2025 NHK Trophy Women's Free Skate

[rabidline]

Top 4 really reminds me that women is still by far my favorite discipline. So happy for them, can't wait for SkAm next week!

 

[Karoltyna]

"Final free skate of the senior GP circuit?" Is Sakamoto not going to the GPF? Is she retiring after the Olympics?

I do hope she goes to Worlds this season.

 

[lileychristie]

Midori Ito!!!!!

 

[Ares]

I do hope she goes to Worlds this season.

I take such words with a grain of salt unless the skater is struggling with her health and motivation/or already has other clear plans for the future. But if Kaori wins the Olympics I don't expect her at the Worlds.

 

[LazyFuzai]

I take such words with a grain of salt unless the skater is struggling with her health and motivation/or already has other clear plans for the future. But if Kaori wins the Olympics I don't expect her at the Worlds.

She is going for every gold this season so i would expect her in GPF,Olympics and Worlds

 

[discodisco]

I wish we didn't have to hear the guy singing over it though, oof. I really have a pet peeve for covers of beloved classical pieces with musical theatre vocals added on top of that.

The song by Cody Fry is actually a separate piece, called Photograph. It's absolutely stunningly beautiful and one of my favorite songs

 

[discodisco]

Thank you Aoki. Lower tech and there will be tech calls, but that was a great skate. Her free, like her short, is one of the best choreographed programs this season.

No question. She should be nominated for some best program Awards or whatever those things are the tea ISU gives out over the past few years

 

[discodisco]

Everyone is painful to watch after Aoki.

True... but Gracey seems so incredibly detached from her programs this year. Last year she was a stand out for me, but I am not seeing the same skater this year... she does not seem as a light on her feet or in the air, and she has a consistent deer in the Headlights look unfortunately

 

[withwings]

It made me so happy to watch a Victory Ceremony...all three women skaters...amazing, amazing love of skating Thank you, Kaori. Thank you, Loena. Thank you Sofia.

... not only for divine Kaori, also for Loena this was the last NKF... they both are retiring after Olympics and, as to say, symbolically, "the next generation" skater with them- Sofia, just wonderful...

I am very very glad Loena skated FS in her abilities and I hope she will consider if her SP if it is a right vehicle for the Olympics. To come from a small fed... it takes a lot of genuine love of skating to preserve, to fight, to skate.

Thank you all skaters for giving a spark of light and joy!! uplifting for a moment from mundane life ;-).

 

[Jammers]

Problem is, when we see Alysa at her best, we think the same... is she on next week?

If both skaters are clean i think Kaori wins just with her superior speed and skating skills but Alysa's greatest strength is she doesn't cave into pressure so if Kaori makes a couple of small mistakes and leaves the door open Alysa will be there and i would not want to leave it to chance that Alysa won't skate lights out when it counts.

 

[Arigato]

Beautiful skate from Kaori - no one moves like her on the ice. Wonderful to see Loena redeem herself with that program and get to the podium. Congrats to all!

 

[jenaj]

Wonderful event! So much to like in addition to the winners--Yuna Aoki and Young You, in particular

 

[jenaj]

"Final free skate of the senior GP circuit?" Is Sakamoto not going to the GPF? Is she retiring after the Olympics?

The final isn't part of "the circuit."

 

[jenaj]

Samodelkina’s SP is better. And her elements were smoother. She looked slow and labored across the ice. Hopefully she still gets a medal.

Silver!

 

[museksk8r]

Wakaba Higuchi - I LOVE this FS! What can I say other than I am so brokenhearted for her as it seems like her dream of going to another Olympics is very dim right now. She is such a special and beautiful skater who has touched so many skating fans. I could feel her emotion and passion project from the screen and it’s so disheartening how her technical flaws also bring down the scoring of her PCS. With all of her talent, this is a skater who should be winning medals at every event. Ugh, I am so sad for her! I wish there was time for her to connect with a technical coach who could really help her through all of her jump rotation issues. She is too good of a skater to rank as low as she does in these events.

 

[museksk8r]

Yuna Aoki - What a charming skater whose delightful smile lights up an arena! Her PCS are clearly being held back because of her lower technical content and rotation issues; however, she is an artist and dancer on ice. How lovely she is!

 

[museksk8r]

Sarah Everhardt - It’s interesting how rotation issues have crept into her jumps this season. Not sure if that is due to nerves and pressure she is putting on herself. She has been known as the consistent one who doesn’t fall in the past, but that has not been the story this season. She has youth on her side and this likely will not be her time to make an Olympic team; hopefully, this will give her the drive to address her weaknesses and improve to get even better in the future.

 

[museksk8r]

Loena Hendrickx - In the past, her strength has been the SP and mistakes have tended to creep into the FS; however, it was the opposite story here, so it was wonderful to see her comeback and really fight for the FS. The judges are certainly ready to reward her whenever she skates up to her potential. It’s so nice to see a real woman on the ice (as well as Kaori and Amber) who is able to be competitive with the younger skaters. Hopefully, she will continue to deliver skates she can be proud of in the future. Congrats on the bronze!

 

[museksk8r]

Sofia Samodelkina - What a terrific senior GP debut! I believed she should have beaten Isabeau Levito at Cranberry Cup, but she was wrongly held down by the judges on American ice. She has such a strong technical foundation and she is one I will be looking out for in the future. She has more room to improve in her posture and extension, but she has strong expression and interpretation for such a young skater. Congrats on the silver medal here!

 

[museksk8r]

Kaori Sakamoto - I am not crazy about the musical arrangement for this FS, but Kaori’s skills and talent are undeniable. I love the color and style of her costume. The skating skills (speed and ice coverage), expression, and big, airy jumps really set her apart. She has proven to be the most dependable and reliable competitor over the years. Her final skate on NHK ice was a glorious and victorious one. Congrats on the gold medal here!