2021-22 Japanese Women's Figure Skating

[YuBluByMe]

And if we're going by that, then Kao also shouldn't have been here (and neither should've Lucas considering he competed at the domestic GP event last season - he also never competed in the JGP series at all).

I was going to say yes, exactly Miura shouldn’t have been at JW either, but I completely forgot that the juniors did not skate the JGP. Miura would have competed as a junior and he didn’t have any GP spots. He was at NHK only because Hanyu withdrew. Extenuating circumstance. Also, Honda’s fine. The domestic NHK does not count.

However, this does not apply to Matsuike. She was never going to compete in the JGP. It was clear she was moving to Senior last season and she already had one GP spot at the beginning of the season and then got the NHK host pick. She has no business at Junior Worlds.

This is a different thread, but the switch hitting bothers me. ISU really needs to change the rules on this. Can you imagine the controversy if Kagiyama - the Olympic Silver medalist and two-time World medalist - had competed at JW? Granted, something like this is very unlikely to happen and federations have common sense (uh, I think ), but it’s going to happen eventually and when it does ISU will change the rules, but with an over-correction.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

This is a different thread, but the switch hitting bothers me. ISU really needs to change the rules on this. Can you imagine the controversy if Kagiyama - the Olympic Silver medalist and two-time World medalist - had competed at JW? Granted, something like this is very unlikely to happen and federations have common sense (uh, I think ), but it’s going to happen eventually and when it does ISU will change the rules, but with an over-correction.

Very different situation. If only competitions are taken into account at which skaters can earn ISU personal best scores, then Rino didn't have a lot of success in Seniors this season (as opposed to Yuma). Placing 6th at NHK (where she was the host pick) after 2 skaters withdrew that would have placed above her under normal circumstances (Sasha and Daria) and 8th at Rostelecom Cup (she didn't "earn" this spot either - neither her World standing nor her season's best from the previous season was in the top 24). She didn't compete at Worlds or the Olympics, and she didn't even medal at 4CC (where she wouldn't have competed in any other Olympic or non-Olympic season, as the Olympic/World team is usually sent to 4CC as well), despite the lower level of competition this season. Prior to Junior Worlds, her ISU best score (202.21) would have been the 7th highest among juniors (granted all but one of those were scores put up by Russians).

Also, it's entirely possible that she might have received GP spots because she couldn't compete on the JGP. Neither her World standing, nor her Season's best score would have guaranteed her even one GP spot unless there was some kind of push for it to happen. (I mean, she was the reigning Junior National Champion and finished 4th at Senior Nationals, so understandable why they might have wanted her to compete at two GP events.)

Additionally (and that might just be me), I find it unfair that Rino never even got the chance to go to Jr Worlds. Winning Japanese Jr Nationals in the 2020/21 season would have made her a sure bet for making the team for Jr Worlds and she would have had a natural transition to seniors, but the ISU basically abandoned their junior skaters and while Sr Worlds took place, Jr Worlds was cancelled.

 

[rabidline]

Miura would have competed as a junior and he didn’t have any GP spots. He was at NHK only because Hanyu withdrew. Extenuating circumstance.

Just a little bit of correction, Miura was the host pick alongside Matsuike. Hanyu's replacement after he withdrew due to injury was Sota Yamamoto.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

It is a mystery to me how Japanese seniors manage to do so well when the juniors are such a hot mess! But maybe many Japanese skaters (with obvious exceptions) are late bloomers by international standards?

Same thing with the Cricket Club, their skaters raised in that environment seem to be late bloomers as well. If I had to guess it's probably when they get the jumps consistent. Since there's more emphasis on things like skating skills or spins or PCS or good technique, it takes longer for the jumps to get solid because they're not being drilled 24/7 but one they do they're incredibly reliable especially because you have a good base (at least until you start adding in quads). Idk, just my best guess

 

[cohkaix]

JSF - 2022 strengthened athletes (FS), women's (updated Apr 21st, 22', PDF)

Special Athletes (with link to their BIOs from JSF official website)
Kaori Sakamoto Sysmex// National 1
Wakaba Higuchi Meiji U/Noevir// National 2
Mana Kawabe Kinoshita Academy Chukyo High School// National 3
Mai Mihara Sysmex// National 4

Strengthened A
Rinka Watanabe Hosei U// National 6
Rino Matsuike Chukyo High School// National 7
Rion Sumiyoshi Oriental Bio/Meiji U// National 8/ National Jr. 2
Mao Shimada Kinoshita Academy// National Jr. 1/ National NvA 1
Mone Chiba Tohoku High School// National 11/ National Jr. 3

Strengthened B
Hana Yoshida Kinoshita Academy// National 9/ National Jr. 4
Ayumi Shibayama Kinoshita Academy// National 10/ National Jr. 6
Yuhana Yokoi Chukyo U// National 12
Azusa Tanaka Kinoshita Academy// National 18/ National Jr. 5
Ami Nakai MF Figure Skating Academy// National Jr. 7
Ikura Kushida Kinoshita Academy// National Jr. 8

*This list will be further updated following the announcements of international competitions later.

 

[surimi]

I hope Yuhana can join A funding soon.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

I hope Yuhana can join A funding soon.

I hope she can learn to skate two clean programs

 

[surimi]

I hope she can learn to skate two clean programs

Well, that's not mutually exclusive, is it?

 

[ptvvibezz]

Mana Kawabe has left Hamada and will be trained by Mihoko Higuchi

 

[cohkaix]

Mana Kawabe has left Hamada and will be trained by Mihoko Higuchi

I was guessing that was one possibility…that explains why Mana switched to Chukyo HS. Well, Mana is originally from Aichi?

Good for Coach Higuchi to start getting students…and I wondered when the decision about coach change was made?

 

[Lamente Ariane]

Mana Kawabe has left Hamada and will be trained by Mihoko Higuchi

Good.

 

[Joekaz]

Wakaba Higuchi has a stress fracture in her right shin it was reported. That explains the pain she was dealing with after the Olympics.

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Some of the Kinoshita Academy Novice and Junior girls debuted new programs on Day 1 of Bloom On Ice
Not confirmed but most of these appear to be competition programs for next season
I posted links to video of the Juniors with new programs
I'll also upload the Novice girls if requested

Hanano Suzuki ~ Butterfly Lovers Concerto (Nov B 6th, debuting as Nov A)
Sumika Kanazawa ~ Yellow River Concerto (Nov B 4th in her debut season)
Riria Kono ~ La Strada (Nov B 3rd, debuting as Nov A) New Kinoshita trainee, formerly with Okayama SC
Kei Yamada ~ Funny Girl (Nov A 4th, Jr Nats 18th, debuting as Junior) New Kinoshita trainee, formerly with Papio FSC
Haruna Murakami ~ Music from the movie Australia (Nov A 3rd, Jr Nats 25th, debuting as Junior) Also training Pairs with Sumitada Moriguchi
Sakurako Daimon ~ Amethyst - YOSHIKI I absolutely this girl!!! but fear her jumps will never be stable. Skating gods are so cruel!
Ikura Kushida ~ En Aranjuez Con Tu Amour (Red Violin)
Ayumi Shibayama ~ The Prayer - Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion

The rest of the girls performed their current programs
Azusa Tanaka ~ Smile SP
Mao Shimada ~ Lion King SP
Hana Yoshida ~ Shine On You Crazy Diamond SP
Mana Kawabe ~ modified version of her Miracle FS

Mao and Hana both attempted the 3A but fell
Mana took a nasty fall and smacked her face/chin on the ice
She stayed on her knees for a moment, touched her chin then got up to finish her performance
She returned during the finale with no visible injury to her face
Still hoping she got that checked

Reina Kawakatsu (Nov B 2nd, debuting as Nov A) was introduced during the opening number but did not perform a program
Hoping to see her skate on Day 2

 

[surimi]

Thanks for the info!
Btw, how can Mana be at this show when she's left Hamada and is with Higuchi? Is it because she'd been with Kinoshita until recently? Or can you be in Kinoshita Academy despite training with a coach who isn't theirs? I don't know much about the Academy, so I'm curious.

 

[KiraraChin]

Thanks for the info!
Btw, how can Mana be at this show when she's left Hamada and is with Higuchi? Is it because she'd been with Kinoshita until recently? Or can you be in Kinoshita Academy despite training with a coach who isn't theirs? I don't know much about the Academy, so I'm curious.

From what I saw on Twitter, it seems she had a contractual obligation to appear in this show, most likely from before she decided to change coaches.

 

[rabidline]

Thanks for the info!
Btw, how can Mana be at this show when she's left Hamada and is with Higuchi? Is it because she'd been with Kinoshita until recently? Or can you be in Kinoshita Academy despite training with a coach who isn't theirs? I don't know much about the Academy, so I'm curious.

I'm not sure, but I'm inclined to agree with @KiraraChin about contractual obligation. Mana does confirm in the interviews after the show that she is moving back to Nagoya and will train under Mihoko, and she also thanked Kinoshita Academy for their environment that made her able to achieve what she has achieved so far.

 

[Colonel Green]

Rika discusses her decision to withdraw from competition this season and her future plans. It sounds like she is doing well with the TCC coaches.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

Ugh no Ayumi you deserve better than Bocelli

 

[el henry]

I have a new favorite Japanese women's skaters (yes, I will watch the ladies if Rohene choreo is involved )

Screen grab from Rohene's IG stories: https://www.instagram.com/stories/rohenew/2824953386329047965/

 

[el henry]

Embedding this clip that shows Rohene and Kaori working together: (ETA: running the video does not have the odd proportions that are in the post)