Japanese Nationals 2013

4CC Jpn rep.
四大陸
Koz, Oda, Tanaka
Kanako, Miyahara, Haruka

Junior world rep.
Tanaka, Ueno
Hongo, Miyahara (back to Junior world?)
本郷、宮原

And the senior worlds?

both Mao and Akko will attend world  

Okay...this means I get to see Mao again at world...I mean in Tokyo

It good to see JSF finally giving inflated scores to those ladies who delivered clean performances in this Olympic season. They may see a chance for Akiko winning OBM depending on top skaters performances.

Akiko did great job and it's also a good redemption for her considering her last year result at nationals.  Wining national championship after ups and downs, indeed she made a great comeback from eating disorder.  Truly a good model for young skaters.  Also good thing to know is her mother was in the stadium.  It was first time for her mother to watch Akiko skate at a competition.  She delivered wonderful skate in front of her mother.  Good, proud girl!!

I hope Dai will not overwork.  I wonder where Morozov is?  On Christmas holiday?  

Haidogirl wrote:

And the senior worlds?

adding: worlds team is the same as Sochi team

COHK wrote:

Junior world rep.
Tanaka, Ueno
Hongo, Miyahara (back to Junior world?)
本郷、宮原

Well, I think they could have sent Satoko to senior World. She has the technical arsenal to skate there, especially when many of the veterans probably won't go to Worlds. Her major weakness is lack of expression, but she has plenty of time to work on it.

COHK wrote:

both Mao and Akko will attend world   

Tickets for Worlds would sell out very fast   

COHK wrote:

both Mao and Akko will attend world   

yayyy       

COHK wrote:

both Mao and Akko will attend world   

Yay!!!! more good news wooohooo     

COHK wrote:

Haidogirl wrote:

And the senior worlds?

adding: worlds team is the same as Sochi team

        

inskate wrote:

Congrats to all the awesome ladies!   

I'm kind of worried about Mao... I don't mean the performance itself - Mao's probably tired after the GP season and I'd be more worried if she peaked here. However, the nature of the mistakes is a bit worrisome. Not only Mao didn't attempt 3F-3L here (as it was planned in a situation when one of 3As is popped or doubled), but didn't even go for 3F-2L and messed up the 3F-2L-2L combo in the 2nd half (OTOH she landed 2A-3T just fine).
This makes me a bit worried that her injury possibly makes it painful to attempt loops in combination... Loop combos are known for causing or aggravating hip/back injuries, and although 3L-3L is reportedly the one that's the most dangerous, a continuos repeating of 3F-3L, 3L-2L, 3F-2L and 3F-2L-2L might possibly be painful and contributing to already existing injury.

Miki seems to be a similar situation - she also has a back/hip injury caused by overdoing Biellman. She always seemed more confident and consistent with loop combos, but here she landed 3T-3T and 2A-3T while messing up 3Lz-3L and giving up on 2A-2L-2L in favor of 3S-2T (while being capable of landing not only 3S-2L-2L, but even 3S-3L).

I hope I'm overreacting...  

I hope that it's just this one competition as well. She's understandably tired, and she also said previously that 2 3a's really affect her stamina.
I'm not sure what the local time was when she skated, but it seemed like a super long competition, so I'm guessing pretty late?
I hope she'll get the rest she needs before really peaking in Sochi!

I'm so happy for all the skaters selected for Sochi, and yay Daisuke made it! But poor Nobu and Taka...

sapphiresky wrote:

inskate wrote:

Congrats to all the awesome ladies!   

I'm kind of worried about Mao... I don't mean the performance itself - Mao's probably tired after the GP season and I'd be more worried if she peaked here. However, the nature of the mistakes is a bit worrisome. Not only Mao didn't attempt 3F-3L here (as it was planned in a situation when one of 3As is popped or doubled), but didn't even go for 3F-2L and messed up the 3F-2L-2L combo in the 2nd half (OTOH she landed 2A-3T just fine).
This makes me a bit worried that her injury possibly makes it painful to attempt loops in combination... Loop combos are known for causing or aggravating hip/back injuries, and although 3L-3L is reportedly the one that's the most dangerous, a continuos repeating of 3F-3L, 3L-2L, 3F-2L and 3F-2L-2L might possibly be painful and contributing to already existing injury.

Miki seems to be a similar situation - she also has a back/hip injury caused by overdoing Biellman. She always seemed more confident and consistent with loop combos, but here she landed 3T-3T and 2A-3T while messing up 3Lz-3L and giving up on 2A-2L-2L in favor of 3S-2T (while being capable of landing not only 3S-2L-2L, but even 3S-3L).

I hope I'm overreacting...  

I hope that it's just this one competition as well. She's understandably tired, and she also said previously that 2 3a's really affect her stamina.
I'm not sure what the local time was when she skated, but it seemed like a super long competition, so I'm guessing pretty late?
I hope she'll get the rest she needs before really peaking in Sochi!

Didnt it start on 16:.... something like that PM? late afternoon, early evening?

Oh no Nobu will not be competing at worlds .....   
I hope they will switch Nobu and Dai for worlds coz it seems too much for Dai's knee.   

I'm hoping Daisuke will withdraw from worlds, rest and not get more injured, and let someone else go...

ETA: Mao looked upset during her post interview. Not like sad but frustrated at herself.   Does anyone know what she said?

sapphiresky wrote:

I'm hoping Daisuke will withdraw from worlds, rest and not get more injured, and let someone else go...

Nooo~ dont withdraw! *i know im selfish*    

inskate wrote:

Congrats to all the awesome ladies!   

I'm kind of worried about Mao... I don't mean the performance itself - Mao's probably tired after the GP season and I'd be more worried if she peaked here. However, the nature of the mistakes is a bit worrisome. Not only Mao didn't attempt 3F-3L here (as it was planned in a situation when one of 3As is popped or doubled), but didn't even go for 3F-2L and messed up the 3F-2L-2L combo in the 2nd half (OTOH she landed 2A-3T just fine).
This makes me a bit worried that her injury possibly makes it painful to attempt loops in combination... Loop combos are known for causing or aggravating hip/back injuries, and although 3L-3L is reportedly the one that's the most dangerous, a continuos repeating of 3F-3L, 3L-2L, 3F-2L and 3F-2L-2L might possibly be painful and contributing to already existing injury.

Miki seems to be a similar situation - she also has a back/hip injury caused by overdoing Biellman. She always seemed more confident and consistent with loop combos, but here she landed 3T-3T and 2A-3T while messing up 3Lz-3L and giving up on 2A-2L-2L in favor of 3S-2T (while being capable of landing not only 3S-2L-2L, but even 3S-3L).

I hope I'm overreacting...  

Thank you inskate for insight.

Do you think it's too late for Mao to do 3F-3T instead of 3F-3L?  Her 2A-3T tonight was very solid again.  I first thought she gave more practice time for 3A than -3l or 3l combos.  If this combo is too much for her body now, it will become more difficult for her to keep practicing them for coming months.
I understand she wasn't good at -3T and didn't feel comfortable with it.  But it seems her doing 2A-3T over the last few years is now bearing fruits and she may be able to capitalize on it.

Oh, I forget that Satoko is only 15. She sure has made a lot of improvement   

sapphiresky wrote:

I'm hoping Daisuke will withdraw from worlds, rest and not get more injured, and let someone else go...

ETA: Mao looked upset during her post interview. Not like sad but frustrated at herself.   Does anyone know what she said?

Yes, indeed she said she's frustrated that she wasn't able to perform as she planned.  Sorry I cannot find the clip of her post-performance interview, so I cannot give you accurate translation of what she said.  Let me post the translation later when I found the clip to be more precise.

linglang wrote:

sapphiresky wrote:

I'm hoping Daisuke will withdraw from worlds, rest and not get more injured, and let someone else go...

ETA: Mao looked upset during her post interview. Not like sad but frustrated at herself.   Does anyone know what she said?

Yes, indeed she said she's frustrated that she wasn't able to perform as she planned.  Sorry I cannot find the clip of her post-performance interview, so I cannot give you accurate translation of what she said.  Let me post the translation later when I found the clip to be more precise.

Thank you linglang!  

inskate wrote:

linglang wrote:

Olympic team
Men: Yuzu, Tatsuki and Daisuke
Ladies: Akiko, Mao and Kanako
Pairs: Narumi and Ryuichi
Ice Dance: The Reeds

Just as I expected. I'm happy for Daisuke...  
...But Nobunari got cheated out of both the bronze medal and the Olympic berth.     

I'm so sad that Nobu wasn't given a chance to compete at worlds ... sorry for being a broken record, but I though he will get something for compensation from JSF ...  

I know people (JSF, sponsors and even   speedy) are happy know.  My speculation is that Dai said No and politely declined for the team selection, but they didn't accept it.  I hope they will not force Dai to overwork by putting too much expectations on his shoulder.  

linglang wrote:

I'm so sad that Nobu wasn't given a chance to compete at worlds ... sorry for being a broken record, but I though he will get something for compensation from JSF ...  

I know people (JSF, sponsors and even   speedy) are happy know.  My speculation is that Dai said No and politely declined for the team selection, but they didn't accept it.  I hope they will not force Dai to overwork by putting too much expectations on his shoulder.  

I also feel that Nobu was robbed of a Worlds berth, but Worlds will be held in Japan, so JSF only cares about who can help them sell more tickets. I hope Dai will withdraw so that Nobu can compete there. I'm not crazily in love with Nobu skating, but he's such a beautiful soul, the kind of person who has no mean bone and warms everyone around him.

can't believe the JSF gave daisuke the Olympics AND Worlds assignment

pearlyriver wrote:

linglang wrote:

I'm so sad that Nobu wasn't given a chance to compete at worlds ... sorry for being a broken record, but I though he will get something for compensation from JSF ...  

I know people (JSF, sponsors and even   speedy) are happy know.  My speculation is that Dai said No and politely declined for the team selection, but they didn't accept it.  I hope they will not force Dai to overwork by putting too much expectations on his shoulder.  

I also feel that Nobu was robbed of a Worlds berth, but Worlds will be held in Japan, so JSF only cares about who can help them sell more tickets. I hope Dai will withdraw so that Nobu can compete there. I'm not crazily in love with Nobu skating, but he's such a beautiful soul, the kind of person who has no mean bone and warms everyone around him.

Actually tickets for worlds are almost sold out.    When Dai announced withdrawal from GPF, ticket prices at those greedy brokers websites plummeted. Now I'm sure those brokers are looking forward to lucrative business again.   

I agree he has no mean bone and can make people smile.  I sometimes think he's too good natured and kind at heart to win the games. Last night after SP when he was leaving K&C, he shouted "Dai-chan Gamba!", which means Dai-chan, hang in there.  I think he has no bad feeling against Dai for the team selection but regrets that he couldn't finish 2nd at nationals by nailing 4Ts.  

I just woke up to see these results. Mao finished 3rd???

       

The biggest congratulations to Akiko for winning with a clean skate, but 144 for an FS with 6 triples??? She never came close to that score on the international stage.They were generous with her in the SP too. Why favor her so much now?

I don't really have a problem with Mao placing third (well maybe I do) but what in the HELL is JSF trying to do? Campaign for Akiko to win Olympic Gold and Worlds Gold??

This is a major setback in Mao's momentum leading towards Sochi. One can only wonder how she will be perceived by everyone now: commentators, rivals, judges, ISU etc... and how this will affect her mentally. How can the judges give Olympic Gold to someone who didn't even win her own nationals? I hope Team Mao has a long sitdown after this and discusses everything. I'm just... *shakes my head and leaves to go get a burger*

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20131223-00000073-dal-spo

After the announcement, Taka had red eyes and tears and said, "I'm very much disappointed. I have feelings (about the selection), but I just follow what the federation has decided."