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Having attended many summer season olympic sports activities I assumed it was time to show my consideration to some winter motion but it surely was really my lack of consideration which practically resulted in lacking this determine skating occasion!
Only some days earlier than this NHK Trophy event did I even bear in mind it was on and that I had a ticket because it’s not precisely a sport I comply with in any manner! I bought the ticket about half a yr in the past after which forgot all about it. When I discovered it, I used to be a bit shocked by how a lot I had paid for all of it these months in the past!! With all the additional charges charged, it price practically 5000 yen! I suppose I received caught up within the pleasure of seeing that one other sport I’d by no means seen earlier than was going down in Tokyo on my time without work!
My determine skating data is severely restricted and just about bookended by the legendary British pair Torvill and Dean. Their iconic Olympic gold efficiency in 1984 is likely one of the first sporting occasions I can bear in mind watching, and one of many final occasions I took any curiosity within the sport was for his or her return in 1994 once they received bronze.
An iconic British sport second in historical past
Within the Eighties I additionally used to get pleasure from watching Britain’s Robin Cousins’ solo performances and naturally the entire Tonya Harding ordeal in 1994 didn’t go me by. Apart from that I can solely recall an ice skating themed Robbie Williams music video for ‘She’s The One‘. ‘Dancing On Ice‘ is a well-liked TV sequence within the UK hanging on to the coattails of the overly profitable ‘Strictly Come Dancing‘ however I’ve solely ever seen a few clips of that.
In Japan although, determine skating typically appears to be on TV and is a well-liked sport. It’s thought-about to be the nation’s hottest winter spectator sport and the likes of Mao Asada and Yuzuru Hanyu have been huge names in skating right here however they’ve retired lately so it could be attention-grabbing to see how issues are faring within the wake of their exits from aggressive motion.
On a heat afternoon I arrived at Yoyogi 1st Gymnasium in Shibuya-ku at about 2:30 pm simply in time to see the primary group of 4 pairs launched to the group. The lights have been off which means it was tough to search out my seat as is the case for individuals who arrive on the cinema late!
For some cause the again two rows have been actually full and my seat was there too. Nevertheless, there have been rows and rows of empty seats beneath them nearer to the rink so I went there as an alternative.
It wasn’t too lengthy earlier than Britain’s Luke Digby and Anastasia Vaipan-Regulation have been on the ice rink so it was one other alternative for me to whip out my Union Jack flag in assist. Every brief program efficiency clocked in at just below three minutes which was excellent for my poor modern-day consideration span!
As is the way in which with sports activities determined by judges, it was tough for me to note too many variations within the performances. All of them seemed fairly spectacular to me!
For a Friday afternoon, the ambiance was fairly good. There was a standing ovation by a lot of the group for among the performances, particularly the Japanese opponents.
There have been many Japanese flags current but in addition fairly a number of American ones too, and even among the different nations too. Not dangerous for a partisan crowd however that’s typically the way in which on this nation the place assist is commonly given pretty to all. I don’t know if it’s simply to get on digicam however I do bear in mind as soon as seeing a Japanese man armed with mutltiple flags at one sports activities occasion who simply switched them and waved the suitable one within the air every time.
A man pretending he is aware of all about determine skating however not realising the motion is behind him!
The Japanese pairing of Miura and Kihara got here out on prime with the Georgian pair behind them. Kam and O’Shea of the USA introduced grace and energy to the ice and secured third forward of the free skating program the next day. I can’t say I adopted the motion on day two but it surely looks as if the Georgian pair went on to win the gold.
The boys’s brief program was to comply with however first there was a 20 minute break while the mascots did a brief efficiency and the rink was smoothed out or no matter it’s they do with these machines.
The break gave me an opportunity to get the next couple of tacky pictures. I’m unsure if that is frequent within the western world however Japan at all times appears to have such photograph alternatives at occasions. They’re at all times good for thumbnails although for past-it bloggers!
One quirk of many sports activities occasions in Japan are designated bins for followers to go away presents for his or her favorite competitor. House-made presents are particularly frequent right here.
Don’t put your garbage in these bins!
The boys’s solo performances have been a special spectacle from the pairs and was fulfilling too. I’m unsure if it was his easy title however I really feel like I had heard of the American Jason Brown earlier than this event. Each he and an Italian man have been the primary opponents to fall over of their performances however they recovered nicely with assist from the group every time.
Possibly it’s that 1984 gold medal efficiency to the tune of Ravel’s ‘Bolero‘ by the aforementioned Torville & Dean that has corrupted my thinkinng however I’m not so eager on seeing performances with something apart from classical music accompanying the routine.
There was the ladies’s brief program after that however I needed to get again dwelling. Apart from, a number of hours of reside skating is sufficient for me. Prior to now I’d have stayed at any sports activities occasion until the top to get most worth for my ticket however lately I’m proud of a number of hours.
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