Rika Hongo

[YesWay]

Congrats to Rika Hongo on winning gold on her senior GP debut. She deserved that win.

Miki is shorter than Mao and stand at 5'3". How tall is Hongo?

Don't know how up-to-date the information is, but her ISU bio page and wiki page both say 1.66 m (5 ft 5 1⁄2 in)

Compare that with Mao Asada 1.63 m, and Miki Ando 1.62 m. I think Rika's proportions are different though, she seems to have longer legs and perhaps that's where her extra height is.

I join you in congratulating Rika on her gold, but one correction: this was not her debut on the senior GP. She skated at Skate Canada two weeks ago, finishing in 5th place.

Indeed - she was originally only going to skate once in the GP series, at Skate Canada. She was only added to the Russian GP due to a withdrawal (Marchei?). How lucky did that turn out for Rika?!

 

[Franklin99]

I join you in congratulating Rika on her gold, but one correction: this was not her debut on the senior GP. She skated at Skate Canada two weeks ago, finishing in 5th place.

My bad, I meant to say her season debut as a senior. I remeber her performance in SC.

 

[Franklin99]

Don't know how up-to-date the information is, but her ISU bio page and wiki page both say 1.66 m (5 ft 5 1⁄2 in)

Compare that with Mao Asada 1.63 m, and Miki Ando 1.62 m. I think Rika's proportions are different though, she seems to have longer legs and perhaps that's where her extra height is.

Thanks for the info YesWay.

 

[Alchamei]

Rika's win was definietly unexpected! It was a nice change to see some else on the top. Many people are complaining about her Carmen program, that it doesn't suit to her, as she is more athletic skater. I agree, there is always a room for improvement but this time I finally had a feeling she gets into it. It isn't the best Carmen ever, but do you expect from me when there is Cesario I am obssesed with Witt's Carmen. BTW, kudos to Rika for using the almost the same music cut as Katarina. That's bonus points for her. :agree:

 

[gotoschool]

Don't know how up-to-date the information is, but her ISU bio page and wiki page both say 1.66 m (5 ft 5 1⁄2 in)

Compare that with Mao Asada 1.63 m, and Miki Ando 1.62 m. I think Rika's proportions are different though, she seems to have longer legs and perhaps that's where her extra height is.


Indeed - she was originally only going to skate once in the GP series, at Skate Canada. She was only added to the Russian GP due to a withdrawal (Marchei?). How lucky did that turn out for Rika?!

I don't know for sure, but it looks to me that Mao has long legs (relative to her height) too. I read another poster who wrote this as well.

I was thinking that it was lucky for Japan that Rika entered the Russian GP.

 

[yhmafan]

Congratulation!! Rika!

 

[satine]

Congrats to Rika Hongo on winning gold on her senior GP debut. She deserved that win.

Miki is shorter than Mao and stand at 5'3". How tall is Hongo?

Well here is a picture of the podium last month at Finlandia. Eliza is supposed to be just shy of an even 5ft2 (157 cm) & Samantha is supposed to be 5ft3 (160). I think Samantha has obviously grew I'm thinking Rika's 5ft6 or even 5ft7. It would be easier to figure out if we had more pictures- I'm sure we'll have a good one from CoR shortly.

eta: Ok well here is a video from the awards ceremony. Anna is supposed to be 5ft3 & Alaine 5ft0. But Anna looks only about an inch shorter or so shorter than Rika. I am all kinds of confused right now

 

[YesWay]

Rika is hitting the news in Japan with her GP gold medal.

She was a cute kid :-D Although she started out in Sendai, when she was 9 years old coach Nagakubo moved to Nagoya (00:42), and she cried... but then she moved Nagoya too!

 

[altuixde]

It's too bad Rika didn't place higher at Skate Canada; we probably won't see her at the grand prix final in Barcelona. She was awesome in the free in Moscow (I haven't seen the short yet)! Way to go, Rika!

 

[thoakun]

Well here is a picture of the podium last month at Finlandia. Eliza is supposed to be just shy of an even 5ft2 (157 cm) & Samantha is supposed to be 5ft3 (160). I think Samantha has obviously grew I'm thinking Rika's 5ft6 or even 5ft7. It would be easier to figure out if we had more pictures- I'm sure we'll have a good one from CoR shortly.

eta: Ok well here is a video from the awards ceremony. Anna is supposed to be 5ft3 & Alaine 5ft0. But Anna looks only about an inch shorter or so shorter than Rika. I am all kinds of confused right now

Anna answered on her Instagram (Or VK?) that she's 5ft5 and judging by her picture net to 5ft3 Ashley, she does look that tall. At Asian Trophy a few months ago, an audience said that Rika was about 166 and she may grow another cm since then. It's hard to tell from that video from the award's ceremony since the camera angle was slanted. But for me, height doesn't matter as much as body proportion. Miki always strikes me as being on the tall side for a skater, but she's only 162cm and Akiko always looks shorter than 160cm. Most of the rhythmic gymnasts look much taller than they really are thanks to their long lines and amazing extension.

 

[satine]

Here is Rika's post-FS interview at CoR. She starts getting emotional (in a good way) about 45 seconds in, she is so cute

 

[Imagine]

Hope she gets to go to Korea in 2018! With all that talent in Japan though, it's going to be a rough battle.

They already did a shot documentary on her! Where'd they get such old footage??? :shocked:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjVd6iLrpPg&spfreload=10

 

[Interspectator]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ag8zn_141118-d_sport
After-competition dinner with team Japan.
Kozuka sings (very nicely!) the theme song for Sazae San and Rika does the hand motions.
Clips of Shoma at the end.

 

[christinaskater]

RIKA HONGO's Programs

I absolutely love Rika. I really love her programs this year.

Japanese nationals is going to be amazing this year.

Her win in COR, I believe, will be the start of many great things for this special lady.

 

[Interspectator]

I absolutely love Rika. I really love her programs this year.

Japanese nationals is going to be amazing this year.

Her win in COR, I believe, will be the start of many great things for this special lady.

Rika Hongo has surprised everyone with her new-found steadiness. She has improved immensely from last season. I thought her Skate Canada performace was a fluke but she did it even better at Rostelecom.

Here are some things I'd like to see her improve in.

Connection to the music. She is doing all her moves but I don't know if she gets the character. Especially for Carmen.
Spins. They could be faster and have better positions.
Rotate those Jumps!

She has shown that she can improve by leaps and bounds in a single season, so I'm expecting her to improve even more now.
Go Rika!

P.S. It is interesting to note that, looking at the scores of the Japanese ladies so far, Kanako and Satoko could also have gotten the gold medal in COR as their scores that got them bronze medals for Skate Canada and Cup of China are higher than Rika's in Rostelecom.

 

[Ayeshoo]

Here is Rika's post-FS interview at CoR. She starts getting emotional (in a good way) about 45 seconds in, she is so cute

Aww, so moved. She is such a sweet girl and so humble in the interview! Such a great boost for her to win in the Grand Prix.

 

[inskate]

They already did a shot documentary on her! Where'd they get such old footage??? :shocked:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjVd6iLrpPg&spfreload=10

Rika has already been featured in some documentaries about promising novices/juniors. I assume the TV station saved some footage from back then.

You can see a small clip of Rika's old program in this fan montage from over 7 years ago:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayLApCiEPPQ (at 2:25 there's a part od Rika's step sequence. If you have sharp eyes, you can spot her as well a bit earlier, she's in the background during Kanako's warmup and the scene when they practice dance off-ice ).

Unfortunately, the documentary from which the clips were taken is no longer online. It was about a Nagoya btraining camp for promising young skaters. Some time later there was also a documentary about Rika made when (IIRC) her home Rink in Sendai was closed, and her coach (Hiroshi Nagakubo) made a decision to move to Nagoya. Rika decided to move to Nagoya as well; she was determined to keep skating but tearful about moving out of her home city at such a young age.

 

[yhmafan]

Rika Hongo has surprised everyone with her new-found steadiness.

How do you think about my foresight ? (sorry just joking )

 

[Interspectator]

How do you think about my foresight ? (sorry just joking )

A Prophet is born!

 

[yhmafan]

A Prophet is born!

:yay: