2019-20 Japanese ladies' figure skating
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She needs to nail it at Nationals if she even wants to go to 4CC. At least Kihira, Miyahara, Sakamoto, and Yokoi are all ahead of her right now.
At least in the case of last year, Japan did not send the same exact teams to both Worlds and 4CC. They may do so again this year to give the 4th placer some love. Yokoi is looking strong, but PCS reputation at Nationals matter a lot ... so Wakaba still has a shot if she can keep it together!
Although there's still a chance that Japan sends the same team to both competitions this year, so who knows
At least in the case of last year, Japan did not send the same exact teams to both Worlds and 4CC. They may do so again this year to give the 4th placer some love. Yokoi is looking strong, but PCS reputation at Nationals matter a lot ... so Wakaba still has a shot if she can keep it together!
Although there's still a chance that Japan sends the same team to both competitions this year, so who knows
https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/japanese-figure-skating-2019-20-season-news-updates.105719/
As it stands, Wakaba meets none of the criteria for being selected to the international team*, meaning that she has to medal at Nationals to be considered.
* While she is a former WC medalist, that criteria is specifically reserved for those that didn't qualify by other means due to injury or other extenuating circumstances, so I don't believe it applies to Wakaba here.
EDIT: Never mind all that. Just noticed that 4CC Criteria is different, and she does qualify for that.
She needs to get her jumping back consistently first. She hasn't been able to skate a clean long program in 2 seasons. If she could get back to form she can beat everyone there except Kihira, unless Kihira messes up like last year. With a 3A she can beat Kihira too. But all that is just fantasy until Wakaba shows she can skate a clean long program again. Even then, she has to rebuild her reputation with the judges if the other girls are also clean.
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Probably Kaori Sakamoto, Rika Kihira and Satoko Miyahara will be selected for the Worlds based on the current results and Wakaba Higuchi will get other assignments like 4CC. We need to keep an eye on Wakaba in the next season. With the triple axel, Wakaba may be back on the international team.
https://twitter.com/JacksonUltima/status/1199477641679491073
Only Kihira has had good enough results this year to be selected if she doesn't podium. The rest will have to podium at Nats.
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I don't think she can beat a clean Kihira even with a 3A, because she has a lip and her PCS won't be as high/ GOE in non jump elements will be lower. I assume that Kihira will have her lutz back by nationals. ( might be wrong, the injury now appears more erious than it appeared to be at first) However, Wakaba could absolutely be threat for the podium if she can regain a little consistency. She is a power skater and knows how to choose the correct programs to showcase that. Hopefully she is at her best at nationals.
I hope so, but I would be happy if she just hits all her jumps, and does the loop instead of flip in the short so she doesn't get an edge call. Making worlds would be great, but skating clean is the main thing to get her confidence back and build credit with judges.
To gauge current potential, Wakaba's superscore (highest SP + FS from all competitions) is 183.80.
For comparison, Yuhana's is 191.96, Mako's is 189.25, and Marin's is 181.79, and Yuna's is 172.58.
Although all the scores are pretty close and spread across various incomparable competitions, I think they pretty accurately reflect how these ladies currently stack up against each other.
Yuhana has been performing most consistently and may get a 4CC nod to give her more experience. Arguably, she has the most potential for growth as she's a new senior. Honestly, she might even get the Worlds berth if she skates perfectly and Satoko/Kaori are lackluster at Nationals.
Mako started off the season rough, but NHK showed that she may be getting back to her prior season level!
Wakaba and Marin have not looked too great so far this season. Wakaba's practice 3A is great, but she still needs to a) be able to jump her other 7 triples in her FS, and b) land the 3A's in competitions. If she can get back to 2018 Worlds shape, at the very least she can get a 4CC spot. Her current superscore doesn't take into account her PCS potential, so her score will rise dramatically once she can be consistent. Especially at Nationals, she will get the seniority boost while the newer skaters won't.
I want to believe, but I don't see Marin making any teams anymore. Might be a bit too pessimistic but things just don't seem to be working out for her, and yet nothing is changing.
I have no idea about the status of Yuna (injured?), but her results so far have been lackluster. Japan seems to have a lot of faith and support in her, but she has yet to show solid results.
And beyond all this speculation, Japan might just end up sending Rika-Kaori-Satoko to both 4CC and Worlds... unless they totally bomb at Nationals, it would be the smartest decision to send them to secure 3 spots again. Yuhana and Mako have no reputation, while Wakaba (unless she really shows her stuff at Nationals) hasn't been consistent.
For comparison, Yuhana's is 191.96, Mako's is 189.25, and Marin's is 181.79, and Yuna's is 172.58.
Although all the scores are pretty close and spread across various incomparable competitions, I think they pretty accurately reflect how these ladies currently stack up against each other.
Yuhana has been performing most consistently and may get a 4CC nod to give her more experience. Arguably, she has the most potential for growth as she's a new senior. Honestly, she might even get the Worlds berth if she skates perfectly and Satoko/Kaori are lackluster at Nationals.
Mako started off the season rough, but NHK showed that she may be getting back to her prior season level!
Wakaba and Marin have not looked too great so far this season. Wakaba's practice 3A is great, but she still needs to a) be able to jump her other 7 triples in her FS, and b) land the 3A's in competitions. If she can get back to 2018 Worlds shape, at the very least she can get a 4CC spot. Her current superscore doesn't take into account her PCS potential, so her score will rise dramatically once she can be consistent. Especially at Nationals, she will get the seniority boost while the newer skaters won't.
I want to believe, but I don't see Marin making any teams anymore. Might be a bit too pessimistic but things just don't seem to be working out for her, and yet nothing is changing.
I have no idea about the status of Yuna (injured?), but her results so far have been lackluster. Japan seems to have a lot of faith and support in her, but she has yet to show solid results.And beyond all this speculation, Japan might just end up sending Rika-Kaori-Satoko to both 4CC and Worlds... unless they totally bomb at Nationals, it would be the smartest decision to send them to secure 3 spots again. Yuhana and Mako have no reputation, while Wakaba (unless she really shows her stuff at Nationals) hasn't been consistent.
The selection criteria are:
1. Nationals winner
2. The 2nd skater will be selected from skaters who meet either of the criteria below.
a) Nationals 2nd & 3rd
b) GPF top 2 finishers among Japanese skaters
c) Top 3 among Japanese skaters on ISU's WS when Nats finished
3. The 3rd skater will be selected from skaters who meet either of the criteria below.
a) Skaters who meet 2.a)-c) but not selected
b) Top 3 among Japanese skaters on ISU's season's WR when Nats finished
c) Top 3 among Japanese skaters on ISU's SB when Nats finished
Kihira is the only one to participate in GPF. But Kihira, Miyahara, and Sakamoto dominate every other category.
Realistically, barring injury, or unless somebody else wins Nationals, that's your three Worlds selections right there.I can't see them telling someone "Sorry, you're top three in world rankings, top three in season rankings, and top three in season scores, but we're gong with this other person that has none of that, but finished third at Nationals instead."
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Any update on Mai? I take it she cannot go to Nationals even if she was able to?
And what could help Marin? I don't follow her closely. I really like her programs this season but her jump confidence seems to be lacking. Could it help her if she returned to Japan?
And what could help Marin? I don't follow her closely. I really like her programs this season but her jump confidence seems to be lacking. Could it help her if she returned to Japan?
Mai is at the point where we should be simply wishing that she would become healthy. I would not at all be surprised if she never competes again.
It doesn't matter where Marin Honda is. The only person that can fix Marin Honda's problems is Marin Honda.
It doesn't matter where Marin Honda is. The only person that can fix Marin Honda's problems is Marin Honda.
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Haven't we discussed before that the criteria list from the Japanese federation is meant to give them a pool of skaters to choose from, not to rank all the skaters? I.e. If one of Satoko or Kaori is 4th, they would still be eligible to be chosen, but not that they necessarily would. If someone else is 2nd, with really good skates, I think they'll get a Worlds spot. Harder to say if they were 3rd.
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- Oct 22, 2019
Curious question because I am new to all the Japanese ladies except Rika.
Was Marin like Rika back in the day? Was she the new hope and promise of Japanese Ladies? She seems pretty famous and I know she also had Mie Hamada as a coach at some point.
Did she have Rika's jump ability too at some point?
Was Marin like Rika back in the day? Was she the new hope and promise of Japanese Ladies? She seems pretty famous and I know she also had Mie Hamada as a coach at some point.
Did she have Rika's jump ability too at some point?
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To be short, yes! Marin won Junior Worlds during her first junior season and got silver at Junior Worlds the next year. She was amazing as a junior and many had high hopes that she would become the next big thing, as she had the artistry and the jumps. She even talked about training ultra-C elements (4S) back then.
Here are some of Marin's best performances during juniors
https://youtu.be/RWLAZ5TwYKs
https://youtu.be/A71jz-kOAcQ
https://youtu.be/7auua1fqb4k
https://youtu.be/V5TBxZgPDYk
True, the rules pretty much say they can pick whoever they want. It doesn't matter how many of the criteria you have, as long as you meet one you can be picked. But in practice they usually go with the top three. Remember 2 years ago, Higuchi had the most qualifications, but they took Sakamoto because she did better at Nats.
That was the Olympics that year, however the point is the same.
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- Oct 22, 2019
She was so lovely!!!! That Romeo Juliet was really sublime.
Dare I ask where it all went wrong? Did she grow and lose her jumps?
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- Mar 22, 2018
I believe it was a combination of many things that includes: National pressure, growing, Hamada's declarations about her, her lack of training, her change of coach and technique, her change of time training with Raphael, her lack of confidence. I think that are the main reasons why she is not longer the next thing of japan since 3 seasons
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