Japan's 26/27 Junior Grand Prix assignment list

[cocteautwin]

JSF released the innitial list of junior GP assignments.
Last year's Junior World Championship and Junior Grand Prix Final medalists got 2 spots.
For the rest of the skaters, the results of their first event will determine if they get another spot (there are still some TBD spots avalaible).

China:
Men - Daiya Ebihara, Hayato Okazaki,
Women - Karin Miyazaki, Kaoruko Wada
Ice dance - Ayumi Shibayama & Tomoki Kimura

Latvia:
Men - Sena Takahashi
Women - Mei Okada, Kei Yamada

Thailand:
Men - Taiga Nishino, Shun Uemura
Women - Sumika Kanazawa, Rena Uezono

Turkey:
Women - Mayuko Oka

Georgia:
TBD

Slovenia:
Men - Taiga Nishino
Women - Mei Okada

Poland:
Women - Mayuko Oka

Source: https://deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp/news/179621/

 

[sissy7]

they allow the Ice dancers to participate in the JGP this year

 

[cocteautwin]

they allow the Ice dancers to participate in the JGP this year

Well, last year the sent KahoYuto to one event but wasted all other spots. They didn't even give them another GP although they skated pretty well (to their abilities). So I'm not optimistic. I think Japan has 5 spots avalaible (1 entry at 5 events) for ice dance based on KahoYuto's jr worlds result. I bet they will use max 2 (and only if AyuTomo will get the appointed min score or placement which may be too high for them atm).

 

[Eee]

Last year, at least for the women, they added new names if the skaters didn't place high enough and lost the privilege to get a second assingment. Do we think they're doing it again or this is it and no more additions?

 

[cocteautwin]

Last year, at least for the women, they added new names if the skaters didn't place high enough and lost the privilege to get a second assingment. Do we think they're doing it again or this is it and no more additions?

Not sure, hopefully they will but they may also waste spots and blame it on weak yen.
Although they tend to cut ice dance in first place, not singles.
Maybe there will be some summer competition to complete the list as well.

 

[cohkaix]

Happy for Rena making a coming back to the JGP (also recently joining Sysmex).

 

[Anna K.]

Love that Rena is back

Now, with Rena Uezono, we have all three Japanese Novice champions of the last four years (Kanazawa is a two-time champion) fighting each other for the second assignment and the chance to qualify for the JGP final.

Japanese inner competition is stealing the show once again... and I like it

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

I find strange that poor Mayuko Oka is assigned all alone to both of her events? No other Japanese Skater?

 

[cocteautwin]

If I am correct, Japan may enter 2 skates per each of 7 events in both women and men singles and 1 ice dance team in 5 events.
So there are some remaining spots avalaible:
8 remaining spots for Jr Men,
5 remaining spots for Jr Women,
4 remaining spots for Jr Ice Dance
3 remainin spots for Jr Pairs (there are no pairs, so those most likely won't be used).

 

[cocteautwin]

I find strange that poor Mayuko Oka is assigned all alone to both of her events? No other Japanese Skater?

They may (and probably will) assign more skaters later on, there's still plenty of time. They may give second assignments to skaters who did well at their first GP or assign another skaters (not listed now). Those skaters on the list are the ones who already secured their spots based on previous results. Probably some summer competition's result will be taken into account for remaining spots as well.

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

They may (and probably will) assign more skaters later on, there's still plenty of time. They may give second assignments to skaters who did well at their first GP or assign another skaters (not listed now). Those skaters on the list are the ones who already secured their spots based on previous results. Probably some summer competition's result will be taken into account for remaining spots as well.

Then I hope that Rena Uezono is in shape and gets a second assignment early, not at the last minute.

 

[sissy7]

3 remainin spots for Jr Pairs (there are non pairs, so those most likely won't be used).

Hopefully RikuRyu's OGM, dedicated show and pairs coaching ambitions, and YunaSumi's rise will change this for the Swiss quad at least, cause for the French Alps it is not realistic...unless JSF pushes hard their mid-level skaters towards pairs

 

[Anna K.]

5 remaining spots for Jr Women

So I guess all 5 girls who have currently one assignment will be given first hand to get the second spot unless they crash out... I wonder who is on the alternate list?

 

[cocteautwin]

Hopefully RikuRyu's OGM, dedicated show and pairs coaching ambitions, and YunaSumi's rise will change this for the Swiss quad at least, cause for the French Alps it is not realistic...unless JSF pushes hard their mid-level skaters towards pairs

Mid-level single skaters can be to top level pairs skaters but building training environment is the key.
I heard that a pair camp was to be held in Japan in the spring with possible tryouts but so far I haven't see any reports and outcome from that. Not sure if it even happened.

 

[cocteautwin]

So I guess all 5 girls who have currently one assignment will be given first hand to get the second spot unless they crash out... I wonder who is on the alternate list?

Maybe Yo Takagi. I wonder how is Riria Kono doing, she's still at Kinoshita but due to injury and growth spur she wasn't seen for quite some time. She did some show recently, so she may be back on track.
At first I thought the list is based mostly on last season results and junior nats but Rena was only 20th so there must have been other factors.