Hanyu’s Specialty 3A will be a “contingency plan just in case” (Full apart from opening para)

8/09 13:20 Daily Sports Online

Although it was the same music, the content was different. When he got the highest ever (at the time) free program score of 219.48 at the 2015 GPF, he did 4S and two 4T, for a total of 2 types and 3 times. But this time, he is planning to do 3 types and 5 quads in total, including 3 in the second half where the Base Value is multiplied by 1.1.

“What he currently has in mind is to jump the 4Lo and the 4S in the very beginning, followed by the 3F in the first half. Spins and steps. The first jump in the second half will be 4S3T combo. After that, 4T1Lo3S combination, and then 4T from a little steps. At the end of the second half, I’ll enter and exit a 3A combination with spread eagle, and in the very end, it’s okay if I do 3A for recovery, or 3Lz normally,” Hanyu explained as if reciting an incantation.

The big change from last season would be to reduce the number of 3A down to one, and increase the number of 4T up to two. Hanyu’s 3A has even been said to be the world’s most beautiful, and is a strong weapon that Hanyu himself has said he has deep sentiments towards.

Probably, the reason he decided to take it out nevertheless is that, as a contingency plan, there is nothing as reassuring as the 3A. For figure skating, there is a rule that the same type of jump may only be repeated once, and only two types of jumps may be repeated [in one program]. When skaters fail, they have to consider things like type of jump and number of rotations, making corrections while performing. Because Hanyu’s 3A garners many GOE points, even if he messes a quad up, he can make up and “recover” with this “quad-equivalent” jump.

Providing is preventing. Behind the challenge was risk management––assumption of various situations based on the phase of training.