2025 Kinoshita Group Cup Women's Free Skate | Page 6 | Golden Skate

2025 Kinoshita Group Cup Women's Free Skate

And I'm sorry to say but I did not like the way Kaori and Saki visibly stranded Mone on the ice after the medal presentation, and even before it in the waiting zone. I understand they are friends and come from the same club but Kaori is way too experienced not to able to handle it better, and that was striking to me. I would expect the same level of congratulatory sportsmanship she was able to show for Alysa at Worlds coming from her now, for her junior compatriot. Sort of disappointing ending to a great competition, I really thought higher of her.
 
elektra blue said:
i don't know if she qualifies for a nomination...it's an ugly costume, but does it have the WTFactor?
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I agree it is NOT WTF - but it really makes a negative impression on me.
Almost vearing into Domnina /Shabalin folk dance territory.
 
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Women's FS Video
Women's SP Video post

Links are to video of entire Warmup Groups not individual performances (6 minute warmup not included)
Videos are not high quality but can be viewed in up to 720p
Please let me know if there are any problems with the videos or links

Women FS Warmup Group 1
1. Mariya Chernyshova
2. Eliska Brezinova
3. Mako Yamashita
4. Hana Yoshida
Women FS Warmup Group 2
5. Sonja Hilmer
6. Ahsun Yun
7. Rinka Watanabe
8. Haein Lee
9. Wakaba Higuchi
Women FS Warmup Group 3
10. Bradie Tennell
11. Kaori Sakamoto
12. Madeline Schizas
13. Saki Miyake
14. Mone Chiba
 
Kaori's and Saki's first international podium together 🥺 must be very emotional, especially since Saki was inspired and encouraged by Kaori to move to Kobe for training and continue competing... since then it really has been a climb upwards for Saki, from making progress upwards at JNats placements, getting first ice show experience, her first company affiliation and now her first international podium...

 
4everchan said:
If Maddie skates like this, she won't be going to the Olympics.
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It was a really rough day for her. She has been competing and traveling a lot. I wonder if it just caught up with her. Don't write her off just yet. She is ambitious and impatient. She may need to learn how to pace herself for an Olympic run. She may have learned a valuable lesson about trying to do too much too fast without proper rest. It could pay off in her Olympic quest.
 
labgoat said:
It was a really rough day for her. She has been competing and traveling a lot. I wonder if it just caught up with her. Don't write her off just yet. She is ambitious and impatient. She may need to learn how to pace herself for an Olympic run. She may have learned a valuable lesson about trying to do too much too fast without proper rest.
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I think she is competing more because that was the issue in the last couple years, not competing enough. I think she is our best skater right now but others are closing the gap. SMD may land her first triple axel in competition and would be the first Canadian woman to do so. She's landed it in her LP at High Performance Camp. SMD can make mistakes, doesn't have a 3lz-3t (just a 3t-3t) but she usually doesn't implode (anymore) . 4 doubles is a lot of doubles in any LP.
 
Very happy for Rinka showing off that 3A3T (and becoming only the second woman to ratify it in international competition), program is so-so but I notice she's been improving her basic skating and presentation in the last quad. I have been suffering in the local competition PBPs because she would be landing 3As in 6 minute warmups and shit would go down in the actual program 😅

Mako's ChSq is stunning, the long spreadeagle with only the vocals is such a moment (TM). I want to steal her music cut for Kaori, maybe they both can skate to it, I don't mind 😆 ever since I watched Satoko's Song of Little Sparrow I always wanted the songs in Kaas' Piaf album to be skated by skaters with power and Mako's one of them.

Saki did not struggle in the FS as much as I feared she would. Physical conditioning seems good, better than every Japanese skater here except Mone. I wonder if she is the one who got the NHK Trophy host spot, and this assignment is a way to hype her up (deservedly) and introduce her to international judges before the GP series.

Speaking of physical conditioning, Wakaba.... but I heard it is more of her feeling unwell rather than pain from injury. I must say I have seen Wakaba fully disengaged from her performances in similar condition, I thought she kept it together (but lack power) here quite well. I was so worried that the Wonder Woman OST would sound kitschy and juniorish, but hers is gorgeous, especially once we moved past the main theme.
 
Magill said:
And I'm sorry to say but I did not like the way Kaori and Saki visibly stranded Mone on the ice after the medal presentation, and even before it in the waiting zone. I understand they are friends and come from the same club but Kaori is way too experienced not to able to handle it better, and that was striking to me. I would expect the same level of congratulatory sportsmanship she was able to show for Alysa at Worlds coming from her now, for her junior compatriot. Sort of disappointing ending to a great competition, I really thought higher of her.
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That is disappointing to hear, I have always liked Kaori's positive attitude and sportsmanship before. I am happy about how Mone did, she is such a lovely skater.
 
Magill said:
And I'm sorry to say but I did not like the way Kaori and Saki visibly stranded Mone on the ice after the medal presentation, and even before it in the waiting zone. I understand they are friends and come from the same club but Kaori is way too experienced not to able to handle it better, and that was striking to me. I would expect the same level of congratulatory sportsmanship she was able to show for Alysa at Worlds coming from her now, for her junior compatriot. Sort of disappointing ending to a great competition, I really thought higher of her.
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And the video of this is where?

Edit: I cannot automatically see posts that link to X, but out of curiosity I just looked at the post above mine and read the member's comment. I clicked the link and the photo I saw clearly shows Mone Chiba being hugged by Kaori and Saki. This behavior is consistent with a career of great sportsmanship that has also been displayed by Yuzu over the years. And like Yuzu, Kaori did not suddenly turn into someone else at the snap of a finger. I will continue to think highly of both Kaori and Yuzu - I not only value their exceptional skating skills, but also their ability to inspire so many skaters and people around the world who support figure skating.
 
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Arigato said:
And the video of this is where?

Edit: I cannot automatically see posts that link to X, but out of curiosity I just looked at the post above mine and read the member's comment. I clicked the link and the photo I saw clearly shows Mone Chiba being hugged by Kaori and Saki. This behavior is consistent with a career of great sportsmanship that has also been displayed by Yuzu over the years. And like Yuzu, Kaori did not suddenly turn into someone else at the snap of a finger. I will continue to think highly of both Kaori and Yuzu - I not only value their exceptional skating skills, but also their ability to inspire so many skaters and people around the world who support figure skating.
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The video of it was the live stream of the competition and the medal ceremony. I was commenting - like others then - straight during/afterwards based on the live, not on any video, and I have no idea if it is available anywhere now or not. I was shocked precisely because it was so uncharacteristic of Kaori, the way she acted towards Mone who was left alone on the ice by the other two, visibly uncomfortable, apart from the mandatory posing for photographs. I was shocked, because I was feeling uncomfortable just from watching and I expected more of her. I even rewound the stream while it was still on and it was possible to rewatch it to see if I was not mistaken And, sorry, but I do like Kaori a little bit less after what I saw with my own eyes today, and I know what I saw. You can, of course, feel differently, especially that, as I understand, you did not watch it.

This photo above was taken later, afterwards, also after I commented, backstage, in the close presence of JSF and photographers. Good to see Kaori tried to make up for her earlier ignoring behaviour. After all, maybe it was not intentionally mean, maybe she was just too focused on herself and her friend to notice they were not alone on the ice. And from the video of the whole scene, it seems that Mone was crying when this photo was taken. Was it because she was moved or hurt, none of us knows.

Yuzuru surely was a great great sport but I really have no idea what he has to do with this.
 
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Magill said:
Yuzuru surely was a great great sport but I really have no idea what he has to do with this.
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Was? You really don't get it. Sportsmanship isn't a coat you wear for a period of time. It's woven into the fabric of who you are as a person. And who you are as a person doesn't suddenly change. It's unfortunate you don't see what this has to do with Yuzu.

As for Mone, she's 20. Not 2. People her age have started their own companies. She doesn't need looking after or coddled. Not by Sakamoto, or anyone else. To claim she was "left alone" is actually insulting to her. Infantilizing. Perhaps you should think more of her. I do. And I wish her well this season .
 
Arigato said:
Was? You really don't get it. Sportsmanship isn't a coat you wear for a period of time. It's woven into the fabric of who you are as a person. And who you are as a person doesn't suddenly change. It's unfortunate you don't see what this has to do with Yuzu.

As for Mone, she's 20. Not 2. People her age have started their own companies. She doesn't need looking after or coddled. Not by Sakamoto, or anyone else. To claim she was "left alone" is actually insulting to her. Infantilizing. Perhaps you should think more of her. I do. And I wish her well this season .
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Well, it seems we have very different understanding of this situation. People have different sensitivities, and silent treatment and ignoring is a known way of intentionally making them feel uncomfortable and small, regardless of age. It does not work on everyone, and from your response I understand it does not work on you, but it does work on many nevertheless. There is nothing insulting in assuming people are sensitive to it. And 20 is still very young and sensitive age, in some countries it is still considered minor.
And, yes, even people you've been friends with for ages can surprise you one day with their behaviour which you'd never expect, for good or for bad, forget those you have never met in person and just saw on TV.
And no, I do not see how Yuzu and his sportsmanship is connected to whatever Kaori Sakamoto is or is not doing.
And I do not really think this discussion is taking us anywhere, so I'd rather stop it here and bow out.
 
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Arigato said:
I said it out loud when I saw it. It's right up there with Ilia Kulik's yellow giraffe costume.
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yes but it's not good/bad enough. the color, the Rorschach spots the overall feeling of a stained dress...everything is there and yet something is missing
 
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