Japan Skates

As soon as Gregg, Gigi and I arrived in Ottawa for Skate Canada, we set up shop in the well-appointed Media Room and prepared for the event.  With Gregg and Gigi tasked with getting the best photos possible during the event, it fell to me to set up the interviews with the Japanese team.  This time, Japan was represented by men’s competitor Yasuharu Nanri, whom we had not previously met, and two ladies we know quite well, Fumie and Nana.  Also present was Yuko Kawaguchi, who is the Russian national champion in pairs with her partner Alexander Smirnov.  The Japanese delegation chief graciously accepted our interview requests with Yasuharu, Fumie and Nana, while coach Tamara Moskvina approved our request for Yuko. 

Japan Skates had met Fumie back in July, when Gregg traveled to her training facility in New Jersey, Ice House, to conduct what proved to be our most popular interview to date.  Fumie candidly spoke of her change of countries and coaches, her new outlook for 2010, and what makes her the sensitive artist that she is.  Incredibly, I had never seen Fumie in person before, despite having followed her career since the 1990s.  However, I felt comfortable speaking to her since Gregg already knew her, and was standing right beside us in the media room. 

Fumie had come off a silver medal performance in Ottawa, in which she completed most of her jumps beautifully, but after which she found herself over 25 points behind the winner, Canada’s Joannie Rochette.  To begin the interview, I have used three questions asked Fumie during the medal winners’ press conference the night before.  [Read more →]