Japanese figure skating 2023-24 season news & updates

[Wyliefan]

Looks like Rika Kihira is training again! https://twitter.com/rikaloops/status/1781001587143459104?t=KWES0G-_8RUyNlr6C3rOzg&s=19

 

[japanice]

The 2025 Grand Prix Final will be held in Nagoya (Dec. 4-7) at the brand new IG Arena.

 

[japanice]

Misato Komatsubara has announced her retirement from competition. She will continue as a pro skater in shows with partner Tim Koleto.

 

[Sylvia]

Link to read Misato Komatsubara’s Instagram post (English version): https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Dqf1euKHH/

ETA that her screenshot (2nd slide) mentions she has been skating injured all season and that “Upon reflecting on this season’s trials and triumphs, and turning my Olympic dream into reality, I’ve come to the realization that I have accomplished the goals I set for myself as an athlete.”

... As for my future plans, I will participate in ice shows as a professional skater with Tim, so please contact me. At the same time, I will study and find ways to help skaters glow with great health physically and mentally, regardless of nationality. My management company will continue to handle my affairs, so please contact me or them if needed.

The feeling of the wind on my cheeks when I first skated still makes me smile years afterwards.
It has truly been a happy competitive career.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

Misato

 

[Frau Muller]

Misato Komatsubara has announced her retirement from competition. She will continue as a pro skater in shows with partner Tim Koleto.

I’m assuming that Tim will also retire from eligible events. They’re married, after all.

 

[On My Own]

I kind of liked them, tbh.

 

[aemeraldrainc]

Kind of a weird announcement.
Does that mean Tim K might be looking for another partner?

 

[skatingguy]

Kind of a weird announcement.
Does that mean Tim K might be looking for another partner?

Doesn't seem like it - I think they are retiring, and moving to show skating.

 

[SkateSand]

I think it's weird. Why doesn't Tim say "we" are retiring? Instead, he just talks about Misato retiring, as did she.

 

[jlai]

It does read like she is retiring and not he. They may still be in shows together though which is even stranger if he is staying on and getting a new partner

 

[Wyliefan]

Has anyone ever competed with one partner while doing the occasional show with a different partner?

 

[kwanfan1818]

I thought that Duhamel/Radford had a few show commitments after he teamed up with Vanessa James.

Savchenko certainly wanted to do at least a few shows in Japan with Szolkowy after his now-wife dropped the bombshell that she was going to team with Massot. I can't remember if she was still skating shows with Massot when she teamed with TJ Nyman. She never backed down from a messy situation.

 

[Frau Muller]

Alexa Knierim…continued with Fraser, married to Knierim ? Tamara Moskvina…continued with Mishin, married to Moskvin?

 

[paskatefan]

I will miss them on the competitive ice, but wish them all the best as show skaters. I always liked this team.

 

[Karen-W]

The JSF announced their 2024-25 Strengthened Skaters (aka National Team/Envelope Funding) today -

https://twitter.com/skatejapanews/status/1783051104122499447?t=7UBVmqkj5yOfJ-xfS77a4Q&s=19

フィギュアスケート：令和6年度強化指定選手一覧 | 公益財団法人 日本スケート連盟 - Japan Skating Federation

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www.skatingjapan.or.jp

Special Reinforcement Group -
Men - Shoma Uno, Yuma Kagiyama, Kao Miura, Sota Yamamoto, Shun Sato, Rio Nakata
Women - Kaori Sakamoto, Mone Chiba, Mao Shimada, Rena Uezono, Rinka Watanabe, Hana Yoshida
Pairs - Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara

Group A -
Men - Kazuki Tomono, Tatsuya Tsuboi, Nozomu Yoshioka, Shunsuke Nakamura, Tsudoi Suto
Women - Mai Mihara, Mako Yamashita, Rion Sumiyoshi, Ikura Kushida
Synchro - Jingu Ice Messengers

Group B -
Men - Sena Miyake, Koshiro Shimada, Takeru Amine Kataise, Haru Kakiuchi, Taiga Nishino, Seigo Tauchi, Daiya Ebihara, Sena Takahashi
Women - Yuna Aoki, Maria Egawa, Wakaba Higuchi, Yo Takagi, Ayumi Shibayama, Haruna Murakami, Riria Kono, Kinayu Yokoi
Pairs - Yuna Nagaoka/Sumitada Moriguchi, Sae Shimizu/Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda
Ice Dance - Azusa Tanaka/Shingo Nishiyama, Utana Yoshida/Masaya Morita, Sara Kishimoto/Atsuhiko Tamura

 

[Sylvia]

Link to the Figure Skating PDF (April 24, 2024): https://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/common/img/info/2024-25_FS_20240424.pdf
*The enhanced player page [skater/team bios] will be released in early July.

I've added 2023-24 placements at Junior/Senior Nationals, GPF/JGPF, 4CC & Junior/Senior Worlds below (@Karen-W Ikura Kushida in A got autocorrected to Imuran ):

Special Reinforcement Group -
Men - Shoma Uno GPF2/S1/W4, Yuma Kagiyama GPF3/S2/4CC1/W2, Kao Miura GPF5/S4/W8, Sota Yamamoto S3/4CC4, Shun Sato S5/4CC2, Rio Nakata J2/JGPF1/S17/JW2
Women - Kaori Sakamoto GPF1/S1/W1, Mone Chiba S2/4CC1/W7, Mao Shimada J1/JGPF1/S3/JW1, Rena Uezono J3/JGPF3/S4/JW3, Rinka Watanabe S6/4CC3, Hana Yoshida GPF3/S7/W8
Pairs - Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara S-wd/4CC2/W2

Group A -
Men - Kazuki Tomono S6, Tatsuya Tsuboi S7, Nozomu Yoshioka S8, Shunsuke Nakamura J1/S14/JW4, Tsudoi Suto J3
Women - Mai Mihara S5/4CC7, Mako Yamashita S8, Rion Sumiyoshi GPF6/S10, Ikura Kushida J2/S25/JW5
Synchro - Jingu Ice Messengers

Group B -
Men - Sena Miyake S9, Koshiro Shimada S11, Takeru Amine Kataise S12, Haru Kakiuchi J4/S18/JW17, Taiga Nishino J5/S30, Seigo Tauchi J6/S21, Daiya Ebihara J7/S19, Sena Takahashi J8/S20
Women - Yuna Aoki S9, Maria Egawa S11, Wakaba Higuchi S12, Yo Takagi J4/S23, Ayumi Shibayama J5/S15, Haruna Murakami J6/S19, Riria Kono J7, Kinayu Yokoi J8
Pairs - Yuna Nagaoka/Sumitada Moriguchi S1, Sae Shimizu/Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda J1/JW14
Ice Dance - Azusa Tanaka/Shingo Nishiyama S2/4CC11, Utana Yoshida/Masaya Morita S3/4CC10, Sara Kishimoto/Atsuhiko Tamura J1/JW12

Nationals results are weighted more heavily - for example, not listed is Ami Nakai JGPF5/J10 (not invited to Senior Nationals).

This list will be updated by JSF after the Grand Prix & JGP assignments are known.

 

[Karen-W]

Jingu Ice Messengers finished 10th at Synchro Worlds which is probably what got them into Group A rather than Group B.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Good for them: they were a fun team to watch.

 

[clairecloutier]

Interview with Bruno Marcotte about Miura/Kihara's challenges this season:

Bruno Marcotte: "It's going to be important for Miura/Kihara to push the envelope" - A divine sport

Coach Bruno Marcotte talks about his students Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara, the 2023 World champions from Japan

adivinesport.com

 

[Sylvia]

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Three-time world champion Sakamoto Kaori named Japan's Skater of the Year
The first woman to win three consecutive figure skating world championships in 56 years was awarded by the Japan Skating Federation for her achievements during the 2023-24 season.
By Shintaro Kano (April 24, 2024): https://olympics.com/en/news/figure-skating-japan-awards-2024-sakamoto-kaori