Rika Hongo, where would you place her at Worlds?

[Interspectator]

This season has been full of surprises and one of the biggest has been the improvement and consistency of Rika-chan.
I admit, when I saw her last season, I completely wrote her off. But she proved everyone wrong with her placements this year.
-Gold at Cup of Russia
-Silver at Japan Nationals
-Bronze at 4 CC

Where do you think she will place at Worlds?

I think a top 6 finish is possible.

 

[sabinfire]

I think a top 6 finish is possible.

Possible. Hmm... for me, after the Russians, I'd probably go Zijun Li and then Rika Hongo.

 

[kwanatic]

I definitely see her in the top 10 this year. I'd say probably in the 6th-8th range which would be really good for her first appearance at worlds.

 

[Krunchii]

I see her around 8th, I'd put the 3 Russians, 2 Americans and Satoko ahead of her, maybe Polina, she's safe for a top 10 finish as long as she doesn't have big splats

 

[donezo]

Probably 8th or so, but I think her days are numbered unless she develops some kind of style. I can't remember anything about her programs except that she does Carmen. The jumps are decent, but there's nothing else there.

 

[noskates]

11th

 

[andromache]

Probably 8th or so, but I think her days are numbered unless she develops some kind of style. I can't remember anything about her programs except that she does Carmen. The jumps are decent, but there's nothing else there.

I would be both shocked and disappointed if we don't see her come into her own next season. After her relative success on the senior circuit this season, I hope the Japanese Federation ensures she improves on the PCS-aspects of her skating with great choreography/choreographers to help her improve her style. I'm not sure how all this works in Japan, but I imagine after the void that Mao Asada has left, they are eager to have a lady contending with the best and Miyahara's jumps leave a lot to be desired. At 18, Rika has hopefully surpassed the puberty hurdle that so often hits jumps, and can begin improving the other aspects of her skating.

This year, I would imagine she'll be around 6th-9th at Worlds.

 

[sabinfire]

I can't remember anything about her programs except that she does Carmen.

I'm not sure what this means. Do you watch TSL, by chance? They said this same exact line, which I thought was confusing there too...

She skates to "Carmen" in the FS, yes. What does she skate to in the Short Program?

 

[cl2]

I'm not sure what this means. Do you watch TSL, by chance? They said this same exact line, which I thought was confusing there too...

She skates to "Carmen" in the FS, yes. What does she skate to in the Short Program?

From how I understand it, the TSL guys meant that there is nothing memorable about her skating nor her program, except that she skated to an iconic piece of music. People would sooner remember her music than they would remember her skating or personality.

 

[sabinfire]

From how I understand it, the TSL guys meant that there is nothing memorable about her skating nor her program, except that she skated to an iconic piece of music. People would sooner remember her music than they would remember her skating or personality.

If she skated to something a bit more obscure, she would not be memorable for any reason at all, and would just be some random skater standing on a podium at 4CC?

 

[Sandpiper]

I put her... *goes to check*... 8th in my predictions.

If Rika were coming in as Japanese National champion, or if she'd gotten silver at 4CC, or if she'd gotten 5th-4th at GPF, or if she'd take out that blasted 3F-3T< from her LP... I'd put her 5th on the strength of her consistency. It seems like the judges aren't really on board, especially as the season progressed; every close decision seems to have gone against Rika.* She'd need major mistakes from Satoko, Polina, and possibly Zijun.

*Compliments to the CoR judges, who actually gave her the win.

 

[anyanka]

Top 10, somewhere between 7th to 10th. She will not be the top Japanese lady, but she could finish ahead of Kanako Murakami.

 

[Interspectator]

Kanako....:hopelessness:

 

[pohatta]

When I saw her skate in October (Finlandia), I didn't think she could achieve what she has since then. Her style and posture leave a lot to be desired. With clean skates I can see her in the Top 8, but just a few mistakes and she'll drop out of the Top 15.

 

[surimi]

Top 10, from 6th to 10th.

 

[jenaj]

I'm not sure what this means. Do you watch TSL, by chance? They said this same exact line, which I thought was confusing there too...

She skates to "Carmen" in the FS, yes. What does she skate to in the Short Program?

Le Corsaire. It's something Janet Lynn used way back when and I haven't heard since.

 

[OS]

10th

If all goes clean at optimal level at Shanghai, no technical issues, no dodgy calls, no biased judging panel, this is my ranking.

1/2 Gracie Gold, Liza Tuk
3/4 Ashley Wagner, Elena Radionova.
5/6/7 Zijun Li, SoYoun Park, Kanako Murakami
8/9 Satoko Miyahara, Polina Edmunds
10 Rinka Hongo

Ice is slippery, politics is even slipperier (rely a bit on luck).

Out of the 20 programs above, I will only consider 4 out of 20 as okay programs. Ashley's, Zijun, SoYoun and Satoko's Long. Although I enjoyed Kanako's short too but it is POTO.

 

[sunnystars]

10th

If all goes clean at optimal level at Shanghai, no technical issues, no dodgy calls, no biased judging panel, this is my ranking.

1/2 Gracie Gold, Liza Tuk
3/4 Ashley Wagner, Elena Radionova.
5/6/7 Zijun Li, SoYoun Park, Kanako Murakami
8/9 Satoko Miyahara, Polina Edmunds
10 Rinka Hongo

Ice is slippery, politics is even slipperier (rely a bit on luck).

Out of the 20 programs above, I will only consider 4 out of 20 as okay programs. Ashley's, Zijun, SoYoun and Satoko's Long. Although I enjoyed Kanako's short too but it is POTO.

os, very interesting placements :think:

i do think rika will place higher than 10th, even if all goes clean moreso due to her shown consistency in the season. i would say she would end at 8th at the least, since she is able to overtake kanako (due to her lower tech content) and soyoun (lower pcs range).

but in reality, i would say she would end up at a 5th or 6th place depending on how satoko and gracie performs

 

[desertskates]

I would say top 10, somewhere in the 6-10 position. I love her skating, and look forward to seeing her develop in the next few years.

 

[Crossover]

but in reality, i would say she would end up at a 5th or 6th place depending on how satoko and gracie performs

The prediction at a 5th or 6th place sounds unreal to me because you missed Anna P. and Polina.
Realistically I would place her at 7th to 10th unless the other girls in a higher standing completely bomb.