2018-19 Japanese Ladies' figure skating

[laiyamanika]

Congratulations Rika! we'll deserved win

Good FS from Kaori

But I'm sad for Sakoto :sad21:, but I'm sure she'll make a good comeback for Worlds! Gambatte!

 

[lanceupper1114]

Satoko! :sad4:

Rika did such a good job and performed beyond expectations in the GP series. Round of applause for her!

 

[sk8ath]

Do you guys who was the coach of Rika Kihira before she moved to Hamada's team?
Her jump technique is definitely better than the else in Hamada's team...

 

[MRani]

Do you guys who was the coach of Rika Kihira before she moved to Hamada's team?
Her jump technique is definitely better than the else in Hamada's team...

There was an article earlier in the thread that said Rika didn’t have any triples at all before coming to Hamada. So who knows why she seems to be the only one with such good jump technique.

 

[GoodMorningGrapeseed]

I have strong faith that these 3 girls will be Worlds. Excited to see them.

About Satoko's PCS, I wonder if the judges are tired of her and are trying to signal something.

 

[Lunalovesskating]

I have strong faith that these 3 girls will be Worlds. Excited to see them.

About Satoko's PCS, I wonder if the judges are tired of her and are trying to signal something.

I don't think so. At NHK they gave her amazing PCs. I think her PCs were so low because of the mistakes. Judges nowadays really decide the PCs depending on the TES. It is awful. They should have passed the proposal this year to implement judges just for PCs because judges clearly cannot separate both scores from one another.

 

[zanadude]

I have strong faith that these 3 girls will be Worlds. Excited to see them.

Miyahara is in the same position as Higuchi at this time last year: last in GPF, hoping for a podium place at nationals and, failing that, praying that her body of work is good enough to be selected.

Looks like my Nationals odds need to be updated:

1-4 Rika Kihira: At this time last year, she needed her absolute best to make the podium. This year, she needs to be so-so to blow away the field.
5-1 Kaori Sakamoto: Probably the best chance of picking up >220 points outside of Kihira.
8-1 Mai Mihara: Capable of so much, if her body allows it. Really hope to see her reproduce the magic of last year's free once more.
10-1 Satoko Miyahara: It looks like her era has ended. Her URs are finally being called out, and it's effecting her PCS as well.
15-1 Wakaba Higuchi: Should be much higher, but if she's only just started jump practice at the end of November, then I don't see her having enough time to get there in top form.
100-1 The Field: Don't see anybody else with a chance of winning without multiple miracles occurring.

 

[sk8ath]

Miyahara is in the same position as Higuchi at this time last year: last in GPF, hoping for a podium place at nationals and, failing that, praying that her body of work is good enough to be selected.

Looks like my Nationals odds need to be updated:

1-4 Rika Kihira: At this time last year, she needed her absolute best to make the podium. This year, she needs to be so-so to blow away the field.
5-1 Kaori Sakamoto: Probably the best chance of picking up >220 points outside of Kihira.
8-1 Mai Mihara: Capable of so much, if her body allows it. Really hope to see her reproduce the magic of last year's free once more.
10-1 Satoko Miyahara: It looks like her era has ended. Her URs are finally being called out, and it's effecting her PCS as well.
15-1 Wakaba Higuchi: Should be much higher, but if she's only just started jump practice at the end of November, then I don't see her having enough time to get there in top form.
100-1 The Field: Don't see anybody else with a chance of winning without multiple miracles occurring.

I think Satoko will be selected for Worlds if she is within Top 5 in upcoming National.

And Marin and Mako can be the spoiler.

 

[Interspectator]

Lighting all my candles for Mai-chan!

 

[GoodMorningGrapeseed]

Miyahara is in the same position as Higuchi at this time last year: last in GPF, hoping for a podium place at nationals and, failing that, praying that her body of work is good enough to be selected.

I disagree. As long as both Mai and Satoko are clean, the judges will always pick the latter. Mai has an even lower PCS cap. For me, Satoko's no. 3 position is sealed. Big question mark on Wakaba as I haven't followed her progress since after ACI.

 

[leoleo]

I am so angry about Satoko's pcs! :sad21:

 

[skatenewbie]

i hope Satoko is not injured, usually when she's messed up there is somthing going on

 

[lanceupper1114]

Miyahara is in the same position as Higuchi at this time last year: last in GPF, hoping for a podium place at nationals and, failing that, praying that her body of work is good enough to be selected.

Looks like my Nationals odds need to be updated:

1-4 Rika Kihira: At this time last year, she needed her absolute best to make the podium. This year, she needs to be so-so to blow away the field.
5-1 Kaori Sakamoto: Probably the best chance of picking up >220 points outside of Kihira.
8-1 Mai Mihara: Capable of so much, if her body allows it. Really hope to see her reproduce the magic of last year's free once more.
10-1 Satoko Miyahara: It looks like her era has ended. Her URs are finally being called out, and it's effecting her PCS as well.
15-1 Wakaba Higuchi: Should be much higher, but if she's only just started jump practice at the end of November, then I don't see her having enough time to get there in top form.
100-1 The Field: Don't see anybody else with a chance of winning without multiple miracles occurring.

Miyahara is still a pretty safe bet. Maybe next season JSF will rethink her position. No way they'll just drop the lady that carried Japanese ladies for an entire quadrant like a hot stone because of one competition; not even if she has lackluster Nationals. Her scores this season have been too high to leave her behind. It would be a travesty otherwise.

 

[ioanna]

i hope Satoko is not injured, usually when she's messed up there is somthing going on

She's not injured but she's learning a different jump technique. She said as much at the beginning of this season, mentioning that this year would be dedicated to learning things from scratch. We have to remember her programs at US Classic and Japan Open were even worse than this. She was solid in the GP and that's the road she has taken, but it's going to take time and disappointing results like this are inevitable.

 

[yude]

Now GPF is over and I am at a loss thinking about Japanese nationals. Unlike men's, I don't have special favorite in ladies, which means, I like all skaters and am cheering for all of them. Sigh, I wish all top skaters could go to WC :gaah:

 

[skatenewbie]

She's not injured but she's learning a different jump technique. She said as much at the beginning of this season, mentioning that this year would be dedicated to learning things from scratch. We have to remember her programs at US Classic and Japan Open were even worse than this. She was solid in the GP and that's the road she has taken, but it's going to take time and disappointing results like this are inevitable.

she's been learning that before GP but she was flawless in GP. She did have rough skate in challenger, but after her GP skate i expect her to do well too since she seem have good adjustment but suddenly she messed up quite a bit

 

[ioanna]

she's been learning that before GP but she was flawless in GP. She did have rough skate in challenger, but after her GP skate i expect her to do well too since she seem have good adjustment but suddenly she messed up quite a bit

She started to revamp her jumps in the off-season, before Challengers. I never expected her to suddenly master the new technique so the inconsistency doesn't shock me. In fact this is what I expected ever since she said this season is jump rebuilding time. She's in a similar position as Evgenia Medvedeva.

 

[MRani]

she's been learning that before GP but she was flawless in GP. She did have rough skate in challenger, but after her GP skate i expect her to do well too since she seem have good adjustment but suddenly she messed up quite a bit

Satoko has had at least 1 rough competition on the Grand Prix with lots of UR calls for a few seasons now. It still didn’t stop her from having strong showings at nationals and the big competitions in the second half of the season, so I’m not that worried. She was only fifth at last year’s GPF and still got big scores at Olympics and a world bronze. If she’s clean at Nationals she’ll be on the podium and on the world team.

 

[zanadude]

No way they'll just drop the lady that carried Japanese ladies for an entire quadrant

Has she really?

2015: Finished second at World, but well behind the winner. The Original Rika and Kanako both did enough to keep Japan's three spots regardless.
2016: Helped keep the three spots, but finished back in fifth
2017: Didn't go to Worlds, Japan lost a spot for Olympics and the next Worlds.
2018: Finished last amongst Japanese competitors, but did help get Japan's third spot back.

She was an important member of the national team, but she can hardly be labelled as the woman that "carried" Japanese ladies.

 

[lanceupper1114]

Has she really?

2015: Finished second at World, but well behind the winner. The Original Rika and Kanako both did enough to keep Japan's three spots regardless.
2016: Helped keep the three spots, but finished back in fifth
2017: Didn't go to Worlds, Japan lost a spot for Olympics and the next Worlds.
2018: Finished last amongst Japanese competitors, but did help get Japan's third spot back.

She was an important member of the national team, but she can hardly be labelled as the woman that "carried" Japanese ladies.

She has.

Literally the only one with notable results at worlds and gpf except for the very very last event of that entire quadrennial where she stood beside Higuchi on the worlds PODIUM.

Undefeated among Japan ladies except for like 2 events the entire quadrennial.

This is a debate?

The way you frame her result is just bazaar. Especially 2015. Like her silver wasn't important because Hongo and Murakami would have secured three spots anyway. Like what?

2018 "Last among Japanese". She was on the podium! Seriously. C'mon dude...

...give credit where credit is due