Keiji Tanaka, Miyabi Oba and Rika Hongo are making their debuts in the senior grand prix. Good to see some new faces there. I also hope Haruka Imai can continue the dramatic improvements she made last year...
 
YesWay said:
He is a natural born showman, larger than life personality on ice and he skated with energy and passion, such an entertainer.

It seems according to the short documentary his local rink is closing, he can't afford to move - so he kind of had no choice but to retire. Such a shame, and as you say - unlucky to be Japanese, competition is too fierce in Japan.
Click to expand...
You got it right about his personalities. I saw him a couple of years back when he won Asian Trophy. He is very charming indeed. I was rooting for him and Nan Song during the Winter Universiade last year.

He is too young to give up his career this way if you ask me. It is way to complex to imagine the way what going on with Japanese skating. The popularity shots through the roof during the years but skaters suffer their struggles in one way or another, mostly their training situation. Why JSF never seems to lend a hand to their athletes puzzles me.
 
lady_bee said:
I’ve just found out that Akio Sasaki has retired:cry:.
Probably, many of you in this forum don’t know about him, but, he is one of the skaters who I have been looking forward to see at Japan Nationals every year.
He has been always fun to watch, but very unlucky for him, he was Japanese.

Here is my favorite program of him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eArsX28DIIo
(Japan National 2012, right hand side. Original video had erased due to copyright policy:cry:)
His last performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKvJbNFXxpg
A short TV program featuring his retirement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW_tjIedzwU:

Thank you Akio, my best wishes for you:clap:
Click to expand...

oh no, this is depressing. I had no idea who he was but after watching his routine from FaOI I absolutely fell in love with his edges. Japanese skating, while it is extremely popular and you can make a lot of money in comparison to some countries, it's definitely super competitive and disheartening :(
 
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