#happy retirement shoma

[myjunkisyuzuruhanyu]

Yuzu's words to Shoma ❤️

Here is the original quote from Yuzu:

Translation by feimeicheng on Instagram

This is the last straw for me really. I was fine until I saw this message! Now I am a puddle 😭😭😭 Yuzu even used the same wording that Shoma had for Yuzu himself at his own retirement with the "meeting as two ordinary males" 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️ These two will always have my heart! ❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰🥰

#shoma uno #yuzuru hanyu #figure skating #happy retirement shoma #yuzu and shoma

[winged-wolf-dreamer]

So far away

But still so near

The lights go on

The music dies

But you don't see me standing here

I just came to say goodbye

#shoma uno #figure skating #still devastated #happy retirement shoma #there's a universe where he retired in 2019 #but he didn't and we got a few more wonderful years to treasure him and watch him soar

[brutalhonesttruths]

Shoma reviving his youtube channel to post a failed jump compilation with commentary and then immediately announce his retirement is kinda iconic tbh

#happy retirement king!!!! #fs #shoma uno #still deeply unserious i love it #figure skating

[blackidyll]

.

#also men's sp just ended and the men did men things indeed #i missed boyang's skate but apparently he's grown artistically and i just want him to be happy and healthy and he's getting there #jason brown!!!!!!!!!!! to quote commentator belinda -thank you jason for (not retiring) and coming back (to skate)- #JUNHWAN WAS ON FIRE omg redemption from his disappointment at 4CC also judges you cowards GIVE HIM 100 points #KEEGAN!!!!!! KEEGS!!!!!!!!! swan song performance and it was AMAZING. also judges you cowards AGAIN give him 100 points also!!!!!!!!! #also i was waiting to see his usual photos of his wife and kids but he didn't bring his phone with him to the kiss and cry! ahaha #i was watching through my fingers for shoma but he nailed it! also i laughed a bit when he put in 4T-2T with 2T intentionally lol #could he have done -3T? yeah but i rather he took care of his ankle and rest up for the free skate #my heart aches for matteo adam sota (omg sota) #i loveeeeeeee kazuki's skating even if he fell on his 4S. also was very happy for kevin aymoz and yay lucas too! #nervously looking forward to the free skate on saturday but honestly final flight will be so good ahhh jason made the top 6 #and junhwan got a small bronze medal as well! #figure skating #worlds 2023 #also gifmakers i'm looking forward to reblogging all your gifsets of the men sp #please and thank you <3

[figureskatingpenguin]

Shoma Uno: Through the Years

Wishing a happy retirement to our two-time world champion, Shoma Uno! I remember the days when he was called the "Silver Prince" because he placed second in Pyeongchang, Worlds, GPF, and 4CC. Well, take a good look at him now: a titleholder for every major competition except the Olympics! Although I had hopes that he would hold out until Milan 2026, I'm glad he was able to step down when he wanted to. Congratulations on spending 21 years of skating, Shoma! You've made us (and Stephane) all proud.

#figure skating #shoma uno #fskateedit #yes I'm aware pyeongchang 2018 takes up like 4 gifs #that's because they have the best video quality #apologizing for the lack of ladies in lavender loco and moonlight sonata #my gifs

[alwayshappyhoursomewhere]

Dear Shoma, Congratulations on your retirement announcement and the phenomenal competitive skating career you have built over 21 years!

I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to support you and to witness your skills, your focus, your hard work, your winning spirit, your passion, your determination, your love for the sport, and all the other amazing qualities you have demonstrated. You have inspired me much and I am deeply grateful for all that I have learnt by your side!

Enjoy the next steps with confidence and pride, and know that I will always be rooting for you!

See you soon, Stéphane

Stéphane Lambiel to Shoma Uno [x]

#shoma uno #stephane lambiel #mihoko higuchi #machiko yamada #figure skating #good morning now i'm crying for real

[petitmimosa]

Oh Shoma you will be missed 🥺

But if he's happier this way then, happy retirement.

#shoma uno #figure skating #retirement

[shoma-dos]

Shoma retirement announcement??? Can't say I was expecting that today

Wishing him a very happy and fulfilling future career! But damn I'm gonna miss him in competition 😥

#shoma uno #figure skating #my post

[macaroni-rascal]

Montreal Worlds 2024 Day 4!

My voice is completely shot, my hands are legitimately sore from clapping, ears still slightly ringing, and I had the best damn time!

FREE DANCE

Mrazek's easily won the Swan Lake Battle, team nepotism were fucking awful, and it was even more apparent when a superior team skated to the same music directly after them. Diana Davis walked on the ice for 4 minutes, and did one lift that was supposed to be impressive, but was just shaky. Woof.

Olivia Smart deserves so much better, judges were not kind.

Lim and Quan got a standing ovation and they more than deserved it, they were stunning. I adored every single second of that free dance.

I didn't watch that team, so don't know, don't care, and fuck 'em.

I still don't love Turkkila and Versluis that much, in person they skate quite small and it felt like the program dragged on forever.

OKAY SO. A documentary is being made about the Reeds it seems like, a dude came and set up a camera next to us because Cathy Reed was sitting two rows behind, and he made the people right behind us come sit in our row and us scooch down so that they could get a good shot of her watching her sister. So that was both cute and a little annoying. We were stuck there also for Cpom, since Cpom had already started by the time the camera guy left and we didn't want to disturb others watching. A nice program from R/A though!

Cpom were SO very good. They were captivating and lovely, definitely had more speed at the start of the program, but wow have they ever improved. A joy to watch.

Back in my seat, in time for the small most boring most rip of P/C program of them all. 2/10.

Lajoie and Lagha had me right from the start. Just. I adore them so much. I'm so proud of them for coming back so strong after injury, I cried, I clapped, I cheered. I was fully moved.

Fear and Gibson were just fucking awful. I hated it. She's throw around in lifts and never needs to hold a position, they are doing push ups on the ice, they are standing still for 45 seconds in their choreo step, they are the second slowest team, and god just can they go away already?

Chock and Bates ARE SO FUCKING SLOW. I don't know if I didn't notice it in the RD, but jesus christ so glaringly obvious they were trudging through molasses the entire program. I didn't like the program. It was two cool lifts, and then a slow slog through Madison Chock being off the ice as much as possible. 1/10.

The first time ever the Italians made me happy. A nice program, a nice moment. The dress mishap at then was a little funny, still annoyed they will likely stay in until Milan.

Gilles and Poirier, the third slowest team. After the emotional moment with L/L, I just wasn't as moved or interested in this program. It felt melodramatic more often than not. Glad for them winning the free, now retire already.

MEN'S FREE

Adam coming from 19th to 3rd, what a moment. The crowd loved the back flip, and in the moment, I did too. Why not? He had nothing to lose. Redemption skates always give me warm fuzzies.

Donovan was a lovely time, she's got such razzle dazzle, he needs to work on his speed though.

Goodbye two spots of Canadian Men, that's all I have to say about that.

Love Selevko, he's my favourite.

Kao, it was not your day, or your competition. He kept drilling and fucking up his quad in front of me all warm up, I wanted to shake him.

Jun, it was also not your day or your competition, but you have a nice ina, so it's all cool.

Deniss was a lovely moment, I enjoyed his skate a lot. When he got standing ovation, a rude American behind me loudly said 'why are people standing up, he didn't do that well?' Which was wild.

Jason Brown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So beautiful. The single axel honestly made me laugh. What a treat it was to see him skate.

Lukas was also a very fun moment, he's a skater I enjoy waching.

Shoma, I love you. <3

Yuma! What a moment, a shame about the triple axel, but that step sequence is so gorgeous. Can't wait to see him grow and evolve as a skater.

Ilia was there. LISTEN. Okay. Objectively the things he is doing are impressive, I just personally do not find it interesting. You know what I mean? My and my friend were at a sensory overload high and we just booked it out of the venue during his standing ovation before the scores cause we had to get out there. That rude American I mentioned would not stop fucking yelling at the top of his lungs during the skate, I had to plug my ears several times. Good for him, but he's not my thing at all.

GENERAL THOUGHTS AND HAPPENINGS!

Okay, so that rude American I mentioned a couple times, he was honestly hilarious. Another guy was sitting next to him, and the rude American kept giving him all wrong information about skating. Just confidently, with his whole chest, attempting to educate someone with nothing but false info. He kept calling jumps wrong (called flips toe, calls loops sals, and sals lopps), he said that V/M skated to Umbrellas at their first worlds (it was their second) he pronounced salchow like sal-CH-OW, no card C, but chow like chow down, he called several elements wrong all ice dance events, got coaches wrong for several skaters, etc. So hilarious.

I saw Corey Circelli and almost asked him he's like Italy but then didn't.

On our way out, we walked next to Lia, Trennt, and Hannah Lim all talking about Ilia's skate, that was fun.

Thinking of drafting an official complaint with the Bell Center to make their seats 4 inches bigger on all sides. I'm so serious my right hip, and lower back still hurt. Those seats were made for babies.

My wonderful amazing friend who I hadn't seen works at the Bell Center on the weekends, and I got to catch up with him, and then during the men he brought me a hot chocolate. Shoutout to him, he's the bees fucking knees.

I shan't be going to the gala. Thought I could do it, but I am so sensory overload from four straight days of bright, loud, and crowded. I am a person that like dim, quiet, and 3-4 people at most, and I am at my limit. Also, fuck those seats, I can't sit in them for one more minute.

ALL IN ALL! I had SO much fun, it was truly amazing seeing all these skaters I've loved for so long, and being able to really watching and analyze so many different things. I've gained new appreciation, new perspectives, and some new favourites. I am, however, very ready to get home to my bed, my cat, and my space. I'm flying out dumb early tomorrow, and I can't wait!

#konner talks skating #WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE #what a time it was #i'll never go a worlds again for at least 5-6 years #if it comes back to canada in a decade #ill consider it #but im getting a sky box if i do lmao

[myjunkisyuzuruhanyu]

Sota Yamamoto on Shoma's retirement 💓

#shoma uno #sota yamamoto #figure skating #happy retirement shoma

[winged-wolf-dreamer]

Some (Unorganized) Musings On A Year In the Unoverse

With Worlds 2023 over, it has been officially a year, more or less, of me having become a fan of Shoma, as I started following him at Worlds 2022 (so not exact year but I figured Worlds is easier to track than exact dates, sue me), so I felt like sharing some unasked for thoughts.

So this whole mess started with the Olympics, when figure skating was trending just about every day on tumblr. “But Wolf,” you might say, “Didn’t you say you became a fan of Shoma at Worlds?” Well, yes, cause see, it wasn’t Shoma that caught my attention, it was Yuzu. I saw gifs of him and people stressing over him showing up and found it mesmerizing, so I decided to follow along with his short. 

Well, we all know what happened at the short. The cursed hole.

Anyway, I watched a few of his other performances, mainly Notte Stellata and Hope & Legacy at Worlds 2017 and Ballade No. 1 at the 2018 Olys. And during all this, the doping scandal was going on and I got to watch, real time (I would look at live updates on the figure skating subreddit) as all that drama unfolded and got to witness the nonsense that was the IOC and ISU. Well, that soured me some, I feel, that plus the Olys being in Beijing and not having the energy to watch it all for one skater meant I didn’t watch the free, alas. I tried watching the gala, but that was my first real experience with how garbage skating coverage is in the US, but I did get to see Haru Yo Koi. It was beautiful.

And, by all indications, that was going to be it.

But wait, isn’t this supposed to be about Shoma? We’re getting to that, be patient! Why are you reading this anyway, I’m not important. This is just me rambling. Unorganized rambling where I’m getting the order of things and the exact circumstances confused...

Anyway, fast forward to Worlds a month later. I didn’t really care, tbh, I was still watching the subreddit, I think. And thing is, Yuzu wasn’t quite clicking with me. He is an amazing skater, but something wasn’t clicking with me that clicked with other people. I still liked him, and I loved watching his performances, very moving, but something was... missing for me. And as he would retire after Worlds, I may very well have left my brief look into figure skating at that.

Unfortunately, I saw this other Japanese skater wearing this gorgeous red costume do happy hops after completing his short at Worlds and I went, “oh I love him.”

AND I WAS DOOMED, I TELL YOU, DOOMED.

That was Shoma after finishing his short at Worlds. I don’t know if I saw it on twitter (twitter, that site I hadn’t logged into for over a year at that point and would wind up deleting once ownership changed, but I could still browse) or reddit or here, but I saw it and I loved it. Something about that grabbed me. I watched him do his free, I watched that glorious step sequence at the end and him claim his first World medal. I was hooked. My attention had been grabbed.

Why did Shoma catch my attention when Yuzu hadn’t, when I didn’t even watch Shoma’s performances at the Olys? I don’t know. Maybe it was cause Yuzu would wind up retiring after Worlds. Maybe it was something about the triumphant nature of Bolero at Worlds. Maybe it was the costumes. Maybe it was *sigh* the atmosphere of Yuzu’s fanbase was... not something I particularly liked. Maybe it was Shoma’s story of him going through a tough coachless year and him finding Stephane and how it all culminated, ultimately, in that first Worlds medal. Maybe it was cause, while Yuzu seemed like a spirit of the ice given human form to grace us with his beautiful skating, Shoma seemed like Just A Guy who went out there and Did His Best (and turned out his best was damn good), and I found him more relatable, ultimately, as I learned more about him as a person who loves sleeping and eating meat and hates vegetables. Mood.

Maybe I’m just gay and thought Shoma was more attractive than Yuzu. Maybe this all happened cause I’m very shallow.

Regardless, I became part of the Unoverse. I wound up keeping up with a lot of relevant twitter accounts even though I could only observe, wishing all of them were on tumblr. I followed several Unoverse tumblrs here (special shoutouts to @myjunkisyuzuruhanyu and @vilyae for all the info and pictures and such), I read the figure skating subreddit. I watched the fans deal with... an annoying amount of hate from others for reasons that infuriated and befuddled me. I learned way too much about the season schedules.

I watched Turandot at the 2018 Olys. I watched his triumphant DOMO at JNats 2019 (god, those twizzles. And that utter happiness during the step sequence). I watched La Vie En Rose at MoI 2019 (that skate is so beautiful and gentle...). I would slowly watch all of his programs at least once over the year and fall that cantilever every single time...

I watched his videos on his own YT channel where he could not do English, even as I myself didn’t understand a word he said. I watched Unowan and him constantly being attacked by puppies. I saved way too many pictures to my phone (as of this writing, 2434 photos).

I watched as the fans waited for him to announce his programs for the season. I watched the first performances of Gravity and Aria in shows. I then... got to experience the joys of watching figure skating in the United States without a VPN or Peacock. I wound up watching Aria from Skate Canada on NBC’s “highlights” broadcast, but for every other performance of the GP (INCLUDING THE GPF, WHY WASN’T THE GPF PROPERLY TAPED FOR A BROADCAST ACROSS ALL DISCIPLINES) I had to stick to embed videos on twitter, ultimately, besides maybe a few here and there on youtube (for whatever reason, it seems to me his programs this season are really hard to find on YT versus every other program he has, it’s annoying). I got to see him finally win the GPF. I got to finally watch a good performance of Padam, Padam from JNats on YT (before it got taken down).

And then I got to witness the emotional roller coaster that was this Worlds as he struggled with injury and I prayed he wouldn’t injure himself further and hopefully take the victory and defend his World Champion status.

And he did. I didn’t watch it live cause time zones, but I watched Aria on NBC’s highlights and saw it. It was a good thing to wake up to. The utter joy and finding out he’s the first Japanese man to win consecutive golds in Worlds.

And now here we are. There’s still WTT, but I still wanted to write this, now. Then the season will be over and we’ll be in the offseason, waiting for shows (including him and Yuzu skating together at SoI!), waiting for new program announcements. For it all to start again. There was a small article about him winning Worlds in my local paper today, and I was so happy. I hope to keep it.

I am... still not all that invested in figure skating as a whole, ultimately. If he retired tomorrow (he’s not retiring, for the record), I would peace out then and there. Even without the... Everything regarding the ISU and such (please don’t let Russia back in...), watching this sport in the US is... hard, and I don’t have investment in other skaters to make an effort, for better or worse. That’s not a slight on them, I just have other things in my life.

Still, I’ll be here until he does retire, and I hope that he’ll skate as long as he’s happy and healthy doing it. And maybe he’ll make it to the 2026 Olys and finally get that gold.

Ganbatte Shoma!

#shoma uno #figure skating #my way too long musings on this past year sigh #I did not edit this for the record please excuse any mistakes #also my memory is bad please excuse if I messed something up #long post

[bluespring864]

For the WIP ask: 💗 and 👻

Thank you <3 It is really difficult for me to answer that because I plan so very little :D I'm going to choose some of my skating WIPs for you and say that I am really looking forward to getting back to my Yuzu-centric AU where Yuzu doesn't cope well with retirement and falls apart and where I've written that part where he's not doing well and up to the point where he tries to dig himself out of the hole he's fallen into. I look forward to writing him happy again in that fic.

Intimidating, well, I don't know. Probably a first kiss in my Shoma/Stephane which atm isn't really a WIP but just a few notes and ideas, but I can't see yet how that would work out, so I guess that could be called intimidating.

#asks #personal writing

[shomagravity]

30 June 2022 || Uno Shoma Event Translation (with Tanaka Keiji)

Honda: Back in my day medals were too small. I'm kinda jealous. 

Shoma: Yeah, the strap was the same but the medals were so small, I would lose them. But lately the small medals are just as big as the normal medals. I haven't been receiving many small medals lately so when I won them I thought 'oh they changed so much', I felt deeply emotional. Deeply emotional? I just said it casually. Sorry. 

"It was a great season which will be positive for me. I'm happy about winning World Championship and the medal at Olympics, but I was most happy to be able to fight again at the top of the world." "The rules are changing in a big way and as it's a new program, many things will change but my feelings regarding the positions in a competition or how I feel towards skating hasn't changed." "I want to make it a year where I focus on "growth"." "Last season was a really good season with results. Even so, I want to forget that and do my best with a feeling of starting over." "As an active skater, I want to be an athlete like Nathan Chen. " "Figure skating really is victory or defeat. You can avoid mistakes but once you make one, you can't take it back." “He has the stability of winning most championships in those 4 years, and was always one step ahead of everyone." "Seeing Chen who couldn't perform well 4 years ago (at Pyeongchang Olympics), do such an amazing performance at the (Beijing) Olympics...  I think the active skater image I want to reach is Chen. "After I retire... Well it might be because he's the closest one to me, but artistic like Stephane Lambiel coach... To continue being an active skater jumps are necessary, but if I retire, rather than jumps, my goal is to be artistic in the way Stephane is."

He talks a bit about how fans supports matter. He talks about how because of Corona they each realized they were taking it a bit for granted, and fans still can't cheer etc yet.

People might think that one fan's clapping wouldn't reach them but he says each person's support reaches them even during competition, so he says if it's okay with the fans, if they cheer for them it'll power up the athletes. Keiji gets called on stage and Honda is like "What's up Keiji" to which he replies "Heard Shoma was around so I came over to play."

Q. Once you said "if you realize something is missing, it's not really missing." Keiji: (Bursts into a laugh) Q. Have you forgotten anything big lately? Shoma: (Stares) Honda: Something you forgot? Shoma: Yeah, you know how I'm bad with forgetting things. Honda: You forgot your costume.   Shoma: When was it?  Honda: During Prince.  Shoma: ...  Shoma: OH yeah, the red one.  Honda: The costume for the opening.  Shoma: Yeah I forgot the opening costume and borrowed it. Keiji: I don't think that's rare. Shoma: I'm not even worried about it anymore. Even if I forget things. As long as I'm not causing anyone trouble, it's fine, I think. Shoma: Recently... I forgot the ticket in the Shinkansen. I barely made it in time. Shoma: Keijikun do you not forget things much? Keiji: No I usually make sure I check things. Audience: LOL Shoma: I DO THAT TOO. Keiji: Normally before you leave home, you'd check if you have your outfit, boots. Shoma: I do... Keiji: Shoma probably thinks he already put them in and neverminds it. Shoma: You know how you have to hold it... When I'm putting on my shoes, since you need a free hand, you'd put it down, right? .... After that, it's already no good. I'll just leave like that. Shoma: Even if I make sure I don't forget, like put things right at the door, I'll hold it thinking I must have it with me, then realize I have to do something else and then I leave it behind. Shoma: I think it's quite a lot less now though. Keiji: That's probably not because of Shoma checking things but your manager making sure you don't forget anything. Rather than Shoma, it's thanks to your Manager. Shoma: So if I forget something it's not my fault, but my Manager’s. Honda: Well that's how Shoma is. We end up not being too worried about it either. Keiji: "It's just how it always is." Shoma: Like, "Oh, again?" Keiji: And in the background, his manager is panicking. Honda: He won't change. Audience: LOL. Honda: This is Shoma-kun. tweets

#uno shoma #shoma uno #2022 translations #2022 june #tanaka keiji #honda takeshi #mizuno event #mizuno #figure skating translations #shomagravitytranslations #shoma forgetting things #he was laughing so much here #the source video is archived so it's not visible anymore

[jennibeultimate]

Rika Hongo @ Nagoya Festival 2022

Happy Retirement Rika! ❤️

She had a retirement ceremony at the Nagoya Festival. Shoma Uno held a speech for Rika and gave her the flowers!

#figure skating #rika hongo #nagoya festival 2021 #i will miss rika

[an-odd-idea]

Not me finally watching the men’s free skate with my family and tearing up yet again

I already cried upon finding out who won and watching Nathan’s skate and Yuzuru’s 4A attempt, and then I cried a lil bit the next day watching that again and also a video of Nathan and friends being excited, and here we are. Gosh I’m happy. I knew he could do it from the day I took notice of him, some time in 2020, but I was scared he’d get nervous and slip up, or get injured or sick or something, but he did it and I’m so happy

And Yuzuru, oh Yuzuru, the first men’s singles skater I ever cared about and the reason I started paying attention to the discipline at all, I really did hope he’d make the podium, but alas. He seemed more focused on the 4A though, so good for him, and it’s not like he’s exactly lacking Olympic medals- he has two gold ones already. He and the guys seemed to be having such a nice time waiting for everyone after them to skate- he just seems so nice and like he’s best friends with everyone

And Jason, completing the Original Trio of “hey men’s figure skating is awesome, actually, even if they don’t have pretty dresses like the other disciplines”- the gang’s all here! He had two wonderful, gorgeous skates on Olympic ice, and I’m so happy for him. And 6th place at the Olympics is not bad at all, especially for someone not doing any quads

There’s also Yuma Kagiyama, about whom I said “who’s this ki- oh, world silver medalist, apparently” and now Olympic silver medalist. He was wonderful, and I think my sister has a lil non romantic crush on him. He was so excited too, and his dad was so excited, and you’ve just gotta love him. He’s freaking adorable, and man can he jump. I hear he looks up to Shoma Uno a lot, and he skates very much like him

And Shoma Uno, who technically had a step down from last Olympics- silver there and bronze here, but it’s really such a moment for him. He really struggled in between and almost retired, but clawed his way back up and made it to the Olympic podium again- twice, since Japan also medaled in the team event. What color that medal is remains to be seen because of horrible scandal things with the Russian team, but there is a medal, theoretically

And! Junhwan Cha, who just won Four Continents like two weeks ago, and now 5th place at the Olympics. His short program is so darn cool. Then in the free skate he had a really scary looking fall, and picked himself up and skated the rest of the program beautifully like nothing even happened. He’s still pretty young and I hope he’s thinking about possibly another Olympics, where if he keeps things up at the rate he’s going, he might have a really good chance at a medal

And those are the top 6 all out of order, who I’m very excited about

Also excited about Boyang Jin who got to skate a really good program at the Olympics in his home country, and Kevin Aymoz and Deniss Vasiljevs who I just really like because they’re beautiful to watch. And Keegan Messing who barely made it there after waiting so long on a covid test, I’m so glad he made it and was able to skate so well. And Adam Siao Him Fa who was just really fun to watch in both programs. And Donovan Carrillo, first Mexican figure skater at the Olympics in 30 years, and the first to make the free skate, and boy he looked like he was having a great time

And everybody, really. I’m so filled with love and admiration

[petitmimosa]

When Yuzu does eventually retire (hopefully not soon), what do you think the ripple effects will be for? (i.e the popularity of figure skating, sponsorships for JSF etc.)

Hiii! We often laugh about how the ISU is going to go bankrupt when he retires. It might not get to this point but there will be some aftershock, to what extent is the million dollar/pound/euro/yen question.

It will also depend on WHEN he retires. If it's in the middle of an olympic cycle... then good luck on keeping the hype strong. I think they made PLENTY of money during the years Yuzu has been the main attraction, pre pandemic I mean. That's also why JSF is pushing Yuma so hard, because once Yuzu (and later on Shoma) bows out, they need a skater to take after them to keep the tickets selling and the prices at the same level.

I think it's going to fail. I think once Yuzu has had enough and doesn't find happiness in competitions anymore, they will have to 1) change their whole marketing strategy 2) reevaluate their price point because the crowd of fans ready to pay hundreds to thousands whatevercurrency might just not be willing to do so without him. And I speak from experience because I yeeted to Torino in 2019 and I'm ready to spend half my salary for worlds if he goes, and only if HE goes. As soon as he's out, the question won't stand anymore.

As for FS popularity... that's also why NBC/USFED and such keeps trying to push for their new skaters. To gather US interest, but... it doesn't seem to be working at all.

It's def going to be interesting though, to see how everything unfolds once we have confirmation that Yuzu is indeed retiring.

#yuzuru hanyu #figure skating #petitmimosask