Shoma Uno (JPN) explores new directions

Shoma Uno (JPN) at the ISU World Team Trophy 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Japanese star Shoma Uno has surprised the skating world recently when he announced that he is leaving his long-time coaching team of Mihoko Higuchi and Machiko Yamada and has not picked a new permanent coach. “I want a new start,” the Olympic silver medalist stated on his official homepage.

Shoma Uno (JPN) with Coach Mihoko Higuchi at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Right now Uno is not ready to discuss his move with the media as he is still in the process of getting things settled. "I'm not in a hurry to find a new coach. This season, I'll probably be by myself. No concerns, I believe I can do it alone,” he was quoted by the Japanese press.

Takeshi Honda (JPN) at the Japan International Challenge 2005©Getty Images

However, the 21-year-old announced that he will consult former Japanese top skater Takeshi Honda for his jumps. Earlier this summer, the 2019 Four Continents Champion went to Russia to a training camp with renowned coach Eteri Tutberidze, who is coaching Olympic Champion Alina Zagitova (RUS) and the “Ladies quad squad” of World silver medalist Elizabet Tursynbaeva (KAZ), World Junior Champion Alexandra Trusova (RUS) and World Junior silver medalist Anna Shcherbakova (RUS). Joining the training camp in Russia was a great experience for Shoma to explore something new and different.

The Japanese Champion now will start working on his new programs in August and will collaborate with Shae-Lynn Bourne for his Short Program and with David Wilson for the Free Skating, using non-Japanese choreographers for his competitive programs for the first time.

All these changes might have been prompted by a season that had several ups and downs for Shoma. “At the beginning of the season with the new rules and new GOE [scores], there were some concerns about losing points, but I focused on what I can do right now. So I had some challenges,” he said when looking back on the season in an interview for the ISU website at ISU World Team Trophy. “But as the season went on and at the end, I noticed that you always will have a challenge and you always do what you can do at this point right now.”

Shoma Uno (JPN) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

With the rule changes that rewarded cleaner programs more and allowed only the repetition of one quad, many men cut back on their quadruple jumps. However, Uno still liked to take risks and to go for multiple quads and even the combination triple Axel-quadruple toeloop that nobody has landed yet in competition. “Many skaters would have their own strategy,” Shoma observed. “I do many jumps in practice, like the triple Axel-quad toe, but all that doesn't really matter if you don't do it in competition. It is not a challenge if you don't do it in front of all those people and all these skaters.” He feels that in order to grow as an athlete, he needs do go after these challenges.