Japanese figure skating 2018-19 season news & updates

rosewood

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https://www.daily.co.jp/general/2018/07/24/0011477265.shtml
(my quick summary)
During the National Camp Rika Kihira nailed 3A one after another. Wakaba Higuchi also tried 3A multiple times. While, Kaori Sakamoto decided there will not be any 3A challenge from her this season, "I put it aside for now." She explained, "I don't want to get injured and this is a very important season to me. There were rule changes. In the past GOE had 7 degrees but now it has 11 degrees. Only a slight mistake can cost you points. I felt I'm scared. So I chose consistency [over 3A challenge]."
 

rosewood

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New programs debuted/broadcasted today:
From THE ICE
Marin Honda SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkkzbhnWoBI
Satoko Miyahara SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJDUcn_HpEw
Kaori Sakamoto SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CfNR77je1U

From Asian Open
Yuna Shiraiwa SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iymgDutAZg
Mitsuki Sumoto SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUj06x1CQeg
Sota Yamamoto SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgsRA8zltGE
Mako Yamashita SP https://twitter.com/tomao_jomz/status/1025657689920040960


ETA:
Maybe they are already posted somewhere on this board but I post Shoma's new programs on this thread.
Shoma Uno SP https://youtu.be/9N7nQ3679F8?t=234
(Shoma debuted lots of programs this off-season. This video has three programs. I like the last one the best but anyways his SP is the second one in this video.)
Shoma Uno FS from THE ICE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlabJSzVcFM

ETA2:
Shoma's SP from THE ICE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQrtYoOIWLY&list=PL3EjtOeAr0JAFRvEiy2hVY2HCbya-3Fdm&index=7
 
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rosewood

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Muramoto/Reed announced that they split. :eek: :(
https://twitter.com/kyodonewsports/status/1027407079538130944
Kana mentioned that the reason is the difference of their directions.

ETA:
Kana said she'll continue aiming at her own goal. Chris said it's not the end of his career and he'll continue his endeavor for pushing up the level of ice dance of Japanese team. Seems they both continue competing. They both said thank you to everybody who supported them until today.
 
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alj5

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I'm really surprised at the Muramoto-Reed split. Maybe their only goal was really the Olympics. I really thought they had a decent shot at finishing in the top 10 this year.
 
J

Jeschke

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Thanks for the info @rosewood
This came outta nowhere for me. That will be interesting to see with whom both are continuing.

At least JPN fed can be kinda relieved that K/K showed some progress already. Could he start at olympics now they are married (are they?!) or will the dance (and pairs) problem continue?
 

rosewood

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Thanks for the info @rosewood
This came outta nowhere for me. That will be interesting to see with whom both are continuing.

At least JPN fed can be kinda relieved that K/K showed some progress already. Could he start at olympics now they are married (are they?!) or will the dance (and pairs) problem continue?
Dunno. Kinda doubtful. When a person who married to a Japanese citizen wants to acquire Japanese citizenship, he/she is required to 1) live in Japan at least three years or 2) live in Japan at least one year after three years have passed since their marriage. They married in January so if they can live in Japan for at least one year, it's basically possible for him to acquire Japanese citizenship. If not, they can't represent Japan at next Olys. Now they are training under Fusar Poli so maybe they need to change coaches to train in Japan at some point, if they wants to represent Japan at Beijin Olys.
 

rosewood

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^^^ Thanks for the info, @rosewood. BTW, Komatsubara/Koleto moved to Montreal earlier this spring (eta: he announced the move to Gadbois on March 25) to work with the group of coaches there. Cute photo of them in Bangkok after they won the bronze: https://www.instagram.com/p/BmGp7cpjUQc/?hl=en&taken-by=timkoleto
Thanks for the correction. Happy K/K looked on a good wave at Asian Trophy.
___

Here is a video of M/R's last performance skated at Dreams on Ice. This video makes me miss this team already. The announcer of the video said the theme of their program is to leave things behind and braze a new trail. (I shed a single tear.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWzExhpKWcw
 

SamuraiK

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Its really puzzling that both are intending to continue and the reason was difference in their goals.. its not like there is an abundance of suitable dance partners waiting on line in JPN. Honestly I think they both were very lucky to have found the right partner and were already the best japanese dance team ever (not that bar was high but still..)

I would suggest Kana to convince Ryuju Hino to switch disciplines. He's tall enough and has reached his ceiling on singles.
 
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Eislauffan

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This split is really surprising, especially at this time of year and following a successful season with bronze at 4Conts and competing at the Olympic Games. I would understand it if one of them wanted to retire, but that obviously is not the case (plus then it would probably happened sooner). Maybe they decided they're going to do the shows in Japan to make some money before going separate ways. It is really a shame and it will not be so easy for them to find new partners. I'm not sure about Ryuju Hino, he is not particularily tall nor does he look strong enough to do the acrobatic ice dance lifts with Kana.
 

rosewood

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Seems Chris followed Scali since he uploaded a photo in Chicago on Instagram Stories a few days ago. I wonder if Kana stays with Zoueva. No info about her at this point.
 

ostile17

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This split is really surprising, especially at this time of year and following a successful season with bronze at 4Conts and competing at the Olympic Games. I would understand it if one of them wanted to retire, but that obviously is not the case (plus then it would probably happened sooner). Maybe they decided they're going to do the shows in Japan to make some money before going separate ways. It is really a shame and it will not be so easy for them to find new partners. I'm not sure about Ryuju Hino, he is not particularily tall nor does he look strong enough to do the acrobatic ice dance lifts with Kana.

I believe they were scheduled to appear only at Carnival on Ice 2018 but with the news of the split yesterday came the news they they pulled out. Strange that they were added as guests there only very recently on July 27th.

http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/coi2018/
 

livetoskate

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^ I didn't see this coming. :( So sorry for this split, as I really liked this team. We can only hope that they will both find other partners & continue ice dancing.

Same here. I looked forward to watching them and was thrilled when they won a medal at 4 Continents. They looked so good last season, and how will they find better partners? What a shame that they have split.
 

Sylvia

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Sylvia

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Team Japan's JGP results in Linz, Austria this past weekend (ISU updated bios are linked from their names):

SILVER in men - Koshiro SHIMADA JPN 220.45 3 (74.78) 2 (145.67) [SP Video] [FS Video]
Really happy he's back from his injury last season and with a 3A, too! :)

BRONZE in ladies - Shiika YOSHIOKA JPN 169.82 3 (56.11) 3 (113.71) [SP Video] [FS Video]
7th place - Riko TAKINO JPN 147.07 8 (50.00) 6 (97.07) [SP Video] [FS Video]

Pairs:
7th place - Riku MIURA / Shoya ICHIHASHI JPN 131.67 7 (45.98) 6 (85.69) [SP Video] [FS Video]

Re-posting from the JGP general thread in GSD:
Nana Araki is out of JGP Kaunas; replaced by Kinayu Yokoi.
...
I hope she’s ok; I like her skating a lot. Is Kinayu related to Yohana Yokoi? Any more info on her?
Yes, Kinayu is Yuhana's younger sister. Kinayu won a bronze at Novice Nationals last season, and she can land 3A in practice like her sister Yuhana. I'm sad about Araki too. It somewhat looked Araki was not in good shape during the national Jr camp. I don't know what's actually wrong with her (so far).
Thank you @rosewood for the info on Kinayu Yokoi; :( to hear about Nana Araki who I enjoyed watching last season.

ETA from the Grand Prix Assignments thread (posted on Sept. 3):
Sota Yamamoto and Rika Kihira for NHK's host picks. This article says these two were selected based on a selection meeting held in the end of July.
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180903-00000188-sph-spo
 
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Sylvia

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This news already has been covered in Hanyu's fan thread and the Programs/Choreographers thread - two articles in English about his planned programs this season:
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20180831/p2g/00m/0sp/090000c
https://www.ifsmagazine.com/hanyu-skating-for-himself-this-season/
Hanyu′s new short program, choreographed by Jeffrey Buttle, is set to “Otonal” by Raúl di Blasio. This music was used by Johnny Weir for his long program in the 2004-2005 season.
Shae-Lynn Bourne crafted the long. “The free program is an arrangement of Evgeni Plushenko’s legendary program, ‘Tribute to Nijinsky,’ which (I am calling) ‘Origin,’” said Hanyu, who asked Plushenko at a summer show if he had any objections to him using the music. Plushenko and Weir are two of Hanyu’s idols.
“(Before) I had to meet other people’s expectations and get good results. I had many pressures like that. But, I am satisfied that as a result (of my Olympic success) I have been released from the pressure that I have to produce results. I think, and feel, that I can skate for myself from now on. I want to go back to my skating origins (roots).”
 

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