2025 Japan Nationals Women SP & FS

Kaori Sakamoto - final JNats, winner of last 4

La vie en rose/Hymne à l'amour/Non, je ne regrette rien

2A (good)
3F (good)
3Lz-2T
3S (good)
3F-3T
2A-3T-2T (good)
3Lo

Nailed everything!!

Kaori is in tears and so is Wakaba watching her. 😭 😭 😭
Standing-O!

Women really brought it!!

154.93
234.36
1st, champion!! for the 5th time!
Onto Milan!
 
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Awwww, good for Kaori for skating as clean as can be expected with her suspect edges on the 3z & 3f.
 
GOLD (#6!) Kaori Sakamoto Sysmex 234.36 1 1
SILVER Mao Shimada Kinoshita Group 228.08 2 2
BRONZE Mone Chiba Kinoshita Group 216.24 4 4
4 Ami Nakai TOKIO Inkarami 213.56 3 7
5 Yuna Aoki MF Academy 212.00 7 3
6 Mayuko Oka Kinoshita Academy 211.73 5 6
7 Rinka Watanabe Sanwa Kenso/Hosei University 211.52 6 5
8 Wakaba Higuchi Noevir 203.06 8 8
9 Saki Miyake Sysmex 195.49 12 9
10 Mai Mihara Sysmex 190.63 13 11
11 Rino Matsuike Chukyo University 190.20 16 10
12 Mana Kawabe Oriental Bio/Chukyo University 187.36 10 14
13 Maria Egawa Meiji University 187.29 9 15
14 Mei Okada Meito FSC 185.29 18 12
15 Mako Yamashita Chukyo University 183.18 11 16
16 Sumika Kanazawa Kinoshita Academy 181.67 19 13
17 Yo Takagi Solar Life 179.73 15 17
18 Rion Sumiyoshi Oriental Bio/Meiji University 173.19 21 18
19 Kaoruko Wada Chukyo University Chukyo High School 170.90 17 21
20 Ikura Kushida Kinoshita Academy 170.86 22 19
21 Haruna Murakami Kinoshita Academy 170.79 20 20
22 Kei Yamada Kinoshita Academy 158.23 14 23
23 Arisa Kamoi Fukuoka Figure Academy 149.82 23 22
24 Haruka Iwasaki Konan Women's University 145.35 24 24

ETA link to FS protocols: https://www.jsfresults.com/National...----01FNL-000100--_JudgesDetailsperSkater.pdf

1 Kaori Sakamoto Sysmex 154.93 78.44 76.49 9.54 9.57 9.54 0.00 #24
2 Mao Shimada Kinoshita Group 148.75 86.70 63.05 7.86 7.86 7.89 1.00 #23
3 Yuna Aoki MF Academy 142.16 71.48 70.68 8.89 9.04 8.54 0.00 #18
4 Mone Chiba Kinoshita Group 141.64 71.17 70.47 8.86 8.82 8.71 0.00 #21
5 Rinka Watanabe Sanwa Kenso/Hosei University 140.16 76.08 64.08 7.86 8.21 7.93 0.00 #19
6 Mayuko Oka Kinoshita Academy 138.53 77.78 60.75 7.71 7.61 7.43 0.00 #20
7 Ami Nakai TOKIO Inkarami 136.06 71.29 64.77 8.04 8.11 8.11 0.00 #22
8 Wakaba Higuchi Noevir 133.59 67.43 66.16 8.21 8.36 8.21 0.00 #17
9 Saki Miyake Sysmex 132.65 71.90 60.75 7.43 7.61 7.71 0.00 #13
10 Rino Matsuike Chukyo University 128.94 65.15 63.79 7.89 7.82 8.18 0.00 #9
11 Mai Mihara Sysmex 127.86 66.90 60.96 7.43 7.79 7.61 0.00 #12
12 Mei Okada Meito FSC 124.86 68.16 56.70 7.14 6.96 7.14 0.00 #7
13 Sumika Kanazawa Kinoshita Academy 124.58 69.28 55.30 6.82 6.82 7.07 0.00 #6
14 Mana Kawabe Oriental Bio/Chukyo University 123.24 64.72 59.52 7.36 7.43 7.50 1.00 #15
15 Maria Egawa Meiji University 122.53 65.42 57.11 7.00 7.18 7.21 0.00 #16
16 Mako Yamashita Chukyo University 119.75 55.96 63.79 7.89 7.96 8.04 0.00 #14
17 Yo Takagi [Gao Mu ballad] Solar Life 118.11 61.15 57.96 7.14 7.25 7.32 1.00 #10
18 Rion Sumiyoshi Oriental Bio/Meiji University 116.82 60.08 60.74 7.61 7.32 7.82 4.00 #4
19 Ikura Kushida Kinoshita Academy 115.39 58.03 58.36 7.36 7.54 6.96 1.00 #3
20 Haruna Murakami Kinoshita Academy 113.95 60.14 53.81 6.68 6.68 6.79 0.00 #5
21 Kaoruko Wada Chukyo University Chukyo High School 110.08 56.72 54.36 6.68 6.57 7.11 1.00 #8
22 Arisa Kamoi Fukuoka Figure Academy 96.66 50.22 46.44 5.68 5.82 5.89 0.00 #2
23 Kei Yamada Kinoshita Academy 95.92 47.59 48.33 6.00 5.89 6.21 0.00 #11
24 Haruka Iwasaki Konan Women's University 92.22 46.50 46.72 5.75 5.79 5.96 1.00 #1
 
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A few weeks ago people were saying - "I don`t know with Chiba`s PCS, and a few ladies with 3A`s Kaori coud find herself off he (Oly) podium; time to retire old girl" But now I`m thinking who can beat her? Judges seem comfortable with the edge business. Otherwise her techique and skating skills so solid almost always. Might still be able to get her walker up on that top rung.
 
While Kaori skates, Yuna, Mone, and Ami nervously cheer her on from the green room.

https://x.com/ka___skate/status/2002708699291509069

Ami: Gambare (Go for it), Gambare, oh I am so nervous that I feel like dying!
Mone: Hang onto my hands! (they held hands each other)
All three screamed and got relieved at the end.

ETA: it was Yuna who was there - she was very supportive of all skaters.
 
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Wow, seems like a fantastic competition! Kudos to the Japanese callers for being even tougher domestically than internationally (though I still think Sakamoto and Chiba should receive full-blown e's on their lutzes).

Crazy that a GP medalist (Sumiyoshi) was 18th at Nationals, and another GP participant (Yoshida) was 28th and failed to make the free skate.
 
A few weeks ago people were saying - "I don`t know with Chiba`s PCS, and a few ladies with 3A`s Kaori coud find herself off he (Oly) podium; time to retire old girl" But now I`m thinking who can beat her? Judges seem comfortable with the edge business. Otherwise her techique and skating skills so solid almost always. Might still be able to get her walker up on that top rung.
Anyone saying that Kaori should retire before the Olympics are smoking crack to put it mildly.
 
Wow, seems like a fantastic competition! Kudos to the Japanese callers for being even tougher domestically than internationally (though I still think Sakamoto and Chiba should receive full-blown e's on their lutzes).

Crazy that a GP medalist (Sumiyoshi) was 18th at Nationals, and another GP participant (Yoshida) was 28th and failed to make the free skate.
Unfortunately kind of expected for Sumiyoshi who hasn't been higher than 8th and have bombed pretty badly at Nationals on more than one occasion in the past. I didn't know she lost her father. :wuzrobbed She keeps getting spots on the GP because of her high scoring on the GP and CS events.
 
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Izumi Yoneyama has been doing a great job translating quotes from the mixed zone for Anything GOEs:

🇯🇵 Mai Mihara #全日本フィギュア https://x.com/AnythingGOE/status/2002710869772492979
I was really nervous, but I could skate with the warmth of the audience and knowing I was so lucky. I’m glad I had waterproof mascara on, I cried more than I thought, almost to the point where I couldn’t see.
From the very bottom of my heart, I just want to thank you to my coaches, it’s thanks to them that I have been able to have such a long skating career. It’s the first time that I’ve been told ‘thank you’ by my coaches after a performance.
The applause I heard during my last spin, and during my bows, that special feeling is something I will never forget. I am such a lucky person. I read things that people had said on Twitter, and I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me.
I had cried a few times in practice leading up to these Nationals, and reflecting back, I have also had some tough moments in my career. But without them, I wouldn’t have been able to come back like this. I’m excited for what will come next in my life.
🇯🇵 Wakaba Higuchi #全日本フィギュア https://x.com/AnythingGOE/status/2002712049856704873
The ice was cold when I laid on it!
From midway through my skating, I just wanted to skate with no regrets. I couldn’t have done any better.
My leg pain didnt go away from the start of the season, and that was frustrating, but I just wanted to do what I could whatever the condition. It’s different to what I had imagined for myself, but the fact I could put out a performance that I am satisfied with at this last Nationals is something, and it’s not easy to do. I couldn’t have done more.
My coach held my hand for a long time before I went out onto the ice, which is different from normal.
I almost cried, but told myself that I couldn’t start crying before my performance.
I didn’t expect to get 130 points, and 200 points overall. It’s nice to be able to finish with the feeling that maybe I could do more.
I could face this competition with a good feeling, and skate through it.
Depending on my mental state, I would like to compete in another competition this season if possible.
🇯🇵 Yuna Aoki #全日本フィギュア https://x.com/AnythingGOE/status/2002713104426365099
I think I could put out everything I could, and enjoy myself. Above all, being able to do a performance like this in an arena like this and in front of such a big crowd is something I am happy with.
I’ve been doing the lutz-loop for a long time, and I was determined to nail it in the free skate. It is therefore a big deal for me to be able to have done it in the first jumping pass.
I am so satisfied right now, and I am so glad I continued to skate. I wasn’t really expecting any score in particular after I finished skating, I thought it would be good to get 135, but then I saw that I got 140, finally.
Of course it’s an Olympic qualifying competition, but I was just approaching it as normal Nationals, and wasnt more nervous than normal. Wakaba-chan was before me, I knew if I watched it then I would cry.
I respect her, and thought I could bring forward the atmosphere she creates to my own performance too. I think my experiences at the GP circuit also helped with my confidence on such a big stage like this. I am so glad I continued to skate, and delivered a good performance.
🇯🇵 Ami Nakai #全日本フィギュア https://x.com/AnythingGOE/status/2002713978443817382
It was nerves the likes of which I haven’t known yet. I didn’t know what to do with them. I’m very frustrated I didn’t do my triple axel. After seeing Kaori and Mao’s performances, I realised there is still so much I need to do.
I have grown since last year, and thanks to the people around me I have been able to make a lovely program.
It wasn’t a rough season, being an Olympic season. I’ve just been really fortunate and have had fun, especially because it is the last chance to compete alongside Kaori.
Kaori was there with me in my first Grand Prix, in France, and that made me feel a lot more comfortable and supported, I can really trust her.
🇯🇵 Mone Chiba #全日本フィギュア https://x.com/AnythingGOE/status/2002717306720543081
I think I left everything on the ice. But compared to Skate Canada and Finland, there’s still a lot to do. I could have done a more flawless performance, and there are higher heights to aim for.
But I believed in myself to the end and was focused, and could skate without major errors. I wasn’t scared today, I wanted to push through with what I needed to do, even if the nerves were almost overwhelming. I think I’ve improved the way I approach
The mistakes in the salchow and loop are mistakes I did in practice, so when I finished, I thought ‘aaah, it’s just like in practice.’ So I have realised how important practice is. I told myself insistently that ‘I am strong’.
My emotions in the past weeks were very up and down, my uncertainty also came and went. I didn’t want to flee from that, and face it. Doing the same as I had always done would just lead to the same mistakes, so I wanted to create a new, strong me.
🇯🇵 Mao Shimada #全日本フィギュア https://x.com/AnythingGOE/status/2002719519140434364
Last year, if I had put out this performance, I would have been happy. But this year, I am more frustrated. That shows my growth, I think.
Sakamoto is a figure I always try to reach, but am always lacking in strength and never beat her, she is someone who I’m always trying to catch up with. Of course, I respect her, but for the first time this year I feel frustration too. I wanted to land my quad.
I want to keep winning in international competitions and win like Sakamoto, and qualify for the Olympics in four years time. I want to properly aim for the top of the podium. I could only see the last two minutes of Sakamoto’s skate, but even those two minutes were incredible.
I want to become an athlete who can compete on the Senior GP, and then from there go to other international competitions on the Senior level.
ETA 🇯🇵 Kaori Sakamoto #全日本フィギュア https://x.com/AnythingGOE/status/2002722436480127057
The Olympic qualifying process was tough, and I was nervous. My uncertainty was at 90%. But coach Nakano said, ‘if you don’t try hard, then Japan will be in trouble.’ That distracted me a bit, it was funny.
I was secretly aiming for three Olympics, I had told my big sister about it. I want to look at my Wikipedia page and go ‘what a trajectory’ [laughs].
After the first three jumps, my body was just moving as it had in practice, so I thought ‘oh this will go well.’ And I could skate as I had in practice.
I couldn’t have come this far by myself. The strength of my coaches and the advice of my trainers… I am here because of the support of a lot of people. That’s also why I felt that I really needed to nail it today.
Today, I was really focused on the program I was skating, and could skate in a way that I was wholly satisfied with.
 
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Press conference began: (set VPN to Japan)
 
What an unbelievable Nationals it was! Congratulations to all medalists and top ten skaters, particularly to Wakaba, Mai and Kaori who made their last Nationals skate so memorable.
There were 5 Triple Axels in the SP and 8 Triple Axels in the Free, a total of 13.
This is the new World Record.
It could have been 15 easily, if Ami Nakai did not pop her attempt into 2Ax and if Hana Yoshida made it to Free skate.
 

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