Japanese Nationals 2013-14 - Pairs | Golden Skate

Japanese Nationals 2013-14 - Pairs

NMURA

Medalist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Pairs SP
1 Narumi Takahashi / Ryuichi Kihara 54.62

3S overturn by Takahashi, other parts clean, standing ovation

Junior Pairs SP
1 Suto / Chizhikov (American) 39.74
2 Koga / Boudreau-Audet (Canadian) 37.80
 

NMURA

Medalist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Pairs results
1 Narumi Takahashi / Ryuichi Kihara 149.48 (FS 94.86)

Takahashi put both hands down in the opening pose, 3T-1T, fell on 3S and both throw jumps.

I believe Kihara should change the partner after the Olympics. Sadly, Narumi is no good.

Junior Pairs results
1 Sumire Suto / Konstantin Chizhikov 111.35 (FS 71.61)
2 Ami Koga / Francis Boudreau-Audet 107.32 (FS 65.52)
 

NMURA

Medalist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Narumi's jumps are not Kihara's faults. Even Mervin Tran couldn't cover it.
There are more than 50 mini-sized girls with better jumps in Japan.
Sooner the better.
 
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Narumi's jumps are not Kihara's faults. Even Mervin Tran couldn't cover it.
There are more than 50 mini-sized girls with better jumps in Japan.
Sooner the better.

Pair skating is about MUCH more than solo jumps. She's never been strong in that regard but with Tran, Takahashi has proven that she can perform pair elements to a very high standard.
 

pec0

Match Penalty
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
How did the Junior teams skate?

I was not there myself and video is not available. I translate comments from 2 chan.
From Takahashi Kihara fan thread: Boys of junior pairs might have been a little nervous because Japanese National Event is held in big arena and when pairs started, there were not many vacant sheets. When Kihara and Narumi started warm up stretch, they just stood there.
From Junior men, pairs, dance thread: Suto / Chizhikov pair did 2T and 5TLi toe lasso one hand but wobbly, and Koga / Boudreau-Audet changed SBS to 2Lo. Koga / Boudreau-Audet made more mistakes but may have no less potential.
From Japan national 2013-14 thread: Hope both teams maintain partnership and come again next year.
 

NMURA

Medalist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
As same as Takahashi/Tran, Narumi has been a burden for her male partner. Kihara is learning fast. When he mastered basic pair elements and techniques, the JSF should find a more reliable girl to team up with. Narumi can help training the next man for pairs. Certainly, Ryuichi Kihara is more valuable for Japanese skating than Narumi Takahashi.
 

deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
Sorry to visit the thread this late.

Okay I was there. And I particularly enjoyed Pair comp! Was the second time for me to attend the Nats (2009-10 Vancouver season 4 years ago was the first one for me!), and was the very first time to watch a pairs comp in years for skating fans in Japan, in a true way: I mean, in the past a couple of seasons where only Narumi/Mervin got competed, and regardless how they actually skated was given a spot to Worlds anyway year after year, you know. This year we had THREE pair teams on the ice, though two are still in the junior circuit. Impressive!

Yes I agree with pec0. Ami and Francis looked very promising, in spite of more mistakes. Ami reminds me of Peng (Hao Zhang's new partner). :) Hope they can get more unison and overall speed in a year or two. Didn't know this pair before but do they currently train in Canada, btw? I saw Mr Gauthier (Narumi/Mervin's coach) by the rinkside during their skate if I'm not mistaken.

Was Ryuichi injured at this Nats? Anyone knows? During 6min warm-up of Free skate, Ryu fell all over the place and made me very nervous... one on the back of 3T-2T combo, another on 3S. I thought it was just a bad day jump-wise for him at first. Then I heard a numbers of the crowd cried out 'oh!' when I was talking to my husband which let me look back to the rink, to see him sliding on the ice until being stopped by the fence...the he laughed to their coach Jason... When their Free music started, Ryu lost balance and put both hands down on ice at the begining, you will see it at 0:13.


We all know nervousness has been always sort of 'enemy' to Naru and would cost her mistakes on jump elements. But at this Nats, I am sure Naru got not only nervous but 'scared' probably: if you see your partner falls 3 times during warm-up, then another one from nowhere at the actual performance, who does not feel scared to death? especially in Pairs comp, where a female skater needs to trust her partner fully to do all these required elements such as twist, lifts adn throw jumps...I felt so sorry for her. If he actually was injured and as long as it was a minor one, it's okay. but if it wasn't, then worrisome. Makes me rather think he must have lacked enough concentration during the competition...idk.
Anyway, their overall performance skating to Les Mis was really good, except those jump mistakes: Ryu was very expressive thruout and had pretty good skating skills for a male skater. Hope Naru can relax bit more and catch up with Ryu in performing skills. Then unison shall come. They ARE improving as the seasons deepens for sure! :)
 
Top