New JPN Pair: Narumi Takahashi & Ryuichi Kihara

[NMURA]

Finally announced!
http://www.47news.jp/CN/201301/CN2013012901002400.html

I believed Kihara is the best choice. Glad to hear that.

[victoriaheidi]

Yay! So happy to hear that she has a new partner. I loved T/T, but sadly, I don't think Japan was very willing to support his citizenship quest.

[RFOS]

Glad to hear she has a partner and I hope it works out well!

[Sylvia]

He finished 12th in Senior at Nationals - link to his ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00010972.htm

ETA more links from the Japanese news thread:

Not the official release but Ryuichi Kihara was reported as the new partner of Narumi Takahashi:
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/new...005086750.html
http://www.chunichi.co.jp/s/chuspo/a...901002400.html

[Sylvia]

It will be interesting to find out where and with whom they will train. I assume this has not yet been revealed?

[barbk]

My kind of skater -- hobby of visiting old castles!

Given how quickly some of the other new pairs teams have managed to jell, perhaps we can see them in Sochi if they can qualify at Nebelhorn. (And I'm guessing they will be Japan's entry for pairs in the team event, but it still seems unclear as to whether or not that puts you on the "real" Olympic team.)

[midori]

It will be interesting to find out where and with whom they will train. I assume this has not yet been revealed?

The news was not even officially announced but just leaked by someone, according to the articles.

[kwanfan1818]

By "real" do you mean qualified for the Pairs event, too? I suspect if all goes well they'll try for one of the remaining 4 spots at Nebelhorn. Otherwise Japan can appoint them for the Team Event (assuming there are no minimum scores for appointed skaters, or if there are, that T/K make them).

Best of luck to them!

[NMURA]

The news was not even officially announced but just leaked by someone, according to the articles.

In this kind of article, "related person" (関係者) definitely means JSF officials. Kihara couldn't land the 3A at National Sports Festival (as expected), and his PCS was quite low compared to Nationals and other skaters. I had a hunch that THEY are advising him to give up singles careers and concentrate on pairs.

[SamuraiK]

He was 10th at 2011 Junior worlds too..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeK1zL9ZghM

[Zemgirl]

Given how quickly some of the other new pairs teams have managed to jell, perhaps we can see them in Sochi if they can qualify at Nebelhorn. (And I'm guessing they will be Japan's entry for pairs in the team event, but it still seems unclear as to whether or not that puts you on the "real" Olympic team.)

If he doesn't have pairs experience, it might take a while for him to get up to competition standard. James/Cipres are probably the most similar pairing to this one (though Narumi has more pairs experience than Vanessa did at the beginning of that partnership) and we saw that it took them a while.

Anyway, good luck to them. I hope Mervin Tran will find a good partner quickly, too.

[kwanfan1818]

Unless he actively dislikes Pairs, he could treat this as an experiment subsidized by the Japanese Federation, and if he's even competent, it's a trip to the Olympics, if only for the SP in the team event. Chances are, if they're sent to Montreal, he'll be able to work on his singles skills on the side.

[Catherine M]

Best of luck to Narumi & Ryuichi as they begin their partnership. And hopefully he'll be able to adapt to pairs skating quite well.

[kylet3]

I certainly wish them the best and hope to see them qualify for Sochi! Just looking at the YouTube video, I know it's from a couple years ago, he looks to be quite small, I know Narumi is quite the tiny lady herself but hopefully he can really work on his strengthening and conditioning and qualify a spot for Japan. I hope Mervin can continue on in his capacity as well.

[iarispiralllyof]

I hope I don't come off as petty, but I can't help but feel bitter about this

Good for her, I suppose. Now she'll have a chance at competing at the Olympics

[kirkbiggestfan]

He is about the same size as Tran. Obviously, a very good single skater.
I would be surprised to see them train in Montreal, since Gauthier put Tran and Takahashi together and the JSF kinda forced a breakup.

[allezfred]

Hiroshi Nagakubo, the coach of Akiko Suzuki and Kihara, is a former pairs skater himself and he represented Japan at the 1972 Olympics.

[orientalplane]

I wish this new pairing well and look forward to seeing them.

[Eislauffan]

He is about the same size as Tran. Obviously, a very good single skater.
I would be surprised to see them train in Montreal, since Gauthier put Tran and Takahashi together and the JSF kinda forced a breakup.

Where do you know this from? My sources, quite reliable ones, state the opposite: JSF was trying very hard to keep Takahashi/Tran together, but she wanted to end the partnership.

But I am happy to hear that Narumi found a new partner and I hope the same happens for Mervin soon.

[kirkbiggestfan]

Where do you know this from? My sources, quite reliable ones, state the opposite: JSF was trying very hard to keep Takahashi/Tran together, but she wanted to end the partnership.

But I am happy to hear that Narumi found a new partner and I hope the same happens for Mervin soon.

I jumped into conclusion then. I knew she wanted out. I thought that the fed was behind it.