2018-19 Japanese Ladies' figure skating | Page 28 | Golden Skate

2018-19 Japanese Ladies' figure skating

Eclair

Medalist
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
It would be too much to expect Rika to have Satoko's level of refinement at this stage of her career but still, I think the program has huge potential. I like that it is so daring and flashy. Following the evolution of the program throughout the season will be both exciting and scary at the same time because of the risks that are involved.

If everything goes alright with this program, she can be a serious medal contender in this upcoming season.

well Satoko was already very polished when she was 16. I don't think younger skaters are worse or have a less mature presentation than older skates per se. Some very young skates have excellent maturity. Satoko is one of the examples, Marin is another one, Shoma too. Yuna Kim at 16 did my favourite tango out of all ladies skates showing very mature skating. So comparing Rika to them, I think she could still improve a little bit in her maturity. I really hope she does because I love her jumps and her coach has always taken great care to enable her skaters to develop their artistic skills.
 

cohkaix

FS data keeper
Medalist
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Today is the (estimated) date for JSF to announce major dates of both domestic/international FS competitions of the upcoming season. So far in the news that All Japan National will be held in Osaka by Dec 20-24. (Source: https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180622-00000123-spnannex-spo)

All Japan National
Dec 20-24
Venue: Namihaya Dome, Osaka

Other major international events:
GP: NHK Cup
Nov 9th-11th
Venue: Hiroshima Green Arena, Hiroshima

World Championship
Mar 18-24, 2019
Venue: Saitama Super Arena, Tokyo

World Team Trophy
Apr 11-14th, 2019
Venue: Fukuoka convention center, Fukuoka
 

cohkaix

FS data keeper
Medalist
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
She finished 12th at Japanese Nationals last year, right behind Yura Matsuda. Rin went to Autumn Classic & placed 6th. It is the only international from last year listed on her wikipedia page.

Other than Autumn Classics, Rin was also at Bavarian Open 2018 and won the ladies' (https://www.bev-eissport.de/eiskunstlauf/BO2018/CAT002RS.HTM). Otherwise she was in most of the Japan local competitions and her placements in these competitions were not too bad and usually she'd place around with Yura. I remember she mentioned somewhere (most likely in her IG account) that she still has two or so years to go as a competitive figure skater. So I'd assume she still competes this season and that might go until she finishes her study at Chukyo U.
 
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Will Higuchi surpass Miyahara this season? I think she's reaching Satoko's overall "artistic" abilities, and she certainly has better jumps.
 

Ulrica

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
I think that Kaori, Mai and Wakaba (possibly Rika and Marin too, if not the next one) are going to surpass Satoko this season, sadly it seems that Satoko just won't improve much anymore since she has already reached the top when it comes to artistic expression and skating skills, however her jumps continue to be really, really bad, and she is not getting any younger.
 
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
This is a dangerous question.

Haha, but it's the question for the Japanese ladies this season, much like the question for the Russian Ladies is if anyone can topple Medvedeva or Zagitova from the top 2 slots.

I think that Kaori, Mai and Wakaba (possibly Rika and Marin too, if not the next one) are going to surpass Satoko this season, sadly it seems that Satoko just won't improve much anymore since she has already reached the top when it comes to artistic expression and skating skills, however her jumps continue to be really, really bad, and she is not getting any younger.

I don't think Marin will this season. Kaori will come close, Wakaba should be able to, Mai might, Rika needs another season.

I want this to be the year (or years) of Kaori and Mai :love:

They are two question marks for me, as compared to Wakaba.
 

yume

🍉
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
I want this to be the year of Wakaba and Marin. Because last season they were the most harshly judged. People didn't forget and forgive them for their mistakes while others skaters always got a pass. So i want this season to be their red hot chilli pepper revenge season.
 

Ice Dance

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Satoko is steady, steady, steady. And unlike last season, she is starting off this season healthy. I would never underestimate her or assume that she would fall behind the other ladies on a consistent basis. The + and -5 GOE scale may hurt her on the jumps but only relative to some athletes. However, she could earn that +5 on spins and/or footwork.

Higuchi has already defeated Satoko in major international competition, and is more than capable of doing so again. Wakaba has the dynamism to do so and has improved in presentation. I think the new rules will help her internationally. But she is a more up and down skater than some (and has been so for the four years that I've been watching her compete). The elements don't tend to always come off in the competition. If I remember correctly, at Nationals last year it was the frigging double axel. Competition nerves. Not bad, just not the extraordinary level of calm that we generally see from Satoko or Medvedeva. Hopefully the experience from last season will help Wakaba a lot with confidence in competition. Nonetheless, my hypothesis with regards to your question is, "Sometimes."

Kaori, I think, may find herself a bit less competitive than last season. The rule changes will lower her base value. And while her skating is solid, her performance skills are not as strong as some of the other Japanese ladies. Having said that, the fact that she outscored most of them and did so previously at the junior level as well is a testament to her competitiveness under pressure. She is not one of the ones who mucked up at Japanese Nationals last year. She's a solid mental competitor.
 

yume

🍉
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
I bet a full bottle of sake that we will see Satoko get +3 GOEs on jumps and 73-75 PCS.
 

Ice Dance

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
I bet a full bottle of sake that we will see Satoko get +3 GOEs and 73-75 PCS.

Entirely possible. But there are some athletes out there--such as Higuchi & Daleman--that should be getting even higher GOE now for some of their jump elements. But can they do it consistently throughout the program without bringing in the negatives? That's the question. Satoko is neat and tidy and precise.
 

yume

🍉
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
Satoko is neat and tidy and precise.

She is not precise on jumps and that's the problem.
Higuchi and Daleman for their cleanest free skate didn't get significant higher GOEs than Satoko. So i don't see why they would in the new system.
 

tars

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 24, 2017
I want this to be the year of Wakaba and Marin. Because last season they were the most harshly judged. People didn't forget and forgive them for their mistakes while others skaters always got a pass. So i want this season to be their red hot chilli pepper revenge season.
There were at least two occasions last season (GP and Nats) when Marin was lowballed in the short and it negatively influenced her confidence in long program, I believe. She's been a 16yo fragile princess, shining brightly when counted on, I hope she'll toughen up but also will be trusted more by judges. :pray:
 

Colonel Green

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2018
Country
Canada
Haha, but it's the question for the Japanese ladies this season, much like the question for the Russian Ladies is if anyone can topple Medvedeva or Zagitova from the top 2 slots.
Yeah, Satoko is the queen, so anybody else looking to break out internationally is going to have to oust her along the way.

As far as Satoko goes, there are only two things that I think could knock her off the throne this season, one pertaining to a rival and the other pertaining to the scores:

1) If Wakaba starts doing a 3A and lands it consistently (or, at least, at key moments; she can fall on the 3A as long as it's at the Golden Spin of Zagreb rather than than Japanese Nationals). A couple of those would raise her base value past the point where Satoko could keep up, even if the PCS gap between them stayed the same (which it probably wouldn't in that that scenario).
2) If the change in how underrotations are meant to be called leads to any jumps that were at the quarter mark getting called under instead of being given the benefit of the doubt. It's impossible to know how big a factor this might be as we don't know how many, if any, such instances there were for her in the last few contests of the previous season when she stopped getting UR calls.
 
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
I don't necessarily think Wakaba "needs" the 3A to topple Satoko, although she certainly should get it for the international scene, and it will make her coronation a certainty instead of a possibility. Wakaba gained a lot of maturity in presentation this season, and she has the better jumps, so assuming she gets another set of good programs this season, continues to grow and perform like she did at worlds, and irons out her consistency/confidence issues (the silver medal should help there), she will take it for me. 3A will just widen the gap.
 
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