Shoma Uno had just won his first World Champion title and Deniss Vasiljevs had won the bronze medal at European Championships. Lambiel expressed his passionate feelings towards the students he coaches.
-- Profile He was born on April 2nd, 1985, in Martigny, Switzerland. He stands out with high-speed spins filled with various changing positions as his weapon. His first Olympics was in 2002 at Salt Lake City. He won his first World Championships in 2005. He finished 2nd at the 2006 Turin Olympics – Switzerland has not won any Olympic medal in figure skating in the past 58 years. He retired competitively in 2010. After that, he works as a professional skater and choreographer. He handled numerous works for many Japanese skaters including Tatsuki Machida. Currently, he is coaching Deniss Vasiljevs, Koshiro Shimada, and Shoma Uno.
❄️ First of all, congratulations to you. This was a season full of shining achievements, with Shoma winning at the World Championships and Deniss winning the bronze medal at European Championships. I will be asking about Deniss first – he indeed brought two wonderful performances – both the short and the free – at the European Championships, didn’t he?
➤ He really did. Recently I often feel that “He has grown up.” He holds responsibilities in his own words and actions, and he became very self-disciplined. It seems like he now knows what he wants to achieve in his competitive career, and he has found a clear answer within himself. He has come to understand the meaning of each and every movement in our usual practices. He is a wonderful athlete with a natural talent that everyone recognizes, and one can feel his unparalleled passion for skating. His approach of always giving his best at all times ever since his junior times has not changed. I am joyful to be able to look after him and see him mature, his talent finally bloom, and that he was able to control his energy well in order to achieve success at the big stages, right in Tallinn – also a place filled with memories for me, where I won my last European Championships medal from 12 years ago.
❄️ Perhaps your team also feels this, but from many of his fans’ perspectives, this is a medal filled with patience. Do you remember the enthusiasm at the venue that night?
➤ It was a spectacular scene. I am grateful to experience the same kind of moment when I was an athlete again; when the entire venue stood up, the power I felt when the atmosphere became so passionate was enormous. I was very happy that on that day, Deniss was able to experience such feelings that I once had during my competitive times.
❄️ And now, I will be asking about Shoma. With the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, this Olympic season was filled with regulations for traveling between Japan and Switzerland. Please tell us about the difficulties that you experienced during your adjustments.
➤ The most difficult thing was actually not because this season is the Olympics season, but because of the pandemic that suddenly occurred before that. It was when the World Championships at Montreal was canceled. He was in superb condition, so he seriously felt very down afterward. That was the first time I would be challenging the World Championships with Shoma, so we were really looking forward to that. Even if we try to change our feelings to heading towards the next season, I could feel that we were also unsure of everything. It was a situation that none of us had seen before, with restrictions and preventative measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and none of us even knew if we were even able to go to any competitions. It was a challenging period, but he really patiently endured them. What we had in mind were being able to express joy in usual practices and trying to not forget to have fun in skating. Additionally, Shoma is strict towards himself. I never once have to force him to do anything. Right now, when I look back at that time, perhaps it was because he once again realized that skating is such an amazing sport, we did not face that many hardships.
❄️ You have only been Shoma’s coach officially for 2 years. Due to the impact of the pandemic, perhaps you have gone through a lot of unexpected situations. How were the past 2 years for you?
➤ He isn’t a skater that I have never known of. We met each other at summer training camps held by the Japan Skating Federation. What I remembered the most was Friends On Ice (2018) when we skated together to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” for a collaborative performance. I have a lot of memories of him before I officially became his coach. A lot of people might still remember the nightmare skate at Internationaux de France at the Grand Prix series in 2019, but I actually did not witness it directly. I was very shocked when I saw the results, and I remember his sorrow at that time, too. When I met Koshiro (Shimada) after I returned from a competition the following day, he was also quite upset about it. Shoma had the Rostelecom Cup right after Internationaux de France, and he rushed to ask me to act as his coach for that competition. I honestly did not know if I could fulfill that role, but I accepted his request. When we began the short period of adjustments in Champéry, what I had hoped was that he would love skating again, love himself again…and that was all. It is okay to focus on the techniques afterward. In any case, the most important thing was to secure and stabilize his love and passion for the thing he pours his all into.
❄️ Afterwards, he showed recovery with his fourth consecutive win at the Japan National Championships. And then he also brought a wonderful free skate at the Challenge Cup (Netherlands) in February. We have the impression that he had gotten out of the dark tunnel.
➤ I believe that the results did come right afterward. However, more than just results, I was happy to see that he himself had realized the importance of skating in his life. He moves very naturally on ice. Nothing is pushing him, and nothing is resisting him. You can say that his soul belongs with the essence of skating. This is authentic skating. Pure and honest skating.
❄️ While you did not have a lot of one-on-one coaching time with him, and both of you have spent most of your time in your separate bases in Switzerland and Japan, in the latest season, Shoma was able to challenge an important season with his most difficult program to date that you two had crafted specially, while maintaining high consistency throughout. How was this possible?
➤ First of all, like I have previously said, the relationship between us didn’t just start suddenly yesterday or today. I had also choreographed some exhibition programs for him, and not only did we do collaborative performances in shows, but we also shared with each other a lot of things during practices. During rehearsals, just skating together is enough for us to understand each other. (Since I officially became his coach,) I have also learned new things about him. When the World Championships in Montreal was canceled, Shoma actually had more time in Switzerland than initially planned. This could be a fortune in the midst of misfortune. We were able to deepen our understanding of each other, and he took my advice honestly. Whether in steps or skating, he would practice over and over again and try to make those skills his own. Perhaps from there, he had come to understand my method of teaching. At the very least, from this kind of situation, we were able to grasp the chance to get to know each other.
In this season though, a difficulty we faced was schedule management. Due to the travel restrictions, adjusting the schedules got more complicated. Up until the Japan Open, we were able to ensure good adjustments for him. After that (apart from going to the US for Skate America), until NHK Trophy, he did his adjustments in Japan, and because I had to accompany Deniss at competitions, we met Shoma again at NHK Trophy. During his time in Japan, we also often communicated with each other, and I would do the choreography and watch over his run-throughs, as well as give confirmations and advice on other technical skills twice a week through Zoom. It was trial and error, but we somehow made it through. For Japan Nationals, I had to come 2 weeks earlier (for self-quarantine). Because of that, I was able to accompany him in daily practices for nearly the whole month of December. We were able to make good adjustments for him. Throughout the Olympics, we were able to spend a lot of time together there, and heading towards the World Championships, we made adjustments in Champéry and then we headed to France. With Shoma’s father, manager, physical trainer, and other associates together, we were able to think of a way that would be the most appropriate for the situation. I think we had shown great teamwork.
❄️ At the Beijing Olympics, you had to arrive late after finding out that you were infected with Covid. Did you have any worries or unease?
➤ Personally, I didn’t feel any unease. Even though I arrived late, I didn’t feel much worry about adjusting Deniss and Shoma’s conditions. I thought that for the athletes, they might feel worried when their coach is not present, but they were fully grown-ups. What I was most afraid of was the thought of myself accidentally spreading the virus to someone else…This virus is scarily infectious. I did not want to carry the risk, so all I could do was to wait for the negative test result that would allow me to travel. And I had prayed for Deniss to not get infected. Right before he headed to Beijing, I was watching over his practices in Switzerland. He was also very cautious. I don’t know where and when I got infected, and I was very stressed about it. I was hoping that every skater is able to show their own performances without getting infected by Covid, but unfortunately, there was a case where someone wasn’t able to compete when it was found out that they got infected. It would be very difficult to concentrate (in a situation like this).
❄️ How did you feel when you were able to see Deniss and Shoma again?
➤ Can I answer that it felt like finally finding the last piece of the puzzle, like “Ah, finally. And so the puzzle is completed?” Both of them showed strong feelings of “I will do it.” Shoma’s short program at the team event was really amazing. Deniss’ free skate was also very great. When I was standing by the boards and watching my students, I thought to myself if there can be anything else that I would be this proud of.
❄️This will be about the World Championships, but Nathan (Chen) and Yuzuru (Hanyu) had withdrawn from this competition. It seems like the expectations for (Shoma’s) first victory was higher than ever.
➤ Whether someone is competing or someone withdraws is not a huge problem to Shoma. In other words, like all of the competitions before, he just needs to do his own performances. Before the competition began, I said to Shoma the following – to aim for more than 100 points in the short, more than 200 points in the free, and challenge with the best he has got right now, and try his very best. As a result, it would be enough if he is able to deliver the target score and end with a strong performance. He delivered a beautiful and charming program in the short. And in the free, he courageously challenged, and he was able to express his happiness to the people watching him. I cannot forget his emotions in the final performance. It was filled with freedom. And I was able to feel his passion coming from his body. It was an amazing moment. If his heart is satisfied with thoughts such as “Skating is fun, and being able to perform is fun,” I would also be delighted.
– In the past 20 years, I’m just simply filled with joy –
Stéphane Lambiel
❄️ When I’m talking to you, I can feel that you are a supporter before a coach. You must’ve felt happy when you think of the mutual pride you have towards your team.
➤ It really is. I am really happy. For the sake of Deniss and Shoma’s success, the team is able to come together and provide support. Rankings, medals, and the color of the medal do not matter. I like to teach. Whether it is elite-level athletes or kids who are beginners in skating, I love to teach figure skating. I strongly believe that this is what I want to keep doing. This is what I won’t stop loving. There are no days that I don’t ask myself “Are there any wonderful musical pieces out there” and keep searching for them, and there are no days that I don’t train myself. Every day I am conscious if there is anything special, if there is anything that can inspire me, and if there is anything that I can evolve. If my students are able to inherit my feelings towards skating, I would become the happiest person on Earth.
❄️ You have experienced the Olympics 3 times as an athlete and 2 times as a coach accompanying the athletes. You were 17 when you were in your first Olympics (2002 in Salt Lake City), weren’t you?
➤ I was 16 at the time in Salt Lake.
❄️ So it has been 20 years since then. You have won an Olympic medal and become a 2-time World Champion. You have achievements such as winning the first Olympic medal in figure skating for Switzerland in more than 50 years, and you have also won the World Championships. And as a coach, you guided your student to the Olympic podium and the World Champion title like you just did. In the previous 20 years, were you able to imagine such a future for yourself?
➤ I completely couldn’t have imagined it. You are the first person who expressed to me in words all the things that happened in my life in the past 20 years. I want to cry a bit right now. In the past 20 years, I’m just simply filled with joy. Thank you for reminding me of those moments. Usually, I don’t look back at the past that much. Until you said it to me, I’ve been forgetting about them. Thank you!
❄️ It’s because I’ve been watching you since your debut at the Bratislava European Championships (in 2001). I feel like a “snobbish uncle” (for following you this long). Including your relations to Shoma, you’re an indispensable presence in figure skating in Japan. Of all the Japanese skaters apart from Shoma, you said that you were charmed by Satoko’s (Miyahara) skating. A few days ago, she announced her competitive retirement. Would you like to share your thoughts about her, who has left Japanese women’s skating after many years?
➤ Recently I was able to meet her again, and I’ve been thinking about creating a program together with her. I was told about her retirement in advance. A competition without her is lonely, isn’t it? Numerous of her programs move a lot of people’s hearts. Especially mine. When I watch her skating, I’m moved by her, and I am filled with respect for her. I wish her success in her activities in ice shows and on her new path in life.
❄️ Finally, please tell us your thoughts about your relationship with the future of Japan’s figure skating.
➤ Ever since the first time I came here when I was competing at the junior level, I’ve been to Japan so many times that I lost count. Whether it was as an athlete, invited to ice shows, and asked to be the lecturer for seminars. I have received a lot of influence from Japan’s skating community. I also feel that this is the result of what I have nurtured. From the bottom of my heart, I am thankful for each and every encounter.
Source: Figure Skate Life Magazine, Vol 27, published May 2022. RAW provided by @starfishshoma on Twitter
Photo from: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbkwE-0IVbi
TRANSLATED BY UNO SHOMA – 宇野昌磨 – VIETNAM FANPAGE. PLEASE KEEP THE CREDIT WHEN REPORTING.
Uno Shoma Vietnam Fanblog 
Leave a comment