Wakaba Higuchi

[solar]

Congratulations Wakaba for a stellar Short Program at Japanese Senior Nationals!

She is currently in Third Place - 67.48 (37.54, 29.94). Her goal is to podium at this year's nationals.

 

[hamaguri]

Yes, she did!

Video!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3jjepy_wakaba-higuchi-2015-japanese-nationals-sp_sport

I want to know… What do you think of her performance transition-wise? I would be happy if someone who are particular about figure skate would teach me about it..

 

[solar]

Yes, she did!

Video!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3jjepy_wakaba-higuchi-2015-japanese-nationals-sp_sport

I want to know… What do you think of her performance transition-wise? I would be happy if someone who are particular about figure skate would teach me about it..

I'm not too knowledgable about transitions, to be honest. However, I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a lot of them, since her team has been focused on the technical side lately

 

[Pika]

Yes, she did!

Video!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3jjepy_wakaba-higuchi-2015-japanese-nationals-sp_sport

I want to know… What do you think of her performance transition-wise? I would be happy if someone who are particular about figure skate would teach me about it..

Thank you for posting the video! I love Wakaba's SP and I'm sooo glad she's in third I hope she can keep it up in the free! Go Wakaba!!

For the transitions point, I would say there are choreographical transitions and not so much "actual" transitions like difficult steps, or what.

 

[solar]

I do think Wakaba performed her SP better than ever at this competition, regardless of the stepout (which wasn't as bad in the video as it seemed on paper). I finally saw some energy and spunk in her performance after seeing subdued performances on the junior grand prix circuit. Hoping for a great Free Skate!

 

[malo42]

Yes! I barely even noticed the step out, it just seemed like an odd turn after the jump. After Croatia and here her SP has grown on me a lot. I'm still not crazy about her FS at this point though, hopefully today she'll show me how great it can be.

 

[solar]

Yes! I barely even noticed the step out, it just seemed like an odd turn after the jump. After Croatia and here her SP has grown on me a lot. I'm still not crazy about her FS at this point though, hopefully today she'll show me how great it can be.

I completely agree! When I first saw her short program I wasn't really feeling it? And then watching her nationals performance completely changed my mind. I'm actually really liking her short program now that it has more energy. It's just very fun and makes me smile. I'm hoping her nationals FS performance also helps change my mind because I wasn't a huge fan of her free skate during the jgp circuit either.

 

[solar]

Big Congratulations to Wakaba for getting the Silver Medal at 2015 Japanese Nationals - As a junior!

Not only did she move up a spot from last year, she accomplished her goal of medaling at 2015 nationals.


Her combined score is 195.35

 

[YesWay]

What a result!!!

Kept her nerve and gave her best skate ever, while others faltered.

Well done Wakaba!
High hopes for junior world's!

 

[hamaguri]

I'm not too knowledgable about transitions, to be honest. However, I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a lot of them, since her team has been focused on the technical side lately

For the transitions point, I would say there are choreographical transitions and not so much "actual" transitions like difficult steps, or what.

Thanks! I became a big fan of her since i saw her SP live at JP Nationals last year. SHe was sooo fast and dynamic, and i totally got into her world.
This year, she couldn't get PCS so much compare to other Junior ladies at JGS... I'm afraid the coreo has some problem..

Anyway, she finished JP Nationals with smile and much satisfaction this year! Congrats!

FP video: http://skating.livedoor.biz/archives/51941108.html

 

[solar]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3jnli4_wakaba-higuchi-2015-japanese-nationals-fs_sport

Here's another video of her FS

 

[solar]

Here is an icenetwork article about Japanese Nationals.

Higuchi skated right after Miyahara. She opened her performance to The Mask of Zorro with a huge triple lutz-triple toe combination, which set the tone for the program. She continued to clear one element after one with attack and kept the momentum until the end. Although her program component score was behind the top senior skaters, she posted a technical score of 68.02 points, which was second highest only behind Miyahara. She earned 127.87 points for the free for a total of 195.35 points. To almost everyone's surprise, the girl who will soon celebrate her 15th birthday won silver medal in a very competitive field.
"I was able to pull out a performance that is better than my training, so I am very happy about that," Higuchi said.

The teenager showed her surprise and joy following the competition.

"I feel so honored and happy to be able to share the podium with the two skaters that I admire and look up to very much," she said.
Despite disappointing results during the Junior Grand Prix Series in part because of a back injury, the performances Higuchi gave in over the weekend proved that she is still a strong contender for the upcoming junior world championships.

"This is my first time reaching 190 points, and it gives me strong confidence," Higuchi said. "However, obviously my presentation is not yet there, and I want to improve it toward the junior worlds."

I'm glad Wakaba's aware of her low PCS and is trying to improve on it! I'm anticipating Jr Worlds now

 

[Pika]

With her amazing technique, and work on her PCS, she will have everything to become a great lady of skating, and she has already a good maturity despite her young age. Go Wakaba!!

 

[solar]

I'm excited to see her improvements by Jr. Worlds. there's a lot of time in between

 

[Crossover]

Congratulations to Wakaba for winning a silver at Nationals as a result of competing with seniors!

All her efforts to cope with struggles is paid off. Keep being healthy and fabulous.

 

[Plumededragon]

Congrats Wakaba! I was sad not to see a Satoko/Rika/Mao podium, but Wakaba did fight hard for that silver place. I really hope she'll make improvements in the PCS department (and that her back pb are gone for good, as it seems to be), she deserves to go back on the world junior podium this year.

 

[solar]

I hope she'll be able to make up for her jgp circuit performances by making a statement at jr worlds That would be the perfect end to her junior career (if she decides to turn senior next year)

 

[solar]

Wakaba's Exhibition from Japanese Nationals Gala "Medalists on Ice"

Seems like it's new from the "You Can't Stop the Beat" from earlier this summer. Now she's doing "All About That Bass" Looks like she has fun skating to it!

 

[nieves]

Her skating reminds me a lot of Yuna Kim. They both have such good musicality!

 

[solar]

Her skating reminds me a lot of Yuna Kim. They both have such good musicality!

That's an interesting comparison! Yuna isn't the first skater that comes to mind when I think of Wakaba (I've heard lots of Midori Ito comparisons ) but I do think that she has lots of potential in terms of musicality. There just needs to be well-packaged programs that can showcase it.