Yuzuru Hanyu will attempt to become the first Japanese to win consecutive world titles this week after a most unusual past few months. The Olympic champion has been training without coach Brian Orser since the Japan nationals in December.
The collision with Yan Han at the Cup of China and surgery for a bladder issue after the nationals have combined to throw off Hanyu's practice schedule and keep him in Japan when he would have normally returned to his base in Toronto.
Skating sources have confirmed to Ice Time that Hanyu has spent the past several weeks practicing at his home rink in Sendai while trying to get back in shape after the operation for an urachal remnant (fibrous piece of the umbilical cord) in late December.
Former Toronto Globe and Mail reporter Beverley Smith, who maintains a blog on skating, spoke to Orser recently and confirmed that he and Hanyu have been corresponding daily via email about his training ahead of this week's world championships in Shanghai.
"Yuzu has been faced with so many challenges this season," Orser told Smith. "His comfort zone is in Japan when he's recovering from something."
Orser informed Smith that Hanyu relayed that his quad salchow and quad toe loop are in good form and his triple lutz is back on track.
"I'm giving him some things to think about and do on every session, and what kind of run-throughs to do," Orser was quoted as saying. "I think at this stage, it's just refreshing to have a little bit of instruction, rather than going out and wondering what you should do and how you feel. This way, you have a bit of a plan and you follow it."
Going into the worlds without direct coaching for several months is unusual, but not unprecedented. Mao Asada left California and coach Rafael Arutunian in January of 2008 and moved back to Japan to train.
Despite not having a coach for several months, Mao went to Goteborg, Sweden, and beat Carolina Kostner and Yuna Kim to capture her first senior world title. Though not ideal, it is realistic to think that Hanyu can defend his crown under somewhat similar circumstances.
Hanyu, who will reconnect with Orser at the worlds, has the respect of the judges for his career achievements and will also have the support of many Japanese fans in Shanghai who know just what he has been through this season. I would not count him out.
Spots on the line: Hanyu, Takahiko Kozuka and Takahito Mura will have their work cut out for them in China. Japan must have its top two finishers be a combined 13th or better to retains its three slots for the men at the 2016 worlds in Boston.
The sudden retirement of Tatsuki Machida at the Japan nationals and subsequent illness of Hanyu have combined to make this far from a sure thing. On paper it may look like it will be no problem, but stranger things have happened.
Satoko Miyahara, Rika Hongo and Kanako Murakami will carry Japan's hopes for the women at the worlds, where the Russians will be heavily favored.
After her poor showing at nationals (where she finished fifth), Murakami won the Challenge Cup in The Hague last month against a field of young skaters. Hopefully the result will be a confidence boost and she can get full rotation on her jumps at the worlds.
It will be inspiring for her younger compatriots if Murakami can skate well.
Decision looms: Mao graduated from Chukyo University last week and said in media reports that she was undecided about returning to competition next season. After skating nonstop for more than 15 years, it is clear that Mao has enjoyed her time off.
She will have to make her decision within the next couple of months if she is going to enter the 2015-16 Grand Prix series. The GP assignments are announced each June by the ISU.
The vibe Ice Time has been getting is that Mao's skating fans everywhere are holding their breath and hoping she comes back. At just 24, Mao could skate for several more years and easily continue until the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
Very few great athletes in other sports have been able to walk away and not return when they were still in their prime. Hall of Famers Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Mario Lemieux immediately come to mind.
One thing many athletes don't realize until their careers are over is that nothing equals the thrill of competition. The rush that comes with suiting up against your contemporaries and the camaraderie that accompanies it can never be duplicated.
I keep reflecting on what an American skating writer told me in Sochi about Mao: "She has done so much for skating."
The statement was both accurate and poignant.
The reality is that Mao doesn't owe skating, skating owes her.
Those of us who are fortunate enough to cover the sport know that without Mao and Yuna Kim competing, this season has not been the same. The buzz just has not been there like in seasons past.
Let's hope Mao recognizes that she is still physically able to perform at the highest level and decides to come back. Skating will be better off if she does.
Straight from the source: Former U.S. champion Mirai Nagasu announced last week that she would begin blogging again in a message posted on figureskatersonline.com.
"I've decided to start blogging on a regular basis, which is a decision prompted by many things," Nagasu wrote. "Until this moment, I have let the media define my image and distribute information about me. I think it's time to change that as people in my life and fans have asked for more from me.
"Naturally, I am a reserved person when it comes to the public, and I cherish my privacy," Nagasu added. "It isn't easy for me to "toot my own horn," but I do tend to speak my mind without filtering my words. This has given me a reputation with some sportswriters as being an unpredictable interviewee that always gives a sound bite that writers can work with. I hope that I can continue to be a bit unpredictable and interesting in these blogs as well."