2024 Japanese Nationals - Men's SP

[tsuyoboogie]

Let's Go Ryusei!!!

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

5. 菊地 竜生 Ryusei Kikuchi (Meiji University)​

SP: "Libertango" by Astor Piazzolla; choreo. by Rina Kikuchi (his sister!!!)

3A (holds on)
3Lz(low in the knee)+3T (steps out)
CCoSp3
3Lo
FCSp4
StSq2
CSSp3 (travels)

SP: 62.77 (2nd)

Ryusei is such a showman! The depth of his spread eagle as a transitional move was insane, as too was his fight for the 3Lz and that awesome cantilever.

 

[Layback11]

Bro hung onto that 3A for dear life Ryusei has so much speed and amplitude - even his spins are super fast! I don't completely know why, but I was kind of worried he was going to trip on some random transition or step...sort of like he was skating very forwards in his blade/leaning over his feet a bit? So I'm very glad he didn't do that.

Another epic win for the floppy hair crew.

 

[RatedPG]

The event is going by quickly…
I kinda wish Sectionals would eliminate more athletes and it would be only 24 skaters though….. 30 is too many

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Good skate, Ryu!
Nice save on the 3Lz to add the 3T
Beautiful 3Lo!
He's definitely been working on his spins!

EbiDaiya GANBAAAAAaaaaaaaa!!!

 

[TallyT]

Ooooh, nice costume. In fact they've all been good so far, as has the music, and we're not far in yet.

 

[Layback11]

Daiya's landing position is unbelievably gorgeous - almost a full arabesque? And even after his 3A seemed a little off-axis? I'm super impressed not only by the flow that it takes to hold that position out of a jump, but by his lower back flexibility. Daiya hits wonderful positions in general and I'm glad this was a pretty solid skate for him!

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

6. 蛯原 大弥 Daiya Ebihara (Komaba Gakuen High School) JR 8th​

SP: "Spanish Flame" by Maxime Rodriguez; "El Conquistador' by Maxime Rodriguez; choreo by Noriko Sato, Eiji Iwamoto

3A< (holds on)
3F
FCSp3
CSSp4
3Lz+3T
StSq3
CCoSp3

SP: 64.66 (2nd)

A very business-like skate from Daiya in the first half, although the 3F and combo were very nicely performed. He definitely came alive in the step sequence a little bit more, and showcased some really great range of movement throughout.

 

[tsuyoboogie]

EbiDai!
HIs 3A's are...not pretty but~
he can always count on his trusty, usually gorgeous 3Lz3T (tho not his best today)

Should be enough to make the FS cut

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Men's SP standings after Group 1

(Jr)	朝賀 俊太朗	Shuntaro Asaga	Kansai University	67.58
(Jr)	蛯原 大弥	Daiya Ebihara	Komaba Gakuen High School	64.66
	菊地 竜生	Ryusei Kikuchi	Meiji University	62.77
	松岡 隼矢	Shunya Matsuoka	Fukuoka Figure Academy	53.48
	戸田 晴登	Haruto Toda	Toyo University	53.34
	小林 隼	Shun Kobayashi	Doshisha University	45.96

Ice Resurfacing~

 

[yuumagical]

Aw man, not the ice resurfacing already

 

[tsuyoboogie]

The event is going by quickly…
I kinda wish Sectionals would eliminate more athletes and it would be only 24 skaters though….. 30 is too many

Japanese fans would definitely not agree
Too many worthy skaters not qualifying for Nationals as is

They could however, go back to only 6 Junior invites (or less) per Singles discipline...
Some Japanese fans were quite upset when they decided to increase the quota of Junior invites, taking spots away from Senior competitors

 

[cohkaix]

- There are also three Shuns, a Shuntaro, a Shunsuke, and a Shunya in this field. That's 1/5 of the field with a Shun- name, so I guess those were super popular between ~1998 and 2007... (I am reading the results in English but are they all the same kanji...?)

At least 3 different versions of 'Shun's here I got: for Sato and Uemura, the 'Shun' (駿）has to do with 'swift horse'; for 'Shun'suke, it (俊）has to do with handsome people. As for 'Shun'ya or 'Shun' Kobayashi, the 'Shun' (隼）represents falcon. So in general, homophones are interesting (but can also make confusion, especially in Japanese names.

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Men's SP Group 2 warming up
Skate Order
7. Yuto Kishina
8. Shunsuke Nakamura
9. Haruki Honda
10. Sena Miyake
11. Sena Takahashi (Jr)
12. Ryota Kitamura

Live scoring
qq stream

Looks like Huahua is streaming FOD which means he's able to stream the entire competition live

 

[tsuyoboogie]

C'mon Yuto!!!

 

[Layback11]

Yuto has lovely fluidity. I'm not entirely sure what is going on with the costume (pub waiter...?) but man, the fluidity of his movements is just so satisfying to watch.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

7. 木科 雄登 Yuto Kishino (Kansai University)​

SP: "Give Me Love;" choreo. by Kana Muramoto

3A (stepout)
3Lz
CSSp4
3Lo+3T
StSq3
CCoSp4
FCSp4

SP: 68.84 (1st)

Another... classic Yuto costume. I really enjoyed this program, and I've said it a lot but that was a really great step sequence.

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Yuto!
3Lo3T
3Lo has always been his best jump
Haven't seen his hair cut that short since his early Junior days...nostalgia

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Keep it together, Shunshun!!!
GANBA!!!

 

[Layback11]

My immediate thought upon seeing this costume: "that jacket is going to fall off." I know he'd never wear it if it weren't secured, but man, it gives me sweats.