Thoughts on Satoko Miyahara's skating

[4everchan]

i never liked satoko's smaller jumps but always loved watching her skate. her programs are usually extremely refined and filled with gorgeous details.

The star wars : I was disappointed but clearly, this is just an embryo of the program that will come later.... no point commenting on a dress or the multiple 3T... those will be gone... I thought that it was smart for her to practice more 3-3 combos.... in past LPs she often did twice the 2A-3T which I didn't like.... because well, it's not a triple triple and yet gets the same credit... so ... i am very happy to see that she is experimenting with her combos. It shows great desire to improvement and will to become a better jumper.

I think that anyone right now would be happy to perform at that level, considering the program is brand new.... I will reserve my final judgment at WC people sometimes tend to remember this is a long process....

 

[skateluvr]

I think she is boring in some ways. The Japanese do pretty princess all the time. I wish there were another Midori Ito just for some diversity.

 

[Interspectator]

I think she is boring in some ways. The Japanese do pretty princess all the time. I wish there were another Midori Ito just for some diversity.

there is the tiny Wakaba and the lanky Rika (my two sentimental favorites) and Satoko is the perfect balance to the team. These 3 up-and-comers have between them all the things I love about skating. Wakaba has those airy and solid jumps, Rika has quirkyness and big skating, Satoko has refinement and delicacy. None are perfect but they are all fun to watch in their own way.
Mao and Kanako are veterans who will always be in the hearts of the fans.
Marin...I know will be successful no matter what (I think) so I don't feel the need to cheer for her as much as the other ladies on team Japan.

 

[4everchan]

I think she is boring in some ways. The Japanese do pretty princess all the time. I wish there were another Midori Ito just for some diversity.

sorry but that comment is a bit odd, borderline rude... it's like saying all asians look the same... I am sure you didn't mean it like this but, please be mindful.

I think there is a huge variety in the type of skaters Japan has brought to the table, from Midori to Yuka to Mao, Satoko etc.. they are all so different not only in looks, packaging but in style and skills.

Regarding Midori, yeah... don't we all wish another skater of that nature would see light? Yeah... but exactly, that's what makes her unique.... if there were a Midori cloning machine, we would be pretty bored with her big jumps and leg tano and we would be asking for something else. I guess that's why I like Patrick so much... He is unlike any other skater. Nobody skates likes him even if they try to emulate him. Once he is gone, we may never get a master of the blade and an edge wizard like him... so here's my two cents ;

let's enjoy Satoko (and others) for what they bring to the figure skating world while they are competing. Every skater has something to offer and trust me, I am not a Satoko fan per se, but the more I watch her programs, the more details I get in the choreography. She is truly an inspiration.

 

[mrrice]

I think she is boring in some ways. The Japanese do pretty princess all the time. I wish there were another Midori Ito just for some diversity.

I haven't seen this program of Satoko's that everyone is talking about. However, I agree about the princess thing and that it's not for everyone. I remember seeing Fumie in 2001 and she fast as lightening but, she did not have the body line and softness to pull off her lyrical SP. She was MUCH better when she did a program the seemed more "Her" if that makes sense. I think she looked more comfortable when she did "Paint It Black" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFCxC2bBDik

 

[skateluvr]

I have such mixed feelings watching Kanako for so many reasons but I like her as a person. She has many world wide fans too I think because there is something about her heart that grabs ours.

Midori Mao and ? Who is best loved in Japan? I loved and miss the under appreciated Akiko Suzuki. I think the world fans loved her. Very much pretty princess a lot but she had such grit. Wow-Japanese ladies. Yuna Sato was sublime.

 

[temadd]

My reaction to Satoko: Lovely, I appreciate what she does, good footwork, nice musicality, great spins. Rock solid competitor, lovely, nice and uber talented but no fire. And unfortunately her jumps barely get off the ice and it makes her programs very anti-climactic.

I always wonder if she would be able to land her jumps as consistently if she developed better height.

 

[Barb]

I love her and I don´t mind her tiny jumps but I am not convinced with her new program yet. And her ex is

 

[Interspectator]

I love her and I don´t mind her tiny jumps but I am not convinced with her new program yet. And her ex is

It's so early in the year too.
Satoko shows a lot of polish early on but always improves as the season progresses.
I'm also not convinced of Shoma's programs yet, but of course those will get better as well.

 

[Blades of Passion]

Satoko shows a lot of polish early on but always improves as the season progresses.

Hmm, I don't see this. For the past 2 seasons in a row she skated perfectly at Japan Open and everything else afterward felt like she wasn't quite able to maintain that level. Both seasons she started out with 3Lutz+3Toe in the LP, but then after the first Grand Prix event she wouldn't do it. In terms of the technical points it's not actually a downgrade, but the impact of the programs becomes lessened. Especially this past season for me, because even her 2Axel+3Toe was getting rough and that program was too antiseptic.

Miss Saigon at 2014 Japan Open was so brilliant (2014 Skate Canada as well, just a very slight difference in the quality of one of the jumps there). That program and her 2013/2014 season programs are why I continue to have high hopes for her. I just wish she would always maintain the artistic integrity of her skating. The lacking jump power isn't what bothers me as much. We saw what happened at 2016 Worlds anyway - she didn't get any underrotation calls in the LP (which was wrong, but whatever) and even still she finished behind others in the LP because the impact wasn't there.

 

[jenaj]

I love Satoko. Her artistry runs rings around the Russian wunderkinds. And she is very consistent. But I will admit that at Worlds, where I saw her live, she skated rather "small." Maybe because she is small, she seemed kind of confined to middle part of the ice. I think she should concentrate on being the best artistic skater in today's non-artistic skating world. She should hold out that spiral and continue with the beautiful arms. But at the same time, she needs to cover more of the ice and develop a more commanding presence. Despite the minor criticisms, I think she is already a podium contender for 2018.

 

[Interspectator]

Hmm, I don't see this. For the past 2 seasons in a row she skated perfectly at Japan Open and everything else afterward felt like she wasn't quite able to maintain that level. Both seasons she started out with 3Lutz+3Toe in the LP, but then after the first Grand Prix event she wouldn't do it. In terms of the technical points it's not actually a downgrade, but the impact of the programs becomes lessened. Especially this past season for me, because even her 2Axel+3Toe was getting rough and that program was too antiseptic.

Miss Saigon at 2014 Japan Open was so brilliant (2014 Skate Canada as well, just a very slight difference in the quality of one of the jumps there). That program and her 2013/2014 season programs are why I continue to have high hopes for her. I just wish she would always maintain the artistic integrity of her skating. The lacking jump power isn't what bothers me as much. We saw what happened at 2016 Worlds anyway - she didn't get any underrotation calls in the LP (which was wrong, but whatever) and even still she finished behind others in the LP because the impact wasn't there.

I was thinking more about how her Firedance became better and better as the season went on. She got into the performance and made it more impactful towards the end of the season.

 

[ioanna]

As you look ahead into the next season, what areas do you want to improve in?
Satoko: The first thing I wanted to say was: “Everything” (laughs). But, I want to get more height out of my jumps and work on my choreography to bring out more of my own perspectives/visions. (source)

Satoko: The fact that I could skate good programs at all the major competitions has strenghthened my self confidence. Going forward towards the next season, I don’t want to forget this feeling and I would like to keep building on this experience as I will introduce a 3-3 combination in the second half of my free skate. (source)
Note: Her 3-3 combination is also in the second half of her short program, as reported by spectators at THE ICE. The layout of her SP is 2A / 3Lz-3T 3F. The final layout of her FS may be 3Lz-2T-2Lo / 3Lz-3T 2A-3T.

What makes Miyahara-senshu nervous now?
The lack of absolute confidence that I’ll land my jumps every time would still be my biggest fear factor right now. I can do it in practice, but it’s easy to lose that usual confidence in competition. I am always battling with those feelings of doubt. (...) I’ve been able to continue training under good conditions so far, so I feel I can sustain that momentum into competitions. But it won’t always be smooth sailing up ahead, and I do get anxious thinking about how I will be able to deal with those difficult times. (source)

Coach Mie Hamada, December 2014: She began training two layouts (3Lz-3T / 3Lz-2T-2Lo 2A-3T and 3Lz-2T-2Lo / 2x 2A-3T) since the summer. Somewhere around the conclusion of NHK Trophy, we (herself and coach Tamura) decided it was important to include double axel-triple toe loop combinations in the second half of her performance. It gave her a high starting base value. The final decision was made after the short program. Satoko has a bit of a personal attachment to the triple lutz-triple toe combination so she may have been a bit disappointed about the change. (source)

 

[lyverbird1]

Some skaters engender strong reactions for different reasons, including Satoko. Such skaters attract fierce critics and loyal fans in what can be a pretty explosive set of disagreements. As long as disagreements remain on the correct side of civil, all is good, but any regular reader or contributor to these boards will know that there are certain critics who often cross that line into bashing as opposed to constructive opinion just as there are certain ubers who refuse to listen to any criticism whatsoever and will take any slight negative as bashing. Fault on both sides.

 

[iluvtodd]

I Satoko! It doesn't bother me @ all the her jumps are relatively small! She has great musicality & consistency IMHO! May she have a fantastic season!

 

[karne]

I would like to point out that there is a huge difference between saying someone has cheated jumps and saying someone is a cheater.

Satoko has cheated jumps. But she is not a cheater. It is not her fault that her jumps are so bad. It is the fault of the coach who gave her that shoddy technique and it is the fault of a system that forced her to jump opposite to her natural direction. She may now find that her poor technique is too difficult to correct. This is not like fixing a Lutz edge, or just one jump that gives UR problems; Satoko's whole jump technique would have to be completely deconstructed and rebuilt, and there are no guarantees it would work.

For me, I would like to see what might happen if she tried to jump in her natural rotation. Perhaps that would resolve some of the issues.

 

[solani]

For me, I would like to see what might happen if she tried to jump in her natural rotation. Perhaps that would resolve some of the issues.

I'm not sure, but I think I read in this forum that she can do most of her double jumps clockwise. Wouldn't it be great to see her do a counter-clockwise - clockwise jump combination? It wouldn't be very beneficial point wise, but I think it would make an impression (on me anyway ).

 

[ioanna]

She can't jump in her natural rotation anymore. Too late to change something that has been forced upon her as a child.

 

[solani]

She can't jump in her natural rotation anymore. Too late to change something that has been forced upon her as a child.

Ah, too bad.

 

[ioanna]

Ah, too bad.

Here's what her coach had to say about her:

She isn’t physically gifted–not particularly springy or physically strong or naturally athletic in the least. However, she more than makes up for all of that with her spirit. She is so honest and listens intently when someone is speaking. She doesn’t have one single negative outlook at life. Moreover, she is humble. In some way, you don’t see that much in figure skating, so that is one of her many great qualities. She truly is a hardworking girl–steadily improving herself little by little. I think the next generation of skaters will emulate her. When Satoko came back to Japan from the US, she received lessons from the Daigo rink (Kyoto’s Daigo Ice Skating Rink), and to be honest, she was a slow, clumsy kid (laughs). She would rotate in different directions or a three-count waltz step, and she was terrible at understanding the music. Her motor skills were that bad that the other kids didn’t want her on their team during recreation tennis because they would surely lose. Rather, she was unbelievably persistent. She never threw in the towel. She worked to improve, to steadily overcome challenges one by one. She just couldn’t give up. This girl taught me what hardwork truly is.

(source)