Backstage with Japan Skates @ 2012 World Team Trophy|Captains Press Conference
Japan Skates sent our reporters to "WTT" 世界国別対抗戦 in Tokyo.
thanks to: ROBIN RITOSS & JAPAN SPORTS for their splendid photos, PAJA for her sincere illustrations
translation: AIKO SHIMAZU 島津愛子
April 19-22 in Tokyo, 2012

Chris REED クリス・リード, Cathy REED キャシー・リード, Mervin TRAN マーヴィン・トラン, Narumi TAKAHASHI 高橋成美, Akiko SUZUKI 鈴木明子,Daisuke TAKAHASHI 高橋大輔, Kanako MURAKAMI 村上佳菜子, Takahiko KOZUKA 小塚崇彦 © Robin Ritoss


☞ 日本語


Daisuke TAKAHASHI (JPN) / Charlie WHITE (USA) / Nathalie PECHALAT (FRA) / Scott MOIR (CAN)

Day 1


Daisuke TAKAHASHI 高橋大輔 © Robin Ritoss
Daisuke TAKAHASHI (Team JAPAN Captain)
@ 2012 WTT

Daisuke TAKAHASHI (JPN) 1st ranked team after Day 1

It's so hard to say about the team itself, which depends on not only myself… After the 1st half, Japan was placed in 4th, but after the Ladies SP we rose in 1st place, that was surprising a bit, so, the team competition you never know what's going on, as a single skater you don't know about pairs and ice dance categories so well, that I had so much fun to compete as the team. I saw all the skater who had a competition today giving their all. For tomorrow, a lot to go, we have to keep our placement, regaining our motivation.

- for Day 2, and what to expect at the Kiss & Cry
Ice Dance - Chris is difficult to perform due to his right ankle injury, but he does give himself all. I don't want him to do so harder, he hasn't to put out too much. I hope he will have enjoyed this event.
Pairs(TAKAHASHI/TRAN), they won Bronze medals this Worlds, so I guess they are our edge, expecting of them a lot, so hope they will help us tomorrow.
Men, as for me, I don't fit FS… so much, so I have to regain my energy to perform with determination, in order to lead our team. hope to give 100% program in FS, as Taka(KOZUKA) hopes so, I do believe!
…At the Kiss & Cry, you know French is superb, Italian, too, I guess team Japan is weaker than them… you know, Japanese we're so shy to react, (laughs) I don't know what to do there. But, I do know what to do on the ice, we have to really do hard on programs on the ice, rather than on "sketches" at the Kiss & Cry.


Charlie WHITE チャーリー・ホワイト © Robin Ritoss
Charlie WHITE (Team USA Captain) @ 2012 WTT

Charlie WHITE (USA) 2nd ranked team after Day 1

Was pleased to be basically tied at the top with Japan, really proud of how we skated today as a whole. Everyone gave their all and skated their hearts out. This is a difficult competition coming after Worlds.
You know we have a girl, Gracie Gold, who didn’t even compete in senior level this year, so hat’s off to her and her ability to come to great competition like this with an amazing grace to skate to the very end. I was just really proud.
Obviously, a long way to go before the dust settles and we have final scores, but at this point, I don't think we can ask for much more as a team.

- On themselves "DAVIS/WHITE" performance today, coming here after Worlds
Well, Meryl and I… It's hard to talk about us, for being here without Meryl who nods in approving, (laughs) but, we try to use every competition, as a stepping stone to improve, you know obviously we skated like "the best we could" at Worlds, but, that doesn't mean we thought "that was it", so we went home to continue to do work hard. Coming in 2nd now we aim for to have more chance, we wanna take our opportunity. We'll have to continue tomorrow, to skate the best we can, just… do it like practice.

- On the massage for Japanese people at the Kiss & Cry
It was a magnificent team leader's idea, who has provided many ideas for us to represent USA best as possible. I think she's great example of team athlete, settling great example how to skate. The message showed behaving "support Japan", they welcome us, to hold this competition - such an amazing opportunity.

- for Day 2
For tomorrow, I am expecting great things from Caydee (DENNEY) and John (COUGHLIN), our Pairs team. They have been prepared for every competition entire this season. I’m really happy with the way they’ve handled themselves here. My fingers are crossed for a good short program. Our free dance, we’ve had good success so far and just wanna keep that ball rolling. Our men are pros. Adam(RIPPON) and Jeremy(ABBOTT) are fantastic skaters. If they can skate like they know how, they will put us in a great position to win this event, which is what we gonna do. We really wanna keep building our team spirit and team camaraderie. We'll walk our ways tomorrow, to up the ante a little bit and show just how committed we are to supporting our fellow American skaters.


Nathalie PECHALAT ナタリー・ペシャラ © Robin Ritoss
Nathalie PECHALAT (Team FRANCE Captain)
@ 2012 WTT

Nathalie PECHALAT (FRA) 3rd ranked team after Day 1

It was a very tiring day, to stay at the rink all day to cheer for our teammates. But at the end it was such a good surprise to be third. It was unexpected. We were here to just have fun and just enjoy. The thing is that every team has such good skaters so nobody can say what will happen in the competition. So it is very exciting. We'll try to keep it like that and do our best, especially in the boxes.

- On their team outfits in cheering
We didn't really have time to prepare, so we try to improvise. Yesterday we were thinking, "OMG!, we have the energy but not the costumes." So we went outside and tried to buy everything we can. (laughs) The costumes has 20 percent of all the impression, you know, that's what we can do. (laughs) the rest is inside.

- for Day 2
Our president of France skating Federation has traveled all around, to see French winning, so we have to try to do hard. - there's no pressure at all. (laughs) As for Fabian(BOURZAT) and me, we just want to end the season with a big smile and to continue as we did. For Florian(AMODIO), Brian(JOUBERT), Daria(POPOVA) and Bruno(MASSOT), I just trust them. I know they will do well. I'll just cheer more for them. In general for the French team members, I want them to scream louder, make more noise, cheer more, to be crazy. This is what I expect for them. I hope to lead them to do.


"So happy to be taken photos with Charlie & Nathalie! as it never happens (at the regular press conference)." by Daisuke in its photo session with them


Nathalie PECHALAT ナタリー・ペシャラ Daisuke TAKAHASHI 高橋大輔 Charlie WHITE チャーリー・ホワイト © Japan Sports
Nathalie, Daisuke, Charlie @ 2012 WTT


Day 2


Daisuke TAKAHASHI (JPN) 1st ranked team after Day 2

Today, I had a FS, so I couldn't watch Ice Dance and Pairs competitions, but I know how they all gave themselves to their programs, as team Japan's ranked still 1st after the Day 2.


Charlie WHITE (USA) 2nd ranked team after Day 2

I think it was a good day for Team USA.
Our pairs team put themselves in a good position to place well going into FS, going real tight in there.
Meryl and I were thrilled to have a skate today, definitely it was a performance of a lifetime. For that, we would like to thank the Japanese skating fans who playing a large part in that. Having their support means a lot to us, all skaters, team USA Thank You!
Men: I think, both Jeremy(ABBOTT) and Adam(RIPPON) were many hoping for better skates, but I really commend the fight they showed out there, it’s not easy I know. You know, everything isn't going perfect, but I think their character really shined through the heart they pushed, and heading here for next year has set themselves up so well.
Obviously team Japan's going to be winning, …looking strong! (laughs) So, moving forward, going like chip away at lead with ladies and pairs finally, tomorrow, crossing our fingers, doing everything we can - a little combo. (smiles)


Nathalie PECHALAT (FRA) 3rd ranked team after Day 2

As the French captain I had a very great day today, because of the performances of the French team, not only for that, but also beautiful programs especially Daisuke(TAKAHASHI)'s, Charlie(DAVIS/WHITE)'s of course. It was a really good competition, and I am very pleased to end this season with this kind of feelings.
As for Fabian and myself, are very happy. In Nice at Worlds it was already great, but here, the Japanese fans are crazy. If all the competition could look like this one, it would be so much fun in skating. Again, thank you to the Japanese organizers of the World Team Trophy.


- Some journalist asked "Daisuke, and Charlie, were you so motivated to win here, coming as a Worlds silver medalist? "
(Charlie gestured Daisuke to talk first. Daisuke was smiling.)
Daisuke: This WTT I hope my Japanese team will win, as I hoped to do my best performance for that. You know, I had gotten disappointed at Worlds, but that should not be what to remember here, I guess. And also I hoped to do a perfect program at the end of this season… but, I think I was going to, kinda redeem myself, a little bit I wanted to do so, I guess… that was not supposed, but I wanted to win here, unconsciously.
Charlie: um… I, consciously! (laughs) wanna to win this competition. Coming after Worlds, where we had really skated well, as we wanted to skate, exactly how we wanted to, but, we didn't place how we wanted to, so, we had another amazing opportunity here to have 2 programs, that did really count, well… it's not Worlds, but it's close, in time, we wanna really prove ourselves. We recovered our placement - just shows our skating is still on top. We're really proud that we had done.
Of course, on team aspect, today was pleased with the easiest program we've done so far, but the SD, starting tired for half way through, then looking at the boxes - really mixed skaters, we wanna push, really do for teammates.
So, (competing in WTT) there were two great things: represent USA to help our team, and also coming after Worlds, wanna prove ourselves well.

- Nathalie, are you still surprised that team France is still placed in 3rd?
Nathalie: (laughs) Okay, to tell the truth, yesterday, I was surprised, but today was of our strategy, like "hide-and-boom", (laughs) so we are still here. Stop saying that "surprise" 3rd, as we are strong, we are a good team! (laughs) we're not best but we're 3rd! (laughs)
For tomorrow we'll continue in the same way, having fun. I don't want anybody to be stressed. This is the last competition. I told my teammates, "just okay," I believe in you, just do it, do your best. And if you don't do your best, don't care, because in the Kiss & Cry we will cheer for you. We will be more creative tomorrow, will try to find more funny things - we'll see!

(Brian JOUBERT came to the conference room, a "surprise"! He seemed to enjoy through the conference, in smiling as an audience there.)

- Daisuke, and Charlie, you've finished your competitions now you can fully focus on a role of "team captain". So, what are you planning to catch up team France? they seem to lead on "cheering" aspect: costumes, make-up.
Daisuke: Well… …mmmm… it's a difficult question. (smiles) For Tomorrow I'm going to focus on cheering as much as possible, you know, as I can't say, our team Japan has dominated on cheering aspect at this moment, …well, what to do tomorrow? (smiles) that I'll work on as tonight's homework, coming back to my room. Today's FS, I could see my teammates, that energized me so much, then I would like to encourage them, sending such powerful energy from the boxes, definitely.
Charlie: Yeah, we’re definitely lagging. I think France and Italy are leading right now…
Nathalie: No, No, No. (everyone there laughs)
Charlie: So anyway, …it's a good question, we're gonna have to get creative. At this point I feel like I have to do like another FD in red, white and blue with stars and maybe fireworks. (laughs) But I don’t want to cause a fire anything. (laughs) Maybe gymnastics routine, we can put on - I don't know, it's gonna be interesting? (laughs) Hopefully tomorrow having been finished to be calm down, will have more energy. Of course mostly… whatever we can do to help our skaters skate best, that’s what we will focus on and of course the team spirit will come next.

- Nathalie, team France has been so impressive at the Kiss & Cry, as they were in mummies costumes for PECHALAT/BOURZAT, in Matrix glasses for Brian JOUBERT today. Who gave those directions?
Nathalie: This is very important for us, to do our best for the team spirit. It seems to be crazy, but for us, to go number one means to win the "Team Spirit Trophy"! in which we're now really competing to do the best! We have priorities in France, - fun! (laughs) Each time when we sit together at dinner we think about what we can do for this one or that one. We try to adapt to everyone, also team itself. But as for "the mummies" it was a surprise for me and Fabian(BOURZAT). Since we came to the warm-up we found "what are they doing?" (laughs) They are even crazier than we thought. (laughs) We'll continue to do in this way. It's easier for Matrix, it's more connected with everybody, than such as piano music which you don't know so well.
This is exactly what we like about Figure Skating. Putting a program together and cheering for the teammates, both have exactly the same way of thinking.


Nathalie PECHALAT ナタリー・ペシャラ Fabian BOURZAT ファビアン・ブルザ © Robin Ritoss
PECHALAT/BOURZAT
2011-12FD"Mummy and Pharaoh" @ 2012 WTT

Team FRANCE © Paja
PECHALAT/BOURZAT FD Kiss&Cry @ 2012 WTT


Brian JOUBERT © Robin Ritoss
Brian JOUBERT
2011-12FS"The Matrix" @ 2012 WTT

Team FRANCE © Paja
Brian JOUBERT FS Kiss&Cry @ 2012 WTT


Day 3


Daisuke TAKAHASHI (JPN) ISU World Team Trophy Champions

- Thoughts as a captain, after competing in WTT

I'm not sure if I could do well, playing a role of the "leader", but I had been thinking of my teammates and my own performances as a "captain". I hadn’t known that at all, how this competition, the result was going on, so that gave me fun to compete here.


Charlie WHITE (USA) ISU World Team Trophy silver medalists

- Thoughts as a captain, after competing in WTT

Team USA, second place. Obviously, we were going for first and trying to repeat. But I’m very very proud of how we skated all of us, well fight and character… you know, it is a difficult competition and we showed a lot grit and picked each other up and so well supported each other out there, which is our big part this competition, among different communities. We really used it to our advantage being able to see our skaters out there, turning to smile at you. It's really nice, played that part of the competition.
Moving forward, we’re gonna be going for first next year, but hats off to Japan for a fantastic competition, which they put all together, was very impressive, with the pressure having a home crowd. It was very special scene to be part of it, a lot different Figure Skating. Congratulations, and just nice to be here.


Scott MOIR (CAN) ISU World Team Trophy bronze medalists

- Thoughts as a captain, after competing in WTT

For team Canada, it was a little bit of an up and down week. We kind of came in and had some ok skates from some of our top athletes and then it was also nice to see some people with less experience to have great performances. This gave our team a boost and gave us a shot to come after this third place. At the beginning of the day we didn't know if it was possible to be in this room and on the podium. We knew that America and Japan were going to be fighting for the title. We were just hoping to get into this room and find a way to crawl back. We had a great performance by our pair team and our ladies battled as well.
It was great to see some people to have great performances for them and to build some momentum for next year. This is turning into an exciting event.
I was here in 2009 and it is a lot different feeling to know it's going to be at the Olympic Games. Hopefully we can catch up and try to challenge the Americans and the Japanese in the Olympics. But we have some work to do in order to be in that league.

- The points of Ice Dance(VIRTUE/MOIR) and Men(Patrick CHAN) should have helped team Canada, that hadn't happened, yet Pairs and Ladies points helped a lot to make podium, how do you think about it?
To tell the truth, it was a little surprising to see it coming down to the pairs and ladies events. At the beginning of the day we knew we had a shot, because there were points on the table. In the way the points system was stacking up we knew that we had only points to gain and not too many to lose. We knew a lot of things had to go in our favor today to be able to be on the podium, so we were surprised. But we needed a little bit of luck for the misfortunes we had yesterday and on day one.


- After this competition do you have any strategy for the Olympics team competition, have you learned how to compete there? even though in Olympics, circumstances should be different from this WTT in Japan.
Scott: …To skate clean all? (everyone there laughs)
Daisuke: (to Scott:) That makes sense, definitely! (smiles) I guess the most important team strategy is to improve qualities of each skater. I can't see at all, how the Olympics team competition would be going, but I had done a team competition here, I felt "I'm not alone," in performing there. So I think I could be encouraged by our team to skate, without not so much pressure, when I compete in Olympics team competition.
Charlie: The set up will be completely different. I can’t imagine we will be saying in boxes while others are competing, but rather focusing on our programs because of the importance of the Olympics. It’s good and bad. Obviously it’s more fun like this (laughs) but, you're… wanna save your legs and energy for competition, at the same time, we learned that we should take the opportunity to hold each other up as a team. Some of the energy usually you use just for your own programs, you can sort to send to teammates as well, because we are united together. You know, it’s very different from a Figure Skating competition, that we have just learned from this opportunity. Just being able to support your teammates a lot, you know that you gonna do everything you can for them, show yourself to the very end, and they will do the same for you.
Scott: You have to skate clean. You're never fully out of it, that was a cool lesson. I think it was entertaining for the fans. As a team, we have to remember that and it was pretty cool, how team Canada was hanging in the back, trailing for a while and pulling up in the last second to get third place. It looked like team Japan was running away with it until team USA really closed it at the end and had some of the Japanese biting their fingernails for the finish. I think we learned it can be extreme how the momentum swings, but at the same time, it is important to get as many points as you can, because dropping one spot can make a huge difference, especially if you are swapping places with one of the teams your are battling for a medal.


Scott MOIR スコット・モイア Daisuke TAKAHASHI 高橋大輔 Charlie WHITE チャーリー・ホワイト © Japan Sports
Scott, Daisuke, Charlie @ 2012 WTT


Team FRANCE © Robin Ritoss
Team FRANCE - Team Spirit Trophy Winner
@ 2012 WTT


☞ Event page
Interviews: Akiko SUZUKI, Kanako MURAKAMI, Daisuke TAKAHASHI, Takahiko KOZUKA, TAKAHASHI/TRAN, REEDS, Miki ANDO, Patrick CHAN, Carolina KOSTNER
Captains Press Conference, and Live Reports