Yuna Kim Throws Hat In The Ring

Yuna Kim in New York City. October 12, 2010.
Photo (c) Getty Images.

Kim Yuna's camp released a statement yesterday stating Kim's intention to compete in the 2011 World Championships, it will be her only competition of the season unless she decided to skate at the Four Continent Championships. The announcement comes just days after Kim's main rival, Japan's Mao Asada, did not make it to the Grand Prix Final.

Kim Yuna kept busy over the summer with her All That Skate shows followed by a dramatic break up with her coach Brian Orser. By early fall Kim moved on by bringing All That Skate to Los Angeles and announcing Peter Oppreggard as her new coach. A few media appearances throughout the fall, though, is all the skating world heard from their golden girl....

Until yesterday when she rocked their world once again saying she wasn't leaving competitive ice just yet. According to her press release, Kim will be skating to music from the ballet "Giselle" for her short program, while paying homage to her home country in her long program to "Arirang" - "the most famous piece of Korean Folk Music". David Wilson choreographed both programs, meaning the Short Program that Shae Lynn Bourne reportedly worked with Kim on has been scrapped.

Debate in skating circles revolves around whether or not the move to not skate until Worlds is a wise decision. With the ladies figure skating being in the state it's in - the more inconsistent skaters coming out on top and the reigning world champion faltering in her grand prix events - it's no surprise that Kim feels she's more than capable of the top spot should she skate relatively clean.

But, can it backfire? With no events prior to Worlds how is she going to work out any kinks that may give her 0 points or deduct them. There are new rules, and - while she still has a coach - she may miss a key component to the rules. There's also the competition jitters, we have no idea as to how well Peter will be able to calm Yuna and give her the confidence her former Coach was so able to give her. Will she have the nerve to go out there with brand new programs and skate to the top? Does she even have the competitive fire that she needs?

The one competition Kim could use as a spring board is the Four Continent Championships which will be a few weeks before the World Championships. This would be a wise move to skate in, but Kim told International Figure Skating in their latest issue that she didn't think she could be prepared in time to compete. Considering IFS is a bimonthly magazine, Kim must have just recently started hard training. If she's not ready for 4CC, will a few more weeks help her that significantly?

One thing's for sure, it just made this season interesting.

More Orser-Kim Drama

The figure skating community was rocked when news broke out yesterday that Brian Orser had been fired by his star skater, Yuna Kim. Details are, at best, confusing with several stories popping up depending on which media spin you are reading. Orser's camp & IMG make it out to be all Kim's mother's and agent's decision. Korean press are villifying the once highly praised coach saying he's blowing things out of proportion, that it was a mutual decision, or even that it's his fault. The only one not talking, it seems, is Kim - though she apparently tweeted for a "B" to stop telling the lie. At this time the tweet no longer appears but several bloggers and webzines already glomped onto the quote.

One thing is certain, no one is coming out of this without hurt feelings. Orser's shock and disappointment is evident in all of his interviews, and the twittering earlier from Kim suggests the same on her part. What's also evident is that the diehard Kim fans are frothing at the mouth and are horribly cruel once again. Fans need to calm down, this thing happens all the time. Coaches and skaters get hurt because the decision is so much out of their hands. It is shocking - much in the same way Kwan left Carrol shocking - but it is not the end of the world and there's no reason to villify anyone.

The Brian Orser Debate

Poor coach Orser, he's found himself in a little bit of media controversy this week. The rumors are flying thanks to a couple of less that reputible Korean media outlets saying he has agreed to take on Yu-Na Kim's main rival Mao Asada on as a new pupil. He's being hit hard by Kim's fans/supporters for not even considering her needs, wants, whatever in his decision. Mind you, all three parties are denying that any such arrangement has been made, but because the Korean Tabloids have proclaimed it, it's being taken as Gospel.

Say what you will about Orser as a skater, or a coach, but one thing he is not, is stupid. There's no reason for him to choose to take on Asada when that would mean a move on one of their parts, he's in charge of the skating program at his rink - why would he want to leave that for Japan? Mao Asada's main coaching issues are she does not want to live anywhere else but home. So hmmmm. This does not seem like a smart move.

Skating message boards now have a conspiracy going that it's IMG that is calling the shots - and not the Japanese federation - because they "hate" Yuna and want only bad things for her. Because Orser was once an IMG skater, it makes sense that in passing it was brought up, but I can't see this being anything but rumor fodder brought on by the Korean media to play up this rivalry that has gotten so old that I can barely stand to go on message boards.

I have a feeling it's going to be a long off season. *sigh*

Ladies' Night!

It all comes down to the 'finale' and tradition mandates that Ladies close out figure skating competition in the games. In most years they bring the more drama - but I don't think anything comes close to the drama the men have and had the other night.

So who's in it for the gold?

All eyes are on Yuna Kim of Korea (look for the NBC commentators to call her Kim Yu-Na because they think they're that cool) to take the Gold. She has a massive amount of momentum, and if she can stand up on everything she should win, she is -after all- the reigning world champion. Look for her on the podium, and if you're not in it for the ladies, she has Brian Orser for a coach. He has two Olympic silvers to his credit, and he's one of the best North American skaters of all time - and certainly one of the best Canadians of all time.

Mao Asada was crowned best in the world by fans when she burst onto teh senior scene at age fourteen. Too young to skate in Torino this will also be her first Olympics (same for Yuna). Mao has had a difficult couple of seasons, due mainly to her struggle to master the Triple Axel in both the short and long program. It's become an obsession that will most likely cost her Gold in Vancouver. Still, if she does hit them she'll be unstoppable.

Joannie Rochette came to Vancouver with Canada's hopes riding on her shoulder. With the recent, tragic loss of her mother she has - in Sandra Besic's words - become the "Daughter of the Olympics." No longer is the color of the medal important, or a medal at all, but just two great heartfelt skates for her will be enough for fans worldwide. Still, if she lets herself just get into the programs and forgets the pressure - which in a way is completely gone - she could still be the spoiler of the event.

Japan's Miki Ando is the hit or miss spoiler girl, but she's been on fire as of late. She's a World Champion who's let the pressure get to her, but with Japan's hopes focussed on Mao Asada, Miki could swoop in for a top spot on the podium. It's all about the pressure and how she handles it. She's skating to programs that suit her style and personality, and the judges still favor coach-choreographer Morosov's style. If she skates the way she has all season the "It Girls" may be in trouble.

For the first time in a long time America's sweethearts are not favored to win any sort of medal. It's disappointing to those in the American Media - though they've found darlings in others such as Lindsey Vohn - but all events go in cycles where the big names in skating come from elsewhere. We're seeing the shift in Pairs and Ice Dance where Russia has dominated for half a century, we're seeing it in Ladies. Even in men's skating we're seeing the shift come back to the US after Former Soviet countries (mainly Russia with one Ukranian champion thrown in) dominated the title from 1992 till now.

Rachel Flatt is coming in as the newly crowned US Champion. She's a solid skater, a solid competitor. But she lacks a certain something. She doesn't get the American public as excited as a Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen or Tara Lipinski. She's reminicent of Nancy Kerrigan - she has admirable qualities on and off the ice, but the something special seems to be missing. Rachel is the best hope for a top ten placement in Vancouver, but we've seen so many shake ups in the "should bes" in the last ten days that anything is possible.

Mirai Nagasu sums up the other half of the US ladies team. She's spunky, she's got the goods, if she can just rotate her jumps fully. Many believed that it was Mirai who won, and not Rachel the night of the long program. She has the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand with the charisma she has when she performs. However, the confident Mirai we saw in Vancouver is someone new. She reemerged ready to skate and ready to compete after last season's disaster of a year. If she continues with her newly refound confidence Mirai could pull an upset over her teammate. But don't look for either on the podium.

So, tomorrow night brings out the ladies feisty and hungry for their time in the spotlight. Here's hoping the princesses become queens!

Photos (c) Getty Images, Associated Press and Reuters c/o DayLife.com