In fact, Mana did get her spot.
2021-22 Japanese Women's Figure Skating
- Thread starter cohkaix
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Thats good news. With a relatively weak field, Mana could do well if she keeps her nerves in check.
Rika being back to her best shape seems a little like a pipe dream to me now unfortunately :'(
That would involve being able to land a 4S, a 4T, a 3A-Eu-3S and a 3F/3Lz-3Lo in the one program, as she was capable of each of those individually before. I doubt she'll go for a 4T, but I'd love to see the others at least.
I just finished watching the competition in Austria. Wakaba was fantastic in the short program. I thought she was going to do a 2A and then she lept to do her axel, it was like watching Midori Ito, she really flies into that triple axel. Best axel in the ladies field. Needless to say, she is in first place by about 20 points. The Japanese Ladies are getting better and better 
Trusova (15 points) and Usacheva (13 points) have since fallen to injury. What other black magic do we need to make this happen? Can we get a Kawabe/Eun-soo/Glenn podium please?
Unfortunately, Wakaba opts for the tried and true, one step forward, two steps back strategy once again. Other than Sakamoto, there is no telling who will be on the podium at Nats.Wakaba was brilliant! And what a great time to try out the 3A in the SPHope she stays fearless for the FS!
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- Mar 6, 2021
Why did Shane-Lynn choreograph this layout for Wakaba or why did her team choose it? The 3F at the end is bad (if it’s closer to the start she’s less likely to get an edge call) and more importantly that backloaded 3Lz-3T is way too hard, Wakaba hasn’t landed one in like 3 years. She should go back to a layout like 2020 4CC:
3A
3Lz+3T
3F
3S
2A+3T
3Lz+2T+2Lo
3Lo
She still has a 3-3 in there but she’s way more likely to actually land 8 triples.
I so wish Wakaba had made a coaching change after 2017-18, her whole career could have been so different. She is planning on continuing past this season right?
3A
3Lz+3T
3F
3S
2A+3T
3Lz+2T+2Lo
3Lo
She still has a 3-3 in there but she’s way more likely to actually land 8 triples.
I so wish Wakaba had made a coaching change after 2017-18, her whole career could have been so different. She is planning on continuing past this season right?
I agree. The layout needs to change. Her 3Lz 3T attempts in the second half for the last three competitions have resulted in 2Lz popped jumps. Popping jumps is fine. But, she is 100% not even attempting this triple triple combination. After three tries, she should switch it up to your layout.
Also, just want to congratulate Kaori on being the first non-Russian lady to cross the 220 barrier this season and for officially making it to the Grand Prix Finals where she will most likely face five Russians. I don’t really like her programs this year. But, she has increased her technical content from 3F 3T in first half and 3F 2T in second half TO 3F 2T in first half and 3F 3T in second half. So, she is someone to me who is maximizing to her full potential. Now, she just needs to clean her edge issue with the lutz and increase her GOE a bit more on spins, etc to aim for a score as close to 230, as possible.
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- Dec 5, 2015
Choreographers don't choose jump layouts. Shae-Lynn is responsible for the great build of that program. The jump layout is on Wakaba and her coach. However, I do agree that she needs to stop jumping lutzes in the second half. She always pops them. Put a Lutz in the first half and attach the combo to another jump.
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- Dec 5, 2015
Yes, Kaori's programs are terrible this year but the quality of her elements can't be denied.
On the other hand, unlike the Korean and American women who seem to be trying to win the race for the bottom, Japanese women are all improving this season. ( Except for Rino.. There was no improvement here-- injury was not kind to her).
Wakaba just had a bad program but, in general, her stability has improved dramatically this year.
Mana just made a strong case for herself. Although, she needs to work on her spins and StepSeqs. Rika could pop a 3A and still score highly because all her other elements were so strong-- Mana can't.
Satoko is better than ever, although her jumps are the same as ever.
Mai has been incredibly stable and consistent this year.
All of them are strong skaters who have the potential to be on the team, but none of them, have the same scoring potential as Rika. I wonder if she will manage to compete at Nationals with , at least, a full range of triples.
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- Oct 22, 2019
Oh Rika where are you?????
I wish we knew something about her condition. Like has she even got jumps
Or she can't jump at all.
I wish we knew something about her condition. Like has she even got jumps
Or she can't jump at all.
The question with Rika will be even if healthy at Nats, how sharp will she be? With Wakaba and Mana getting better with their own 3As, if on, they could eliminate Rika's normal margin of error and require she skate pretty clean. Whether Mana will be given decent PCS is another issue too.
I agree about the coaching change. She always seems to have to take the most difficult way to get the same points she could get easier. They seem more geared to performing than winning sometimes.
Wakaba failed the second 3Lz-3T AGAIN??
Yeah it's definitely not working at this point so she really should change it up. I was at Skate Canada, hoping to see her (miraculously) skate a clean Lion King live and she was almost there, then the 2Lz happened.... It especially sucks because if she landed it, it would've been enough for 4th (and maybe even bronze). Hopefully she doesn't do the same next week at IDF. Her 2A-3T is gorgeous, so GOE shouldn't be too much of an issue.
If she can't do those jumps, there's nothing she can do.
If the Russians keep dropping like flies, then she might beat them by just staying on her feet.
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