2020 Japan Nationals - Ladies FS

[Jeschke]

Not the way I wanted Nagai to bow out.
But her SP was such a great farewell skate for her (and I will just ignore the FS after from now on).
I absolute loved the japanese audience, giving her standing ovations in both segments, knowing this will be her goodbye.
Really nice, that FujiTV brought her FS to start the later groups coverage too.

Thanks Yuka! Seeing you skate live once at your very best was one of my biggest skating treats so far.
So smooth and effortless. You will be deeply missed.
Farewell!

 

[mtnskater]

Thanks to those who have posted the performances on YouTube! After some of the comments here I expected to be really wowed by Rika’s free, but I was wasn’t unfortunately. Yes the quad salchow was lovely, but for me the program was devoid of choreography and transitions. When you compare to the Russian ladies this seemed bare. Plus I had a real hard time getting over the fuzzy, sloppy over the boot tights. So Junior looking. The dress was so lovely and delicate but the tights killed it. Just a big pet peeve for me for a senior lady. My favorite thing about her skating is the lightness and floaty jumps. The triple axel was short.

Kaori is not my cup of tea at all. So devoid of line or stretch or good posture. But I love her power and I really like this program on her. And who doesn’t like the slice spiral at the judges. Fierce Move!

Satoko! Wow, now she is my cup of tea small jumps aside! First of all that red dress is the best ladies costume of the season! Stunning! Second, now that IS choreography beautifully delivered with emotion and conviction. No she will not win titles with those jumps but I sure love her in the mix to remind us what artistry can be in figure skating.

 

[honey]

I know Satoko had some jump issues, but I do think her work with Lee Barkell is showing progress and I hope she pushes through. Especially in the short, I felt that was the first time she really jumped for the lutz, instead of just spinning right off the toe. The jumps are not there yet, but I feel like she can get there eventually. Of course at this point that's still not enough to be competitive with the quadsters...The rest of her skating is perfection though.

Thought Rika's programs were a large step up from last year, but I still prefer her 2018/2019 free skate to this one. She should bring that back for the olympics.

 

[Wyliefan]

Satoko's red dress was beautiful, but I REALLY loved her SP dress. Those deep blues and greens are gorgeous.

 

[Tak]

Some additional information from that exclusive interview:
Satoko Miyahara: Showed tape of initial interview after her LP skate, where she said "This has been such a difficult season...(chokes and starts to weep)" and the interviewer asks what was going through your mind. Satoko replied that "It was such a difficult season for me. I thought about all the kind support afforded to me, and I could not hold back the tears." The interviewer kept asking about jumps but she only gave only non-commital answer "Jumps are not my strength. It could be improved." Then the interviewer asked about spin and steps, since she was the only one to achieve level 4 on every element in SP and FS. She replied "Apart from jumps, I really worked on spins. I needed to improve rotational speed and positions. I am pleased to have been able to show the results from my training."
Kaori Sakamoto: The interviewer asked about her change of costume for Matrix. Kaori replied "The previous costume was made of material which does not let the air through or stretch. It was very uncomfortable. When they opened up the back, WOW, it was so much better. This time the front was opened up a bit. It feels much more comfortable, now."
Not this interview but my favorite Kaori Sakamoto interview response, was when press asked why she switched from championship swimming to figure skating. She answered "Because I liked to....breathe!"
Rika Kihira: The interviewer asked about switching the final jump from 3Lz to 2A while they were showing her FS again. She replied "The pain that I had for the Lz, returned yesterday...(the tape showed her final spin) what a crappy and wobbly spin that was! "(giggles)
They were all asked since they must have had much more free time, was there new hobbies they picked up. Satoko said she got really interested in making Cafe Latte. Kaori said she got herself knee deep in watching Korean Love Romance TV shows. Rika said she became interested in some (un-named) youtubers, since she could not understand Swiss TV.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Thanks to those who have posted the performances on YouTube! After some of the comments here I expected to be really wowed by Rika’s free, but I was wasn’t unfortunately. Yes the quad salchow was lovely, but for me the program was devoid of choreography and transitions. When you compare to the Russian ladies this seemed bare. Plus I had a real hard time getting over the fuzzy, sloppy over the boot tights. So Junior looking. The dress was so lovely and delicate but the tights killed it. Just a big pet peeve for me for a senior lady. My favorite thing about her skating is the lightness and floaty jumps. The triple axel was short.

Kaori is not my cup of tea at all. So devoid of line or stretch or good posture. But I love her power and I really like this program on her. And who doesn’t like the slice spiral at the judges. Fierce Move!

Satoko! Wow, now she is my cup of tea small jumps aside! First of all that red dress is the best ladies costume of the season! Stunning! Second, now that IS choreography beautifully delivered with emotion and conviction. No she will not win titles with those jumps but I sure love her in the mix to remind us what artistry can be in figure skating.

Over the boot tights are simply WRONG. They need to be banned!

 

[Wyliefan]

(((Satoko)))

 

[Tak]

I finally had some time to see all the programs.
I would like to congratulate all the medalists for their fine performances, with possible exception of Rika who was frantically trying to correct a program gone wrong. Two come-back skates by Shiraiwa and Mihara were also wonderful, welcome back.
My absolute favorite performance was Yuhana Yokoi "Tom and Jerry" FS. IMHO, this should have been ranked 1-2 in the FS.
Yuhana has a reputation as "Hard Luck" skater. She is right in the middle of very strong age group of skaters in Japan, so it was difficult to get picked to go to international events as Junior. She finally gets several JGPs, then at Armenian event her music stops, due to power outage. She and Shiraiwa is chosen to go to her final Junior Worlds to get three slots back. Shiraiwa skated quite well and gets 5th. Yuhana has a disaster in the SP, but manages a decent FS and ends up getting that "Magical" 9th placement..just one short. Here at JPN Nats, she manages to draw that #1 SP skating order, due to re-draw mandated by JSF mistake. Lack-luster SP with fall on 3flip puts her in second FS group.
IMHO, there are skates, which has a short imaginary announcement before the skate starts, such as all Midori SPs during the compulsories era, Mao Asada free skate at Sochi. The announcement goes like this, "Ladies and gentlemen of judging panel, you have seen the worst of my skating. Now, allow me to show you something FAR BETTER!"
Yuhana's FS was one of them, spectacular, off-beat and filled with unending energy. I could not help myself from doing standing ovation in my living room! At K&C, oblivious to live mike, she was talking with her coaches, "I was so excited after the final 3S/3T/2T combo, I could not help myself to let out a scream..After the skate, I was so excited with my fist pumping and jumping around, I think I hurt my left ankle." Kudos and I really hope all that "Hard Luck" is now behind her.

 

[Frau Muller]

...!"
Yuhana's FS was one of them, spectacular, off-beat and filled with unending energy. I could not help myself from doing standing ovation in my living room! ...

I totally agree. I liked it at NHK Trophy but now it was even better, skated cleanly.

 

[Tak]

The imaginary JPN/RUS Joint Nationals FS were conducted. The TP featured "infamous" Mr Shin Amano as Technical Specialist, and was expected to be strict.
Among the earlier skates, first one to receive standing ovation was Yuhana Yokoi "Tom and Jerry" FS which scored 144.39 (PCS adjustment +10.00), the first to go over 200 total scores.
The TP was active as expected with poor Rika Hongo receiving seven calls...
Eagerly awaited final group started with Usacheva who skated a apparently clean program but her two Lzs received "e" calls.
Trusova was next. She also skated apparently clean program.
Since numerical comparison will be made for top five, please note following RUS/JPN adjustments.
PCS: (-2.0 to -3.0 for RUS skaters)
GOE: (-2.0 for RUS skaters)
TES: (individual performances were assessed assuming JPN TP)
Trusova received following TP calls
second 4Lz (<) (landed RBI skids to RBO)
3F (e)
TES deduction was (-8.0) and combined with GOE/PCS adjustments of (-4.0), resulted in FS score of 158.61.
Sakamoto was next. She also skated apparently clean program but TP assessed "e" for her Lz, resulting in score of 150.31, behind Trusova.
Shcherbakova skated and received full standing ovation. However, TP assessed following calls, 4Lz (!), both 3Lz (e) resulting in TES deduction of (-9.0), combined with GOE/PCS adjustements (-5.0) resulted in score of 169.79.
Valieva also received standing ovation.
TES deduction was 3F "<" and StSq3 (-2.5), combined with GOE/PCS adjustments (-4.0), the score was 167.52.
The final skater was Kihira, who also turned in apparently clean skate, somewhat lacking in emotional impact after "Bolero" by Valieva.
Kihira score was assessed PCS reduction in Performance and Composition (-1.6 combined)
and the score was 153.30.
The historic imaginary Joint Nationals, which featured 8 quads of which seven were landed and 11 Triple Axel attempts, concluded by awarding following Medals;
GOLD Shcherbakova: 244.10
SILVER Valieva: 243.51
BRONZE Kihira: 232.64
PEWTER Trusova: 230.37
Fifth was Sakamoto: 222.17

 

[Tak]

As mentioned in SP thread, my intent was not criticism of individual skaters, but an attempt to see if judging was fair. I would like to make following observations.
1. Balance of Power between Technical Panel and Judging Panel needs fine adjustments
JPN Nationals are either cursed or blessed with
having very assertive Technical Panel. The imaginary Joint RUS/JPN Nationals was an attempt to evaluate "What if" scenario of having such active TP at RUS Nationals. The imaginary TP assessment is based on my judgement and I accept all criticism, since it may have been too harsh.
I found particularly "edge" calls difficult to evaluate. It is worthy to note JPN skaters who did not receive edge calls, Miyahara (though her jumps are small), Mihara and Yokoi. Usually Kihira is included but she did not do Lz in the FS. I was impressed with Valieva because she also did not have edge ambiguities. Under-rotations are much clearer if "slow motion" is applied.
Historically Figure Skating has been judged solely by the Judging Panel. Is it appropriate to have overly active Technical Panel, basically dictating GOE deductions on the Judging Panel?
It is noted that 2019 Worlds Technical Panel was quite lenient, largely letting the Judging Panel to determine the standings.
IMHO, active or lenient, TP must be fair to all competitors either way.
2. Early skaters with "Show-Stopper" skates
This occurred with Yokoi "Tom and Jerry" FS in JPN. The TES was fairly scored but PCS was ridiculously low. This has always been a problem in figure skating that early skaters are relatively low-balled, since judges are not yet aware how good the remaining skaters could be. It may be fair to allow skates in "Show-Stopper" category (judges to request and referee to decide) to be "provisionally scored" and judges be given 3 minutes at the conclusion of SP or FS to allow revisions of PCS for this designated performance only.