Yuzuru looks back at the season, talks about his struggles with Hope & Legacy, declares his love for the ever dependable 4T and lavishes attention on primadonna 4S (somewhere in the background, 3A cries), nerds out, and shares his thoughts on preparation for Pyeongchang. More seriously, he has always been a sincere student of the sport and thoughtful about every single decision he makes with his programs. It’s always been a delight to read his words, and hopefully that comes across.
Translated by gladi. Feel free to repost with credits.
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理想の先へ！Toward the Ideal and Beyond
(Translator’s note regarding the title:
Yuzuru first wrote “risou no saki he” (理想の先へ) as a message for the next season in an interview with Nagano-san on Hoodo Station Sunday (報道ステーションSUNDAY), aired by TV Asahi on April 23, 2017 after the World Team Trophy ended. There is duality in this sentence due to the word saki (先), which can be defined either as “destination” or “ahead”, “beyond”, “hereafter”. Therefore, the entire phrase can be taken as moving “toward the ideal” but also “toward a place beyond the ideal.”)
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Rewriting the world’s highest free skate score with a superb performance and reclaiming his throne once again at the World Championships in March––Yuzuru Hanyu. From within the men’s field during what many call “the new quad era,” Hanyu speaks of his determination "toward the ideal and beyond”. (Ice Jewels)
今シーズンを振り返って
Looking back at this season
––– Looking back, what was the season like?
YH Hmm… in a season that began with an injury––for two months, there were days when everything was impossible. I was in many competitions, and although there were things that didn’t go well in the World Team Trophy, I think I was able to bring my free program to completion in the end. One way or the other, I felt that I’ve worked hard.
––– About the short program, were there aspects you felt like perfecting?
YH There were. It was also that way with “Ballade No. 1” from last season. When I say I haven’t been able to perform the program without mistakes, I was actually able to do so during training but I couldn’t seem to conjure up “the imagery of success” in competition no matter what I do.
四大陸選手権から世界選手権まで
From Four Continents to the World Championships
––– After the Four Continents Championships in February, how did you prepare for the World Championships?
YH I was most conscious of the fact that I must raise the intensity of my training. In the first week of training, I increased the intensity to a level that completely exhausts me. At the same time, my highest priority was to figure out how to train without getting injured or catching a cold. Training efficiency is most affected when you end up not being able to train due to injury or illnesses, so I paid a lot of attention to that aspect.
––– You were managing your diet rigorously as well.
YH Yes, I also did that. I hadn’t cared about controlling my weight until recently, but this time I weighed myself properly, checking things like muscle mass and body fat percentage, and paid attention to physical conditioning alongside my training. Consequently, I think I gained enough stamina for my free program and produced good results in training. I was able to arrive in Helsinki feeling good about my physical condition.
––– It’s often been said that one cannot afford to make mistakes in the short program. Consisting only of 3 jumps, 3 spins, and a step sequence, even the slightest mistake can bring a skater down in rank in the short program.
YH And it was especially so in this competition. Although there was indeed a mistake with the [4S3T] in my case, the jump itself felt good. But the timing of the landing was slightly off, I think. I was overly focused, thinking about the moment of takeoff (t/n: the shuu!
) and I guess I didn’t think as far as the landing. Originally, it was a jump that I could have landed.
––– You started off with one mistake and 5th place in the short program. In terms of free skate scores, I thought Hanyu-senshu has the capacity, as well as the program components, to catch up with those in lead, but what did you think at the time?
YH There was a day separating the short and the free skate events. My immediate thought was that, considering everyone’s short program results, clean performances would probably continue [for the free skate portion]. Everyone performed with great confidence, and apart from me, everyone seemed calm. In that respect, the free skate was tough. Because the free skate involved a different amount of points on the table and was also my forte, I thought I could increase my score to a certain extent as long as I was clean. On the other hand, in the case of everyone performing well and going clean, a 10-point gap would be quite severe. When Javier defended his title at last year’s World Championships, for example, despite my decidedly higher personal best score at the time, as a result of mistakes on my part and a clean performance from him, my 12-point lead from the short program was reversed in the free skate. I was anxious since the 10-point would have been difficult to close without a similar situation. But, on the day, I focused solely on what I had to do and giving it my all.
––– In a competition with such slim margins of error, you were handed a 1-point deduction for starting the short program late (Yuzuru began performance more than 30 seconds after [his] name was called). I thought this could well have been the difference between victory and defeat…
YH I thought so too. This was after I completed my free program, but while I was in the green room watching the scores, I kept thinking how critical that one point was!
フリーの戦い
Battle of the free skate / Fight for the free skate
––– About the free skate, everyone was saying “because it is a quiet piece, the scores won’t go up without a solid display of technique and expression...” at the time of Four Continents'. Did you consider the option of returning to last season’s program for the World Championships?
YH Right now, say if I decided to return to “SEIMEI” and stuck with last year’s layout comprised of the 4S and 4T, leaving the 4Lo out, I believe I can put out clean performances without fail, regardless of the situation. No matter how tired I am–even after traveling, my second half 4T has stabilized to such an extent, that I am confident in it. In that sense, I had thought about going back to that layout. But, the current program finally began to take shape at the Four Continents’ and I was able to properly visualize the concept of jumping four quads. This became a good source of confidence.
––– After the Four Continents’, you mentioned that “it would be fine as long as [you] land all the jumps.” Did you prioritize executing the jumps toward the completing the free program?
YH “Fine as long as all the jumps are landed” doesn’t mean to only depend on the technical aspects, though. I’ve always thought this way, but jumps are a part of the performance, and the cohesion of the performance is much improved when jumps are landed without interruption.
––– And from 5th place in the short program, [you ended up] ranking first overall. What stood out to you?
YH Because I was fifth, I didn’t want to make any mistakes, and inside me, the strong urge to stand up to challenge came to the forefront. Above all, it was because this competition happened precisely as my second half 4S had begun to stabilize. Of course, there are ups and downs with the condition of the second half 4S, as well as times when the 4T is in a good state and the 4Lo is great. But the best thing this time was that this phase of improvement with the second half 4S––now that I have a certain sense of how to execute it––coincided with the competition. In that sense, peaking was successful. Especially with confidence in the second half 4S, I could focus on each aspect, listening properly to the sound of the music… and if I can try my best that way, I was thinking I could go clean. So first of all, I landed the beginning 4Lo and 4S, and then I focused on riding the momentum.
––– It proceeded as you had planned! What were your thoughts about the last 3Lz?
YH 3Lz is a jump that I can absolutely land as long as I have enough speed going in, but I practiced that too in training. As long as I’m not too strangely conscious about it, it is not a problematic jump. I had experienced this in training: landing everything else and when trying to focus on the lutz at the end of the choreographic sequence, popping, or a touch down, mistakes like that. Therefore, I thought I could combine the images of when I executed good Lutz jumps, one by one. "What was my mental state when the jump was nicely executed from start to finish," "how did it feel"… I guess I must have combined these images [for the last 3Lz].
––– That was your best free skate performance ever.
YH That was so, isn’t it? Of course, I think there was still much more to be done compared to the quality of my free skate at the 2015 Grand Prix Final. My Axel jump(s) had been of a higher quality and I think the steps and spins were also better, but I have brought my best effort at this stage.
––– The rink at Helsinki was big, but you were able to perform without being overwhelmed and drowned out. What do you think about that?
YH Because it is a quiet piece, it is difficult to rouse the entire arena. There are various items of PCS evaluation, but it is not influenced by the reaction of the audience, nor is it a given for a balletic skater to score more points, and of course it’s not the case that speed is definitely good. Do people with good skating skills score well? That is not the only thing that matters either. Variation in speed is imperative, and the point isn’t just to ask if it is good to skate powerfully (trans. literally “heavy,” think long deep edges, deep knee bend, a more powerful style)––being able to skate lightly (think quirky edges and agile changes of directions and movements) is also a must. I think it is exactly because there are various points [to consider], that I received such an evaluation for that program.
––– Jumps aside, you received level 4 for both spins and steps.
YH Not only the jumps––I’ve also been practicing my steps a lot. Above all, amongst the various [elements] I had expected to do well, I’ve carelessly lost quite a few levels in Four Continents’ (t/n Yuzuru received level 3 evaluations on the flying camel spin and the step sequence in the SP). Since I was confident about fulfilling [the other levels] as long as I solidly executed the level features I missed, that was where I focused my training. There were various things—at what tempo and what depth the steps should be while matching with the musical notes; in terms of angle, jumps and steps share the same point; an effortless angle and direction for executing even the Choctaw… I also researched how to use the trunk of my body and trained many different things, and I learned from Coach Tracy Wilson too. I guess [the level 4’s for both spins and steps] were the result of such training.
––– At Toronto Cricket Club where you’re based, there are coaches for dance, spin and jumps?
YH Regarding spins this time, I had time to practice. Coach Tracy said to me, “You can do all the hand movements in the last combination spin, right?” Therefore, during the last spin, after I changed foot, during the sit spins after the butterfly jump, I performed all the hand movements properly and I was consciously taking care to interpret all the musical notes. It was the same in the short program, I made it so that there were almost no parts where I was just normally spinning. Not only is this a special trait of mine, there were also things that I had learned from Russia… I guess this came from various things that I experienced.
––– It’s been said that with a fast-paced, rhythmic piece for the short program and a Japanese-style piano piece for the free skate, you’ve expanded the breadth of your expression. Any special thoughts about the fruits of your labor?
YH I think it was also a kind of challenge. The fact that you have to jump quads to a quiet piece. Quads jumps tend to be piercing and forceful (t/n often ‘exclamation marks’ in a program), and it’s not a bad thing impression-wise, but if the jumps don’t flow, they won't harmonize with the music. In that sense, the way that Jason Brown (USA) puts together the jumps one by one, properly, would make this piece beautiful. Only, being able to bring the 4Lo and four quads into that, and executing two distinct Salchows––[one of them] in the second half. Those were rewards. And putting those two in properly, and expressing the music on top of all that until the very end. That is going to be a great asset (or treasure) hereon in my life.
(t/n. Regarding the two different 4S, Yuzuru is probably referring to the two different trajectories in H&L. The solo 4S is similar to the LGC entry, with a straighter and shorter curve whereas the combo in the second half was a rounder, more classical entry for the Salchow. See the trajectories here)
––– It seems that it was a good sign for the Olympic season next year that you skated such a phenomenal free program in a big stage like the World Championships, wasn’t it?
YH Indeed. Many skaters performed their short programs without any mistakes, and in the free skate too, there were perfect performances. Pulling off a reversal to win the title despite all of this was a great shot of confidence. Because of this, I must do something watertight. That watertight “something" is, in the end, my ideal performance, so I would like to go forth aiming for that. What I felt from the free skate in Worlds’ was that, “Ah, what I have been doing––that hasn’t been a mistake!"
国別対抗戦２０１７を終えて
After the World Team Trophy 2017
––– How did you adjust for the World Team Trophy?
YH What was tough, was tough. There wasn’t much time to train either. Compared to the problems I was pondering after the World Championships, I find the tasks that emerged from the World Team Trophy considerably harder.
––– What is your analysis of the 2 mistakes from the short program at the World Team Trophy?
YH I was getting quite worked up. I felt nervous, and there was also the thought that I must go clean (t/n. literally “settle, bring conclusion”) here. During the season, somehow I’ve been too consumed by the desire to go clean. It was probably because I myself had conjured up unpleasant images in my mind. I am in a state where, although my head knows how, I am unable to do it. On the other hand, I’ve come to land the second-half 4S+3T, I have a good handle on it, and I think I’m improving on the level of completion. Because I’ve come to execute the salchow to such [great] evaluation, I think I can be confident in it. Plus, I like the salchow!
––– I would love to see the complete form (t/n: probably referring to the Salchow) come into fruition.
YH What I can say [right now], at the end of this season, is that although there were mistakes with the 4Lo and the 4S in my short program at the World Team Trophy, the Salchow is my weapon and so is the Loop. Without doubt. Presently, the Toe Loop has become considerably more complete, and as [part of my arsenal] (lit. “as my own jump”. In many past interviews and talks, Yuzu has brought up the concept of “jumps like his own” “jumps that are his style” “jumps that can be depended on"), is now in place to be wielded as a honed, sharpened weapon. For that reason, I would like to take care in attending to everything.
今シーズンの四回転ジャンプについて
About the quad jumps this season
––– You do 3 types of quads [in your programs] at the moment, but landed a 4Lz at the official practice during the World Team Trophy. Do you plan to put it into competition next season?
YH I haven’t been thinking about the 4Lz very much.
––– Through landing 4T+1Lo+3S in your free program at the World Team Trophy, do you see a new path forward?
YH As the 4T has become like the 3A in that I can constantly execute it, that has become a solid weapon. I’m confident with it since, last season, I had been able to put it in the second half of “SEIMEI” and land it consistently. I switched to 4S after that, but it took time to stabilize. Still, thanks to practicing the Salchow, I actually became more consistent with 4T. Because of the confidence from doing it last year, I consider it one of the essential elements for recovery.
––– There’s both the mindset of increasing the type of quads and also the idea of combining jumps to raise one’s score. What do you think?
YH It was the case at the Four Continents’, and I also had the same feeling when I tried to do it this time [at the World Team Trophy]. But because I had a hard time with the 4S this season, I felt relatively at ease attempting 4T in the second half. The Toe Loop was the easiest quad in my arsenal. Another reward to me is executing a second-half 4T with quality equivalent to that of a first-half quad. That is huge. Getting to a point where I can soar with the 4T––solid even in the second half, and [a jump that] I am certain about––is a big accomplishment to me. (t/n. Where ”tobu” usually means “to jump”–跳ぶ in FS, the kanji for “to soar”–飛 was used in this case)
––– Due to injury, you did not practice the 4T very much. But thanks to jumping a variety of quads, the 4T has been strengthened conversely?
YH Hmm, perhaps I have actually gained confidence in the 4T. Because I must practice very few Toe Loops, to the extent that I’ve reduced the number of 4T attempts in training, I focused on each one that I did practice. In addition, the Salchow comes before the Toe Loop in this season’s [free skate] layout. When I ended up failing with the Salchow, I often find myself thinking that I “must land” the Toe Loop. Exactly for this reason, I became confident that I “can definitely land the Toe Loop."
––– I’ve heard that at the start of the season, there was a gap between Coach Brian Orser’s views and yours. How did you overcome that?
YH When Brian and I first discussed putting the Loop into my layout this season, my success rate wasn’t that high and it was right after my injury healed, so I was told “aren’t you being reckless?” I was also told, “If you would like to add the 4Lo, please [make it only one quad] in the second half.” I think it was hard to challenge both (t/n: a new type of quad and two second-half quads in the free program) simultaneously. Especially with the short program where you can’t make any mistakes, adding the 4Lo right at the outset took considerable resolve. But it turns out, the only time I made a mistake [with the 4Lo] in the free skate was at Skate Canada. Although I didn’t quite manage the 4Lo in the short program, I did at the Autumn Classic, and after that, executed it cleanly at both Four Continents' and Worlds’. So I am confident because I’ve been landing the Loop at a high success rate, and in a season [with more time and energy] invested in the Salchow no less.
––– What was your motivation for persisting with this idea?
YH Instead of motivation, it was a strong feeling of “not running away from this, to endure and keep on.” Memories from last season was like sweet nectar to me. Receiving such scores with that layout, and there was the idea that everyone was upgrading their layout to chase it. But, rather than “to endure and keep on” (t/n: he refines his answer as he went on) actually it was with the sense of “[wanting] to perform this program without mistakes” alone that somehow I got through the season.
––– Did you think the Quad Loop was necessary, having been through this season?
YH I can't say anything since it is a “what if” scenario. But I tried and fought until the end this season, and had I done the short without the 4Lo and with only 4T, 4S in my layout, I probably would have been able to continue with clean performances more consistently. However, even if I fail in the short program for instance, since I wouldn’t have been able to put two 3A’s [in my free skate] without a 4Lo*, in the end I am glad that I did the 4Lo. My intention of adding the 4Lo was that, look toward the following season, I wanted to get used to a 4-quad layout with this Loop using this entire season. I really wanted to gain experience in competitions with this layout, so in that sense, I wasn’t that impatient even when there were mistakes. Anyway, I just put in the 4Lo with the feeling that it is in preparation for the next season.
* Footnote: There are 8 jumps in the free skate. According to the rules, two types of “triples or above” may be repeated twice each. With 6 types of jumps including the Axel, he creates a harder layout by combining the number of rotations and type.
––– While there has been some good and some bad as a result (t/n: referencing previous Q), you were perfect in the free skate at the World Championships. That's a great accomplishment for this season!
YH At first, I was thinking it wouldn’t be so easy, would it, to perfect this program in this season. But of course, when the competition happens, I want to give a perfect performance and win. That is where it got extremely agonizing for me. Although I would be capable of perfect performances as soon as I changed the layout, I also had a strong desire to put the 4S+3T in the second half. Because I’ve always considered edge jumps to be my weapon, even if it were painful, my thoughts were to stay put, and while keeping the goal in sight, focus on the now and present, and somehow give my all! Wasn’t the fact that I persevered the best part of this season? In any case, this was a season of perseverance.
平昌五輪に向けて
Turning towards the Pyeongchang Olympics
––– Next season is finally the Olympic season!
YH Right now, I am able to start the off season without any big injuries. Condition wise, I think that is one step-up from last year. It is important to maintain this condition. Various things will become harder from now on and [technical] difficulty will go up… so amongst all this, I must challenge many things. However, I enjoy improving myself in training and it’s accurate to say that I am skating because I like doing that. For this reason too, alongside taking good care of my body, I’d like to drive ahead during the off season. Because [this] period from now on is where I can improve my technique, while looking forward to that, I want to take care in avoiding injuries as well. I think I have been able to manage this quite well this season, so looking toward the next season, if I can gradually put together a plan as well...
––– Is it okay to expect good performance as long as your body is in good condition?
YH In the ladies’ field, Evgenia Medvedeva is able to perform without mistakes regardless of the situation. It has nothing to do with things like matching the timing of [her] peak condition to Worlds’, or not. She performs at that same level wherever she is. And finally, to put out performances at the end of the season, with a level of quality that garners season’s best [scores]. This––is crucial! Surely she deals with a lot of pressure as anything else other than clean performances represent a failure to her. That she continues to deliver without errors even under such state is staggering, and I think I have a lot to learn from her on the mental side. It’s easy to suggest that one “would have won had there been no mistakes” but, if I may venture to say so, that is sheer fantasy as long as you fail to do it in competition. And, what becomes of it if everyone makes zero mistakes? Until the competition happens, you wouldn't know that, would you? Insofar as I have the confidence that I can win [as long as I don’t make mistakes], I must continue aiming for that level of quality. Of course that is piling pressure onto myself. I’m facing immense pressure even right now, but I think that is fine. It simply won’t do for Olympics unless, minimally, I can overcome that.
––– Will what you learned from the World Championships and the World Team Trophy become an asset for the next season?
YH Until now, especially in the season of the Sochi Olympics, feelings wise, I went for it and did my best in the short program, and then aimed to finish off with a steady performance in the free skate. Throughout two competitions this season, this strong urge––more typical of myself in the past––to somehow rally and come back in the free skate after a disappointing short program has returned (t/n: Yuzuru in his junior years and for his first two senior seasons was much more of an LP skater. Nice 2012 was a prime example), and I feel that jumps, my mental state, and so forth are finally connected. Whether to aim for always demonstrating that strength, or rather, stow it away and aim to perform well even without it, I don’t quite know. Even so, because I’ve gotten good confirmation in the free skate at these two competitions––and as there are no competitions going on right now and the last in the season leaves the most impression, strong feelings of regret toward the short program has also remained in me. I was able to put a good performance together during the encore at the World Team Trophy Gala so I am feeling refreshed, but I was still frustrated about the short program, and regretful that I wasn’t able to bring my best performance at the free skate. Such regret, the fine state of the Toe Loop and Loop, the Salchow that has become stabilized… from all of this combined, I must grow––that is what I am thinking. Of course I’ve also gained a variety of experience in the Worlds,' but as the last battle, the World Team Trophy has become the culmination of the season. I hope to make use of what I learned there and advance toward the coming season, from the very first competition.
Yuzuru Hanyu, il genio talentuoso del pattinaggio, Foto, Video, Interviste, Articoli
Io sono gia fusa di mio in questo periodo, mancavano solo i giochi di parole con le fusa dei gatti 
Non si andrà mica avanti cosi fino a lunedi vero 
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