2023-24 Japanese Nationals - Free dance

[tsuyoboogie]

Love the small details such as using of hands from UtaMasaya.

Yes! Forgot to mention that!
Love their hand and head choreo especially in the RD

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

5. 小松原 美 里 / 小松原 尊 Misato KOMATSUBARA / Takeru KOMATSUBARA (Kurashiki FSC)​

Loving you (from Passion) / Love Grows (Orchestra Arrangement) / Loving you (from Passion), choreo by Romain Haguenauer /
Eva Airapetian

SyTwW4+SyTwM4
OFTW3+OFTM3
CiStW3+CiStM3
DSp4
ChSp1 +2.02
CuLi4+CuLi4
ChSl1 +2.21
RoLi4
ChLi1 +1.66

RD: 70.89 (2nd)
FD: 107.50 (2nd)
TOT: 178.39 (1st)

on one hand, I feel bad that Team KoKo is being surpassed by all of the young teams that have sprung up recently. But they've stagnated in their scores a bit, so maybe this will give them the push to really improve. Their depth of edge is probably the best in the field, as is their matching, but the speed could definitely be improved.

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Don't love the music but Nice Skate, KoKo!

 

[cohkaix]

About the music: Passion is not really a bubbly pretty music (but should be dark and sad...), but given that it's a Sondheim music, I do watch Team KoKo more closely this season.

 

[zebobes]

Being a Sondheim fan, this arrangement completely changes the meaning of the original song, but I was impressed how well KoKo expressed the emotion.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

6. 田 中 梓 沙 / 西 山 真 瑚 Azusa Tanaka / Shingo Nishiyama (Oriental Bio)​

Gisselle, choreo by Romain Haguenauer

ChAJ1 +2.21
ChSl1 +1.83
OFTW2+OFTM2
SyTwW3+SyTwM4
DSp4
CuLi4+CuLi4
MiStW1+MiStM3
RoLi4
ChTw1 +?

RD: 71.08 (1st)
FD: 105.35 (3rd)
TOT: 176.43 (2nd)

I remember watching this team skate at the Quebec Summer Championships and thinking they were so good then, and they've only gotten better. I love the twizzle transition with the deep knee bend exit, and we have to give credit to Azusa for being such a strong ice dancer after switching disciplines recently.

 

[cohkaix]

Gisselle is such a fitting music for AzuShin, nicely done!

 

[cohkaix]

The results is ... interesting? Assuming Team KoKo will still get the ticket to WC, but I do hope all the three couples will get to go to 4CC.

 

[tsuyoboogie]

I spent years wishing Shingo would switch to ID, then spent seasons wishing the same for Azusa

So happy to see them skating together and in a discipline where they can both show their strengths and talent to its full potential

 

[cohkaix]

Ice dance final results

Final results
FD results
Protocol

Pl.				RD	FD	Final results
1	小松原 美 里 小松原 尊	Misato KOMATSUBARA Takeru KOMATSUBARA	Kurashiki FSC Kurashiki FSC	70.89	107.05	178.39
2	田 中 梓 沙 西 山 真 瑚	Azusa Tanaka Shingo Nishiyama	OrientalBio OrientalBio	71.08	105.35	176.43
3	吉 田 唄 菜 森 田 真沙也	Utana Yoshida Masaya Morita	Kinoshita Academy Kinoshita Academy	64.00	109.17	173.17
4	佐々木 彩 乃 池 田 喜 充	Ayano Sasaki Yosimitu IKeda	Nihon Univ SEIBU HIGASHIFUSHIMI	51.47	77.93	129.40
5	木 下 あかり 田 村 周 彦	Akari Kinoshita Takahiko Tamura	Keio University Mita Skating Club	47.30	77.56	124.86
6	国 村 柚 里 坂 部 魁 士	Yuri Kunimura Kaiji Sakabe	RINKAI FSC OSAKA U OF ECONOMICS	40.71	66.37	107.08

 

[fehervari]

I'm a bit sad. I really like the Komatsubaras, but they haven't improved in years. they are beautiful together but boring. they don't should divorce, but find a new ice dance partner or... synchronized skating. this mediocrity is not good for them, not for JSF, and not for me. sorry

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Awww...Misato is getting emotional and trying not to cry
So happy for them

 

[rabidline]

You have to give it to team Koko, every single time they get counted out they somehow are still left standing, and I respect that. I just want Utamasa and Azushin to get the 4CC assignments!!!!

 

[Jumping_Bean]

The results is ... interesting? Assuming Team KoKo will still get the ticket to WC, but I do hope all the three couples will get to go to 4CC.

Interesting in the sense that it exemplified that AzuShin & UtaMasa will pass Team KoKo very soon, or are the scores interesting?

Because I for once am actually pretty happy with the Ice Dance scoring for the most part, except for the fact that I do not think AzuShin should have the highest Skating Skills score here.
Maybe I'm making myself unpopular here, but while Azusa has adapted to Ice Dance wonderfully in the short time, her depth and hold of edges is still clearly lacking in direct comparison to either of the other two ladies who skated directly before her (also visible in the levels of the OFT & MiSt), and while AzuShin are faster than Team KoKo, they are not faster than UtaMasa, who imo have the best skating skills here.

AzuShin do have the best Free Dance of the three teams though, but I did enjoy all three skates today.

 

[aerosuffly]

I miss the live stream. Can we have video recording please?

In any case, those are interesting results indeed! I can certainly see UtaMasa and AzuShin as the now/future ice dancers for Japan. UtaMasa won the FD. AzuShin won the RD. Team KoKo edged them both with their experience. This is a great development for Japanese ice dance. JSF should definitely send all three teams to 4CC.

I have followed Masaya since when he was with his previous partner. They were a fast couple. UtaMasa is also a fast couple, and they seem to be better connected. I am really looking forward to see them grow.

I cannot say much about AzuShin since I have not followed them.

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Links to FD video
Videos are not high quality but can be increased up to 720p by clicking on the settings gear

Performances were taken from the FOD livestream (no commentary)

Warmup Group 1
1. Yuri Kunimura / Kaiji Sakabe
2. Akari Kinoshita / Takahiko Tamura
3. Ayano Sasaki / Yoshimitsu Ikeda

Warmup Group 2
4. Utana Yoshida / Masaya Morita
5. Misato Komatsubara / Takeru Komatsubara (Tim Koleto)
6. Azusa Tanaka / Shingo Nishiyama

 

[cohkaix]

https://x.com/skatingjapan/status/1738929808212623765?s=20

Interesting that, after the meeting, JSF decide to keep it's decision as for which team to send to WC (so it looks like 4CC might be the competition for considering the final decision)

 

[Sai Bon]

Links to FD video
Videos are not high quality but can be increased up to 720p by clicking on the settings gear

Performances were taken from the FOD livestream (no commentary)

Warmup Group 1
1. Yuri Kunimura / Kaiji Sakabe
2. Akari Kinoshita / Takahiko Tamura
3. Ayano Sasaki / Yoshimitsu Ikeda

Warmup Group 2
4. Utana Yoshida / Masaya Morita
5. Misato Komatsubara / Takeru Komatsubara (Tim Koleto)
6. Azusa Tanaka / Shingo Nishiyama

You are a star, tsuyoboogie. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

 

[Sai Bon]

1. 国 村 柚 里 / 坂 部 魁 士 Yuri Kunimura / Kaiji Sakabe (RINKAI FSC / OSAKA U OF ECONOMICS)​

The Young Girls of Rochefort, choreo by Rie Arikawa

OFTW1/M1
SlLi4
RoLi4
DSp1
ChSt1 +0.28
SyTwW3?M4 (loss of synchronicity on second set)
CuLi2
ChSp1 -0.15
CiStW1/M1
ChSl1 +0.69

RD: 40.71 (6th)
FD: 66.37
TOT: 107.08

They started so well, but seemed to lose a little bit of steam by the end. I really like the program

Maybe he ran out of puff a bit. He seemed overcome with emotion when they finished. He is only 18! Good work!