2018-19 Japanese Ladies' figure skating

[leoleo]

I was impressed with Satoko's short program at US internationals SP especially her fine artistry and her excellent posture and positions in spins and skating skills. My favorite part is at the end when she does a number of rapid pirouettes leading smoothly into a picturesque layback then seamlessly transitioning into a Biellmann.

she has the second highest SP pcs score so far this season right? just like a point behind Alina or something!

 

[cohkaix]

Yuna Aoki won Kanto regionals on junior level https://www.jsfresults.com/National/2018-2019/fs_j/block2/index.htm
Kinki regionals are next week, but i don't think Nana will compete since it will be less than a week before the last JGP.

Nana trains in Nagoya/Aichi, and she's registered with a FS club under Chubu Region. Actually Nana is considered a seed skater due to her 3rd placement at Jr. National last year, so she's been exempted from Chubu regional (but will automatically get a spot for Western sectional/Jr. National this year). Note that for Mako's case, although she was 2nd at Jr. National last year, since Mako is competing at Sr. level this year, she doesn't get to keep the seed status from Jr. national and still has to compete at regional in order to advance to next stage in the national competitions.

About Kinki regionals: although Rika (Kihira) is seed skater (from her podium placement at Nationals last year), she still enters Kinki and I think it was reported in the news that she plans to compete at Kinki regionals. For Kinki regionals, there will be a special LIVE broadcasting arranged (because of returning of Daisuke Takahashi), and the broadcast is said to include the last two group of Sr. ladies' FS and the whole segment of Sr. men's FS. (on Oct 8). Thus it is most likely that Rika's FS skating at regional will be covered by the Live boradcasting (also Yuna Shiraiwa).

 

[leoleo]

Oh interesting. I thought we'd only see Rika at NHK but it seems we'll see her earlier than i thought. Thank you Daisuke for the opportunity to see the ladies too :agree: I'm excited to see Yuna too :thumbsup:

 

[yume]

Nana trains in Nagoya/Aichi, and she's registered with a FS club under Chubu Region. Actually Nana is considered a seed skater due to her 3rd placement at Jr. National last year, so she's been exempted from Chubu regional (but will automatically get a spot for Western sectional/Jr. National this year). Note that for Mako's case, although she was 2nd at Jr. National last year, since Mako is competing at Sr. level this year, she doesn't get to keep the seed status from Jr. national and still has to compete at regional in order to advance to next stage in the national competitions.

About Kinki regionals: although Rika (Kihira) is seed skater (from her podium placement at Nationals last year), she still enters Kinki and I think it was reported in the news that she plans to compete at Kinki regionals. For Kinki regionals, there will be a special LIVE broadcasting arranged (because of returning of Daisuke Takahashi), and the broadcast is said to include the last two group of Sr. ladies' FS and the whole segment of Sr. men's FS. (on Oct 8). Thus it is most likely that Rika's FS skating at regional will be covered by the Live boradcasting (also Yuna Shiraiwa).

Thanks. I thought Nana was in kinki regionals last year.
Thanks to Daisuke we will see entire programs of last group for once.

Is Wakaba in the entries for Tokyo regionals?

 

[Globetrotter]

The tango worked in the 2nd part of the season, but it was too late.
I think she will have just to wait. It's always more difficult for introverted skaters to get high marks. Most of people, so judges like blazing personalities. The worse is that they think that those introverted skaters deserve to be behind. And that's the thing that sucks. Because being introverted doesn't mean that someone has inferior skills.

I think that is just a cultural unfamiliarity issue. The bubbly and big personality type is what US and Eurocentric judges are more used to seeing and experiencing. Notice that they were all ready to give the scores to Marin Honda when she didn't bomb. The more subtle style skating does take longer to be appreciated as they are simply just not in your face obvious. Satoko for instance had spent years where her PCS was low to mid despite having better musical interpretive skills and basic blade work than her peers - and yes, I do think she has better SS and IN and CO than even Zhenya and Zagi. it just took judges a longer time to warm up to her. That said, Satoko's scoring potential is probably maxed out already due to her inherent jump weaknesses. Mai, Rika and Wakaba though have a lot more going for them, especially Wakaba with her power and strong bladework.

 

[christinaskater]

Tomoe Kawabata is a gorgeous and amazing skater

 

[charlotte14]

Tomoe Kawabata is a gorgeous and amazing skater

And inconsistent... if only she has the consistency.

 

[leoleo]

And inconsistent... if only she has the consistency.

yes but it's her first international season, let's give her time! she already has so many qualities

 

[yume]

I think that is just a cultural unfamiliarity issue. The bubbly and big personality type is what US and Eurocentric judges are more used to seeing and experiencing. Notice that they were all ready to give the scores to Marin Honda when she didn't bomb. The more subtle style skating does take longer to be appreciated as they are simply just not in your face obvious. Satoko for instance had spent years where her PCS was low to mid despite having better musical interpretive skills and basic blade work than her peers - and yes, I do think she has better SS and IN and CO than even Zhenya and Zagi. it just took judges a longer time to warm up to her. That said, Satoko's scoring potential is probably maxed out already due to her inherent jump weaknesses. Mai, Rika and Wakaba though have a lot more going for them, especially Wakaba with her power and strong bladework.

Yes, it's that. Better to have "in your face" style to see your marks go up faster.

Wakaba has a website now https://mobile.twitter.com/figureskatingm1/status/1048047788708093952

 

[leoleo]

Satoko has been struggling with her jumps in practice for JO but she says she's working on getting more height and she's not afraid of making mistakes

https://twitter.com/iguana012/status/1048167015171743744
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20181005-00000122-dal-spo
good that she's working on the height of her jumps!

 

[ioanna]

Satoko has been struggling with her jumps in practice for JO but she says she's working on getting more height and she's not afraid of making mistakes

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20181005-00000122-dal-spo
good that she's working on the height of her jumps!

Please link the original translation.
https://twitter.com/iguana012/status/1048167015171743744

Additional info about her and Kaori
https://twitter.com/iguana012/status/1048210974279446529

 

[leoleo]

were the judges at Japan Open drunk giving Kaori's flips two (e) calls?

 

[skatenewbie]

were the judges at Japan Open drunk giving Kaori's flips two (e) calls?

it shouldve been her 3Lze, maybe the TP eyes are closed the whole time

 

[tosca]

were the judges at Japan Open drunk giving Kaori's flips two (e) calls?

do you have a link to protocols? Her lutz actually looked like it took off from the right edge here. Again she is having trouble with the loop. She needs to rework the choreographic sequence before the entrance to her loop.

 

[yume]

it shouldve been her 3Lze, maybe the TP eyes are closed the whole time

Ok. So her lutz got nothing while her flips were both called with full "e" ?
Maybe they need better glasses.

 

[Danny T]

Ok. So her lutz got nothing while her flips were both called with full "e" ?
Maybe they need better glasses.

Bianchetti is on the panel, 'nuff said ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[tosca]

Just saw the protocols... which are here for anyone who didn't realize there was a JO thread like me
Protocol

We all know Kaori has a flutz but it really looks like she has been working to improve it and it looked best here! I went frame by frame and it looked like it took off from the right edge.

I know a lot of people said that the new scoring might help Satoko but I don't think it is/will.

 

[yume]

Well, Satoko's TES are not that bad when we compare them with Bradie's for example. Despite the pop, fall, and URs, she stills have higher BV.

 

[leoleo]

I'm really confused! it seems the ISU is going after lips this year but why give someone two hard é calls on correct flips? i'm so done with the judges! this is a mess!

 

[tosca]

Well, Satoko's TES are not that bad when we compare them with Bradie's for example. Despite the pop, fall, and URs, she stills have higher BV.

Both ladies had 3 unders but Bradie's base TES was lower because she only had one 3x3 combination, and also did not have her 3 jump combo. Bradie got almost 7pts in GOE vs. Satoko's 4pts and Bradie also had a lower level on one of her spins.