Team Japan GP series press conference

http://topics.jp.msn.com/entertainment/tv/article.aspx?articleid=152360

Just before the "Figure Skating Grand Prix Series"! 7 skaters including Mao Asada and Daisuke Takahashi share their enthusiasm!!
2009-10-06 7:50PM

[Photo caption: The strongest Japanese skaters speak of their enthusiasm for the "Figure Skating Grand Prix Series," which is the preliminary competition series before the Vancouver Olympics. From the left, main telecaster Shuuzou Matsuoka, Daisuke Takahashi, Takahiko Kozuka, Mao Asada, Yukari Nakano, Miki Ando, Akiko Suzuki, Nobunari Oda (webzaterebijon).]

From October 17th and continuing for about 2 months, TV Asahi will begin broadcasting the "Figure Skating Grand Prix Series 2009." On the 4th, at the same station, a press conference was held for 7 of the selected skaters from Japan including Mao Asada, Miki Ando, Akiko Suzuki, Yukari Nakano, Nobunari Oda, Takahiko Kozuka, Daisuke Takahashi and main telecaster Shuuzou Matsuoka.

In the world of figure skating, the "Grand Prix Series" is one of the major competitions along with the Olympics and the World Championships. In the series, which rotates between the six countries of France, Russia, China, Japan, America, and Canada, only the top six competitors will be able to attend the 'Grand Prix Final' which will be held in Japan in December. Each competitor can attend up to two events, and attendance at the Final is determined is based on the points earned. In addition, this year's Grand Prix Final will also be a "Conference to select Japan's representatives for the Vancouver Olympics," and the Japanese skater who places highest on the podium will receive a tentative ticket to go to the Vancouver Olympics.

At the press conference, the seven skaters wrote their theme for this season and spoke about it. Kozuka's theme is "taking the free program to the extreme." He explained his specific goals for his program by saying, "This season's free program is a difficult program for me. I can't be helped out by the music, because this program involves life and death for me. When I finish, rather than have everyone be excited, I want to leave a deep impression that slowly rises to the surface--that's the kind of performance I'm aiming for."

Oda, who presented next, decisively stated his goal of "Grand Prix Final podium." Oda showed his strong enthusiasm for Vancouver and said, "With the strong feeling that 'I absolutely will go to the Final,' I will aim for the podium, and furthermore, I want to face the Grand Prix series with strong feelings, so I chose these words. I also want to go to the Olympics. Without straining, I want to relax, calm myself, and bring out my good qualities."

And then Takahashi, who missed all the competitions last season because of an injury right before the Grand Prix series and whose return has been highly anticipated, gave "Having fun being myself and then winning" as his theme; he revealed his thoughts by saying, "Without being absorbed in scores and winning, first I want to enjoy myself, the skating elements, the process, all these conditions…and then after that the results will come. For one year, I was unable to stand on the podium, and there were times when I felt empty, so I think it's most important to do it while feeling the joy of being able to skate. I think that if I can feel that joy myself, it will be transmitted to people around me, and will come out in that part called 'expression.' My theme for this year is 'to enjoy.'"

In contrast, among the women, Suzuki, who made her first appearance in the Grand Prix Series last year and will make two appearances this season, stated her goal as "doing my best skate and going to the Final!" Suzuki spoke deeply of her strong feelings and said, "This is my first time to appear in two [Grand Prix] competitions, so first of all bringing out my best is important. At the (Torino Olympics) selection competition 4 years ago, when I watched the final group (Shizuka Arakawa, Fumie Suguri), their performances were at such a high level that I couldn't imagine being in the same competition, and at that time I bitterly reflected that I couldn't reach that level. Now, 4 years later, I'm extremely fortunate to be in this position."

The theme for Nakano, who will challenge herself with the ballet music "The Firebird" for this season's free program, is "ambition." Nakano said, "In both practice and competitions, I want to always strive to have ambition. 'The Firebird' is a song that many figure skaters choose, and it's a difficult song, but I want to practice to the point that if you say 'The Firebird,' then among the many skaters who have skated, you think, Yukari Nakano." She was praised deeply by Matsuoka, who had seen that performance once, and said, "You really became a 'Firebird'!"

Next, Ando announced her theme of "Growing everyday. Big and beautiful like the sky." After the 2006 Torino Olympics, Ando, who has overcome injuries and slumps countless times, said, "I still have to grow, I still have to become stronger," and about the "sky," which she also gave as her theme last year, she explained, "Because I thought that the people who are important to me are in the sky*, I grew to look at the sky a lot. The sky is connected all over the world, so even if we're in different places, I can think that I am connected to the people supporting me, and I can be strong."

And Asada, who won last season's Grand Prix Final, explained her theme of "Moving forward step by step" like this: "[It would be good] if I could clear each competition step by step. Last season I tried all kinds of things, and there were times when I failed and times when I succeeded, but this year is the season to bring the things I challenged myself with to fruition."

The first competition is the Trophee Eric Bompard, where Asada, Nakano and Oda will appear. Attention is gathering around the first direct competition between Asada and her rival Yu-Na Kim (Korea), but Asada commented, "At the [Trophee Eric Bompard], first and foremost I want to try my best and only think about myself." In addition, skaters that are popular even in Japan like Torino Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen (USA) and Brian Joubert (France), who is called the 'quad artist' among the men, will compete, and from the first competition, we predict a high level fight that you won't be able to take your eyes off.

[Schedule of competitions omitted.]

* Miki has explained in interviews that she used to think that her father, who passed away when she was young, was in the sky watching over her.

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Personally I think Mao needs to learn from Daisuke and think first and foremost about enjoying!

Glad to hear that Akiko Suzuki is so excited for the GP series!

TEB in just over a week!!

Batsuchan wrote:

Personally I think Mao needs to learn from Daisuke and think first and foremost about enjoying!

Glad to hear that Akiko Suzuki is so excited for the GP series!

TEB in just over a week!!

I agree with this, Batsuchan. I had the same thought while reading Daisuke's part. If he enjoys what he is doing, he'll feel less pressured and can give it his best.

I found a video clip of Mao yesterday posted around 2 mos. ago. I don't understand much of it but one thing seems clear (or I hope I got it right). That ever since she was really young Mao's goal has always been the Olympics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPz6bZi-EJ4

With all the pressure around her and even the pressure she's giving herself, I hope Mao will be able to enjoy this season, too.

Hmmm. Mao didn't really give us as much to go on as the other skaters did. It sounds like Mao is aware of her mistakes, and what she learned last season, and is going to take that and use it.

When someone is already one of the greats, and they say they are going to move forward step by step, that's not the most reasuring thing to hear them say IMO... To me, that says she's feeling pressure, and being cautious. And if she's feeling caution, she's must be feeling some degree of doubt. She's very critical of herself, and she's a perfectionist. On the other hand, I could be reading into her short, little statement all wrong. She could mean that will be playing out the season stratigically, and intelligently - not hastly, or impulsively - and pacing what she challenges herself with, and plans on improving more, and more throughout the season....[/i]