2025 Kinoshita Group Cup: General Info and Pregame Chat

[gsk8]

The 2025 Kinoshita Group Cup is the third of 11 events of the 2025-26 Figure Skating Challenger Series and is scheduled to take place in Osaka, Japan, September 5-7, 2025.

This event will feature the Singles, Pairs, and Ice Dance disciplines in the Senior category. The competition will be conducted in accordance with the ISU Constitution and General Regulations, the ISU Special Regulations for Singles & Pair skating and Ice Dance, and relevant ISU Communications.

Participation is open to all Skaters/Couples of ISU Members with a maximum of 3 entries per category (except for the Host ISU Member), who are eligible for International "Senior" Competitions by age (Rule 108) and by citizenship (109) and entered through the respective ISU Member. There is a limitation for the Skaters/Couples to three (3) participations in the Challenger Series Competitions.

The event will count towards ISU World Standing Points, Minimum Total Technical Score, Challenger Series in Figure Skating Ranking, and Prize Money.

• Official Site
• ISU Event Page
• Announcement
• Entries
• Results
• Schedule
• ISU Communication 2683 & ISU Communication 2706 (Challenger Series in Figure Skating for 2025-26)
• ISU Communication 2550 (ISU World Standing and Season World Ranking for Single & Pairs Skating and Ice Dance)

Stream: Overseas, the ISU’s listed broadcast partners will show the event. If unavailable in your territory, a livestream will be offered on the ISU YouTube Channel.

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

So, how optimistic are we that this event will have a stream that's accessible outside of Japan?

 

[wanpe]

Any information on tickets? I think I can book relatively cheap flight tickets to Japan in September.

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

Team Japan entries (so far, they might add more):
Men: Tatsuya Tsuboi, Kazuki Tomono, Kao Miura, Sota Yamamoto
Women: Kaori Sakamoto, Wakaba Higuchi, Mone Chiba, Rinka Watanabe, Hana Yoshida
Pairs: Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara, Yuna Nagaoka/Sumitada Moriguchi
Ice Dance: Utana Yoshida/Masaya Morita

Do we have information on a livestream for this?

 

[wanpe]

There's a link for Kinoshita Cup https://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/cs2025/

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

Thank you for that link. Doesn't look like it will be streamed, just shown on TV in Japan...

 

[aroundtheworld778]

The Philippine pair Gamez/Korovin just said in their stories they will be in Japan.

 

[wanpe]

Junhwan Cha confirmed that he'll be in Japan. Source: fan accounts on X

 

[Jumping_Bean]

Entries are out already!

 

[Jeanie19]

Wow. This is a Japanese pre Nationals. Great competition.

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

Such a great field of athletes. Wish there was a stream

 

[crystalspin]

What a great group of competitors! I really hope someone shows a stream..

 

[elektra blue]

singles and pairs are epic

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Wow. This is a Japanese pre Nationals. Great competition.

That in itself means I can't wait for it.

And my baby girl is entered as well!!!!!!

Well, I know she loved it the last time she competed in Japan, at the Junior GP in 2023, so I'm not surprised she is taking the opportunity to go back. And it's at the same rink and all, so she'll be familiar with everything.

And her former Singles team-mate is also there with her Ice Dance partner!!!!!!

Oh, I hope we will be able to watch.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[AlexRus]

In order of Personal Best, * - unofficial best if no official.

Men
No Name Nation Score
1 Junhwan CHA KOR 296.03
2 Kao MIURA JPN 281.53
3 Sota YAMAMOTO JPN 274.35
4 Kazuki TOMONO JPN 273.41
5 Tatsuya TSUBOI JPN 251.52
6 Jimmy MA USA 250.97
7 Sihyeong LEE KOR 242.62
8 Tomoki HIWATASHI USA 240.78
9 Shunsuke NAKAMURA JPN 225.69
10 Aleksa RAKIC CAN 222.49
11 Jaekeun LEE KOR 220.26
12 Haru KAKIUCHI JPN 209.50
13 Goku ENDO USA 203.03
14 Tao MACRAE GBR 171.61

Women
No Name Nation Score
1 Kaori SAKAMOTO PN 236.09
2 Bradie TENNELL USA 225.64
3 Haein LEE KOR 225.47
4 Mone CHIBA JPN 215.24
5 Wakaba HIGUCHI JPN 214.44
6 Rinka WATANABE JPN 213.14
7 Hana YOSHIDA JPN 208.31
8 Mako YAMASHITA JPN 203.06
9 Saki MIYAKE JPN 196.55*
10 Ahsun YUN KOR 195.87
11 Madeline SCHIZAS CAN 192.14
12 Sonja HILMER USA 174.46
13 Eliska BREZINOVA CZE 175.41
14 Maria CHERNYSHOVA AUS 128.91
WD Young YOU KOR 223.23
WD Antonina DUBININA SRB 134.58
WD Stefania YAKOVLEVA CYP 158.12

Pairs
No Name Nation Score
1 Riku MIURA / Ryuichi KIHARA JPN 226.05
2 Anastasiia METELKINA / Luka BERULAVA GEO 213.63
3 Daria DANILOVA / Michel TSIBA NED 178.37
4 Yuna NAGAOKA / Sumitada MORIGUCHI JPN 174.76
5 Valentina PLAZAS / Maximiliano FERNANDEZ USA 174.15
6 Isabella GAMEZ / Aleksandr KOROVIN PHI 157.04
WD Anastasia GOLUBEVA / Hektor GIOTOPOULOS MOORE AUS 189.47
WD Maria PAVLOVA / Alexei SVIATCHENKO HUN 204.60
WD Kelly Ann LAURIN / Loucas ETHIER CAN 178.57

Ice Dance
No Name Nation Score
1 Emilea ZINGAS / Vadym KOLESNIK USA 196.07
2 Marie-Jade LAURIAULT / Romain LE GAC CAN 190.83
3 Hannah LIM / Ye QUAN KOR 187.10
4 Alicia FABBRI / Paul AYER CAN 185.05
5 Leah NESET / Artem MARKELOV USA 179.38
6 Utana YOSHIDA / Masaya MORITA JPN 171.59
7 Lily HENSEN / Nathan LICKERS CAN 165.40
8 Daniela IVANITSKIY / Matthew SPERRY FIN 121.94

 

[brblja]

Any information on tickets? I think I can book relatively cheap flight tickets to Japan in September.

Went on sale on 29/07 and they're sold out already, but the ticket site allows you to sign up for notifications in case of resales/tickets being returned (https://t.pia.jp/en/pia/ticketInformation.do?eventCd=2526280&rlsCd=001).

 

[paulusfr]

GOLUBEVA / GIOTOPOULOS MOORE withdrew.

 

[moonvine]

I need a stream...my fiance....

 

[moonvine]

Is USFS trying to bury my man by sending him to this challenger? No stream, no gifts for skaters, I hate this comp.

 

[ramurphy2005]

Young You is no longer on the entry list.