2018-19 Japanese Ladies' figure skating

Giver said:

I didn't follow Japanese ladies last season, so I don't know: is it normal that some Japanese skaters having really bad form currently (Higuchi, Sakamoto, Miyahara to a lesser extent)?

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Satoko was in bad shape..whaat?!
I mean just one fall, few URs (she"s getting them anyway) in two very stunning programs. How is that really bad form She made one of the best season debuts in ladies field so far, imo.

And Wakaba usually isn't doing very well early in the season. But then she ended up with World's silver medal.
Similar thing with Kaori too.

Giver said:

I didn't follow Japanese ladies last season, so I don't know: is it normal that some Japanese skaters having really bad form currently (Higuchi, Sakamoto, Miyahara to a lesser extent)?

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For Wakaba, she was not feeling well. She had bad cramps during her SP practice so i imagine she was skating with discomfort. By the way she posted this on instagram yesterday "I'll be back! Work work work!" https://www.instagram.com/p/BoE7Dg2FAWy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Nika09 said:

Satoko was in bad shape..whaat?!
I mean just one fall, few URs (she"s getting them anyway) in two very stunning programs. How is that really bad form She made one of the best season debuts in ladies field so far, imo.

And Wakaba usually isn't doing very well early in the season. But then she ended up with World's silver medal.
Similar thing with Kaori too.

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I think that actually Wakaba isn't that bad early in the season.
Wakaba did pretty good early in last season . Skating back-to-back cleans programs in challenger and GPs (just a pop at CoR). And in her first senior season she didn't do bad either even if she didn't medal in her 2nd GP.
It's her making some mistakes in key events that give her that super inconsistent reputation.

frida80 said:

I'm glad someone else noticed this. I thought I was the only one that noticed that the judging had changed to reflect the quality of then program instead of just transitions.

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I disagree. In comparison to Bradie Tennel and Evgenia Medvedeva Rika Kihara got the lowest PCS score, yet I believe Rika should have had the highest because To me she had superior skating skills with more fluidity and better edging and to my eye better rink coverage indicating greater speed and higher quality transitions, not to mention doing it while executing far greatest technical difficulty, with two triple axels, and a number of gracefully done two arm tanos, but evidence to me indicates that scoring rarely represents a fair assessment across the range of competitors and is usually unjust. Furthermore, Alina (though I liked her performance and she performed quite well) received about 10 points more than Rika in PCS in her first freeskate and even slightly more in tech even though Rika had two triple axels, though in my view Rika should clearly earn more whatever GOE is given, especially since the system was allegedly set up for jumps to count disproportionately more than other elements (approximately 80 percent of the tech total). In 6.0, I think Rika would have to be given more in tech than Alina. My view is that while quality may be one element in GOE under COP, I also believe that one of the reasons COP was set up was to to have the opportunity to more easily manipulate scores in tech so that a more difficult program could be scored less and make it easier for more favored skaters to maintain their advantage. And COP is like 6.0 with reputation and favored status factored in, often separate from the quality of a skater's performance. when it is supposed to simply assess the performance that is happening at that moment. In terms of skating skills and even performance in the long program, I still think Rika should have scored more than Alina in PCS due to superior artistry (especially her intricate, graceful yet passionate expression with her arms and skating skills. The fact is I am used to unjust scoring that is obvious and expect it and watch because I find a lot of beauty in some performances I like. I try to disregard the scores, but still comment about it.

I don't think the judging system has changed at all or gotten fairer. I wouldn't put that much trust in the isu. It might be surprising to see medvedeva get such low pcs scores but her programs are still pretty empty so far so it would have been an actual crime to give her the usual 10s, 9s she usually gets. Back then she used to have more complicated programs, packed with transitions. If her programs get better & she performs with consistency in the GP series for example i'm sure her scores will go up again. Only if she struggles for an entire season, are we going to see her scores stagnate or go down.

Oh yes scores will go up. Even if programs and interpretation are don't improve.

leoleo said:

Mai Mihara - SP - Gensan Summer Cup 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzfbzIRJQHA
still don't like this program but she seems ready for this season already. Can't wait to see her this week

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I think it's great! She's looking good. Deep field in Japan this season.

lavoix said:

I think it's great! She's looking good. Deep field in Japan this season.

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my problem with it is that it's very similar to her usual sweet programs. I loved that libertango was different and although some people did not like it for her, i loved it. It was fantastic to see her being a flirty and fierce flirt. It's not a bad program at all but i was just hoping to see her get out of comfort zone once again. It's a good thing that she already looks ready for competition tho.

I am really excited to see her and Marin compete this week. Marin especially. I'm curious to see how she's improved with Raf. I wonder if she's planing to upgrade her layout, like adding the 3lz-3lo somewhere in the season, since she has posted footage of her training it.

Sorry for the double post but Wakaba is with Shaelynn so i guess she's working on her programs! https://twitter.com/cantileverlove/status/1044688358784610304

leoleo said:

my problem with it is that it's very similar to her usual sweet programs. I loved that libertango was different and although some people did not like it for her, i loved it. It was fantastic to see her being a flirty and fierce flirt. It's not a bad program at all but i was just hoping to see her get out of comfort zone once again. It's a good thing that she already looks ready for competition tho.

I am really excited to see her and Marin compete this week. Marin especially. I'm curious to see how she's improved with Raf. I wonder if she's planing to upgrade her layout, like adding the 3lz-3lo somewhere in the season, since she has posted footage of her training it.

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Perhaps it's more precaution, she was not consistent last season. She probably feels more comfortable with these types of programs.

leoleo said:

Sorry for the double post but Wakaba is with Shaelynn so i guess she's working on her programs! https://twitter.com/cantileverlove/status/1044688358784610304

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Good news.

Someone shared really nice fancams of Rika's programs at Ondrej Nepela.
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYTbSz9h4-M
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRjvzYGN8pk

Congratulations to Mai for her strong start of the season. It's incredible how her judges scores don't have any negative GOE.:clapper: And i didn't know that she speaks english!
Marin did better in the free and that program is gorgeous. She will get better :clapper:

yume said:

Congratulations to Mai for her strong start of the season. It's incredible how her judges scores don't have any negative GOE.:clapper: And i didn't know that she speaks english!
Marin did better in the free and that program is gorgeous. She will get better :clapper:

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Is there a video of her speaking English in an interview? Would love to see!

Mai looks in great shape! Too bad about her arthritis taking time away from learning a new FS but thankfully I love her FS and the dress looks beautiful. I hope she puts a little more “fight and grit” in... it would give her that extra oomph to compliment her beautiful skating. I am upset that her PCS, although fine, are not higher. Especially in skating skills...

Marin... that dress was wild in the FS. She just looks like she lacks focus. Definitely a skater that things come easy to... hopefully raf can help her.

tosca said:

Is there a video of her speaking English in an interview? Would love to see!

Mai looks in great shape! Too bad about her arthritis taking time away from learning a new FS but thankfully I love her FS and the dress looks beautiful. I hope she puts a little more “fight and grit” in... it would give her that extra oomph to compliment her beautiful skating. I am upset that her PCS, although fine, are not higher. Especially in skating skills...

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here
https://twitter.com/goldenskate/status/1045733639978438660 :agree:

i feel like i keep repeating myself but she is so cute and lovely, just love her on&off ice

matmuh said:

here
https://twitter.com/goldenskate/status/1045733639978438660 :agree:

i feel like i keep repeating myself but she is so cute and lovely, just love her on&off ice

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Thank you! She is great. Love the Nakano girls.

So far for 2018-2019 SB from our Senior ladies are:

Total Scores:
1. RiKa Kihira 218.16
2. Mai Mihara 209.22
3. Satoko Miyahara 201.23
4. Mako Yamashita 182.22
5. Kaori Sakamoto 180.85
6. Marin Honda 178.89
7. Yuna Shiraiwa 173.01
8. Wakaba Higuchi 167.84

FS.
1. Rika Kihara 147.37
2. Mai Mihara 138.28
3. Satoko Miyahara 133.70
4. Kaori Sakamoto 130.94
5. Mako Yamashita 126.89
6. Marin Honda 122.23
7. Yuna Shiraiwa 118.54
8. Wakaba Higuchi 109.47

SP.
1. Mai Mihara 70.94
2. Rika Kihira 70.79
3. Satoko Miyahara 67.53
4. Wakaba Higuchi 57.54
5. Marin Honda 56.66
6. Yuna Shiraiwa 55.35
7. Mako Yamashita 55.33
8. Kaori Sakamoto 49.91

It’s fair to say that some of these ladies had a poor first outing. I know it’s too early in the season to make predictions but it’s interesting to see how the new GOE helps or hurts our ladies.

Also - glad to see Kaori go back and work with David on choreo.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn-PH2UhgSJ/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=mraaxqlv6ux8

Rika Kihira scored 218.16 with two triple axels and she may win the Japanese national championships this year, if she can repeat the success in Osaka. Rika is just like Mao Asada used to be when she won the silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Mai Mihara is also a strong contender for the Japanese national title with 209.22.

tosca said:

Is there a video of her speaking English in an interview? Would love to see!

Mai looks in great shape! Too bad about her arthritis taking time away from learning a new FS but thankfully I love her FS and the dress looks beautiful. I hope she puts a little more “fight and grit” in... it would give her that extra oomph to compliment her beautiful skating. I am upset that her PCS, although fine, are not higher. Especially in skating skills...

Marin... that dress was wild in the FS. She just looks like she lacks focus. Definitely a skater that things come easy to... hopefully raf can help her.

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Marin's dresses from the last two years were much prettier. Her FS dress is a bit too busy for my liking. I also agree with you that focus is a huge issue for her especially in the beginning of the season. She typically does better in the second half of the season. I'm really curious about why the loop toe combo was included in the short program rather than her usual flip toe combo.

Somehow I am not surprised with Marin's LP dress because it is the (innocent) pink Japanese ladies seem to be fond of. It a little too girly for me, and so overused by Japanese ladies.

On the other hand, I am glad most of jumps were working. Someone said she has to take her jumps apart and work on new techniques with her new coach, hence struggles in her jumps now. Were her old techniques so bad? I know she is not the explosive jumper as Wakaba, Kaori and also not as tiny as Satoko. So what worked for other Japanese ladies may not work for Marin?

hippomoomin said:

Somehow I am not surprised with Marin's LP dress because it is the (innocent) pink Japanese ladies seem to be fond of. It a little too girly for me, and so overused by Japanese ladies.

On the other hand, I am glad most of jumps were working. Someone said she has to take her jumps apart and work on new techniques with her new coach, hence struggles in her jumps now. Were her old techniques so bad? I know she is not the explosive jumper as Wakaba, Kaori and also not as tiny as Satoko. So what worked for other Japanese ladies may not work for Marin?

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I think it's less an issue of Japanese coaching, and more an issue with Mie Hamada's way of teaching jumps. I've seen her receive criticism that her students all learn jumps that are low and rely on fast rotations, which has worked mostly well with Satoko because she's so tiny but not so much with Marin and Yuna Shiraiwa as they've begun to grow. Wakaba, Kaori, and Mai's coaching teams seem to emphasize more power, speed, and distance over quick rotations.