2016-17 State of Japanese Ladies Skating

[lishazard]

There is World Team Trophy this year right? Could Marin or Kaori be one of Japan's entrants? Gracie and Adelina were in WTT 2012 when they were still skating junior internationally. If so, would be great senior experience and I'd love to see how they stack up against the top senior ladies. I think both of them would do quite well.

 

[ioanna]

There is World Team Trophy this year right? Could Marin or Kaori be one of Japan's entrants? Gracie and Adelina were in WTT 2012 when they were still skating junior internationally. If so, would be great senior experience and I'd love to see how they stack up against the top senior ladies. I think both of them would do quite well.

They can but I don't expect Kaori to be invited. It'll either be Mai or Wakaba.

 

[Sai Bon]

Please for the love of everything just ignore the ...

Anyway, ah well done Mai. Now how about that skate? She gave it her all and how that paid off. As I said in the comp thread, hopefully she isn't going what if in her head but is fully enjoying her skate and is now happy. Also hopefully there's not too much pressure on her and she continues to evolve naturally. I don't think any kind of 'heavy' music suits her and there are many pieces where she can show how she's advancing without going into any warhorse or heavy land.
Wakaba is going to have a tough time, if she'd been clean, it would have been enough but first year senior and she did well. Overall it was JSF's problem that they didn't plan on it and left it so late. She should continue the work on that 3A, it may prove crucial.

I hope Rika can recover and return to competition. It's a shame about the 2, it is going to be a very tough year and all the ladies will have to do their best on the GP circuit first. The experience Mai and Wakaba got here will count for much, along with of course Satoko and the big question mark of how healthy can Mao get, and more importantly, can she be consistent because the judges have shown this year that without that, they are not going to award her high scores. Plus of course, the newcomers who are going to have to go through the good old rep building, and of course, that will require consistency too plus time. It'll be interesting to see how it all evolves next season.

Thanks Yatagarasu, we should all give Mai more credit for what she has achieved. She's never even done JGP, she was in hospital a year and a few months ago, and look where she is now! She must have been under so much pressure when Satoko pulled out, and although her SP was disappointing, she kept her head and performed the FS. As you say, PLEASE give her quality programmes that will showcase her strengths for the Olympics season. I think she is a better jumper than Marin and with a bit more dance/performance training, she could improve her PCS. It's a real shame that Japan lost the no. 3 spot, but it may be a blessing in disguise if the top girls all up their game.

 

[ioanna]

Thanks Yatagarasu, we should all give Mai more credit for what she has achieved. She's never even done JGP, she was in hospital a year and a few months ago, and look where she is now! She must have been under so much pressure when Satoko pulled out, and although her SP was disappointing, she kept her head and performed the FS. As you say, PLEASE give her quality programmes that will showcase her strengths for the Olympics season. I think she is a better jumper than Marin and with a bit more dance/performance training, she could improve her PCS. It's a real shame that Japan lost the no. 3 spot, but it may be a blessing in disguise if the top girls all up their game.

She's done JGP last season. Two silver medals and 6th in the final.

 

[FlattFan]

Thanks Yatagarasu, we should all give Mai more credit for what she has achieved. She's never even done JGP, she was in hospital a year and a few months ago, and look where she is now! She must have been under so much pressure when Satoko pulled out, and although her SP was disappointing, she kept her head and performed the FS. As you say, PLEASE give her quality programmes that will showcase her strengths for the Olympics season. I think she is a better jumper than Marin and with a bit more dance/performance training, she could improve her PCS. It's a real shame that Japan lost the no. 3 spot, but it may be a blessing in disguise if the top girls all up their game.

I'm not sure how 3 spots and 2 spots will make them up their game. It's not like mai is going to put a quad in there to make sure she's on the team.
The name of the game is to skate cleanly at National and hope for some of the favorites to falter a little.

Let say next year, with divine intervention, all of them skate cleanly. Where do you put them? And who will go to Korea? I bet it will be Mao and Marin.

Satoko, Mai, Marin, Kaori, Mao, Wakaba, Rika.

 

[Sai Bon]

I'm not sure how 3 spots and 2 spots will make them up their game. It's not like mai is going to put a quad in there to make sure she's on the team.
The name of the game is to skate cleanly at National and hope for some of the favorites to falter a little.

Let say next year, with divine intervention, all of them skate cleanly. Where do you put them? And who will go to Korea? I bet it will be Mao and Marin.

Satoko, Mai, Marin, Kaori, Mao, Wakaba, Rika.

Mao and Marin? Now THAT would be interesting...

 

[christinaskater]

Thanks Mao for the great performances! You are a LEGEND
And one of the great figure skaters ever!

For next year ,

I'm so excited for Marin Honda, Satoko Miyahara or Mai Mihara!
These girls are incredible.
I'm excited which route Mai would take artistically.

 

[MaiKatze]

Even with Mao out of the picture, two slots are just not enough. I wonder how the 'older' generation of Kanako and Rika will perform (Or Yuka Nagai, what about her? Haruka Imai....what happened?) I don't think Kanako will have a chance and it seems like Rika has been abandoned by the judges for real. This was a season to forget. Probably her wish was also to go to the Olympics as she's never been. Kanako at least went to Sochi.

 

[ioanna]

Yuka Nagai and Haruka Imai are not competitive enough. Yuka Nagai finished 24th this season at Nationals. Her programs were painful to watch. Haruka Imai had a good junior career but her only international highlight as a senior was 4th place at the 2014 Four Continents. Yuka is still 18 but Haruka will be 24 this year. Rika has made plenty of mistakes for the judges to drop her, her road has been going downhill since 2015 Rostelecom. In comparison Kanako had much better results going into the Sochi Olympics.

The fight for the two spots will be between the young teenagers; Satoko Miyahara, Marin Honda, Mai Mihara and Wakaba Higuchi. Kaori Sakamoto may also be a factor. Only one "veteran" (who is still young herself) and many newcomers. JSF has yet to establish the selection criteria but I believe the GP season will be as important as Nationals, especially since the GPF is in Japan. The skater who will win Nationals and the skater with the best results in the GP will go.

 

[Marin]

Yuka Nagai and Haruka Imai are not competitive enough. Yuka Nagai finished 24th this season at Nationals. Her programs were painful to watch. Haruka Imai had a good junior career but her only international highlight as a senior was 4th place at the 2014 Four Continents. Yuka is still 18 but Haruka will be 24 this year. Rika has made plenty of mistakes for the judges to drop her, her road has been going downhill since 2015 Rostelecom. In comparison Kanako had much better results going into the Sochi Olympics.

The fight for the two spots will be between the young teenagers; Satoko Miyahara, Marin Honda, Mai Mihara and Wakaba Higuchi. Kaori Sakamoto may also be a factor. Only one "veteran" (who is still young herself) and many newcomers. JSF has yet to establish the selection criteria but I believe the GP season will be as important as Nationals, especially since the GPF is in Japan. The skater who will win Nationals and the skater with the best results in the GP will go.

The situation was pretty complicated and after loosing 3 spots it becomes bloodbath.
For now I think it will be Satoko and Mai who will make it. Even I love Wakaba I think her teams strategy is wrong and it will lead to worse results. Kaori is very solid but I don't think she is yet as established as Mai or Marin. She needs to pull off super consistent season medal at gps, at least silver at Nationals in order to make the team.Mai had wonderful breakthrough this year and at WC she got 138! placing 5th. It is an amazing result for the one who hasn't been dominating in junior circuit and never was considered as future bright star. Her programs are juniorish but her basics are good, if she improves PCS she can be very dangerous. (she already is) I believe JSF is willing the most to send Marin for different reasons, but I doubt her consistency and have big question marks about her long awaited spectacular senior showing . Time will tell.

 

[MaiKatze]

Yuka Nagai and Haruka Imai are not competitive enough. Yuka Nagai finished 24th this season at Nationals. Her programs were painful to watch. Haruka Imai had a good junior career but her only international highlight as a senior was 4th place at the 2014 Four Continents. Yuka is still 18 but Haruka will be 24 this year. Rika has made plenty of mistakes for the judges to drop her, her road has been going downhill since 2015 Rostelecom. In comparison Kanako had much better results going into the Sochi Olympics.

The fight for the two spots will be between the young teenagers; Satoko Miyahara, Marin Honda, Mai Mihara and Wakaba Higuchi. Kaori Sakamoto may also be a factor. Only one "veteran" (who is still young herself) and many newcomers. JSF has yet to establish the selection criteria but I believe the GP season will be as important as Nationals, especially since the GPF is in Japan. The skater who will win Nationals and the skater with the best results in the GP will go.

What 24th? That's harsh, what happened? I remember at Skate Canada she had a disastrous competition...I feel sorry for her, as I think she isn't THAT bad. Even Kanako cracked the top 10 at Nationals, but she watered down her content. And what about Yura Matsuda? She has difficult jumps, but wasn't that well received this season. I think it'll come down to Satoko and Mai. I could see Marin and Wakaba fighting for a spot, if they deliver fantastic results during the season, but that's a big if.

 

[Imagine]

Is Satako not a guarantee at this point? I kinda hate her skating but she's earned this with consistently impressive results for the past couple of years. Unless, they punish her for messing up their chances at 3 spots for the Games, which I think would be cruel. So really, it should be a fight over one spot. I think Marin will get a massive push now that Mao is out of the picture. If she can live up to the hype and deliver, I think the spot is hers. Then again, it will be her first senior season...we'll have to see how she deals with that.

 

[MaiKatze]

Is Satako not a guarantee at this point? I kinda hate her skating but she's earned this with consistently impressive results for the past couple of years. Unless, they punish her for messing up their chances at 3 spots for the Games, which I think would be cruel. So really, it should be a fight over one spot. I think Marin will get a massive push now that Mao is out of the picture. If she can live up to the hype and deliver, I think the spot is hers. Then again, it will be her first senior season...we'll have to see how she deals with that.

I guess, it's very likely that she gets it, as she is the only currently competing Worlds & GPF medallist Japan has. But it still is a question of next season. If her injury doesn't heal properly or she doesn't get the results for whatever reason, she's not guaranteed anything. Nobody should have anything guaranteed anyway.

 

[moriel]

Is Satako not a guarantee at this point? I kinda hate her skating but she's earned this with consistently impressive results for the past couple of years. Unless, they punish her for messing up their chances at 3 spots for the Games, which I think would be cruel. So really, it should be a fight over one spot. I think Marin will get a massive push now that Mao is out of the picture. If she can live up to the hype and deliver, I think the spot is hers. Then again, it will be her first senior season...we'll have to see how she deals with that.

I dont think a fed would do silly things like not send their most reliable skater to Olympics because she was injured and failed to help them to get 3 spots. It would be too childish imho.

 

[FlattFan]

I dont think a fed would do silly things like not send their most reliable skater to Olympics because she was injured and failed to help them to get 3 spots. It would be too childish imho.

Most reliable pre-injury.
At this point, I think her likelihood is lower than Mai and Marin. They are heading into the Olympic season with massive momentum. Satoko's momentum grinds to a halt. I wouldn't be surprised if Satoko is placing 2nd at National and stay home.

2nd at National is not guaranteed for a spot, unless Marin is 2nd.

 

[TerpsichoreFS]

I loved what Mai and Wakaba did at worlds. I wish we could have them both at the Olympics... However Wakaba doesn't look very close to landing that 3A in competition. I hope she doesn't injure herself trying too hard. She has a lot other wodnerful qualities.

 

[moriel]

Most reliable pre-injury.
At this point, I think her likelihood is lower than Mai and Marin. They are heading into the Olympic season with massive momentum. Satoko's momentum grinds to a halt. I wouldn't be surprised if Satoko is placing 2nd at National and stay home.

2nd at National is not guaranteed for a spot, unless Marin is 2nd.

I disagree about Marin and Mai. We will not know until, lets say, GPF next year.
Marin is still a junior, and we do not know how she will be recieved in seniors and if she will manage to keep it up. I still remember how Wakaba was pampered as the next big thing, and while she has some amazing qualities, she is nowhere near top 10 this season. Same could happen to Marin.
Mai still looks juniorish, so we would need to see how she develops next season. All the momentum she has is pretty much sheer luck - she placed well because many other skaters bombed (she would totally be behind cleanish Anna and cleanish Ashley at worlds, for example. Also behind cleanish Caro. Maybe even behind cleanish Sotskova).

But else, what i meant is that fed would not send Satoko only if she performs badly, not because she didnt go to worlds this year and no 3 spots anymore.

 

[ioanna]

What 24th? That's harsh, what happened?

Here are her programs from Nationals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d1ILWws2kw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cal_yqkWAZA

 

[ioanna]

Most reliable pre-injury.
At this point, I think her likelihood is lower than Mai and Marin. They are heading into the Olympic season with massive momentum.

So was Takahito Mura in the 2013-2014 season but then Tatsuki Machida showed up out of nowhere and was selected over Mura, Kozuka and Oda. Nothing is set in stone for anyone.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

To me, Marin Honda doesn't seem to be the Japanese federation 's top priority. That, combined with the fact that she isn't super consistent, just might hurt her Olympic journey. I want Marin to SLAY next season but I don't think it'll happen. Zagitova, Evgenia, and Tanos are Rippons will be killing it next season