Two degrees from Yuzu.
I am two degrees from Yuzu. This thought goes right up there with the “I can’t believe I saw Yuzu in person” moment of daily astonishment. What’s even better (if there IS anything better…except for being 1 degree from Yuzu…) is that it isn’t because I met a bus driver who nodded at Yuzu one time as he took Team Japan to the rink (though still a viable accomplishment – Yuzu aura is Yuzu aura…). No, my two degrees from Yuzu is because I met Ghislain Briand.
THE Ghislain Briand.
The trained-with-Yuzu-for-eight-years Ghislain Briand.
The sat-beside-Yuzu-in-the-kiss-and-cry-at-PyeongChang Ghislain Briand.
The “Yuzu-rubbed-my-stomach” Ghislain Briand.
I have met a man who can just put his hand on Yuzu’s head and tousle his hair whenever he sees fit.
It was at the 2019 Autumn Classic – where I met Ghislain and where the famous Yuzu head rub and Ghislain stomach rub moments occurred. Ghislain was just hanging out with all of us “million degrees from Yuzu” Fanyus and watching the competition when not rink-side with Yuzu making photographers’ and content creators’ dreams come true. Fanyu after Fanyu approached him, but I am proud to say that he was never swarmed. And we all know Fanyus know how to swarm (read “I now know what it feels like to belong to a killer swarm of bees” to see what I mean…) And one by one, over the course of the day, Ghislain made it possible for so many of us Fanyus to jump (see what I did there?) from a million degrees to two degrees from Yuzu. When I found my window of opportunity, I first made sure to thank him for being such an amazing coach to Yuzu and then proceeded to ask him the one thing every Fanyu wants to know:
“Could you please ask Yuzu to marry me?“
I’m kidding. Or am I? I mean, wouldn’t you want to ask that if you were face to face with THE Ghislain Briand?
The “I-get-Quad-Axel-video-messages-from-Yuzu-at-3AM” Ghislain Briand.
The “I’m-on-the-approved-Pooh-san-holder-list” (because I truly believe this is a thing) Ghislain Briand.
The “I-SCULPT-YUZU” Ghislain Briand.
But the most important thing to me about meeting THE Ghislain Briand is none of these things. (Yes, not even the hair tousling thing, which I know is hard to believe given every single other thing I’ve ever said.) The most important thing is:
THIS PERSON GENUINELY CARES ABOUT YUZU.
While questionable things have drifted in about other people who are 1 degree from Yuzu, I have grown more and more appalled that anyone could treat Yuzu in such a way — much less someone who actually knows him. If the universe deemed me lucky enough to have a friendship with Yuzu, I would guard it like a precious, fragile crystal. And I would do the same with Yuzu himself. Millions of Fanyus who have never and will never meet Yuzu, guard and defend him with a ferocity unmatched by the most protective mother (panda?) bear. How you can know Yuzu personally and throw him to the wolves (how many animals can I get in one post?), is simply beyond me. But then, enter THE Ghislain Briand…
As more quotes and translations came in from his interview with Figure Skating Life Extra, it became clear that Ghislain’s was the voice we had all been waiting to hear. A voice that knows figure skating. A voice that knows Yuzu. A voice that wasn’t willing to sell out one for the other. And instead of opening Twitter to a daily shock of “How dare they…” it was so refreshing to have a daily fist pump of “Finally someone…”.
Unabashed praise for Yuzu? Check.
Confirmation that a certain ice hole really did exist? OF COURSE – check.
Declaration that there is no one on this earth like Yuzu? HECK check YEAH.
And THIS is the respect, dedication, care and loyalty Yuzu deserves. Bad judging, unfair unions and evil people can take away medals. They shouldn’t also get to take away human decency and real friendship.
It feels as if Ghislain has just been waiting for all the nonsense to subside in order for his voice to be heard clearly. Sort of like that one person who yells “がんばって!” just as the crowd dies down when Yuzu gets into his pose for Origin.
We heard you, Ghislain. And hopefully Yuzu did too.
Have you checked out “Yuzuru Hanyu is My Emergency Contact” – The FanyuFanme Podcast?
Find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or your favorite streaming platform HERE.
No matter where or how you Fanyu, this podcast is for YU.