Japanese figure skating 2018-19 season news & updates

[Jeschke]

Sad news. He remains always as one of my 'what could have been's

Miki message to Dice
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkAAxY_DHWJ/?hl=de&taken-by=miki_m_ando0403

 

[Enchanted]

This is a bit off-topic but has someone maintained a list on all of the skaters retired during or after this past season?

 

[Sylvia]

This is a bit off-topic but has someone maintained a list on all of the skaters retired during or after this past season?

I just started a thread in the Trash Can: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ents-skaters-not-competing-in-2018-19.104054/

ETA an article in Japanese on Daisuke Murakami's retirement: https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/201806140000601.html

Dice Murakami announces his retirement: https://twitter.com/DaisukeMurakami/status/1007186090644549633

His YT video (in Japanese): https://youtu.be/JKfZVOdvrLk

twitter translation/summary courtesy by user Iron_Klaus:

Best wishes to Dice!

ETA that he recently attended a L.A. Dodgers baseball game with Taichi and Marin Honda: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj88PU9gsox/?taken-by=diceskates

 

[Bellanca]

"I've decided to retire because it would be difficult (to be competitive) the next four years."

I appreciate and respect the honesty and clarity of Dice’s retirement announcement and statement. By realizing there are limits to his own competitive longevity, this decision will (thankfully) prevent Dice from competing beyond a realistic time frame.

More than a few athletes have tried to hold on for too long, only to end up (eventually) retiring feeling somewhat unfulfilled and dissatisfied.
Here’s wishing Dice all the best! He will be missed.

 

[kittyjake5]

I just watched the video so sad. Good Luck Dice and Thank You!

 

[rosewood]

Best of the wishes for Dice's next stage of his life!
I somewhat hope he'll join Mura in Mao's Thanks Tour or the next tour she's planning.

 

[livetoskate]

Yes, I hope he can join Mao's show too! In an article about him from 2015, Dice says that he got to know Mao and her mother when Mao was training in Lake Arrowhead, and Mrs. Asada was always supportive of him and encouraged him to compete for Japan. Dice has also referred to Takahito Mura as a friend since their junior days. If Mao continues having her tour, that would be wonderful to see Dice skating there. I'm a fan of his YouTube channel. He seems like such a nice guy, and I hope he feels satisfied with his skating career and enjoys a great future.

 

[rosewood]

Machida is invited to Japan Open and Carnival on Ice (gala) as a guest skater. He announced on his official site today that he retires from shows as of the end of these two events. He'll focus on studies after the retirement.
http://tatsuki-machida.com/news/index.html#20180615_coi

 

[Sylvia]

@rosewood, I've re-posted your link and comment in Tatsuki Machida's fan/appreciation thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/the-tatsuki-machida-thread.92364/page-3#post-5374247
@seabm7 also started a news thread in GSD.

Jack Gallagher referenced a Rika Kihira article on his Twitter about her decision to skate senior internationally in 2018-19 -- here it is: https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/201806120000847.html
I believe (from the machine translation) that Kihira originally was planning to return to the JGP for a third season but because the 3A is not allowed in the Junior Ladies SP, she decided to move up. The article also says Kihira is practicing a 4S.

A Japanese official is quoted as saying "There will be a domestic preliminary round of junior athletes at the end of this month [for JGP selection, I assume?], but Kihira will not come out."

She's #27 on last season's ISU SB so is likely to get at least one Grand Prix event.

 

[rosewood]

Jack Gallagher referenced a Rika Kihira article on his Twitter about her decision to skate senior internationally in 2018-19 -- here it is: https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/201806120000847.html
I believe (from the machine translation) that Kihira originally was planning to return to the JGP for a third season but because the 3A is not allowed in the Junior Ladies SP, she decided to move up. The article also says Kihira is practicing a 4S.

A small nitpicking. The Japanese article in your post said skating in Jr field for a third season was "one of the choices". Judging by reading this article it seems she did not have any clear idea or a plan.

According to this Japanese article published today, adding to 4S she practices 4T too. She says "I'm practicing 4T a lot too. It's getting better. I wish I'll have 4T finished during this season." The article also says her new FS is to be 'Beautiful Storm' which has sounds of thunders and waves in it. She plans to do 4T or 3A-3T as the opening jump(s). And then it will be followed by 3A, 3Lo, 3Lz-3T, 3F, 3Lz-2T-2Lo and 3S in the order. But it can depend on rule changes. She'll work with David Willson for SP choreography but hasn't decided the music yet (at the point of this interview was done). Her ultimate goal is to win a gold at Beijin Olys.
https://sports.yahoo.co.jp/column/detail/201806060004-spnavi?p=2

 

[kittyjake5]

Looking forward to seeing Kihira on the senior circuit. She has quite an arsenal of jumps.

 

[livetoskate]

Dice Murakami has another video up following his retirement announcement. The retirement video now has English subtitles, btw.

So, I'm not really sure what he's saying in this video, but based on the comments, it must be about his personal struggles and eating disorders. Can anyone translate? Thank you!

https://youtu.be/sbjITjFqL6s

 

[nimi]

IFS mag story about Dice retiring: https://www.ifsmagazine.com/daisuke-murakami-retires/

“This summer I am just going to enjoy myself and move on from the skaters’ mentality of ‘what’s next?’ I need to take some time. In a way, I feel like I am having a Daisuke Takahashi moment like when he went to New York for a year after he retired. I have been so consumed with skating and I have always been told what to do. Now, for the first time in my life I get to do what I want to do. I need to find clarity.

“I know there are going to be offers and opportunities coming my way, but I did not want to jump into anything right away. For the first time I did not bring my skates to Toronto. I just wanted to have some time and, for the first time in my life, I want to sit back and analyze everything and find myself again.”

 

[el henry]

Dice Murakami has another video up following his retirement announcement. The retirement video now has English subtitles, btw.

So, I'm not really sure what he's saying in this video, but based on the comments, it must be about his personal struggles and eating disorders. Can anyone translate? Thank you!

https://youtu.be/sbjITjFqL6s

It does appear from the comments in the video that Dice said he had/has an eating disorder. So sad, if true. But I understand no Japanese and don't know what he is saying.

I second the request for a translator.

 

[rosewood]

@livetoskate & @el henry, not a translation but a summary of the eating disorder part I posted on his retirement thread for you (here).

 

[rosewood]

Rika Kihira's new FS 'Beautiful Storm' from Fantasy on Ice in Kobe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di_PagSNQmk

 

[rosewood]

THE 30TH ANNUAL SKATE JAPAN 2018 WITH MAO ASADA SPECIAL TROPHY will be held on June 23-24. It's an event organized by ISI Asia.
https://isiasia.org/event/sjp18/

Mao Asada Special Trophy:
https://isiasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sjp18-ann.pdf

Mao is promoting Skate Japan 2018 with Mao Asada Trophy in her Instagram story. The competition is undergoing. It'll be aired tomorrow by Asahi TV.

___

Selection criterias for 2018-2019 international competitions were published by the fed today.
https://skatingjapan.or.jp/image_data/fck/file/2018/180622_FS_Senkokijun.pdf

 

[Jeschke]

Selection criterias for 2018-2019 international competitions were published by the fed today.
https://skatingjapan.or.jp/image_data/fck/file/2018/180622_FS_Senkokijun.pdf

Can you maybe summarize/translate?

 

[Marco]

She plans to do 4T or 3A-3T as the opening jump(s). And then it will be followed by 3A, 3Lo, 3Lz-3T, 3F, 3Lz-2T-2Lo and 3S in the order.

The rules only allow repeating 2 triples, and she is repeating axel, lutz and toe. I believe there is some sort of plan A / plan B involved.

 

[nimi]

interview translation on tumblr: Daisuke, Takahiko & Nobunari (3BK) Interview on QuadAxel Pt. 1/2

The Vancouver Team: An everlasting bond

Daisuke Takahashi, Nobunari Oda and Takahiko Kozuka, eternal friends and rivals who helped popularize the sport, discuss the first time they met, their memories of the Vancouver Olympics, future plans for their skating careers. [summarized intro]

(pt. 2 of the translation "coming soon")

 

[Marco]

I just feel so bad for Oda that he was never able to skate his best at Worlds like Takahashi and Kozuka did. He was a great skater.

 

[livetoskate]

Thanks, nimi! Great article. Looking forward to part 2.

 

[Sylvia]

Team Japan's Grand Prix assignments as published today by the ISU:

LADIES (maximum of 18 spots received):
Satoko Miyahara - Skate America & NHK
Wakaba Higuchi - Skate Canada & Russia
Kaori Sakamoto - Skate America & Finland
Mai Mihara - NHK & France
Marin Honda - Skate America & France
Yura Matsuda - Skate Canada & Russia [ISU SB 23 from CS Lombardia Trophy in Sept. 2017]
Mako Yamashita - Skate Canada & Russia (GP debut for the 2018 Jr. World bronze medalist)
Rika Kihira - France (GP debut)
Yuna Shiraiwa - Finland
Rika Hongo - Finland
1 TBD at NHK

MEN (10 spots):
Yuzuru Hanyu - Finland & Russia
Shoma Uno - Skate Canada & NHK
Kazuki Tomono - Skate Canada & Russia
Keiji Tanaka - Finland & France
Hiroaki Sato - NHK
1 TBD at NHK

DANCE:
Kana Muramoto/Chris Reed - NHK & Russia
Misato Komatsubara/Tim Koleto - NHK

PAIR:
Miu Suzaki/Ryuichi Kihara - NHK

 

[Marco]

Good for Mako getting 2 spots before Rika does. I hope Rika gets the host pick.

 

[Bellanca]

I'd be surprised if Rika did not get the host pick. That seems like it should be a given. And what an incredible and impressive powerhouse Japan’s ladies' discipline is quickly becoming... Russia and Japan - Yowza!

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm beginning to feel like this season might be a complete barn burner!

 

[Dobre]

I'd be surprised if Rika did not get the host pick.

Seems very likely with her result from Nationals. But they could send her/Shiraiwa/Hongo to the Asian Open and let them fight it out if they want. It's being held in early August. Kihira, Shiraiwa, and Sakamoto all went last season.

 

[nimi]

Meagan Duhamel tweeted a pic with Miura/Ichihashi and this:

New job: Coach assistant #newrole #newsummertraining #rikushoya

Ichihashi was born in Nov 1997, so this is their last eligible jr season. (Miura was b. in 2001.) They'll probably do both the JGP and some sr comps like 4CC this season like they did last season.

(I've only seen them skate in 4CC last year and they looked like a very pleasant & promising team, esp. in SP, but didn't have a 3Tw yet and had some issues with lifts and death spirals.)

Now that Narumi Takahashi has retired and Suto/Boudreau-Audet have split, I think M/I are the only Japanese pair besides Suzaki/Kihara. Unless Ryo Shibata has a new partner.

 

[nimi]

interview translation on tumblr: Daisuke, Takahiko & Nobunari (3BK) Interview on QuadAxel Pt. 1/2

(pt. 2 of the translation "coming soon")

Now that Dai has announced he's planning a competitive comeback (thread here, his official statement in English here) it's good time to post this: Daisuke, Takahiko & Nobunari (3BK) Interview on QuadAxel Pt.2/2

And now what will it be like for you three to perform at Prince Ice World as professional skaters?

Dai: It’s been several years since I retired, and I started walking many different paths. But at the end of the day, skating is my foundation. Even today, I was watching these two practice on the ice and thinking, “Damn, they’re doing some impressive things,” and that encouraged me to try harder, too. Since retiring, our ranges of interpretation have been changing in all sorts of ways, so watching them skate again it’s like, “In all these years, they’ve grown so much!” That’s why I feel like this show is going to be a motivator for me, just thinking “I need to work hard to keep up with them.”

Dai: LOL. Well, I don’t know what I’m gonna do yet.

Nobu: It might take you another 4 years lol. [playfully] Excuse me, but while you’re finding your next path, could you just give us a long-term plan? Lol

Dai: But I only just returned to skating lol.

Nobu: Right, yes, you’ve finally found your way back to your roots.

Dai (looking at both of them): I’ll keep learning from my senpai* who have their roles in society figured out. The time I spent away from skating was long, so…

Nobu: He’s the type to come to a conclusion only after he tries lots of different things; it takes him a bit longer, so please just be patient with him!

ETA & ICYMI: a little snippet of Dai's new program
https://twitter.com/FSIgstories/status/1011423112645218304

 

[Sylvia]

The NHK report linked in the Daisuke Takahashi comeback news thread mentioned he has been practicing since April and plans to compete in a Regional competition (Kinki) in October to qualify for the All Japan Championship in December.

Selection criterias for 2018-2019 international competitions were published by the fed today.
https://skatingjapan.or.jp/image_data/fck/file/2018/180622_FS_Senkokijun.pdf

Thank you. Link to Google translation

 

[nimi]

https://twitter.com/europeonice/status/1013693024428331009

Congratulations to Yuzuru Hanyu on receiving the People’s Honour Award presented by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo earlier today.

Hanyu is the youngest ever sole recipient and the first ever figure skater to be conferred with the award.

article & news clip in English: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180702_22/

Hanyu attended the ceremony wearing a traditional Japanese outfit made of silk from Sendai, the city he is from.

Abe wished him further success. In response, Hanyu said he will work hard to prepare for his next event.