Yuzuru Hanyu: 2016-17 Season

[liv]

It sounded like he is aware he may not be able to do the gp series and he is ok with that. I am glad he is considering the big picture... and sees 4cc in korea as a priority leading to the olympics. That being said, this interview was about a month ago so only his team knows his progress a month later... still 3 months to go before sc.

Slow but sure progress, yuzu, no rushing! I hope that when he goes home to japan he does not push himself when he is training alone. I think he knows he needs restraint, but sometimes youthful enthusiasm can take over, lol.

 

[gsyzf]

I think the wording of the translation makes it sound that way. But the other translated version I read only implies he may skip the senior B before GP if he is not ready.

I doubt he will skip the GP. JSF uses GP performances as a criteria for their worlds/4cc/Olympics selection. No Japanese skaters can expect themselves to skip the GP and be named to the worlds/Olympics team, no matter who they are. He certainly wouldn't want to receive some special treatment while his teammates must earn their worlds/4cc spots by giving good performances in both GP/GPF and national.

 

[Marin]

Thank you!. If I understood correctly there is a chance he might not participate in next season's GP right? Also since he really wants to do 4CC and he also has WTT it's going to be a really tough season.

Per my understanding Shirota-san meant senior B/Challenger series not Gran Prix, It seems Yuzuru is willing to attend a competition before GP but it depends whether he is fully recovered and ready, also it seems he is used to the option of having rest. Remember that usually he likes to attend minor competitions, Brian had the difficulty convincing him to wd from Finlandia in 2014, I doubt they are considering skipping series, just the challenger,I think Shirota is super cautious with her words, not to put huge expectations on him, Also his health 4cc and wc are their main priority this year. Interview was taken at most June 20-22 for now I think they must have decided . If I am not mistaken JSF should announce their Senior B participants by the end of this month, so we shall see.

 

[Hanmgse]

Per my understanding Shirota-san meant senior B/Challenger series not Gran Prix, It seems Yuzuru is willing to attend a competition before GP but it depends whether he is fully recovered and ready, also it seems he is used to the option of having rest. Remember that usually he likes to attend minor competitions, Brian had the difficulty convincing him to wd from Finlandia in 2014, I doubt they are considering skipping series, just the challenger,I think Shirota is super cautious with her words, not to put huge expectations on him, Also his health 4cc and wc are their main priority this year. Interview was taken at most June 20-22 for now I think they must have decided . If I am not mistaken JSF should announce their Senior B participants by the end of this month, so we shall see.

Thank you. I honestly think it would be better to skip lower competitions because if he is going to 4CC and then WTT it's going to be really tough for his body. I wish he could pass on WTT but I don't think that's likely

 

[mcq]

Thank you for the info, Marin! I am actually a bit surprise he and his team are still considering senior B. But I think this should be a good sign that he is recovering on track?

Things I highlight from the interview :
- He seems to be really eager to go to 4CC more than anything, so we likely will see him there unless *knock woods* something unexpected happens.
- The talk about the type of quads is actually a bit ambiguous to me. What I initially thought was that it was about how skating community is more excited about the kind of quads that is rarely landed (Like boyang with 4Lz, shoma with 4F) than the amount of it? I was assuming this since Yuzuru was always expected by people to be the first who land 4Lo. But then as Sorrento mentioned, after rereading it, it probably just meant he is going for it while being cautious.
-His FP is in a good state, including the layout (internal screaming from my side, so they have actually decided the layout?)
-I also think it is not implied that he will skip GP, just that maybe he is afraid he will not be back in his top/usual form by the time GP starts. I doubt he would want Nats as his 1st competition in the season (or even NHK) since it is qualification competition for 4CC/Worlds.

Totally agree with you! :agree:The name of the instrument is tsugaru-jamisen.
I feel the same about the collaboration between Yuzu and David too. It’s a good time to give it another try.

Thanks for letting me know, sweetwater! It has a lovely and unique sound, I actually think music constructed with this piece of instrument would make a good accompaniment of a unique and full-of-character skating program It feels so majestic and regal (?) p.s : I don't know how to explain it, this is just a personal opinion

 

[HanDomi]

Layout prediction here already

4Lo
4T
3F
--
4S3T
3A2T
3A-1lo-3s
3lo
3lz

 

[gsyzf]

Layout prediction here already

4Lo
4T
3F
--
4S3T
3A2T
3A-1lo-3s
3lo
3lz

Why do 3a2t when he can do 3a3t?

If he wants to max his BV, he can do

4Lo
4T
3F
--
4S3T
3lz3Lo
3A-1lo-3s
3A
3lz

 

[gsyzf]

The talk about the type of quads is actually a bit ambiguous to me. What I initially thought was that it was about how skating community is more excited about the kind of quads that is rarely landed (Like boyang with 4Lz, shoma with 4F) than the amount of it? I was assuming this since Yuzuru was always expected by people to be the first who land 4Lo. But then as Sorrento mentioned, after rereading it, it probably just meant he is going for it while being cautious.

More types of quads allow the skater to repeat other triples. (Fewer types of quads means he needs to repeat the same type of quad.) So the skater can do 4-3, 3-3, 3-3 combo instead of 4-2, or 3-2 combo. That would increase the BV significantly. That's why many skaters are trying to learn other types of quads.

I doubt he would drop 4t in the LP. He may replace 4t with 4Lo in the SP, but not in the LP.

 

[Marin]

Why do 3a2t when he can do 3a3t?

If he wants to max his BV, he can do

4Lo
4T
3F
--
4S3T
3lz3Lo
3A-1lo-3s
3A
3lz

3Lz3Lo is too risky , while 3A3T is his money combo, I don't know if it is worth to risk it tbh..

 

[gsyzf]

3Lz3Lo is too risky , while 3A3T is his money combo, I don't know if it is worth to risk it tbh..

It might be worth the risk if doing 3lz3lo reduces the number of toe loop he needs to do in the 2nd half. I don't think 3lz3lo is that risky. The worst he can get is double the 3lo, but he won't get negative GOE for 3lz2lo.

-------
ETA:
Besides, if we were to compare the GOEs, it's not 3lz3lo vs 3a3t, it's 3lz3lo vs 3lo because he still does two 3A in the new layout. He doesn't get high GOE for his solo 3lo anyway. He gets higher goe for his 3lz2t than his solo 3lo in the LP. So if he succeeds 3lz3lo, he is likely to get higher goe for 3lz loop combo (at least not lower) than the solo 3lo, even if he pops it to 3lz2lo. The downside is that he gets slightly lower BV when he doubles the loop. But the upside is that he can get higher BV if he rotates the 3lo and lands the 3lz3lo and doing loop combo puts less stress on his foot.

Also I think the layout with 3lz3lo is more balanced than the layout with 3a3t. The former layout includes 3 different types of quads and 3 different types of combo, i.e. 3t, 3lo, 3s combo, and repeats the the hardest triples 3a and 3lz. It shows more variety. But if he never executes 3lz3lo successfully, then it's better to do 3a3t.

 

[Klarnet]

4T should be dropped out of everywhere for at least the first half of the season, to ensure complete healing and giving more focus to 4Lo. And combo should be moved into first half, to be completely cautious. Otherwise this ambitious plan would only turn into a mess and take his health along.

 

[HanDomi]

4T should be dropped out of everywhere for at least the first half of the season, to ensure complete healing and giving more focus to 4Lo. And combo should be moved into first half, to be completely cautious. Otherwise this ambitious plan would only turn into a mess and take his health along.

well, 4lo seems to take less energy for him than 4T, 4lo seems to be more about technique and timing while 4T is about technique but also about giving a lot of strength from body

 

[gsyzf]

Duplicate

 

[Rissa]

4T should be dropped out of everywhere for at least the first half of the season, to ensure complete healing and giving more focus to 4Lo. And combo should be moved into first half, to be completely cautious. Otherwise this ambitious plan would only turn into a mess and take his health along.

It's not like 4Lo is without risk, it's nightmare on the hips if I remember correctly. The more he trains 4Lo, the more the risk of of injury increases. Basically, there's no enitrely safe option.

 

[Hanmgse]

4T should be dropped out of everywhere for at least the first half of the season, to ensure complete healing and giving more focus to 4Lo. And combo should be moved into first half, to be completely cautious. Otherwise this ambitious plan would only turn into a mess and take his health along.

His practice to put 4T at the second half it's what made the injury worse, I recall he mentioned this, so if he leaves 4T only for the first half I don't think it'll be a problem. If he overdoes the 4Lo it could also cause an injury. I think he needs a balanced program and he will be fine.

 

[Sorrento]

4T is very tough on the hips. Both Plushenko and Lambiel had groin injuries problems because of it. All quads bring certain problems for jumpers.

 

[Rissa]

4T is very tough on the hips. Both Plushenko and Lambiel had groin injuries problems because of it. All quads bring certain problems for jumpers.

So what do you think would be the optimum? 4T+4S SP and 4T+4Lo+4S LP or 4Lo+4S SP and 4T+4Lo+4S LP ? Or something else?

 

[gsyzf]

There are no safe options. I think doing a variety of jumps and jump combos can minimize the risk of injuries on different parts of the body. If a skater focus on only one type of jump, then the risk of getting injuries caused by that type of jump will be a lot higher.

 

[Sorrento]

So what do you think would be the optimum? 4T+4S SP and 4T+4Lo+4S LP or 4Lo+4S SP and 4T+4Lo+4S LP ? Or something else?

Sorry, I don't want to plan anything at this day and time for him. I just want to see what he comes with. He is the one who knows what he is capable of.

 

[mcq]

I actually calculate the maximum BV (if all level 4) of both layout, do correct me if my calculation is wrong

Layout A :
4Lo (12) 4T (10.3) 3F (5.3) 4S3Tx (10.5+4.3 x1.1) 3A3Tx (8.5+4.3 x1.1) 3A1Lo3Sx (14.74) 3Lox (5.61) 3Lzx (6.6)
+ StSq4 (3.9) FcCo3Sp4 (3.5)FcSSp4 (3) CCoSp4 (3.5) ChSq (2)
= 100.81

Layout B :
4Lo (12) 4T (10.3) 3F (5.3) 4Sx (10.5x1.1) 3Lz3Lox (6+5.1 x1.1) 3A3Tx (8.5+4.3 x1.1) 3A1Lo3Sx (14.74) 3Lzx (6.6)
+ StSq4 (3.9) FcCo3Sp4 (3.5)FcSSp4 (3) CCoSp4 (3.5) ChSq (2)
= 102.68



P.S : The difference of putting between 3T and 3Lz is about 2 point BV, I don't know if it is worth it enough to do 3Lz3Lo instead of 3A3T to add an extra +/- 2 BV.
Meanwhile, as comparison, Boyang Jin has around 103.7 as his maximun BV for his WC layout. Yuzuru can come close to it (102.6) without adding a 4th quad only by replacing one of his 4T to 4Lo, IF he does 3Lz3Lo or (100+) if he does 3A3T and 4S3T. His old maximum BV is about 95+