2018-19 Japanese National FS Championships Ladies' FS

[rikaquegira]

So that means that Worlds team is, as I had expected, Rika, Kaori and Satoko, right?
I think they should send Mai and Wakaba to 4CC and maybe Rika or Kaori.

 

[zounger]

Perfect motivation for the top 3 to bring their A Game to the worlds! Let the Japan vs Russia battle commence!

With that rate of Russian ladies, Japanese ladies will sweep the podium at worlds easily.

 

[Yuzuruu]

Congrats to the adorable Kaori! Truly a deserving champion[emoji846] saw her live in Helsinki and let me tell you, she was absolutely the best lady there. This free skate live just puts a spell on you

Ps. I have a photo with This cutie [emoji16]

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Oi, Mr Chinese guy. Don't you be switching over to the Russian Gala just yet. We want to see the podium ceremony.

Just keep it down there in the corner for now.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Noxchild]

I know this is an unpopular opinion but Rika should have win this.
But i'm happy for Kaori too.

I love Rika more than the sun loves the moon, but apart from the GPF her short has been a struggle, and her FP can only rack up so many points before it gets silly. I wanted nothing more than for her to win, but Kaori did great on BOTH days... and that's how the cookie crumbles :sad4: I'm sure it'll just bring out the kuyashii spirit in her from now on. Rika vs Kaori at 4CC go!!

 

[Ichatdelune]

It's actually quite fascinating to look at the podium here, of course all three have good qualities and weaknesses overall but the way I see it, their best qualities are:

Sakamoto Kaori - Mostly consistent jumps with power and speed
Kihira Rika - Them 3As (and other jumps are good as well)
Miyahara Satoko - Artistry combined with skating skills

So consistency>tech>artistry. (Of course Sakamoto Kaori and Kihira Rika have artistry and skating skills too, and Miyahara Satoko is usually consistent, I'm just putting things simple here.)

 

[yume]

It does send the message to them though, win or not. Kaori won by the lead of her SP here, and internationally judges only gave 70+ PCS to Rika & Satoko. Since you can't just become Satoko, 3A is the way to go

And they are saying to Kaori that she will get those PCS internationally and that level of GOE.

 

[mikeko666]

A strict panel would probably call some of Mai’s jumps too and she won’t get that PCS abroad so it is a wash. The podium is correct even if I really wanted Rika to win, the correct 3 will go to worlds.

Satoko's second 3Lz was < by last season's rule, and could be << by this season's rule. If the tech panel was strict, she would have gotten even more URs. She is more prone to UR than Mai. She was punished in PCS for the mistakes at GPF but not here.

 

[schizoanalyst]

I love Rika more than the sun loves the moon, but apart from the GPF her short has been a struggle, and her FP can only rack up so many points before it gets silly.

IDK Mai approaching 148 and Kaori exceeding it are totally silly and would never happen internationally with those skates. Both of their skates would be 138-142 internationally. Whereas Rika's skate would probably be around 150. So there was a pretty big discrepancies in what amount of silliness they were willing to tolerate.

 

[MaiKatze]

Satoko's killer stare....

 

[sk8ath]

And they are saying to Kaori that she will get those PCS internationally and that level of GOE.

Kaori deserves to get this PCS with this program.
She fits Benoit's programs so well

 

[Danny T]

And they are saying to Kaori that she will get those PCS internationally and that level of GOE.

Huh? If Kaori and/or her team really think she will get 73 PCS at Worlds, they're a lot less smart than I think... and a team that backload all of her SP last season they're not that dumb.

TES I'm pretty sure she can get. Judges love her jumps, and sometimes her flutz isn't even called, much less the (!) it got here.

 

[Yuzuruu]

I feel the Fed is kind of sending a message to Rika - get more consistent with the SP. Which may work, however I have to be honest its kind of weird to see another Japanese skater above the GPF Champ [emoji23]

 

[lzxnl]

Rika really couldn't have afforded that slip-up on the 3Lz; that slip up cost her about 3 points according to the protocols.
https://www.jsfresults.com/National/2018-2019/fs_j/nationalsenior/data0205.pdf
Although her SP slip up on the flip didn't help either; cost her another 4 points or so. This competition tells us that Rika can now only afford to fall on one 3A vs her own teammates. She is always going to be a massive source of nerves for me.

I'm glad that Kaori was able to win a competition this year! Now, all of the top three women have won competitions. As much as I wanted Rika to sneak by, Kaori did indeed deserve to win. Her long program was so much better than her performance at GPF, and not even because she landed her 2A+3T+2T (why does she even do that instead of a 2T-2Lo like everyone else).

Well, it's not an international competition, so I guess Rika is still unbeaten internationally?

 

[yume]

I need to watch protocols. Are they out?

 

[champs]

Satoko's second 3Lz was definitely UR and Fuji TV showed it in slo-mo, but it didn't get < in protocol. I feel really sorry for Mai.

(Assuming you're right about Satoko's URs as I didn't pay attention in the replay for Satoko) Yuna S is the usual sacrificial lamb I guess.

 

[mikeko666]

Kaori deserves to get this PCS with this program.
She fits Benoit's programs so well

I agree. Kaori's performance was lyrical and even sensual in her own unique way.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Satoko's killer stare....

Yep. She's not a happy bunny.

But, we knew that right from when she was getting her results.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[mikeko666]

I need to watch protocols. Are they out?

https://www.jsfresults.com/National/2018-2019/fs_j/nationalsenior/data0205.pdf

 

[SNAKSuyun]

And they are saying to Kaori that she will get those PCS internationally and that level of GOE.

Kaori's jumps are some of the best in the field right now, and her SS is also sublime. She reminds me a bit of Osmond and if she can get Osmond's PCS treatment (we're not even talking Evgenia/Alina tier) that'd be fair and possibly enough for her to get quite far.