Japanese figure skating 2018-19 season news & updates

[all_empty]

I am still amazed by that clip of Oda.
Her successful junior years are alredy 7,8yrs gone, one GP and mid-field JPN nationals results afterwards. No international comeptitions since 2015.
To push yourself still 4yrs later from that

Oba has always been solid with the "easier" triples. She was doing 2A+3T, 2A+3Lo, 3S+3T as a junior. The 3F and 3Lz were always a bit iffier for her. The problem is she never worked on her posture or presentation, which was junior level or below.

The 3A is great to have, but you need the rest.

Even Ayaka Hosada, who's been at it even longer, could only place 8th at Japanese Nationals with three clean 3As!

 

[Sylvia]

This pre-WTT article (published April 10) on Komatsubara/Koleto in Japanese states on page 3 that Tim "plans to apply for naturalization in November 2019": https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20190410-00010001-asapostv-spo

 

[Ka3sha]

In her recent interview Liza Tuktamysheva said that Satoko was landing triple axels during SOI tour and Liza even helped her a little bit with this jump

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ Thanks, @Ka3sha - here's the relevant excerpt:

Liza, you are in the club of girls who jump triple Axel: Japanese Rika Kihira and others. See how they do it?

-- Of course. Kihira has a slightly different technique for this jump. I would say Japanese technique. I saw Satoko ride around and do a triple axel on the show. Kaori Sakamoto ... They all make this jump about equally. I even helped Satoko a little with the triple axel on the show. I like to prompt and help.

Re-posting the link to Jack Gallagher's latest article here:

Moa Iwano (JPN junior lady)--both programs to be choreographed by Benoit Richaud
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports...clusive-benoit-richaud-choreograph-moa-iwano/

 

[rosewood]

Thanx for the post! No twitter reports from SOI audience said Satoko did 3A in the show, so probably she practiced 3A in the rehearsals during the tour like she did during a rehearsal of Worlds' gala. It's also interesting to see Liza named Kaori, but I can't get the nuance of her interview in Russian. Do you think Liza also saw Kaori practicing 3A during the tour, @Ka3sha? (Kaori was a guest skater in SOI.)

 

[Sylvia]

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...s-design-for-new-hanyu-monument-unveiled.html

Reigning Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu delighted fans on Saturday by taking part in a ceremony in his hometown of Sendai to unveil the design of a new monument celebrating the superstar Japanese figure skater.
Six hundred lucky lottery winners picked from among some 20,000 applicants were permitted inside the venue and got a glimpse of the 24-year-old, who appeared in a suit and tie instead of his familiar rock star-style skating costume.
The 2.3-meter tall, 1.6-meter wide monument depicting his trademark "Seimei" pose performed at the 2018 Olympics will be located near the south exit of Kokusai Center station on the Sendai municipal subway Tozai Line next to another commemorating his 2014 Olympic title. The unveiling ceremony is scheduled for April 29.

 

[feraina]

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...s-design-for-new-hanyu-monument-unveiled.html

Wow. Can you imagine something like that for Michelle Kwan or another American skating star in the US? Surreal.

 

[Ka3sha]

It's also interesting to see Liza named Kaori, but I can't get the nuance of her interview in Russian. Do you think Liza also saw Kaori practicing 3A during the tour, @Ka3sha? (Kaori was a guest skater in SOI.)

It looks like Kaori was also practicing triple axel, but Liza didn't specify

 

[rosewood]

It looks like Kaori was also practicing triple axel, but Liza didn't specify

Thanks! Coach Nakano in an interview sounded serious about encouraging Kaori to do 3A next season so I was curious about the info. (She got stress fracture in her landing leg when she was a junior. It was when she was practicing 3A. Seems she continued practicing 3A from time to time even after the injury but never intensively. This season she said she didn't want to do 3A since she wanted to be consistent due to the +5-5 GOE rule changes.) Looks now Kaori is back motivated to get 3A in her arsenal. We'll see.

 

[Sylvia]

April 2018 interview with Shingo Nishiyama, then around 15, about his training at the Cricket club in Toronto: http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=interviews&id=2018shingonishiyama

ETA: He withdrew from the Junior Men's event at the Tokyo Regional in Oct. 2018.

Nishiyama announced at the end of last year on his IG that he would be trying ice dance in addition to singles skating: https://www.instagram.com/p/BsD2tJFBd-M/
Photo with his partner and Scott Moir in February 2019: https://www.instagram.com/p/BuMF4MjnuHv/
Romain Haguenauer has choreographed their free dance - his partner's first name is Utana and they are coached by Andrew Hallam at the Cricket club: https://www.instagram.com/p/BuRYxrLh6P3/

 

[rosewood]

April 2018 interview with Shingo Nishiyama, then around 15, about his training at the Cricket club in Toronto: http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=interviews&id=2018shingonishiyama

ETA: He withdrew from the Junior Men's event at the Tokyo Regional in Oct. 2018.

Nishiyama announced at the end of last year on his IG that he would be trying ice dance in addition to singles skating: https://www.instagram.com/p/BsD2tJFBd-M/
Photo with his partner and Scott Moir in February 2019: https://www.instagram.com/p/BuMF4MjnuHv/
Romain Haguenauer has choreographed their free dance - his partner's first name is Utana and they are coached by Andrew Hallam at the Cricket club: https://www.instagram.com/p/BuRYxrLh6P3/

That 'Utana' must be Utana YOSHIDA from Yoshida/Sugiyama. They won Novice Nationals in October 2016. And in November the fed gave them a spot for Jr Nationals. They were 2nd in FD and it was sort of a big splash in Japanese ice dance. Next year they won Mentor Torun Cup in Novice field. It made them selected on Team Japan in 2017-2018 season. But just after they were given a spot for JPGS, they split.

All in all Utana looks promising as a Japanese ice dancer. I also think
Takumi SUGIYAMA (who was Utana's ex partner) was a good ice dancer. He was 14th at West Japan Sectionals in Jr field as a singles skater this season. I wish Sugiyama will go back to ice dance if he's motivated again someday.

Utana is from the club where Keiji Tanaka trains as well as Daisuke Takahashi used to train. (BTW, it's also the rink where Mirai once traind for a short term to work with Mura's dad.)

Here is a fan blog of Shingo Nishiyama (in Japanese). This page tells about Utana in detail.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/shingo_n_sk8er/archives/14400093.html

ETA:
Seems Cathy Reed visits the club from time to time and helps ice dancers there these years.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqSIBRVhGJP/

 

[rosewood]

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20190425-00000080-jij-spo
Today the federation announced Team Japan members. Nine skaters including Hanyu, Uno, Takahashi D, Kihira, Sakamoto, Miyahara are selected as 'special athletes'. Marin Honda is out of Team Japan.

Other members will be published before long.

 

[rosewood]

Re Honda out of the team and Takahashi back on the team
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20190425-00000050-asahi-spo
Kobayashi from JSF said "[Honda] was not selected since she didn't meet any selection criteria. That said there is a selection meeting (for the GPS event [=NHK])." Kobayashi indicated that there still will be possibilities for Honda to be sent to international competition(s). As for Takahashi, she said "He's now on the off-mode. He said he'll talk with his coaches and trainer (about his future plan) after the national holidays."

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Thanx for the post! No twitter reports from SOI audience said Satoko did 3A in the show, so probably she practiced 3A in the rehearsals during the tour like she did during a rehearsal of Worlds' gala. It's also interesting to see Liza named Kaori, but I can't get the nuance of her interview in Russian. Do you think Liza also saw Kaori practicing 3A during the tour, @Ka3sha? (Kaori was a guest skater in SOI.)

No surprises if Kaori is working on a triple Axel. Her double Axel in person is huge, powerful, and carries a lot of distance.

 

[rosewood]

Twitter report from Sportsnippon writer
https://twitter.com/sponichiyamato/status/1121296475479138305

Team Japan members
Special: Uno, Takahashi, Tanaka, Hanyu, Sakamoto, Kihira, Miyahara, Mihara, Higuchi
A: Tomono, Shimada, Kagiyama, Tsuboi, Kishina, Sato S, Yamashita, Yokoi, Hosoda, Araki, Kawabata, Shiraiwa
B: Yamamoto, Yamakuma, Nakamura, Miyake, Sumoto, Miura, Matsubara, Watanabe, Aoki, Naganawa, Iwano, Matsuike
Pairs A: Miura/Ichihashi
Ice Dance A: Komatsubara/Koleto

 

[all_empty]

Twitter report from Sportsnippon writer
https://twitter.com/sponichiyamato/status/1121296475479138305

Team Japan members
Special: Uno, Takahashi, Tanaka, Hanyu, Sakamoto, Kihira, Miyahara, Mihara, Higuchi
A: Tomono, Shimada, Kagiyama, Tsuboi, Kishina, Sato S, Yamashita, Yokoi, Hosoda, Araki, Kawabata, Shiraiwa
B: Yamamoto, Yamakuma, Nakamura, Miyake, Sumoto, Miura, Matsubara, Watanabe, Aoki, Naganawa, Iwano, Matsuike
Pairs A: Miura/Ichihashi
Ice Dance A: Komatsubara/Koleto

A shame about Honda. So much talent. She's only 17 and hopefully she will be inspired in the upcoming season. She had my favorite programs of the year.

Shiraiwa didn't have bad results last year (4th/5th in competitive GP fields, 5th at JW) but I guess she didn't hit whatever criteria they need for Special Team.

Nice to see Hosada there -- her 3A at nationals were spectacular.

 

[clairecloutier]

I can understand why Marin Honda isn't on the top-ranked Special team, but I wonder why she isn't on team A or B. (Is the JSF trying to discourage her from continuing?)

 

[rosewood]

For a reference, here is an old selection criteria for 'strengthening athlete' (=Team Japan) which was published in 2012. A few years ago some parts of the criteria changed and now skaters can't be selected based on spots for GP events. *Instead, judging based on skaters who were selected these past 2-3 years, medalists at JW can be selected as Special, and skaters who got a spot for JW can be selected as A.
https://skatingjapan.or.jp/image_data/EVENT/2017_2.pdf

Special:
a) Medalists at Nationals
b) Skaters who got 2 spots for GP events (this one has been eliminated as I explained above)
c) There is a possibility that a skater who has as good SB as the a)-b) skaters'.
*) Medalists at Jr Worlds

A:
a) 8th or higher at Nationals
b) Medalists at Jr Nationals
c) Skaters who got one spot for a GP event
d) There is a possibility that a skater who has as good SB as the a)-c) skaters'.
*) Skaters who competed at JW

B:
a) 12th or higher at Nationals
b) 8th or higher at Jr Nationals
c) Skaters who were given a spot for a Jr GP event or designated as a promising up-coming skater at the selection meeting to be held during the national summer camp.
d) There is a possibility that a skater who has as good SB as the a)-c) skaters'.

___
It's sad but it's true that Marin doesn't meet any criteria. But as I posted above, the fed's Kobayashi mentioned that there is a possibility for Marin to be sent to an international competition which is NHK Trophy by winning a spot at the selection meeting for the host spot. I remember Ando was allowed to compete in two B comps in her comeback season due to the reason that she was "invited" by the host country. The path can be available for Marin, too, I guess. I also remembered that Mao placed 12th at her final Nationals. It was sorta message from the fed.

ETA:
Among the skaters who were on the team, Rika Hongo and Hiroaki Sato don't meet any criteria and they are out of the team this time, too.

 

[Wyliefan]

I had forgotten Marin placed so low at nationals. It's a pity. She's so darn talented, I hope she gets it together one of these days.

 

[Sylvia]

Tim Koleto shared a series of 7 photos (Midori Ito in #5 ) and 1 video of flower stands on his IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bws4982HOzJ/
Shizuka Arakawa with Midori: https://twitter.com/tiramisu11/status/1121536530739163137

This was the 90th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Japan Skating Federation and 2018 Award Ceremony in Tokyo (Shinagawa).

Twitter report from Sportsnippon writer
https://twitter.com/sponichiyamato/status/1121296475479138305

Team Japan members
Special: Uno, Takahashi, Tanaka, Hanyu, Sakamoto, Kihira, Miyahara, Mihara, Higuchi
A: Tomono, Shimada, Kagiyama, Tsuboi, Kishina, Sato S, Yamashita, Yokoi, Hosoda, Araki, Kawabata, Shiraiwa
B: Yamamoto, Yamakuma, Nakamura, Miyake, Sumoto, Miura, Matsubara, Watanabe, Aoki, Naganawa, Iwano, Matsuike
Pairs A: Miura/Ichihashi
Ice Dance A: Komatsubara/Koleto

Thanks, @rosewood. Can you let us know when the 2019-20 Team Japan athletes list is published by JSF? Last year the 2018-19 Team Japan athletes list was published online by JSF on April 26, 2018 and the new season thread (this one) was started not long after that.

ETA Senior & Junior Nationals placements for the singles skaters:

Special: Uno [S1], Takahashi [S2], Tanaka [S3], Hanyu / Sakamoto [S1], Kihira [S2], Miyahara [S3], Mihara [S4], Higuchi [S5]
A:
Men: Tomono [S4], Shimada [S5/J3], Kagiyama [S6/J5], Tsuboi [S7/J1], Kishina [S8/J4], Sato S [S12/J2]
Ladies: Yamashita [S6], Yokoi [S7/J1], Hosoda [S8], Araki [S13/J2], Kawabata [S10/J3], Shiraiwa [S9]
B:
Men: Yamamoto [S9], Yamakuma [S10], Nakamura [S11], Miyake [S17/J6], Sumoto [J7], Miura [J8]
Ladies: Matsubara [S11], Watanabe [S18/J4], Aoki [S14/J5], Naganawa [S12/J6], Iwano [J7], Matsuike [J8]

ETA #2:

"With the long season now over, Ice Time [Jack Gallagher] has collated a top 10 list of the best performances by Japanese skaters during the 2018-19 campaign." https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/04/25/figure-skating/hanyu-tops-best-efforts-japan-skaters-season

...
10. Ayaka Hosoda — Japan Championships (Free Skate) [<-- click link to watch]

After landing a triple axel in her short program, Hosoda wowed the crowd with two more in her free skate on a magical night. The then 23-year-old showed that even with a technically difficult jump, it is mind over matter.

It was an incredible achievement in the biggest domestic competition of the season and one that will be long remembered for a skater who had posted mostly mediocre results in her long career.

 

[rosewood]

@Sylvia, it's just published on the fed's site.
https://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/image_data/fck/file/2019/2019FS190425.pdf

Adding to the skaters who were on the twitter report, Jingu Ice Messengers was selected as Synchronized B.

 

[Marco]

I hope Marin can shine next season. She will have been with Raf for a solid amount of time come next season and the technique will likely have settled in. I hope she does well domestically or while under monitoring to warrant some fall international assignments.

 

[Stephanie]

If Marin isn't on the national team does this mean that the JSF won't submit her name to the ISU for consideration for a GP? She's #32 on the SB list so would have a pretty good shot at at least one assignment.

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ "Yoshiko Kobayashi, Director of the Federation, explained that dispatching to international competitions such as the GP series is not being eliminated" - this machine translation seems to indicate Marin Honda's name will be submitted for GP consideration?

Re Honda out of the team and Takahashi back on the team
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20190425-00000050-asahi-spo
Kobayashi from JSF said "[Honda] was not selected since she didn't meet any selection criteria. That said there is a selection meeting (for the GPS event [=NHK])." Kobayashi indicated that there still will be possibilities for Honda to be sent to international competition(s). As for Takahashi, she said "He's now on the off-mode. He said he'll talk with his coaches and trainer (about his future plan) after the national holidays."

Daisuke Takahashi has yet to decide if he will compete in international competitions next season, according to this article: https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20190425-00000100-dal-spo

 

[Tinami Amori]

Rika Kihira receives "Best Skater of the Year" award from The Japan Skating Federation ....

https://sun1-83.userapi.com/c852236/v852236544/10ea9d/-7OCRCA811A.jpg
https://www.daily.co.jp/general/2019/04/25/0012275524.shtml

 

[rosewood]

Rika Kihira receives "Best Skater of the Year" award from The Japan Skating Federation ....

https://sun1-83.userapi.com/c852236/v852236544/10ea9d/-7OCRCA811A.jpg
https://www.daily.co.jp/general/2019/04/25/0012275524.shtml

Shame it's actually not. The article you posted says Rika received 'Skater of the Year award' from the figure skating division of the Tokyo regional sports journalist club.


It's Shoma Uno who received the MVP of the year award from JOC, named 'JOC Trophy', together with Miho Takagi (speed skating).
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20190425/k10011896611000.html

I can't confirm what award they received but I can recognize other skaters in the NHK's photo of the award ceremony held by JSF - Kaori Sakamoto, Mai Mihara, Keiji Tanaka, Komatsubara/Koleto and Miura/Ichihashi. Reportedly Hanyu didn't participate in the ceremony due to a camp out of Japan.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Shame it's actually not. The article you posted says Rika received 'Skater of the Year award' from the figure skating division of the Tokyo regional sports journalist club.


It's Shoma Uno who received the MVP of the year award from JOC, named 'JOC Trophy', together with Miho Takagi (speed skating).
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20190425/k10011896611000.html

I can't confirm what award they received but I can recognize other skaters in the NHK's photo of the award ceremony held by JSF - Kaori Sakamoto, Mai Mihara, Keiji Tanaka, Komatsubara/Koleto and Miura/Ichihashi. Reportedly Hanyu didn't participate in the ceremony due to a camp out of Japan.

ooops! sorry....... help me out, what does this means in Japanese? 日本スケート連盟は

 

[rosewood]

ooops! sorry....... help me out, what does this means in Japanese? 日本スケート連盟は

日本スケート連盟 = the Japan skating federation

The first sentence "日本スケート連盟は２５日、都内で１８－１９年の優秀選手と功労者の表彰式を行った。" means "The Japan skating federation held the 2018-2019 season's award ceremony for valuable athletes and the people who did outstanding contribution to this sport in Tokyo on April 25th."

And the following sentence "東京運動記者クラブ・スケート分科会が選出するスケーター・オブ・ザ・イヤーには紀平梨花（１６）＝関大ＫＦＳＣ＝が選ばれた。" means "Rika Kihira (16 yo, Kansai Uni KFSC) was selected as the Skater of the Year by the skating division of the Tokyo regional sports journalist club."

Congrats to Rika! It's nice she was awarded a prize after the bitter-sweet debut season in the senior field.

ETA:
On the article you posted Rika said in the interview that her goal for next season is to get as good consistency on quad as Russian skaters who already do quads in competitions. For that purpose she'll focus on only one type quad at first. She also said the most important competition of the season is Worlds. And the writer closes the article with a sentence "This season she ended up 4th at Worlds but aims at the top of the podium next season."

 

[Tinami Amori]

Rika, Kaori, Satoko - plans for the upcoming season.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwyzaxdH86W/

 

[Sylvia]

Romain Haguenauer has choreographed their free dance - his [Shingo Nishiyama's] partner's first name is Utana and they are coached by Andrew Hallam at the Cricket club: https://www.instagram.com/p/BuRYxrLh6P3/

That 'Utana' must be Utana YOSHIDA from Yoshida/Sugiyama. They won Novice Nationals in October 2016. And in November the fed gave them a spot for Jr Nationals. They were 2nd in FD and it was sort of a big splash in Japanese ice dance. Next year they won Mentor Torun Cup in Novice field. It made them selected on Team Japan in 2017-2018 season. But just after they were given a spot for JPGS, they split.
...
Here is a fan blog of Shingo Nishiyama (in Japanese). This page tells about Utana in detail.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/shingo_n_sk8er/archives/14400093.html

Thanks for the extra info/links, @rosewood! Shingo and Utana worked with Megan Wing & Aaron Lowe last month in Vancouver on their RD so they must be planning to skate at the junior level: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwuO2r7FMvZ/

Rika Kihira article in English (May 5): https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...ar-kihira-eyes-repeat-of-stunning-season.html

The teenager said she hopes to include one quad to her free program in addition to one triple axel, with one in the first half of the routine and the other later. She also revealed that she takes Japan's double Olympic men's champ Yuzuru Hanyu's "beautiful" quad jumps as a model to emulate.
"I want to be able to nail a quad jump before the start of next season," she said. "I need to build up not only my core strength but my lower body as well."
"(Hanyu's) jumps have a flow to them with no wasted energy."

ETA:

Ayaka Hosoda article in Japanese (May 4): https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/column/we-love-sports/news/201905030001011.html
She landed two 3A in her FS at Nationals (8th place) and qualified for the national team (Team A) for the first time at the age of 24.

Jack Gallagher's feature article on Ayaka Hosoda, published in late February: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports...-content-triple-axel-achievement-hopes-skate/

“I’m willing to keep skating if the Japan Skating Federation gives me assignments to international competition,” Hosoda declared.
To earn international assignments from the JSF, Hosoda would have to be designated as a “Special Selection Athlete” for the 2019-20 season by the governing body. The JSF has three levels for the category — a top level, then “A” and “B” classifications.
Based on her performance and achievement at nationals, it seems almost academic that she will receive the special designation.
Hosoda, who cites world champion Nathan Chen and Sochi Olympic bronze medalist Carolina Kostner as current skaters she admires, seemed surprised when informed that there had been much interest in her from the skating community outside of Japan after the nationals.
“I’m glad to hear that. I was at nationals with a completely different position from Satoko (Miyahara) or Rika (Kihira), so I was just happy for the result I got,” Hosoda commented.