2022-23 Japanese figure skating - pairs and ice dance

[mikeko666]

Senior pairs
Riku Miura & Ryuichi Kihara - Special National Trainees
Miyu Yunoki & Shoya Ichihashi

Junior pairs
Haruna Murakami & Sumitada Moriguchi

Senior ice dance
Misato Komatsubara & Takeru Komatsubara (Tim Koleto) - National Trainees A
Kana Muramoto & Daisuke Takahashi - National Trainees A
Rikako Fukase & Eichu Oliver Cho
Nicole Takahashi & Shiloh Judd

Junior ice dance
Nao Kida & Masaya Morita - National Trainees B
Kaho Yamashita & Yuto Nagata
Midori Fujiki & Seiya Shimokawa
Haruhi Komatsu & Esuke Kumano

 

[Sai Bon]

Wow, I didn't know Rikako and Eichu Oliver were training at IAM! I wonder how they can afford it without JSF funding. But anyway, I'm glad they are continuing. Also interested to learn that Rikako used to be Aru Tateno's partner.

 

[synesthesia]

After her split with Shingo Nishiyama, Ayumi Takanami is looking for a new partner. In an interview published on 4years.asahi she conveyed her thoughts on ice dance and balancing training with studies:

フィギュアスケート - 文武両道のアイスダンサー早大・高浪歩未　パートナー探し「また皆さんの前で演技を」 | 4years. #学生スポーツ

早稲田大学国際教養学部3年の高浪歩未（ケイインターナショナル東京）は、フィギュアスケート・アイスダンスと学業の両方で高みをめざす学生アスリートだ。部活動と学業を高いレベルで両立した学生に贈られる「早稲田アスリートプログラム（WAP）」の「年間優秀学業成績個人賞」を2年連続で受賞。2021~22年シーズンはカナダ・トロントを拠点にしながら全日本選手権3位と健闘した。現在は新しいパートナーを募集している。この1年の振り返りや両立のコツついてインタビューした。

4years.asahi.com

 

[synesthesia]

New (junior?) ice dance team:





Atsuhiko competed in juniors and won the silver medal at Japanese junior nationals twice with Ayano Sasaki in 2020/21 and in 2021/22:

Skating Scores: Latest Figure Skating Results, Scores, Rankings & Statistics

The best resource for Figure Skating scores and stats on the web.

skatingscores.com

Does anyone have any info on Sara?

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

I've never heard of them before but I'M SO EXCITED WE HAVE THREE PAIRS TEAMS AND SEVERAL PROMISING NEW DANCE TEAMS (and a team at IAM probably won't split randomly? probably?) anyway I'm hoping that this new team can push Nao and Masaya in the coming years and help strengthen JP ice dance (and remove some of the burden from Dai lol)

 

[mikeko666]

New (junior?) ice dance team:





Atsuhiko competed in juniors and won the silver medal at Japanese junior nationals twice with Ayano Sasaki in 2020/21 and in 2021/22:

Skating Scores: Latest Figure Skating Results, Scores, Rankings & Statistics

The best resource for Figure Skating scores and stats on the web.

skatingscores.com

Does anyone have any info on Sara?

Atsuhiko and Ayano split after Jr. Nats last November because she was going to age out this year. She has been listed in Ice Partner Search.

Apparently Sara skated with Shinnosuke Nanajima as a novice team at a local competition last December. (They did not have a judge panel for ice dance.) That is all I could find.

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Performances from Dreams On Ice, Day 2 (matinee show) aired on TBS channel 2
(Not sure if video has already been uploaded to yt)

Yunoki/Ichihashi SP (Black Car; Leon Else) 3Tw!!! Kinda scary catch and probably only Level 1 but still...
Komatsubara/Komatsubara (Koleto) RD (Shakira Medley)

Videos default to 360p, however are viewable in higher quality by adjusting in settings (gear icon)

 

[mikeko666]

Performances from Dreams On Ice, Day 2 (matinee show) aired on TBS channel 2
(Not sure if video has already been uploaded to yt)

Yunoki/Ichihashi SP (Black Car; Leon Else) 3Tw!!! Kinda scary catch and probably only Level 1 but still...
Komatsubara/Komatsubara (Koleto) RD (Shakira Medley)

Videos default to 360p, however are viewable in higher quality by adjusting in settings (gear icon)

Thank you for the video. Miyu had a surgery on her right ankle early this year and that's why Yunoki/Icihhashi had no jumping elements, but they have been making progress with the other elements, especially twist and lifts.

The time schedule of Kinoshita Trophy (August 5-7) has been published. Although there will be competitions for single skateres only, the time schedule has junior pair and ice dance in the end. Kida/Morita (dance) might perform this season's program, and Murakami/Moriguchi (pair) might make a debut. Murakami/Moriguchi has been training with Bruno Marcotte in Oakville this summer.

 

[cohkaix]

1st round of JGP assignments (Jr. ice dance & pair)

(Source in Japanese)



JGP 2 Czech Skate
Ice dance - Kida & Morita
Pair - Murakami & Moriguchi

JGP 5 Grenoble -
Ice dance - Kida & Morita

Good to see that one pair team will be sent.

 

[mikeko666]

1st round of JGP assignments (Jr. ice dance & pair)

(Source in Japanese)



JGP 2 Czech Skate
Ice dance - Kida & Morita
Pair - Murakami & Moriguchi

JGP 5 Grenoble -
Ice dance - Kida & Morita

Good to see that one pair team will be sent.

JSF is allowed to send at least a couple of more teams in ice dance. I hope JSF will send Yamashita & Nagata.


Senior GPS entries

Skate America
Ice dance: Muramoto & Takahashi

Skate Canada
Pairs: Miura & Kihara
Ice dance: Komatsubara & Koleto

NHK Trophy
Pairs: Miura & Kihara
Ice dance: Muramoto & Takahashi, TBD

I'm sure the TBD at NHK trophy will be Komatsubara & Koleto, but have no idea why JSF doesn't announce now.

 

[surimi]

JSF is allowed to send at least a couple of more teams in ice dance. I hope JSF will send Yamashita & Nagata.


Senior GPS entries

Skate America
Ice dance: Muramoto & Takahashi

Skate Canada
Pairs: Miura & Kihara
Ice dance: Komatsubara & Koleto

NHK Trophy
Pairs: Miura & Kihara
Ice dance: Muramoto & Takahashi, TBD

I'm sure the TBD at NHK trophy will be Komatsubara & Koleto, but have no idea why JSF doesn't announce now.

Are there any young dancers that could come close to KoKo right now? Does Shingo have a new partner yet? He's very promising.

 

[mikeko666]

Are there any young dancers that could come close to KoKo right now? Does Shingo have a new partner yet? He's very promising.

I'm not sure if Rikako Fukase & Eichu Oliver Cho (Oliver Zhang) are still skating together. I can't tell from their Instagram. Their last competition was last year's Quebec Summer Championships. They had no international assignment last year, and couldn't compete at Nationals because foreigners were not allowed to enter Japan last December due to COVID restriction. JSF didn't send them to 4CC either because they didn't compete at Nationals.

Shingo hasn't found a new partner yet. He had to come back to Japan because it became financially difficult for him to stay in Canada. (Russia's war on Ukraine affected his father's job.) While living with his family in Japan costs less than living alone in Canada, ice dance training in Japan costs much more than in Canada because ice time is much more expensive in Tokyo. I'm surprised to know JSF didn't support him and Ayumi to staying Canada considering his exceptional talent.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

Are there any young dancers that could come close to KoKo right now? Does Shingo have a new partner yet? He's very promising.

Nao Kida and Masaya Morita did really well at Junior Worlds for their age and nationality. They're coached by Cathy Reed.

 

[mikeko666]

Nao Kida and Masaya Morita did really well at Junior Worlds for their age and nationality. They're coached by Cathy Reed.

They are still in juniors this season and have entered in JGPS, so won't be assigned to NHK Trophy.

 

[cohkaix]

Riku and Ryuichi's SP: You'll never walk alone (From the Ice 2022)

And hope Riku is alright from the performance yesterday!

 

[surimi]

Riku and Ryuichi's SP: You'll never walk alone (From the Ice 2022)

And hope Riku is alright from the performance yesterday!

Why, what happened?

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

Why, what happened?

Fell on her shoulder on a jump at the end of a program, finished the performance whilst holding it apparently in pain, then she and Ryuichi didn't do the group number after

 

[surimi]

Fell on her shoulder on a jump at the end of a program, finished the performance whilst holding it apparently in pain, then she and Ryuichi didn't do the group number after

ouch, wishing Riku a quick recovery then!

 

[cohkaix]

It looks like Riku and Ryuichi will not continue with The ICE for the rest of the performances. That’s a wise choice, and get well soon, Riku!

Riku Miura on Instagram: "THE ICE愛知公演終了しました。 沢山のご声援ありがとうございました。 また、私の怪我により新潟・大阪公演を降板することとなり、皆様の前で演技ができなくなってしまった事とても悔しく思います。 今は一刻も早く競技に復帰できるように治療に専念したいと思います。 たくさんの方にご迷惑をおかけしてしまい本当に申し訳ない気持ちでいっぱいですが、 その分シーズンで更に強くなって帰って来れるように頑張ります。 三浦璃来 #木下グループ #sk

11K likes, 355 comments - riku9111 on July 25, 2022: "THE ICE愛知公演終了しました。 沢山のご声援ありがとうございました。 また、私の怪我により新潟・�..."

www.instagram.com

 

[Sai Bon]

It looks like Riku and Ryuichi will not continue with The ICE for the rest of the performances. That’s a wise choice, and get well soon, Riku!

Riku Miura on Instagram: "THE ICE愛知公演終了しました。 沢山のご声援ありがとうございました。 また、私の怪我により新潟・大阪公演を降板することとなり、皆様の前で演技ができなくなってしまった事とても悔しく思います。 今は一刻も早く競技に復帰できるように治療に専念したいと思います。 たくさんの方にご迷惑をおかけしてしまい本当に申し訳ない気持ちでいっぱいですが、 その分シーズンで更に強くなって帰って来れるように頑張ります。 三浦璃来 #木下グループ #sk

11K likes, 355 comments - riku9111 on July 25, 2022: "THE ICE愛知公演終了しました。 沢山のご声援ありがとうございました。 また、私の怪我により新潟・�..."

www.instagram.com

Oh, poor Riku...get well soon!