2021-22 Japanese Women's Figure Skating

[cohkaix]

JSF - 2021 strengthened athletes (FS), women's: PDF updated Jun 23*

Special Athletes (with link to their BIOs from JSF official website)
Rika Kihira Toyota motor corperation
Kaori Sakamoto Sysmex
Satoko Miyahara Kinoshita group

Strengthened A
Rino Matsuike Chukyo High School
Mai Mihara Sysmex
Mana Kawabe Kinoshita Academy
Wakaba Higuchi Meiji U/Noevir
Yuhana Yokoi Chukyo U
Hana Yoshida Kinoshita Academy
Mao ShimadaKinoshita Academy

Strengthened B
Yuna Shiraiwa Kansai U skating club
Rin Nitaya Chukyo U
Tomoe Kawabata Waseda U
Rion Sumiyoshi Komaba Gakuen High School
Ayumi Shibayama Kinoshita Academy
Ami Nakai MF Figure Skating Academy
Natsu Suzuki M-Eight Club
Mone Chiba Tohoku High School

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

GP 21-22 assignments
SA: Kaori Sakamoto, Yuhana Yokoi
SC: Rika Kihira, Wakaba Higuchi (adding: Mana Kawabe)
CoC: Satoko Miyahara, Mia Mihara
NHK: Rika Kihira, Kaori Sakamoto, **TBA Rino Matsuike
IdF: Wakaba Higuchi
RC: Rino Matsuike

**The TBA spot to the NHK Trophy will be decided on Sept 11-12 via a test competition.

 

[cohkaix]

The 2021-22 season of major Japan domestic competitions

Kanto Regionals (関東選手権大会)
Date: Sept 30-Oct 3
Location: Chiba, Chiba
Entries (preliminary, in Japanese): TBA

Tokyo Regionals (東京選手権大会)
Date: Oct 7-10
Location: Nishitokyo, Tokyo
Entries (preliminary, in Japanese): TBA

Tohoku-Hokkaido Regionals (東北・北海道選手権大会)
Date: Oct 1-3, 2021
Location: Sapporo, Hokkaido
Entries (preliminary, in Japanese): TBA

Chu-Shikoku-Kyushu Regionals (中四国九州選手権大会)
Date: Sept 23-26
Location: Iizuka, Fukuoka
Entries (preliminary, in Japanese):TBA

Chubu Regionals (中部選手権大会)
Date: Sept 24-26
Location: Nagoya, Aichi
Entries (preliminary, in Japanese): TBA

Kinki Regionals (近畿選手権大会)
Date: Oct 7-10
Location: Uji, Kyoto
Entries (preliminary, in Japanese): TBA

Eastern Section (Senior and Junior)
Date: Oct 28-31
Location: Nishitokyo, Tokyo

Western Section (Senior and Junior)
Date: Nov 4-7
Location: Fukuoa, Fukuoka

National Junior
Date: Nov 19-21
Location: Nagoya, Aichi

All Japan National Championship (Olympian selection)
Date: Dec 22-26
Location: Saitama, Saitama

 

[cohkaix]

The reason I opened up this tread is because, as there's already a couple of summer competitions (domestically) on-going, I hope there's a place to provide the updates from the results. These competitions include:

Acqa Cup (Jun 26-27), Chiba
result page (It seems that skaters can choose freely to compete in either SP or FS, or both. So there's no combination results)
Sr ladies SP - Protocol
1. Wakaba Higuchi 67.06
2. Rinka Watanabe 59.33
Sr ladies FS - Protocol
1. Wakaba Higuchi 116.15 (no fall, but same old problem of singled jump in the 2nd half)
2. Rinka Watanabe 100.45 (attempted 3A with <<)
Jr. ladies SP - Protocol
1. Rion Sumiyoshi 61.81
3. Ami Nakai
Jr. ladies FS - Protocol
1. You Takaki? 91.05
3. Rion Sumiyoshi

Lili Cup (Jun 26-27), Yokohama
Nagoya City FS competition (Jul 2-4), Aichi [Ongoing now]

I will add the results here later on.

 

[ana]

Satoko Miyahara is in a different class.

English skills and poise, gliding on a pair of skates | Interview | ニュースで英語を学べる The Japan Times Alpha オンライン

【The Japan Times Alpha 20210709 issue｜英文記事ページ 】フィギュアスケート選手の宮原知子さん

alpha.japantimes.co.jp

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

The JSF published the entries for the Gensan Summer Cup, to be held from August 8-12 in Shiga.
Notable entries
Nana Araki
Chisato Uramatsu
Miyabi Oba
Ayumi Kagotani
Rino Kasakake
Mana Kawabe
Kaori Sakamoto
Yuna Shiraiwa
Rin Nitaya
Wakaba Higuchi
Rino Matsuike
Yura Matsuda
Mai Mihara
Satoko Miyahara
Mako Yamashita
Yuhana Yokoi
Rinka Watanabe

Notable entries-junior
Serina Okada
Ayumi Shibayama
Mao Shimada
Rion Sumiyoshi
Sakurako Daimon
Azusa Tanaka
Sara Honda
Kinayu Yokoi
Hana Yoshida

 

[Jeanie19]

The JSF published the entries for the Gensan Summer Cup, to be held from August 8-12 in Shiga.
Notable entries
Nana Araki
Chisato Uramatsu
Miyabi Oba
Ayumi Kagotani
Rino Kasakake
Mana Kawabe
Kaori Sakamoto
Yuna Shiraiwa
Rin Nitaya
Wakaba Higuchi
Rino Matsuike
Yura Matsuda
Mai Mihara
Satoko Miyahara
Mako Yamashita
Yuhana Yokoi
Rinka Watanabe

Notable entries-junior
Serina Okada
Ayumi Shibayama
Mao Shimada
Rion Sumiyoshi
Sakurako Daimon
Azusa Tanaka
Sara Honda
Kinayu Yokoi
Hana Yoshida

I hope there will be a livestream.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

I hope there will be a livestream.

There will be one, but you have to pay and I think it's only available in Japan

 

[LiamForeman]

I don't follow Japanese ladies very closely, so is everyone here happy with the team selections and assignments? I vaguely remember reading a girl with a 3a was left down in juniors. Who are your favorite up and comers who could be potential big names? I enjoy Japanese ladies for their very strong skating skills. But none except Kihira has really stood out in competition as champion material. I love Sakamoto, and I think she is unfairly scored due to her body type (the flutz doesn't help, I admit) To see Kaori live is an experience if you love great skating. But it is sad to me to see Satoko STILL in the top 3. Where are all the stronger younger skaters? Is it just hard to break into JSF's favored group?

 

[Zora]

I don't follow Japanese ladies very closely, so is everyone here happy with the team selections and assignments? I vaguely remember reading a girl with a 3a was left down in juniors. Who are your favorite up and comers who could be potential big names? I enjoy Japanese ladies for their very strong skating skills. But none except Kihira has really stood out in competition as champion material. I love Sakamoto, and I think she is unfairly scored due to her body type (the flutz doesn't help, I admit) To see Kaori live is an experience if you love great skating. But it is sad to me to see Satoko STILL in the top 3. Where are all the stronger younger skaters? Is it just hard to break into JSF's favored group?

I was impressed by Mana Kawabe. She is powerful, big movements, great step sequences, not really the "cute" type of skater we often see from Japan, and she attempts the 3A.

 

[cohkaix]

Nagoya City FS competition (Jul 2-4), Aichi

I will add the results here later on.

The competition just finished. Here's the final result (all)

Sr. ladies - FS protocol
Total score:
1. Rino Matsuike 207.48 (*attempted 3A< at beginning of the program with a fall)
2. Yura Matsuda 170.88
3. Mana Kawabe 168.94 (*Also fall with 3A<<)

Jr. ladies - FS protocol
1. Hana Yoshida 165.95 (a nice came back from 6th place in SP, the only one challenged 3A successfully)
2. Ikura Kushda 164.39
3. Kinayu Yokoi 154.39

 

[cohkaix]

Adding to the previous posting about Nagoya FS event:

Rino is skating to 'Moonlight Sonata' for her Olympic season FS.
Source: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c05fd729db60ab3203adc89534cbba12ced0ecf8
She said when she listened to the music, Shoma's face came to her mind....

Adding#2: from twitter (unconfirmed) - Yuhana is skating to 'Queen's medley' for her FS.

 

[RatedPG]

Rino, like always, is just so solid.

 

[surimi]

Daring choice for Yuhana if so, but she can sell it I believe.

wow, Gensan full of top 10 Nats ladies sans Rika K!

Does anyone know if Tomoe Kawabata is competing somewhere this summer? She's one of my favorites.

 

[cohkaix]

Does anyone know if Tomoe Kawabata is competing somewhere this summer? She's one of my favorites.

If not Gensan (which is open to skaters from other regions), I think it will be more likely for her to take part in the Tokyo Summer Trophy (to be held on Aug 20-22).

 

[mikeko666]

Adding#2: from twitter (unconfirmed) - Yuhana is skating to 'Queen's medley' for her FS.

This article confirmed that her new FS is a Queen medley.
She tweeted that the program was just made last Tuesday.

 

[cohkaix]

The very first performance of DOI is undergoing now. So here's some updating news about debuting of new programs (*this post will keep on being updated):

Ayumi Shibayama (will skate in Jr this season)
SP - Pure Imagination

Kao Miura (Jr. men)
SP - Winter (of 'Four seasons' by Vivaldi, already posted in his IG)

Rino Matsuike
FS - Moonlight (Jennifer Thomas & Viktoria Tocca, already known from recent competition）

Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda
FS - Blues for Klook

Yuhana Yokoi
FS - Queen's Medley (already known above)

Kazuki Tomono
SP - Love theme from New Cinema Paradise (already known)

Wakaba Higuchi
FS- The Lion King (already known from previous competition)

Sena Miyake
SP - Unchained Melody

Hana Yoshida
SP- Shine On You Crazy Diamond

Mana Kawabe
SP - Winter

Shun Sato
SP - Summer (of 'Four seasons' assuming by Vivaldi)

Mai Mihara
SP - I dreamed a dream (from Les Mis)

Keiji Tanaka
SP - Paris (from Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time)

Satoko Miyahara
SP - Lyra Angelica

Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara
SP - Hallelujah

Kaori Sakamoto
SP - Gladiator (!)

Yuma Kagiyama
SP - When You're Smiling（Michael Bublé）

Rika Kihira
FS - Titanic

Yuzuru Hanyu
EX - Masquerade

 

[Zora]

Kaori Sakamoto
SP - Gladiator (!)

Hopefully it's the real Gladiator soundtrack!

 

[YuBluByMe]

Rika Kihira
FS - Titanic

Oh NO.

 

[Amei]

Oh NO.

Depends on the cut, there are some nice parts of the soundtrack, then there is a particularly awful part and hopefully no voice-overs

 

[Greengemmonster]

Oh NO.

Oh yes!!!! I'm pumped!!!!

It will be spirited and I think spirited is good for her!