Japanese figure skating 2021-22 season news & updates

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Marco

Well-Known Member
Messages
15,268
Poor Rika. :(

So the fight for the team is now between Kaori, Satoko, Rino, Wakaba, Mai and maybe Mana. I will be very surprised if there are more candidates. Kaori and Satoko have already been to the Olympics; Wakaba and Mai are the reason Japan didn't have 3 spots in 2018 but have bounced back strong this season after issues in the past; Rino and Mana are on the rise... so many favorites, so few spots available...
 
Karen-W

Karen-W

How long do we have to wait for GP assignments?
Messages
36,492
Well, hopefully the JSF is going to take into account the team event and the best strategy to maximize placements in both the SP and FS. I said it before the GPF was cancelled, but I'd put Kaori and Mai on the team, ahead of Wakaba, simply due to the TE.
 
M

Marco

Well-Known Member
Messages
15,268
As much as everyone loves Satoko, I doubt the Fed will easily forget what happened at Worlds 2021 and all the <s she got this season. I wish her a clean and satisfying Nationals at least.
 
T

tony

Throwing the (rule)book at them
Messages
17,698
Marco said:
As much as everyone loves Satoko, I doubt the Fed will easily forget what happened at Worlds 2021 and all the <s she got this season. I wish her a clean and satisfying Nationals at least.
Click to expand...
Well, they've looked the other way so many other times (as have international panels), so who knows. But the Worlds performance along with the Grand Prix.. she's just not a contender IMO. I'd love Satoko on the team because I enjoy her programs more than just about everyone else, but I can't ignore that she can't rotate triples time and time again.

The third spot is really up in the air and honestly, if the Higuchi that we saw the week before the France GP shows up then the second one might be up for grabs, too. I think Sakamoto definitely has her spot already even if she has a wacky Nationals. Mihara has been consistent too, and what a nice story that would be.
 
H

Holy Headband

chair of the Lee Sihyeong international fanclub
Messages
1,654
ptvvibezz said:
According to a new news article, there’s a “1% chance” that Rika might compete and there’s a “slight chance” she might go to the official practice.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1473138036527742980
Click to expand...
I really hope she doesn't do that.

She's only 19 and should, in a rational world, be shut down for the season, focus on physio/surgery and recovery and start thinking about Milano 2026. But she's been under a lot of pressure from the Japanese federation since she was a girl AND, which is much worse, has been let down by multiple coaches who did not care about her health or did not know how to safeguard it. If she feels like her physical and mental reserves are so depleted that she won't make it to the next Olympics and she needs to put everything she has into competing right now, that speaks to the terrible disservice the adults around her have done her.
 
V

Vash01

Fan of Yuzuru, T&M, P&C
Messages
55,539
I am very sorry for Rika Kihira's injury. I had no idea it was this serious. I thought she may be back by the nationals. I understand her desire To give herself a chance to compete in the 2022 Olympics. I wouldn't blame the adults around her for this. They are not magicians. Injuries happen in sports and athletes push themselves to the limits. I believe that's what Rika May be doing. Best wishes to her. I hope we see her compete next year and in the 2026 Olympics. Given the depth of the Japanese ladies field, I don't expect her to make their Oly team, but I admire her perseverance, and wish her well.
 
Last edited:
O

On My Own

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,115
I see there's some debate (not on here) about who should go between Mai, Satoko, and Mana. I think the top 3 should go. Kaori is confirmed due to being national champ, and Wakaba and Mana both have 3As they're hitting this season. In terms of skating quality, no they're not all equal, but they're all very good and will all make for good viewership.

I always love watching Japanese ladies after Russian ladies :lol: It's like a salve.
 
Karen-W

Karen-W

How long do we have to wait for GP assignments?
Messages
36,492
Dai's Blues for Klook said:
I see there's some debate (not on here) about who should go between Mai, Satoko, and Mana. I think the top 3 should go. Kaori is confirmed due to being national champ, and Wakaba and Mana both have 3As they're hitting this season. In terms of skating quality, no they're not all equal, but they're all very good and will all make for good viewership.

I always love watching Japanese ladies after Russian ladies :lol: It's like a salve.
Click to expand...
Hmmmmm... I don't really have a vested interest in the Japanese ladies beyond Kaori this season. Satoko I've been a fan of for years but her time has passed and I can't see there being much argument or support for sending her. Between Mana and Mai, I think it's a bit less clear. I just watched their FS back to back and here are my impressions:

Mai is a more finished and refined skater but she lacked some oomph. I recall, while watching the SPs as they happened, thinking Mai was underscored and probably should have been 2nd or 3rd after that segment. I don't know if that demoralized her a little going into the FS but there was definitely a tentative quality to the skate, though it was perfectly fine and serviceable.

Mana is still very junior-ish and unfinished in her PCS, and she had some wobbly/sketchy landings after the 3A and 3Z-3T jumping passes to open, but she has a very dynamic energy and quality to her skating. I haven't found her particularly astounding this season on the GP, despite the silver at NHK.

Overall, the results from Japanese Nationals seem fair, though I think that the gap between Kawabe and Mihara should have been closer to 1 point rather than 3 in the final results, and there's no way that Miyahara should have been as close to Mihara as she was. In the end, Japan has two very strong skaters in Kaori and Wakaba to put in the TE, so the third spot could be viewed as going along for the Olympic experience. With regard to the TE, I'd probably want to use Mai instead of Wakaba, to be perfectly honest - she's had very good, steady FS scores all season; whereas I wouldn't feel as confident in Mana in either segment - she's been very inconsistent on the GP - finished dead last in the SP at SCI, barely edged Liu out in the FS there, a big improvement in the SP at NHK, but lost to Liu in the FS there by about 4 points.

My gut says, though, in the end, with both Kaori and Wakaba being strong enough skaters, the JSF will go stick with the results of Nationals. Mana, in their view, is probably the future, whereas Mai is the past. Unfortunately, I think she'll be left at home again.
 
Sylvia

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
80,487
Karen-W

Karen-W

How long do we have to wait for GP assignments?
Messages
36,492
Sylvia said:
Here's the direct link to JSF's selection criteria document (sections 1-4: Olympics/Worlds/4CC/Junior Worlds), revised Dec. 15, 2021, in Japanese: https://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/common/img/info/20211215_FS_Senkokijun_revised.pdf
(It's the 4th link down on this page: https://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/figure/news/detail.php?id=93)

Waiting for the Olympic team announcement (also Worlds, 4CC, Junior Worlds)...
Click to expand...
LOL - yeah the JSF is taking their sweet time with their post-Men's FS decision meeting. Which is kind of annoying given the fact that the Men's decision was going to be fairly easy to make and they could have easily met earlier today to hash out the Women and Dance decisions.
 
Sylvia

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
80,487

Japan 2022 Beijing Olympic team

Men: Hanyu, Uno, Kagiyama

Women: Sakamoto, Higuchi, Kawabe

Pairs: Miura/Kihara

Ice dance: Komatsubara/Koleto

ETA top finishers at Nationals in singles:

GOLD Yuzuru HANYU 322.36 1 1 (211.05 FS)
SILVER Shoma UNO 295.82 2 3 (193.96)
BRONZE Yuma KAGIYAMA 292.41 3 2 (197.26)
4 Kao MIURA [J1] 276.16 5 4 (183.35)
5 Kazuki TOMONO 263.67 7 5 (175.88)
6 Sena MIYAKE 252.82 6 7 (162.30)
7 Shun SATO 252.13 8 6 (164.86)
8 Sota YAMAMOTO 240.18 4 12 (146.39)
9 Tatsuya TSUBOI [J2] 235.21 12 8 (157.90)

GOLD Kaori Sakamoto 234.06 1 1 (154.83 FS)
SILVER Wakaba Higuchi 221.78 2 2 (147.12)
BRONZE Mana Kawabe 209.65 3 3 (135.38)
4 Mai Mihara 206.86 5 5 (133.20)
5 Satoko Miyahara 206.51 4 6 (132.75)
6 Rinka Watanabe 199.15 8 4 (134.08)
7 Rino Matsuike 198.77 6 7 (126.46)
8 Rion Sumiyoshi [J2] 189.16 7 11 (121.77)
 
Last edited:
Sylvia

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
80,487
Japan 2022 Junior World Championships team: https://twitter.com/figureskatingm1/status/1475107184975691778

Men: Kao Miura, Shun Sato, *Tatsuya Tsuboi [4th, 7th & 9th at Nationals]
Women: *Rinka Watanabe, Rion Sumiyoshi [6th & 8th at Nationals; Sumiyoshi was 2nd at Junior Nationals behind Mao Shimada who is too young]
Dance: *Nao KIDA / Masaya MORITA (1st at Junior Nationals)

*Those without minimum scores must earn them at Bavarian Open to compete
 
Last edited:
Karen-W

Karen-W

How long do we have to wait for GP assignments?
Messages
36,492
H

Holy Headband

chair of the Lee Sihyeong international fanclub
Messages
1,654
Sylvia said:
Japan 2022 Junior World Championships team: https://twitter.com/figureskatingm1/status/1475107184975691778

Men: Kao Miura, Shun Sato, Tatsuya Tsuboi
Women: Rinka Watanabe, Rion Sumiyoshi
Dance: Kida/Morita

*Those without minimum scores must earn them at Bavarian Open to compete
Click to expand...
SHUN SATO??? The ****? He aggravated his shoulder injury from earlier this season today; sure, he should be better by March, but it seems best to me to just tell him his season is done and he should focus on rehab.

And in any case, he's been competing as a senior for a couple of seasons now. I absolutely expected Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda to get that spot alongside Miura and Tsuboi. (Perhaps that's why it took JSF so long after the men's free to make their decision, since the difficult ice dance decision must have been taken yesterday? Sato didn't do well enough to get a senior assignment, but they still wanted to throw him a bone, so they had to reshuffle the junior skaters they had already pencilled in for Junior Worlds?)

I guess Sato and Miura will be the heavy favourites going into the competition.

Rinka Watanabe is also a surprising choice for similar reasons on the women's side. She should also do well, but the Russian team will no doubt be very strong.
 
Last edited:
O

On My Own

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,115
Who are the subs for Senior World Champs? Tomono first sub I expect, with Miura going to JWC? Mihara or Miyahara for first sub?

Loved Muramoto/Takahashi's RD (my favorite this season) and would have loved it at the Olympics - but KoKo should feel really happy with that, and I like them tons. Giving M/T worlds instead is a good compromise, they'll be placing high there with people withdrawing, and hopefully getting Japan two spots in ID!
 
Kateri

Kateri

void beast
Messages
6,544
Dai's Blues for Klook said:
Loved Muramoto/Takahashi's RD (my favorite this season) and would have loved it at the Olympics - but KoKo should feel really happy with that, and I like them tons. Giving M/T worlds instead is a good compromise, they'll be placing high there with people withdrawing, and hopefully getting Japan two spots in ID!
Click to expand...
Yeah, I thought the same. K/K deserve the Olys, but the judges seem happy to give M/T high scores, which will be used to best effect at Worlds to go for 2 spots. Smart move.
 
Sylvia

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
80,487
Sylvia said:
Japan 2022 Junior World Championships team:

Men: Kao Miura, Shun Sato, *Tatsuya Tsuboi [4th, 7th & 9th at Nationals]
Women: *Rinka Watanabe, Rion Sumiyoshi [6th & 8th at Nationals; Sumiyoshi was 2nd at Junior Nationals behind Mao Shimada who is too young]
Dance: *Nao KIDA / Masaya MORITA (1st at Junior Nationals)

*Those without minimum scores must earn them at Bavarian Open to compete
Click to expand...
Edited my post to note which skaters (Tsuboi, Watanabe, Kida/Morita) need to get minimums at Bavarian Open, Jan. 18-23, 2022, in Oberstdorf, Germany.

Rinka Watanabe was 6th at Nationals/4th in the FS, landing 8 clean triples, including 3A.

ETA that his was posted by @Tak in the Kiss & Cry section on Oct. 31, 2021:
Tak said:
East Japan Sectionals were held this weekend.
...
The winner, Rinka Watanabe, is going to represent JPN at Universiade. Current JPN quarantine rules preclude her from competing at Nationals. If these rules are relaxed, then she will also compete at Nationals.
Click to expand...
The Winter Universiade in Lucerne, Switzerland was supposed to take place earlier this month and Watanabe was able to benefit from its cancellation!
 
Last edited:
O

On My Own

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,115
Holy Headband said:
SHUN SATO??? The ****? He aggravated his shoulder injury from earlier this season today; sure, he should be better by March, but it seems best to me to just tell him his season is done and he should focus on rehab.

And in any case, he's been competing as a senior for a couple of seasons now. I absolutely expected Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda to get that spot alongside Miura and Tsuboi. (Perhaps that's why it took JSF so long after the men's free to make their decision, since the difficult ice dance decision must have been taken yesterday? Sato didn't do well enough to get a senior assignment, but they still wanted to throw him a bone, so they had to reshuffle the junior skaters they had already pencilled in for Junior Worlds?)

I guess Sato and Miura will be the heavy favourites going into the competition.

Rinka Watanabe is also a surprising choice for similar reasons on the women's side. She should also do well, but the Russian team will no doubt be very strong.
Click to expand...
I don't think Sato should have moved up to seniors in the first place. I am not a fan of his jumps, and he's not a good overall skater either. I kind of agree that since he did move up last season, and did win a GP medal, he should probably be sent to 4CC instead (replacing Miura or Miyake), but this should have been the original, ideal timeline for him, IMO.
 
Sylvia

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
80,487
Fuji TV has uploaded the Nationals videos of the singles medalists:

Yuzuru Hanyu 322.36 1 1 (111.31 SP, 211.05 FS)
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0m44q_Vo5Q
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijKSzB7xSVU

Shoma Uno 295.82 2 3 (101.88 SP, 93.96 FS)
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmTKRprQowk
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9zw1j076Ls

Yuma Kagiyama 292.41 3 2 (95.15 SP, 197.26 FS)
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ5LO7-BFoQ
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41NnA7ClJ40


Kaori Sakamoto 234.06 1 1 (79.23 SP, 154.83)
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXEYJrJ3qH4
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChDA4Gv6Ktg

Wakaba Higuchi 221.78 2 2 (74.66 SP, 147.12)
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMUTIKUpnmQ
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPxMfLkDr58

Mana Kawabe 209.65 3 3 (74.2 SP, 135.38 FS)
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPOi2EETGWo
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMiryiKLfaQ
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 6 (members: 0, guests: 6)

Similar threads

Sylvia
Japanese figure skating 2023-24 season news & updates
9 10 11
Replies
317
Views
51K
kwanfan1818
kwanfan1818
Sylvia
Japanese figure skating 2022-23 season news & updates
11 12 13
Replies
368
Views
68K
japanice
J
Sylvia
U.S. Men 2023-24 news & updates
18 19 20
Replies
589
Views
94K
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
U.S. Ice Dance 2023-24 news & updates
34 35 36
Replies
1K
Views
176K
farahfan
F
Sylvia
U.S. Ice Dance 2021-22 season news & updates
26 27 28
Replies
838
Views
151K
Bigbird
Bigbird
Top
Do Not Sell My Personal Information