2016-17 State of Japanese Ladies Skating

TheGrandSophy · Apr 27, 2016

Let's discuss the current ladies of Japan and how we think they will/do shape up this season.

To start the discussion, the current funding groups have been announced. These may be subject to change, I believe.

Top level ladies: Satoko Miyahara, Wakaba Higuchi, Mao Asada, Rika Hongo, Marin Honda
2nd tier ladies: Yuna Shiraiwa, Kanako Murakami, Yuka Nagai, Rin Nitaya, Yuhana Yokoi
2nd tier B Ladies: Mariko Kihara, Yura Matsuda, Kaori Sakamoto, Yuna Aoki, Mai Mihara

(I took the translation from @neymar_central on Twitter)

What do we think?

koatcue · Apr 27, 2016

The state is good

Miyahara's consistency is everything. Mao, if she deals with pops and urs, is her excellent-self. Honda is the most promising junior there. So, yeah, everything's fine for Japan.

ioanna · Apr 27, 2016

The field is getting deeper and deeper. Kanako Murakami is now a "2nd tier lady" while Haruka Imai has disappeared completely. Kanako and Haruka used to be something like Marin and Wakaba back in 2008-2009, sad to see them struggle.

I suppose Wakaba will be a senior next season and she might shake things up a bit. If she follows the same pattern of the last couple of years, she may finally push one of the other ladies off the Nationals podium and go to Worlds. My personal wish is for her to get better programs that will allow her to show her performance skills because she definitely has them.

We will see if Marin continues to achieve the success she's had this season. She and Yuna are in for another season of competing against the likes of Polina Tsurskaya and Alisa Fedichkina.

I think Mao has finally found her inner peace after Worlds and will now be able to shake off the worries of her comeback season. Looking forward to see her new programs.

Rika has to be careful. This past season has been up and down, up and down but mostly down. She needs to get a consistent 3F-3T and she needs to focus in order to fight for a spot on the 2016 Nationals podium.

Satoko will go out of her comfort zone and will add two 3-3 combinations in her free skate; one in the first half and one in the second half. She's also looking for different programs to expand her performance skills and will most likely meet up with Ilia Kulik to keep working on her jump technique. She'll keep training off-ice to get the muscle strength she's lacking in order to jump higher. Her personal trainer says she's using 60% of her muscle power to jump right now so she's working extremely hard to reach that 100%.

koatcue · Apr 28, 2016

ioanna said:
The field is getting deeper and deeper. Kanako Murakami is now a "2nd tier lady" while Haruka Imai has disappeared completely. Kanako and Haruka used to be something like Marin and Wakaba back in 2008-2009, sad to see them struggle.

Haruka was never considered a top lady.

ioanna · Apr 28, 2016

koatcue said:
Haruka was never considered a top lady.

Well, she used to be in the "top level ladies" group until 2013-2014 if memory serves well. But definitely up there with Kanako considered future stars in 2008 when Haruka won Jr Nationals and Kanako was 3rd.

nolangoh · Apr 28, 2016

The new Japanese trio, Mao, Satoko and Rika have no problem. Mao has finally regained confidence at Boston after a trough season with illness. The consistency of Satoko is what makes her #TinyQueen. And Rika, too, has finally regained confidence and consistency, she was shining at Boston!!! I wish she can keep it up!

Is Wakaba going into senior? That would be interesting. She is such a strong girl.

And Marin, boy I wish she could go to seniors too next season because I want her to show the others how to skate like a BOSS. She has such classy aura that says "Just chill and watch me skate". I like her so much!!! She is a flawless princess!!!

skatefan22 · Apr 28, 2016

Last year, Haruka was out of the top level but was later added back due to the fact that she got two GPs. So let's see how this list will change in June.

angecinth · Apr 28, 2016

ioanna said:
The field is getting deeper and deeper. Kanako Murakami is now a "2nd tier lady" while Haruka Imai has disappeared completely. Kanako and Haruka used to be something like Marin and Wakaba back in 2008-2009, sad to see them struggle.

I suppose Wakaba will be a senior next season and she might shake things up a bit. If she follows the same pattern of the last couple of years, she may finally push one of the other ladies off the Nationals podium and go to Worlds. My personal wish is for her to get better programs that will allow her to show her performance skills because she definitely has them.

We will see if Marin continues to achieve the success she's had this season. She and Yuna are in for another season of competing against the likes of Polina Tsurskaya and Alisa Fedichkina.

I think Mao has finally found her inner peace after Worlds and will now be able to shake off the worries of her comeback season. Looking forward to see her new programs.

Rika has to be careful. This past season has been up and down, up and down but mostly down. She needs to get a consistent 3F-3T and she needs to focus in order to fight for a spot on the 2016 Nationals podium.

Satoko will go out of her comfort zone and will add two 3-3 combinations in her free skate; one in the first half and one in the second half. She's also looking for different programs to expand her performance skills and will most likely meet up with Ilia Kulik to keep working on her jump technique. She'll keep training off-ice to get the muscle strength she's lacking in order to jump higher. Her personal trainer says she's using 60% of her muscle power to jump right now so she's working extremely hard to reach that 100%.

Satoko will add two 3-3 combinations? I think her current two 2a3t combinations work well.

ioanna · Apr 28, 2016

angecinth said:
Satoko will add two 3-3 combinations? I think her current two 2a3t combinations work well.

It's not entirely sure that she will add two 3-3 combinations but she will have a 3-3 in the second half of the program. Yes her current layout works well but it was a temporary layout. The original layout of her FS was 3Lz-3T / 3Lz-2T-2Lo 2A-3T but her team made her jump a 3-3 only in the SP in order to follow its evolution, consistency, eventual underrotation calls.

MaiKatze · Apr 28, 2016

I'm crying to see Kanako labelled as second tier. I don't think I can take it. *sniff*

skatefan22 · Apr 28, 2016

MaiKatze said:
I'm crying to see Kanako labelled as second tier. I don't think I can take it. *sniff*

I am pretty sure she will be back to the top in June when they revise the list.

Hyena · Apr 28, 2016

How are funding groups decided in Japan? I know it's very cut and dry some places, like the US.

I'm happy to see Wakaba and Marin in the top tier. I know Marin is staying junior - any news about Wakaba? I (stubbornly) want to see her go for the junior world title again.

tinnychan · Apr 28, 2016

Hyena said:
How are funding groups decided in Japan? I know it's very cut and dry some places, like the US.

I'm happy to see Wakaba and Marin in the top tier. I know Marin is staying junior - any news about Wakaba? I (stubbornly) want to see her go for the junior world title again.

Wakaba will turn senior. If you can understand japanese, in the kiss and cry of JWC after FS, she have already look forward to participate senior worlds next season.

Hyena · Apr 28, 2016

Thank you, tinnychan. I can't speak Japanese so I missed that.

I'd love to see Wakaba at Worlds next year.

ioanna · Apr 29, 2016

She can be given senior GPs and then still go to Jr Worlds but she has two medals and I think she wants to get used to the senior level in preparation for Pyeongchang.

tinnychan · Apr 29, 2016

Hyena said:
How are funding groups decided in Japan? I know it's very cut and dry some places, like the US.

Special strengthening athlete: Senior National Podium, (ISU Championship Podium?)
Strengthening athlete list A: Senior National Top 8, Junior National Podium
Strengthening athlete list B: Senior National Top 12, Junior National Top 8

The list will review after GP and JGP assignments.
If the skater get 2 GP events, the skater will go special list.
If the skater get 1 GP event, the skater will go list A.
If the skater get JGP event, the skater will go list B.

solar · Apr 29, 2016

2017 senior worlds will be very interesting. The same trio of Satoko, Mao, and Rika could all attend again, but a lot of things can shake up. I also think junior worlds will be exciting for Team Japan, as there are just so many talented junior skaters that could make the team.

AlexRus · Apr 29, 2016

tinnychan said:
Wakaba will turn senior. If you can understand japanese, in the kiss and cry of JWC after FS, she have already look forward to participate senior worlds next season.

Wakaba was 2nd at Nationals this season.
She can get one GP Event by JrWorlds medal, second by 19th at Season Best.
And with so migh place of Nationals (if will not be worse at next season) - 4CC and Worlds are also her.

Shiraste · Apr 29, 2016

The way I see it 2017 will be very interesting.

You have probably two very clear cut favorites in Satoko and Mao.
Satoko has constantly improved over the years and dazzles with her consistency, artistry, musicality and attention to detail. Sure she does have that weakness that's been talked to death on this forum but she is working on it and you can see the results of it if you bother to look.
I don't think I have to say anything about Mao. Her track record stands for itself. After her up and down season it was so good to see her looking that happy and confident after worlds, scoring notwithstanding. For the first time the entire season it looked like Mao was truly back. I am sure she can and will build on that.

Now the likely battle for the 3rd slot will be really interesting with Wakaba in the mix. She actually surprised me with how she was able to project herself in the FS at Junior Worlds. I saw her as an excellent jumper and nothing else but she gave glimpses of what she can do beyond jumps and that really made me perk up. She will give Rika a run for the money throughout the season and I am looking forward a lot to seeing that.

On the outside looking in you have Kanako who didn't have great seasons recently but I wouldn't discount her just yet and I guess Yuka but she has been way to inconsistent. However I wouldn't mind if either one surprises me this season.

Layback11 · Apr 29, 2016

#TeamRika2016

2016-17 State of Japanese Ladies Skating

TheGrandSophy

koatcue

ioanna

koatcue

ioanna

nolangoh

Steps and Spirals enthusiast

skatefan22

angecinth

ioanna

MaiKatze

skatefan22

Hyena

Tous les whiskys

tinnychan

Hyena

Tous les whiskys

ioanna

tinnychan

solar

I got cat class and I got cat style

AlexRus

Shiraste

Layback11

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