will show the European figure skating championships on its channels. You can find live sports broadcasts at this link.
Tomomi Mitsuhashi-Meriluoto pour tea into decorative cups. In Helsinki’s Hakaniemi, the frost has intensified towards the evening, but the Mitsuhashi-Meriluoto office is warm and cozy. Incense burning on the table takes thoughts to Japan.
– We usually only talk about positive things here. Yuka already has enough challenges, says Mitsuhashi-Meriluoto and sets out Japanese cookie sticks with strawberry frosting.
Mitsuhashi-Meriluoto has taught the 23-year-old For Yuka Orihara Finnish a couple of times a week since autumn. Orihara moved to Finland four and a half years ago because of figure skating. He lives in Helsinki and represents Finland with his ice dance partner Juho Pirinen with.
Mitsuhashi-Meriluoto, who has lived in Finland for a long time, has become an important spiritual support for Orihara.
The teacher knows that learning Finnish is not easy for Japanese people.
Mitsuhashi-Meriluoto has set up a video of Orihara and Pirine’s free dance at Finlandia Trophy in October on the computer screen. As a listening comprehension exercise for the day, Mitsuhashi-Meriluoto and Orihara go through ‘s narrators Mika Saarelainen and Sara Honkavaara lively comments.
Mitsuhashi-Meriluoto wants to make learning a difficult language as fun as possible. The lessons have become highlights of Orihara’s week.
– Yuka Orihara sparkles like a diamond, Orihara repeats Honkavaara’s narration and both the student and the teacher burst out laughing.
Orihara had already lived in Finland for many years before learning the Finnish language started to interest him. What changed the sound in the clock?
A fairytale beginning
Japan is currently the world’s best figure skating country: at last spring’s World Championships, the world championships went to Japan in men’s and women’s single and pair skating.
In ice dancing, the country has not achieved similar success.
– I always wanted to compete in pair skating or ice dancing, but it was really difficult to find a partner in Japan. In Japan, single skating is the most valued. There aren’t very many guys out there who want to skate as a pair. I always knew that I had to move out of Japan to be able to skate in pair competition, says Orihara.
Orihara dreams of life in North America. The dream came true when he moved alone at the age of 17 to the west coast of Canada, Vancouver. There he skated with a Canadian couple until the collaboration ended in the spring of 2019.
The fact that Tokyo-born Orihara ended up in Finland is thanks to the Finnish national team coach Maurizio Margagliota.
The Italian ice dance Olympic medalist is well networked and, according to his coaches, “knows everyone”.
At the same time when Orihara was left without a partner in Canada, the Finnish Juho Pirinen was in the same situation in Helsinki. Margaglio contacted Canada, and Orihara traveled to Finland to try skating with Pirise.
– We tried for a week how it would feel to skate together. From the first shots, it was clear that we were right for each other. After the experiment, only a week or two passed when Yuka moved to Finland. It seemed quite unrealistic, even like a fairy tale, that a new pair was found so quickly. Some have to search for a couple of years, says Pirinen.
According to Orihara, he didn’t know anything about Finland five years ago.
– I thought Finland was somewhere near the Philippines, Orihara laughs.
Finland has become home
After Tokyo and Vancouver, Helsinki seemed quiet and small to Orihara. In the pulse of the big city, the feeling of loneliness had stayed away. Corona-era Helsinki was a dreary place for an adventurous and outgoing young person.
– In Helsinki, I experienced the worst aspects of what it’s like to live alone in a foreign country. I used to think it’s terribly boring here compared to Tokyo and Vancouver. Today, I can appreciate the lack of urgency. I like that I feel really calm, says Orihara.
During competition trips abroad, Orihara has noticed that she misses Finland. It’s always nice to come home.
– I plan to live in Finland at least until the end of my career. I hope it’s still a long time. I could imagine living here even after my career, says Orihara.
EC bronze medalists in ice dance Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis known above all for its beautifully lyrical and classical programs. For their club and training buddies, Orihara and Pirise, a program with going and mood is best suited.
Orihara and Pirinen have adopted pop legend Madonna’s antics for their 1980s-themed rhythm dance.
In the free dance, Orihara and Pirinen liven up the musical Chicago. The theme has been a key choice for the couple.
– Yuka is really bright and energetic. We have a stereotype that Japanese people are very reserved. Yuka is perhaps a bit atypical Japanese. He really knows how to rip, says Juho Pirinen.
Pirinen praises Orihara as a hard trainee who doesn’t leave things halfway.
According to Orihara, Finns and Japanese have a lot in common.
– Like the Japanese, the Finns are also friendly, but a little shy at first. I have found that it has been much easier for me to express different emotions here. It has helped me get by here, says Orihara.
Dream of the Olympics
Orihara can represent Finland with Pirinen in the EC and WC competitions, but for the Olympics he should be a Finnish citizen. The dream of the Olympic Games is the main reason that Orihara has been spinning a huge question in her mind.
– Japan does not accept dual citizenships. If I want Finnish citizenship, I have to give up my Japanese citizenship. It’s a big decision, but I’m getting ready for it. If I could make it to the Olympics, it would be wonderful to represent Finland there, says Orihara.
Multinational pairs are common in figure skating. For example, in ice dance at last year’s European Championships, 17 out of 23 couples were ones in which at least one of the athletes was born somewhere other than the country they represent.
– I think it’s great that there are multinational couples. Of course I think so. The most important thing is to choose which country you want to represent and stick to it, says Orihara.
In order to obtain Finnish citizenship, Orihara would have to pass a language test, which has given him the enthusiasm to study Finnish.
– If I’m going to live in Finland, it’s good to know the language anyway. At first it was really hard. Against all my expectations, I have started to enjoy studying.
From Friday, Orihara and Pirinen will compete in the ice dance of the European Figure Skating Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania. The EC competitions are the second in their careers: in 2020, in their first season together, the pair finished 18th. Now, finishing in the top ten is a realistic goal.
– We have been to the European Championships once, but it feels like a lifetime has already passed in between. Our skating has developed enormously. We are looking forward to finally being able to show, says Pirinen.
Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis are defending the European Championship bronze medal from a year ago at the prestigious Kaunas competition. The ice dance rhythm dance competition is held on Friday and the free dance on Saturday.
The EC competitions program and ‘s broadcast times
Wednesday 10.1.
Short program for couples, Areena from 12:55 to 17:30, summary TV2 from 18:00 to 19:00
Men’s short program, Areena at 5:10 p.m.–10:40 p.m., TV2 at 8:30 p.m.–9:55 p.m.
Thursday 11.1.
Women’s short program, Areena at 1:40 p.m.–6:40 p.m., summary TV2 at 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Free program for couples, Areena at 18:55–22:40, compilation TV2 at 22:00–23:30
Friday 12.1.
Ice dance rhythm dance, Areena from 11:55 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., TV2 from 2:50 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Men’s free program, Areena from 17:55 to 22:40, TV2 from 20:15 to 22:00
Saturday 13.1.
Women’s free program, Areena from 12:55 to 17:40, TV2 from 12:55 to 13:20 and 15:20 to 16:55
Ice dance free dance, Areena at 6:25 p.m.–10:30 p.m., TV2 at 7:45 p.m.–10:10 p.m.
Sunday 14.1.
Final show, Areena at 15:25–18:00
Finland’s team
Ladies
Emmi Peltonen
Nella Pelkonen
Gentlemen
Makar Suntsev
Ice dance
Juulia Turkkila/Matthias Versluis
Yuka Orihara/Juho Pirinen
Pair skating
Milania Väänänen/Filippo Clerici