On 22nd January, Inter-High Championships were concluded with LP.
The final rank of Women was as follows: (Rank, Name, Total, LP Score, Jump Content)
1. Mao Shimada 214.98 143.16 (3A +2.40, 4T Fall, 3Lz+3T, 3S+3T, 3F+2A+2A, 3lo, 3Lz) Full SO
2. Ami Nakai 190.63 120.71 (2A 2fted, 3lo,3Lz Eu 3S, 2A, 3Lz+3T, 3lo+2T, 3F hand down)
3. Yo Takagi 114.45 171.65 (3Lz+2T, 3lo+2A+2A, 3F, 3T Fall, 3Lz, 3lo, 3T+2T)
4. Haruna Murakami 110.67 164.64 (3Lz, 3S+3T, 3F, 2A, 3S hd+2T, 3lo, 2A+2T+2lo)
5. Ikura Kushda 113.18 161.48 (3Lz+3T, 3S, 2lo, 2A, 3F+2A, 3Lz+2T, 3F)
6. Yurina Okuno 101.11 155.27 (3Lz+3Tq?,3S, 3S+1A, 3lo<2ft, 2A, 3Lz+2T+2lo,2A)
7. Ayumi Nakao 105.56 154.13 (2A+3T+2T,3Lz+3T, 3F, 3S, 3lo<2ft, 3Lzq?+2T, 2A)
8. Minoka Chiba 100.65 149.22 (3F, 3S+2T, 3T+2A, 3S, 3T, 2A+2T+2lo, 2F)
Please note that jump content is based on my notes taken at the rink, so it may include some inaccuracies.
There may have been q, < and edge calls assessed but since it was not possible to see TES box at the rink, it is not listed. Visually tight landings are noted with q?.
I cannot find superlatives to describe Mao Shimada skate. 3A was perfect and with plenty of flow out of it. One newspaper article mentioned this 3A received GOE of +2.40 from usually stingy Japanese Judges. 4T fall was unfortunate, but every other jump looked perfect. This skate really reminded me of Midori Ito circa 1988-90. Mao, just like Midori, has excellent spins as well as spectacular jumps. IMHO, I was lucky enough to see the most technically difficult program (3A and two triple+triple combinations plus 3F+2A+2A seq) in Women's Division, senior included, this season.
Ami Nakai was going for 3A as the initial jump but mistimed it and became somewhat messy 2A. But she did not give up and kudos for going for and nailing 3Lz+3T instead of her usual 3Lz+2A seq since she used two 2A already by that time.
Ikura Kushida came back strong after her weak SP. The verve and attack she showed in the LP was excellent and she changed her jump layout to do two 3Lz and 3F. I was also impressed with Ayumi Nakao who showed similer verve in her skate.
It is noted that Kaoruko Wada is still in Junior High so she did not compete here. However, Mei Okada who did quite well in JGPS and competed here, last year did not compete this year.
Junior High Champioships will be held later, and it is expected that Kaoruko Wada or Sumika Kanazawa will win this year, since Karin Miyazaki is still in primary school.
Since High School and Junior High Championships are considered to be held primarily for "educational" purpose, it was held on Wednesday morning, limiting the number of audience. The venue opened only half the seating capacity (around 500-600) for general spectators. Although it was SRO by the time Mao Shimada skated, the small size of the audience dismayed me, since the skating was definitely World Class!
Yuna NAGAOKA/Sumitada MORIGUCHI 174.20 (FS 116.66)
Miyu YUNOKI/Tristan TAYLOR 138.80 (FS 88.21)
Miyu Yunoki’s post with 8 photos:
Shunsuke NAKAMURA 198.39 (FS 131.47)
- Japan Junior Nationals starting orders/results page in Japanese (30 men, 30 women, 1 pair, 5 ice dance teams): 
