24 Japan Nationals Women FP PBP

[genevieve]

I’m so sorry Japan doesn’t have five Worlds spots. Hoping Rino gets 4Cs, very happy for Wakaba.

I normally pooh-pooh posts about a country that should have extra spots..... but I would love for Japan to have 5 spots for men and women. So much depth.

 

[Vagabond]

I know the Japanese field is incredibly deep, but this still seems strange a year before the Olympics, from a skater who medalled on the GP. With 3Lz+3Lo and 2A+1eu+3F, she has the technical chops and nice presentation, too. Too bad.

Does Japan use a multi-year selection process that would give her no chance? I don't think any of the age-ineligible wunderkinds will be age eligible next year, right? Or is there an outside reason - injury? University?

フィギュア青木祐奈が突然の引退意向を表明　「これ以上スケートを嫌いになりたくない」涙で最後の全日本と告白 ｜ THE ANSWER

全日本フィギュア・女子フリーフィギュアスケートの全日本選手権は22日、大阪・東和薬品RACTABドー...

nordot.app

Partial translation:

On the 22nd, the women's free skating event of the All Japan Figure Skating Championships was held at the Towa Pharmaceutical RACTAB Dome in Osaka, and 22-year-old Yuna Aoki announced her intention to retire after her performance, which ended with 194.07 points. Her performance was incomplete, with a triple jump sequence at the beginning being a single jump, and a fall on a triple Lutz in the second half. "I don't want to hate skating any more," she said.

Aoki revealed in a television interview that this would be his last All Japan Championships. In a subsequent interview, he said, "I was thinking about (my future) after All Japan Championships was over," and then tearfully confessed, "The period leading up to All Japan Championships was the best training I've ever had, I gave it my all, and I think this was the end of it."

"I was able to get the result I wanted this season (third place) at the NHK Trophy, and I thought I would continue if I could give it my all here and see what would lead to the next one, but I'm satisfied, and I don't want to hate skating any more than I do now, so I'm glad I was able to finish it off having fun skating."

She is 22 years old. She initially considered retiring at the end of last season when she graduated from university, but changed her mind after placing 5th at the 2023 NHK Trophy. "I tried a lot of different things this season, and I think I gave it my all, but I wasn't able to show the quality of my practice in the competition, but I guess that's my skating career. I'm glad I was able to finish with a smile in front of everyone," she said.

***​

Not all that strange, really.

 

[Vagabond]

9 free skates are uploaded here: https://www.youtube.com/@jfs4375/videos

Thank you for posting the link.

I am as impressed with the quality of the camerawork as with the quality of skating.

ETA: Let me take that back. The quality of the camerawork is excellent, but the quality of Matsuike's skating is even better!

 

[Lana K]

Has anyone come across a YouTube video of the medal ceremony? I've been looking but couldn't find anything.

 

[Sylvia]

Yuna Aoki says in her post 4 hours ago that she will make a decision about her future at a later date:

Yuna Aoki on Instagram: "・ ・ 全日本選手権、応援ありがとうございました！ たくさんの拍手や声援、バナー、とても力になりました💞 お手紙やプレゼント、お花などもありがとうございます😊 ここに来るまで様々なアクシデントがありましたが、一つ一つ対処して良い練習を積むことができていました。今回満足するような結果で全日本を終えることはできませんでしたが、やり切ったという気持ちが大きいことは事実です。 ですが、記事がやや先走っていて私自身少々焦ってます💦 これからコーチとも

4,753 likes, 174 comments - yuna_skate on December 22, 2024: "・ ・ 全日本選手権、応援ありがとうございました！ たくさんの拍手や声援、バナー、とても力になりました💞 お手紙やプレゼント、お花などもありがとうございます😊 ここに来るまで様々なアクシデントがありましたが、一つ一つ対処して良い練習を積むことができていました。今回満足するような結果で全日本を終えることはできませんでしたが、やり切ったという気持ちが大きいことは事実です。 ですが、記事がやや先走っていて私自身少々焦ってます💦...

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

9 free skates are uploaded here: https://www.youtube.com/@jfs4375/videos

More FS added so far today: Chiba, Aoki, Kawabe, Nakai, Mayuko Oka, Shiraiwa

All the Nationals competitors have profiles (in Japanese) that include their competition history, "What's your favorite photo in your image folder?" program music, season best scores, etc.: https://www.fujitv.co.jp/sports/skate/japan/skaters.html

Profile for Mayuko Oka (first appearance at Nationals; turned 15 in Sept.): https://www.fujitv.co.jp/sports/skate/figure/skater/MayukoOKA.html