Haruka Imai

Aah this photo makes me happy!

chiyori wrote:

Aah this photo makes me happy!

LOVE注入

Does she now trains in Detroit?

bibi wrote:

Does she now trains in Detroit?

Yes, she changed coach to Yuka team during summer.

Haruka is so lovely! Glad she added me in FB. When is her next GP event?

roma wrote:

Haruka is so lovely! Glad she added me in FB. When is her next GP event?

CoR~she will be with Mao again
you can write on her wall and she will reply you
If i left msg in Japanese she will reply in Japanese then if i left msg in English, she will reply in English
lovely girl with lovely personality~

This girl is so pretty and charming.

Too bad that I don't have a fb account. . . Makes me want to get one just for Haruka!

Since this is Haruka thread~I will post pics randomly

News of Haruka
http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/5967265/
basically, they said in terms of both look or technique, she is the ACE of next generation.

Did she give any explanation why she changed coaches? i would think that training in the USA is much more expensive than training at home.

zarinaballerina wrote:

Did she give any explanation why she changed coaches? i would think that training in the USA is much more expensive than training at home.

No and don't know why no one asked about that.

I went back to check the 2011~2012 guidebook -->realized that they used two words to describe her injury--> actually that is the same part of her feet and one description is more specific. sorry for misleading anyone.

she did talk about how she worked with Yuka about her new FS. when they first met, Yuka said to her " I don't know what you are capable to do (laugh)" then she made the exhibition for her first. After seeing Haruka performed the exhibition then Yuka told her she can do the FS. Haruka said the exhibition is just like the test to see if she is qualify to do the new FS

http://www.njk.ed.jp/news/%e3%80%90%e6%a0%a1%e5%86%85%e3%83%bb%e9%ab%98%e6%a0%a1%e3%80%91%e3%80%80/
she went back to Japan and went to her school to report her result of SA.

she is cute in uniform
not sure if she came back for East Japan Championship or not.
East Japan will be from Nov 3 to Nov 6 and Dice (Murakami Daisuke) also went back to Japan too. Both of them are on the list of participants.

shikure, she looks adorable in the school uniform! does anybody else think she look a little bit like the idol.... Kaho (? is that her name--I think I must have seen her on a CM or J drama somewhere...)

Thank you, shikure, as always, for keeping us posted on everything going on in the skating world. I hope Haruka will do very well at East Japan. Since Miki is sitting out this season, I really hope the Japanese team for worlds is going to be Mao, Akiko, Haruka Nothing against Kanako or Shoko Ishikawa (very elegant!), I just want to see Haruka skate that awesome short program as many time as possible this season!

skfan wrote:

shikure, she looks adorable in the school uniform! does anybody else think she look a little bit like the idol.... Kaho (? is that her name--I think I must have seen her on a CM or J drama somewhere...)

Thank you, shikure, as always, for keeping us posted on everything going on in the skating world. I hope Haruka will do very well at East Japan. Since Miki is sitting out this season, I really hope the Japanese team for worlds is going to be Mao, Akiko, Haruka Nothing against Kanako or Shoko Ishikawa (very elegant!), I just want to see Haruka skate that awesome short program as many time as possible this season!

I think you mean www.stardust.co.jp/section3/profile/kaho.html
they look similar in uniform
I always think Haruka looks different on and off ice but in good way.
she is so beautiful on the ice and I like the way she talked off ice~ just like girls as her age.
she doesn't need to be very mature but she is always good as who she is

Thank you for posting the link and pictures Shikure!

Haruka looks sooooo cute. She looks like a shojo manga heroine.

Haruka finished her East Japan Championship and of course she is in first place.

http://www.skatingjapan.jp/National/2011-2012/fs_j/east/data0203.pdf SP protocol
http://www.skatingjapan.jp/National/2011-2012/fs_j/east/data0205.pdf FS protocol

she did this only for qualifying for All Japan Championship~ the stupid rules are
if you are not seed and you don't have schedule conflict, you needs to participate. The schedule conflict needs to be event JSF approved. I don't remember details but the rules are including like if you have ISU assignment one week before or after that then you don't need to participate.

so worlds team 2011 should be seeds, then rest of top skaters like Yuzuru and Akiko have schedule conflict or assignment within one week.

But Haruka and Daisuke M. (Dice) don't have assignment before / after the specific time slots because they participated SA which was three weeks ago. then Haruka's next assignment is CoR. Geeeeeeeeee
Then both of them fly back to Japan for this event then won the event ~ Dice was leaving earlier today back to CA. JSF is so stupid and Dice has done such fly back then leave soon twice this year, one is for opening practice in Chukyo the other is this.

Back to the event, I think she didn't pull all her energy in FS, since her spins didn't reach the level she used to be. then Jason and Yuka needs to pay attention to her 3Lz and what is going on with her 3Lo which used to be her best jump.

and the other sad thing is Fumie is not in top 10 in the event so we may not see her in Christmas.

thank you shikure for the updates. i'm glad to hear haruka won east japan. sorry to hear that her lutz and loop were not at their best. haruka will get another chance to make a good impression on the GP before JP nationals, so i'm crossing my fingers.

are there vids of west japan or east japan competitions? i'm curious about haruka's performances and shion kokubun's.

disappointing for fumie. i still think that she will be able to leave on her terms--she won't have to quit before she herself is ready to, because of figure skating's popularity in japan and the opportunities that follow. after all, she found sponsorship even during one of her less high-achieving years, right?

looks like video / shotting during competition in Japan is not allowed we have no idea what is going on there. all we can do is hoping Haruka can do well in CoR.

I am so sorry for Fumie, since she was injured. Basically, Japanese figure skating fans have given her up and want her to retire~let other young skaters to have those resource. But Fumie loves skating so much, and I think it's really hard for those skaters to let go. She was so gorgeous during 2003 and hope she can recover soon.

ETA: only thing we can find is pics on podium

Status update: Based on Jeremy's twitter~looks like Jason team left for TEB today
Jeremy, Alissa, Adam, Jason and Haurka (He called her haruka-chan ") were on their way to Paris, after TEB, they may bring whole team to CoR too.
looks like a very lovely family

I got a surprise today ~ when I got the pink envelop today, I thought that is wedding invitation (yes, I am at the age that all friends are tried to get married before last minute (?))

look outside and inside

charity for breast cancer --> reply fan mail and do charity at the same time ~ good job Haruka

signature inside


on the other page, she wrote thank me for letter and present and she is very happy.
She said she is training in USA with Jason and Yuka then will ganbade for CoR
then I realized that she may recognize me that I am her FB friend since I only wrote English on the letter but I did wrote Japanese on her wall from time to time.
That is why she wrote half English and Japanese to me~ conclusion, she is a good girl and I will support her like support Mao

how wonderful for you! what a beautiful message from haruka. it really does look like a wedding invitation! isn't it nice to be appreciated? ^__^

although it's photos of CoR but not so related to competition, I decided to put it here
her smile can melt everything

Backstage with Japan Skates @ 2011 "Eastern Section" 東日本選手権大会
http://www.japanskates.com/backstage/Eastern2011/Eastern2011_Event_en.htm
the part of Haruka, I like the part she did spins with Alissa and Kumiko coach was with her for this competition

- On good aspects of trainings in Detroit, USA
In June, I went there to work on choreographs with Yuka(SATO), then I was going to want to follow her for a long time. I don't know at all, but people say "Your skating skills got improved a lot!", as my SkatingSkills has earned more points. - That is the best aspect, I guess. I hadn't jumping training in August (due to a stress fracture in her right arch), so "Instead of jumps, I do work on other things to refine!", to train basic skating skills as far as possible. Riding on deep edge, I had fallen… But, I have followed Yuka, to skate better little by little. I'm going to skate like cutting, and Yuka has checked me "carve more neatly!" (smiles) Yuka shows me her beautiful skating in front of my very eyes, so I have tried to skate like her, then I have gotten its technique. That works for me a lot!
And, I have gotten spinning technique as well. One day, Alissa(CZISNY) and me were training together, the rink got blacked out. No one but Alissa remained on the ice to train spinning, so "…follow her! to train together," to do spins right beside her. Then! somehow (smiles), I got some knack of spinning, my spins got better. I'm good at a Donut-Biellmann spin(Camel), I like doing it the most, however, Biellmann position is not available to do 2 times in one program, and I must take level features as much as possible. So I can't show a Donut-Biellmann in competition, I'm sorry for that.

- On her 2011-2012FS"My Fair Lady"
In the beginning, "skate beautifully!" to the quiet music, then the music changes its note, "perform with fun!". Even I have fun in competitions, as I have fun with the song and choreography, with dancing to the music, in sync. In competitions, I was struggling with only jump elements last season. But this season, I keep turning it over my mind, "to skate to the music in sync". (On its step sequence:) Difficult, tough footworks… It's so quick overall, that I need to do correct, well-done edge works with its speed.

- On her jumping
Although I have never done run-throughs without jumping, but this Eastern… I have tried not to worsen my injury, at least. Yuka(@ Cup of China at that time), also told me "Anyway, do not overwork!", as well as Kumiko(Yuka's mother, who coaches Mao along with Nobuo), who looks after me this competition, "In practices, save your jumps for competitions," asked me. Then I had only imaged to jump in run-throughs. (On 3-3:) I have tried to have 3Lz/3F/3Lo-3T in programs. I wish I could add 3T following those triples, when I recover from my injury… Now I have much worked on solo triples, to make them beautifully.

- Her dream about the future
I dream that I could skate as a professional skater, in the ice show. My very first international competition, at JGPS I won magically. I hadn't prepared an exhibition program, so I used other music from other skaters' program, to skate in an improvisational way (laughs), to skate like feeling. I performed in the dark, had been spotlighted for the first time. The crowds, Belarusian people gave me their claps in performing. That was a really! fun time for me. Then I wished I could become a professional skater someday, "to perform in the ice show like this, again!"

- For fans
Thank you for your sincere letters… I always appreciate you all. When I get depressed, or haven't so good performances, I'm going to read them - that encourages me so much, "Move On! from now on!", that makes me uplifted. As always, thank you for your support!

thank you for news of haruka. interesting details about her training. it's a family coaching arrangement--perhaps? i'm referring to how yuka's mom looked after haruka for easterns.

i really admire alissa c's spin speed and centering, but i hope that haruka will model her donut / blade grab spin after skaters who extend the leg towards the hand that grabs the blade, rather than the way alissa c (and haruka now) drop the leg to grab the blade. when you drop the leg the butt sticks out in a very unaesthetic way. a lot of skaters do it that way but i always hope that someone who so excels at spinning and who puts a lot of emphasis on beautiful positions like alissa c. would eventually adopt the more aesthetic blade grab technique. even skaters who do not spin half as well as alissa c (i.e. kostner, and in the olden days, MK and linda fratianne) make the effort to extend the foot rather than drop it. OTOH one of my other favorites, oksana baiul, dropped the foot

what can i say, i only nitpick the ones i love (or have high hopes for). if you're gonna go for pretty pretty, go all the way

i've noticed big improvement in haruka's SS and posture in particular. i hope getting to watch yuka sato and her awesome blade control day after day will continue to refine those aspects of haruka's skating. haruka's smile is already perfect

thank you too, Skfan this article solved the question I always have about the "Donut-Biellmann spin". Since she always had the amazing Donut-Biellmann spin in her show program and the extension for Donut-Biellmann spin is better than what she did "layback to biellmann spin".

there is the other interview with Yuka / Jason team in DSC. here is the part of Haruka.
http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/winter/skate/figure/text/201112080005-spnavi.html

■今井遥は「教えられない事を全て持ち合わせている選手」 (this is title)

Haruka Imai is "skater has owned everything that you can't teach"--> in English, some of things are talent, you just can't learn that from practice. They think Haruka has already had those things.

――今井遥も東京からデトロイトのお２人のもとへ、９月から移りました。

Haruka Imai moved from Tokyo to Detroit to their team from September.

ジェイソン　遥は非凡な才能がある。８月はケガで休んでいたが、これからシーズン後半に向けてどんどんジャンプの種類も増やしていきます。まだ１８歳と若いので、まだ色々なことを吸収できるでしょう。ジャンプはもっと良くなる部分がいっぱいあるし、スピンは本当に素晴らしいです。

Jason: Haruka has great talent. since she rested due to injury in August, in the second half of season, she will have more different jumps. she is 18, still young and can learn a lot of different things. she already has some great jumps and great spins.

有香　彼女は、コーチが教えられないものは全て持ち合わせているという、すごい才能に恵まれた選手。感覚は鋭く、センスも良く、そして何でもポジティブに変えていく能力があって、すごくユニークな子です。いつも素で、自分の世界にいて、自分の感覚のみでスケートをやってきています。去年は長久保裕先生にお世話になっていましたが、一箇所に落ち着いて習ってきていないですから。若くてまだ手遅れじゃないので、選手としての教育、演技者としての教育をしっかりやりたいです。


Yuka: she has everything that coach can't teach. she is talented. she has sharp and great sense, and she has the ability that make everything positive. she is very unique. she is always is in her own world and skates with her own feelings. last year, she was with Nagakubo coach, and she can't be stable practicing in one place. since she is still young, and it's won't be to late, I want to teach her how to be as a skater and performer.

(about she can't practice in the same place is because she lived in Tokyo and had coach in Tokyo. then she needed to travel to Nagoya on the weekend with Nagakubo coach)

――今はどちらがメインコーチなのでしょうか？

who will be her main coach.

有香　遥は今はまだ二人で見ていますが、ジェイソンとのコネクションが良い様にも感じています。選手はそれぞれ波長があって、私とジェイソンが同じこと言っても、相手によって把握や理解の仕方も違うんです。

Yuka: now both of us are looking after her, and feel like Jason has good connection with her. every skater has it's own personality, even Jason and I say the same thing, the other (means student) may feel / understand differently.

――今後はどんな指導を？

how do you teach her in the future.

有香　これまでは生活環境が変わって、慣れるのに必死でしたのでマイペースにやってもらっていました。ケガで休んで９月まで氷に戻れず、すごく遅れたスタートを切ったシーズン。ジャンプのフォーム（トウの突き方）は、ケガをした理由でもあるので修正していかないと同じ結果になってしまいます。ただ、若いし勢いがあるので、やらなければならない事を一つずつやって、気付いたら上まで行っていたという事もあります。やる課題が多すぎるのですが、基本に忠実に、焦らずに、できるだけの事を教えていきたいです。

Yuka: since the environment changed (to Haruka), she tried very hard to get used to the situation on her pace. in addition, she rested due to injury and got back on ice from September, and it was really late start to new season. due to injury, even we tried to adjust the form of jump (if the landing is toe), the result is still the same. she is still young and there are still a lot of things need to be done( one by one). if we find anything (need to do) , we have to do. since there are a lots of things need to be done, all we can do is teach her everything we can teach her and don't be rush.