“We have the same rules: cut your nails properly and no hand cream” Interview with Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara
answered questions from the fans about pair skating.
source: Nikkansports dd. 19 January 2023
Riku and Ryuichi, “Rikuryu”, have contributed greatly to increasing the attention from Japanese fans to pair skating by winning the Grand Prix (GP) Final for the first time in the history of Japanese figure skating. After the GP Final, Nikkan Sports Premium solicited questions from their subscribers for the guys.
This is Part 2 of the interview.
Here you can find Part 1: “I’ve never lifted a person, and I’ve never seen a woman fall from the sky, so of course I was scared of the pair’s elements at first.” Interview with Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara
About hand cream and cosmetics
Ryuichi Kihara: It becomes difficult to apply hand cream, especially before practice. Basically, it’s fine to use a non-slip spray, but after all, it’s impossible to say, “My hands are dry during practice, so let’s apply hand cream.” Because it’s a hand-held game…
Riku Miura: It slips (hand)!
Ryuichi Kihara: If it’s slippery, it will fly away and lead to serious injury.
And when you were single skaters?
Ryuichi Kihara: You can use it. However, when I was a single skater, I didn’t care about such things (laughs). I was still young; there was no dryness. Wow, Canada is so dry. The skin becomes dry, but it’s difficult to use hand cream.
Riku Miura: What I am careful about is cutting my nails. After all, you can end up hurting someone else…
Ryuichi Kihara: In the beginning of a pair spin, there are times when you can’t help but hit the skin, and if your nails are long, they will scratch. That’s why we have the same rules. “Cut your nails properly.” That’s why I always say, “Don’t ever do your nails” (laughs).
Riku Miura: When they grow, cut them immediately.
Ryuichi Kihara: Riku-chan sometimes…
Riku Miura: I forget (laughs).
Ryuichi Kihara: That’s why I get scratched (laughs).
Riku Miura: As for the nails, I just do a little manicure before competitions.
Ryuichi Kihara: There was a time when you only painted one hand! (laughter)
Riku Miura: Only one (laughs). I was painting white for the free, but it got a little tedious (laughs).
Ryuichi Kihara: On the day of the short, she painted for the free skate…
Riku Miura: Blue costume and white nails (laughs).
Ryuichi Kihara: Only one hand is white, and the other has normal nails. I asked, “Why aren’t you painting both of them?”
In the past, someone who has experience with pair skating once said, “If you apply hand cream, your hands will slip, and it will be difficult to practice.” Is that true? After hearing that, I try not to give hand cream to pairs (laughs)
Ryuichi Kihara: That’s true. Creams may also contain steroids, so you can’t use them carelessly.
— I heard that it is difficult to bring food to athletes.
Ryuichi Kihara: I’m really grateful for food and things that go into my body, but there are times when it’s difficult.
I know that Meagan Duhamel is busy raising children, but has she been to the rink recently? Does she have any advice for the two of you? Do you keep in touch even when you don’t have the chance to meet?
Ryuichi Kihara: Before Skate Canada, she invited us to her house for a dinner party and a ganbare party. We visited alone. We talked about skating, didn’t we?
Riku Miura: The child was always saying, “This is juice! This is juice!” (laughs)
In Canada, do you cook for yourself? Or do you two eat the same menu? As a woman who has been a housewife for 40 years, I think it would be more economical and rational for two people to eat the same menu (laughs). I don’t like to think about what I eat every day, but I’m impressed that you cook for yourselves?
Riku Miura: Even if I say self-cooking, it’s really just boiled food. It’s cooked differently, but I’m eating the same menu.
Ryuichi Kihara: You repeat everything after me! (laughter)
Riku Miura: No. (laughs).
Ryuichi Kihara: Headphones, suitcase.
Riku Miura: Because the product is good! As for food, boiled vegetables…
Ryuichi Kihara: That’s right. Boiled meat and boiled vegetables are easy to cook.
Kihara, who has gained nearly 20 kg since his single-skating days, said he ate nothing but chicken breast and broccoli. Do you still eat those things on a regular basis?
Ryuichi Kihara: That’s right. Also, asparagus, okra, cherry tomatoes, and carrots.
What do you decide to eat on your monthly cheat meal day?
Ryuichi Kihara: Lately, it’s sundubu.
Riku Miura: That’s right, it’s Sundubu.
I got the impression that many female figure skaters have their hair up, but Miura always has her hair down. Is there a reason? But it suits you and is cute!
Riku Miura: In 2019, when my former partner and I participated in the international competition, my parents gave me permission to cut it to a medium length. But when I went to the beauty salon, I wanted to cut my hair a little more, so I said, “Please cut it a little more.” My parents got really mad at me, but my friends liked it so much that I started cutting it.
What is the most important feeling for each other? How do the two athletes create that cozy atmosphere? I’m curious!
Riku Miura: I have a sense of trust. I don’t know, I’ve never really been dropped on a lift. It’s really a sense of trust.
Ryuichi Kihara: As a pair skater, I have the feeling of “I don’t want anyone to get hurt” and “I’m going to protect her”. For example, if we’ve been together for this long, there will of course be days when the atmosphere isn’t good for both of us, but even so, I’m doing it with the thought that “I definitely don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
Related topics: Riku Miura Ryuichi Kihara
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