--- title: Japan Figure Skater Yuzuru Hanyu and Winnie the Pooh description: So why do they throw Winnie the Pooh at figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu? There's a whole history between Japan's top figure skater and the bear. canonical: https://time.com/5162305/winnie-the-pooh-japan-figure-skater-yuzuru-hanyu-olympics/ author: Ashley Hoffman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-02-16T13:56:38.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T08:58:52.419Z og:title: Here's Why People Throw Winnie the Pooh at Japanese Figure Skater Yuzuru Hanyu og:description: Japan's top figure skater and the bear have a long history og:url: https://time.com/5162305/winnie-the-pooh-japan-figure-skater-yuzuru-hanyu-olympics/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta03a8cb9a00d7cca/698927e50a4a2233249d1ccd/gettyimages-918871950.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4602 og:image:height: 2589 og:image:alt: PyeongChang 2018 Olympics: Figure Skating, Men's Short Program og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Here's Why People Throw Winnie the Pooh at Japanese Figure Skater Yuzuru Hanyu twitter:description: Japan's top figure skater and the bear have a long history twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta03a8cb9a00d7cca/698927e50a4a2233249d1ccd/gettyimages-918871950.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 03:42 video:published: 2018-02-01 section: sports topics: figure skating, Olympic free skate, program choreography, music selection, jump placement, spin scoring, footwork, quad jumps, 2018 PyeongChang Olympics genre: interview, behind-the-scenes tones: reflective, confident, earnest, focused emotions: pride (medium), determination (high), nostalgia (medium), excitement (medium) sentiment: positive audience: figure skating fans, Olympic viewers, sports enthusiasts, young athletes people: Nathan Chen, Lori Nicoles products: Mao's Last Dancer transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Here's Why People Throw Winnie the Pooh at Japanese Figure Skater Yuzuru Hanyu > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: Nathan Chen Breaks Down His 2018 Olympic Free Skate Program [Watch (HLS stream): Nathan Chen Breaks Down His 2018 Olympic Free Skate Program](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/0ZQEg4FT.m3u8) (3:42)  _Published 2018-02-01. Nathan Chen walks us through his record-breaking free skate program that he will be competing at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary Nathan Chen explains the origins and structure of his free skate program for the 2018 Olympics. He describes how choreographer Lori Nicoles chose music from the film Mao's Last Dancer and how the story connected to his parents' own story. He walks through the program's jumps, spins and footwork, the mental and physical demands of each section, and the rules that shape scoring. He closes by reflecting on the chance to compete at the Olympics. ## Key points - The long program was not Chen's idea; choreographer Lori Nicoles watched Mao's Last Dancer and pitched using its soundtrack. (00:00) - Chen saw a similarity between the film's story and his parents' story, which he wanted to express through his skating and artistry. (00:16) - Chen says the first jump uses a lot of mental energy and placement is crucial for a successful jump. (00:49) - Spins are a big part of the score; a leg drop or failing to hold a revolution costs a level. (01:28) - Footwork is the best moment to express yourself and interpret the music, since judges can see edges and expression over a long period. (01:45) - The second half includes a 1.1 bonus, so Chen typically backloads the program, which can reduce speed as jumps happen quickly together. (02:32) - Chen says he is the only skater currently able to land all five quads, which lets him manipulate the program during competition. (02:55) - Chen notes he will likely only get to compete in about two Olympics in his life, so he wants to embrace the moment. (03:23) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:31] Choosing the music and its story. Chen explains how the choreographer found the Mao's Last Dancer soundtrack and how the story relates to his family. - [00:31 to 01:12] Opening jumps and mental focus. Chen describes the opening choreography and the mental energy needed to land the first jumps with correct placement. - [01:12 to 01:45] Spins and scoring details. Chen outlines how spins are scored, including rotation counts, leg position and holding revolutions. - [01:45 to 02:32] Footwork and the middle section. Chen discusses footwork as a chance for expression and the recovery period in the middle of the program. - [02:32 to 03:10] Second half, bonus and quads. Chen explains the backloaded second half, the 1.1 bonus, rule-book calculations after errors, and his five-quad ability. - [03:10 to 03:42] Final section and reflection. Chen describes the powerful closing music and reflects on the rarity of Olympic opportunities and being present. ## Key quotes - [00:16] Nathan Chen: "I realized his story's pretty similar to my parents' story." - [01:45] Nathan Chen: "In general It's the best moment where you can express yourself." - [02:55] Nathan Chen: "I'm the only skater currently that can do all five quads." - [03:23] Nathan Chen: "Ultimately, I will only potentially be able to go to like two Olympics in my whole entire life." ## Questions this video answers - Why did Nathan Chen choose the music for his long program? [00:00] - How does the program's story relate to Chen's family? [00:16] - How are spins scored in figure skating? [01:28] - What is the 1.1 bonus and how does it affect program structure? [02:32] - Why does Chen say he can manipulate his program during competition? [02:55] - How does Chen approach the emotional end of his program? [03:10] by [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Feb 16, 2018 1:56 PM UTC Nathan Chen walks us through his record-breaking free skate program that he will be competing at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang. by [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Feb 16, 2018 1:56 PM UTC When Japanese figure skater [Yuzuru Hanyu](http://time.com/5162157/yuzuru-hanyu-japan-figure-skating-short-program/) won the short program at the Olympic games on Thursday, the weather report inside the arena changed from clear skies to a steady downpour of Winnie the Pooh bears. As Hanyu finished his immaculate routine to a chorus of applause, fans tossed scores of stuffed bear toys from the iconic A. A. Milne franchise onto the ice. It was an overwhelming number of bears, leading many people watching at home to ask why they were witnessing such a large-scale doll sacrifice. ## **Why do they throw Winnie the Pooh?** There’s a reason behind all those “little cubs all stuffed with fluff.” It’s not unusual to see Hanyu keeping company with his plush friends. In fact, it’s a long-running tradition. It all started in 2010, when fans spotted Hanyu carrying around a Winnie the Pooh tissue box, [according to NBC](http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/why-are-so-many-winnie-poohs-being-thrown-ice-yuzuru-hanyu). Ever since, fans have taken to throwing him the bears to show their affection. Just check out plush bad boy Winnie sitting pretty back when Hanyu was practicing for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in 2013.  Brian Orser and Winnie the Pooh look on as their skater, Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu practices in preparation for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Budweiser Gardens. Steve Russell—Toronto Star via Getty Images And when the skater competed at Sochi in the 2014 Winter Games, he carried a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal around with him. > [](https://twitter.com/rynobuuck/status/964362240404017154) A Winnie the Pooh themed Twitter account? Indeed, Hanyu has that as well (even if it’s not very active). > [](https://twitter.com/HanyusPooh/status/596977440183877632) There may be something to these bears: After securing the top spot with a [111.68 score](http://time.com/5162212/olympics-figure-skating-nathan-chen-what-happened/), [Hanyu is poised](http://time.com/5129950/yuzuru-hanyu-figure-skating-2018-olympics/) to become the first male singles skater to win gold at two successive Olympics in over 60 years. At this point, the move is expected by in-the-know skaters like Ashley Wagner. > [](https://twitter.com/AshWagner2010/status/964351561517314048) Because it’s a routine occurrence. > [](https://twitter.com/icenetwork/status/921353127479205888) But that didn’t stop the internet from freaking out over Winnie the Pooh chaos. > [](https://twitter.com/nzaccardi/status/581437384501264384) > [](https://twitter.com/BOBBYCYD%5F/status/964481944862932992) > [](https://twitter.com/zhoumara%5F622/status/964363838748483584) > [](https://twitter.com/kokiriemeralds/status/963243644902952960) > [](https://twitter.com/denkimouse/status/964362063475654660) ## Transcript [00:00] My long program was actually not my idea. I decided [00:03] to work with a choreographer named Lori Nicoles, and [00:06] she had watched this movie called Mao's Last Dancer. [00:09] [ MUSIC ] We listened to [00:14] the soundtrack and she fell in love with it immediately. [00:16] And so she pitched the idea. I realized his story's [00:19] pretty similar to my parents' story. And I figured that's [00:21] a cool connection for me and something that I can [00:24] potentially portray this season through my skating, [00:26] through my artistry. [ MUSIC ] [00:31] I'm opening up the program thinking about the first [00:33] element. The music is very dramatic. The first few [00:36] seconds of choreography matches the music really [00:38] well. And it just kinda draws attention and I think. And [00:41] that's kinda the idea that we were going for there [00:43] [ SOUND ] [ APPLAUSE ] After [00:49] that first jump I was See fairly that I hit that. I think it's [00:52] definitely, if not the hardest, it definitely puts a lot, I [00:55] use a lot of mental energy to do that jump properly. [00:57] And so mostly just trying to breathe, trying to relax [01:00] and then figure out where I need to position myself for [01:02] the next jump. Because placement of the jump is [01:04] pretty crucial in terms of doing a successful jump. So [01:08] this is my second jump Pretty standard I [01:12] mean it was pretty much exactly as I'd expect it to go. [01:16] Mostly right now I'm just trying to breathe, trying [01:20] to relax a little bit around the corner, so that I have [01:24] energy for this next jump. [ MUSIC ] So spins are a big [01:28] part of our score as well and we just have to make [01:30] sure that we get the rotations, the number in. And then [01:32] also making sure our positioning is correct in terms of, [01:35] if our leg drops we lose a level. If we don't hold the [01:38] revolution we lose a level. There's a lot of other little [01:40] things. [ MUSIC ] That's my footwork section right now. [01:45] In general It's the best moment where you can express [01:47] yourself. You can interpret the music the best. The [01:50] judges can really see cuz it's such a long period of [01:52] time and the judges can really see how you use your [01:54] edges, How you are expressing yourself through the [01:58] movement. So this part mostly is just recovering, [02:01] resting. At this point in the program I've still got a little [02:05] more than half gallon of gas in the tank. [ MUSIC ] This [02:10] is the moment in the movie where he sees his parents, [02:14] so it's a very touching moment. It's based on a very [02:18] Modern and American theme, but there's a lot of [02:21] Chinese influence in the music. You can hear it in the [02:23] instruments. And then after these next two jumps, it [02:26] switches completely away from the Chinese aspect. [02:27] [ APPLAUSE ] The [02:32] second half of the program, we get an 1. 1 bonus. And [02:35] so typically we try to backload the end of the program, [02:37] so that tends to Take away from the program to some [02:40] extent sometimes. And it kinda decreases our speed, [02:43] as all the jumps are happening really quickly after [02:46] each other. [ MUSIC ] [02:48] Say I miss one of the jumps, there's tons of calculations [02:51] that have to go in your head as soon as you make a [02:53] mistake, you are following the guidelines of the rule [02:55] book. I'm the only skater currently that can do all five [02:59] quads. And so having that That technical difficulty in [03:02] my arsenal allows me to manipulate the program [03:06] however I want during the competition. [ MUSIC ] [03:10] So at this point, I'm pretty gasp. But it was part of the [03:13] music, starts building, and it gets really, really [03:15] powerful, so I have to make sure that I express that. [03:18] Happiness, but also just sheer power. [ MUSIC ] [03:20] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ MUSIC ] [ APPLAUSE ] Ultimately, I will [03:23] only potentially [03:29] be able to go to like two Olympics in my whole entire [03:31] life. So really just enjoying that moment, embracing [03:33] that moment, just feeling the energy from the [03:36] audience, and just really being present. 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