Riku Miura & Ryuichi Kihara

[GoneWithTheWind]

Riku Miura (Japanese: 三浦 璃来 Miura Riku) and Ryuichi Kihara (Japanese: 木原 龍 Kihara Ryūichi) are Pairs skaters representing Japan. Riku was born on 17 December 2001 in Takarazuka, Japan, and Ryuichi was born on 22 August 1992 in Tokai, Japan.
They teamed up in August 2019 and are coached by Bruno Marcotte, Meagan Duhamel, and Brian Shales, in Oakville, Canada.

Together, they are the 2023 World champions, the 2022-23 GPF champions, the 2022 and 2024 World silver medalists, the 2022 Olympic bronze medalists in the Team Event, the 2022 Skate Canada and 2022 NHK Trophy champions; they have qualified to the 2022-23 GPF.

They are also the 2021 Skate America silver medalists, the 2021 NHK Trophy bronze medalists, the 2021 Autumn Classic champions, the 2019-20 Japanese national champions and placed 10th in their first World Championships together (2021). They also won a bronze medal with Team Japan at the 2021 World Team Trophy. They placed 7th at the 2022 Winter Olympics in the individual event.

Previously, Riku competed with Shoya Ichihashi. They were three-time Japanese Junior National Champions (2016-2018) and winners of the 2017 Mentor Torun Cup (junior category). They also placed in top 10 in the 2018 Four Continents and 2018 Junior World Championships.

Previously, Ryuichi competed with Miu Suzaki with whom he was a two-time Asian Open Trophy medalist and the 2018 Japanese champions. They also competed at the Four Continents Championships and on the Grand Prix series. He is also a two-time Olympian.

ISU Bio:
http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00108196.htm

Wikipedia:
Riku: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riku_Miura
Ryuichi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryuichi_Kihara

Rink Results:
Riku: http://www.rinkresults.com/skater?skater_id=12290
Ryuichi: http://www.rinkresults.com/skater?skater_id=2020

Golden Skate media profile:
https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/media/categories/riku-miura-ryuichi-kihara-jpn.270/

Social Media:
Riku's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riku9111/
Ryuichi's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kihara_ryuichi/
Ryuichi's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryuichi_kihara

Fan Fests with Previous Partners:
Riku/Shoya: https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?79477-Riku-Miura-amp-Shoya-Ichihashi
Ryuichi/Miu: https://goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?76716-Miu-Suzaki-amp-Ryuichi-Kihara

Personal Best Scores​

Personal Best Total Score	222.16	ISU World Championships 2023
Personal Best Score Short Program	80.72	ISU World Championships 2023
Personal Best Score Free Skating	144.35	2024 World Championships

Programs and Videos:​

2024/2025
SP: "Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones
FS: "Adios"

2023/2024
SP: "I Put A Spell on You," performed by Kandace Springs. Slotkin, Hawkins (with a Moonlight Sonata mash-up)
FS: "Une chance qu'on s'a" by Celine Dion, Jean-Pierre Ferland; choreo by Julie Marcotte

2022/2023
SP: "You’ll Never Walk Alone" by Elvis Presley, Marcus Mumford, Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein ll & Richard Rodgers
FS: "Atlas: Two" by Sleeping At Last; choreo by Julie Marcotte

2021/2022
SP: Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, performed by Kathryn Dawn Lang
FS: Woman by Shawn Phillips

2021 NHK Trophy
SP: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=frLaMQbgHxQ
FS: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zzHMQuyEyUQ

2021 Skate America
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NShwg_8Sbxw&t=3s
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuqQQzNLPmE

2021 Autumn Classic
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ81xBCvpYs

2020/2021
SP: Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, performed by Kathryn Dawn Lang
FS: Woman by Shawn Phillips

2021 World Championships
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlY9CdkzxpQ
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q6n4AtL3Y4
Ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1bhczeoin4

2019/2020
SP: "Wayward Sisters" (from "Nocturnal Animals" soundtrack) by Abel Korzeniowski; choreo by Allie Hann McCurdy, Valerie Saurette
FS: "Fix You" by Coldplay; choreo by Allie Hann McCurdy, Valerie Saurette
EX: "A Million Reasons" by Lady Gaga

2020 Four Continents:
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOtgevftFBw
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFq0pACBgGM
2020 Four Continents
All events may be viewed here, even in the US
https://yadi.sk/d/qKB44JvYb_HHMA

2019 Japanese Nationals
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHM73g8PjM8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR-39V_TB6c

2019 ISU GP NHK Trophy (geoblocked in US)
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOjs5cw_fVY
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To8K3WImNqo
EX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYgM5BL15rY

Competitive History​

Competition	Final
2023-24 season
2024 World Championships	2
2024 Four Continents	2
2023 Autumn Classic	2
2022-23 season
2023 World Championships	1 (222.16)
2023 Four Continents	1 (208.24)
2022-23 Grand Prix Final	1 (214.58)
2022 NHK Trophy	1 (216.16)
2022 Skate Canada	1 (212.02)
2021-22 season
2022 World Championships	2 (199.55)
2022 Winter Olympics (Individual Event)	7 (211.89)
2022 Winter Olympics (Team Event)	3 TEAM
2021 NHK Trophy	3 (209.42)
2021 Skate America	2 (208.20)
2021 Autumn Classic	1 (204.06)
2020-21 season
2021 World Team Trophy	3 (196.85) 3 TEAM
2021 World Championships	10 (184.41)
2019–20 season
2020 Four Continents	8 (167.50)
2019 Japanese Nationals	1 (170.11)
2019 Japanese Eastern Sectionals	1 (151.76)
2019 NHK Trophy	5 (179.94)

Exhibitions​

2019 MOI- "Million Reasons" and Encore FS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wRa3Q5uMH8

Articles, News and other Misc. Items:​

An interview from before NHK: https://www.walkerplus.com/trend/matome/article/213163/
An English translation is provided by kokomo on Twitter [URL]https://twitter.com/kokomadekokomo/status/1198717501137289216
[/URL]

Programs and Videos with their previous partners:​

Riku/Shoya:

2018/2019
SP: "Cry Me a River;" choreo by Julie Macotte (SP), Valerie Saurette (FS)
FS: "Warsaw Concerto" by Richard Addinsel; choreo by Julie Macotte (SP), Valerie Saurette (FS)

2019 Japanese Nationals
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4tHwXXz1dk
FS: WD
2018 JGP Richmond, Canada
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntqmtIff6cQ
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYrBDh9DK1g
2018 JGP Linz, Austria
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqe2t5YmN5g
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNT2vTq54sI

2017/2018
SP: "Miss Saigon" by Claude-Michel Schoenberg
FS: "Warsaw Concerto" by Richard Addinsel

2018 Junior World Championships
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3QNKTDNb8E
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJURBX3mBUU
2018 Four Continents Championships
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d82qeyZxXs8
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htzFLIu1wwo
2018 Japanese Junior Nationals
SP: no video found
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjrs6ODhgBY
2017 JGP Baltic Cup Gdańsk, Poland
SP: no video found
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YPeUctKyQU
2017 JGP Riga Cup, Latvia
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl4eO_nZi6c
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7qYWOQr0Qw

2016/2017
SP: "Miss Saigon" by Claude-Michel Schoenberg
FS: Charlie Chaplin medley
Ex: "Sun & Moon" / "Why God Why"

2017 Junior World Championships
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-PkL4Dnzw8
FS: no video found
2017 Mentor Toruń Cup
Ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZdqVNGkQ58

Ryuichi/Miu:

2018/2019
SP: "Malagueña"
FS："Turn To Stone" by Ingrid Michaelson; choreo. by Yuka Sato ＆ Jeremy Abbott

2019 Japanese Nationals
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EsuG4lb81M
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxsk2KffMss

2017/2018
SP: "Yuri on Ice" by Taro Umebayashi
FS: "Romeo and Juliet" by Nino Rota
Ex: "Yuri on Ice" by Taro Umebayashi

2018 Japanese Nationals
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_undediYtxM
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HLdi0ryfsI


2016/2017
SP: "Out of the Garage" by Daniel Pemberton / "Mission: Impossible"
FS: "Star Wars" by John Williams ("Duel of the Fates" and "Across the Stars")

2017 Four Continents
FS: https://youtu.be/bCXD_3sOwl8

2017 Japanese Nationals
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ5eQ-r8oEo


2015/2016
SP: no info found
FS: Star Wars" by John Williams ("Duel of the Fates" and "Across the Stars")

2016 Japanese Nationals
SP: no video found
FS: no video found

Original Post by GoneWithTheWind
​

I really enjoyed watching Riku and Ryuichi compete at the 2019 NHK trophy, and what an achievement to see them achieve a 5th place in their first international competition together. It was lovely to see them so happy in the Kiss and Cry and clearly enjoying skating together during the competition and the exhibition gala. I wanted to open a Fan Fest for them as they have great potential, and I'm sure many others would like a place to show their support for Riku and Ryuichi!

 

[GoneWithTheWind]

Here is the link to Riku and Ryuichi's Exhibition program from NHK for those who haven't seen it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYgM5BL15rY. They performed to A Million Reasons by Lady Gaga.
Riku borrowed Meagan Duhamel's dress from the 2018 Olympic Short Program to wear for the exhibition!

 

[dorispulaski]

They had a great debut. They qualified to both Worlds and Four Continents here at NHK!

 

[Interspectator]

For just a few months training together, I was astounded at how well they performed and how 'right' they worked together.
There's potential here. :luv17:

 

[skylark]

Riku and Ryuichi were such a joy to watch at NHK!:luv17: They were really one of the highlights of this event for me. I mean, in this sport, where GP participants usually have tension and expectations for themselves, to see a pair exude the pure happiness of a good performance and such joy in skating was just a great bonus. I have re-watched them! and I watched their video from Nationals too ... Riku has a new hairdo, new make-up. Is it okay to share the link of their skate from Japanese nationals, or not?

 

[dorispulaski]

Please share it!

 

[skylark]

thank you, Doris. I wasn't sure, since the link is from the GS competition thread. I appreciate the clarification from one of our esteemed administrators.

Here's it is, although I realize now that there's a link to the program already in the OP. Well, at least I'm calling attention to it. It's a lovely skate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugkdPM1j5gk

 

[gsk8]

A big thank you to @Weathergal for adding links to their Media profile!

 

[Arriba627]

Great job by Miura and Ryuichi in the short!

 

[mikeko666]

FS at the Worlds

Their debut at NHK last season was a pleasant surprise, and they improved so much since then, both technically and artistically.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Do Riku and Ryuichi have many fans at home? Seems like the Japanese public is normally more interested in singles, so I wonder if domestic media realise just what a treasure this team is...
They're amazingly well-rounded: better SBS jumps than many top teams, great quality lifts and throws, that soft flowing kneebend characteristic of Japanese skaters, plus great chemistry and a distinctive style to boot

 

[cathlen]

I don't know about Japanese fans, but I personally am thrilled Japan finally has a really good Pairs team! I watch M/K with real pleasure! I could never understand why Japansese Fed could invest so much in Singles, but not Pairs or ID. It was good idea to send them overseas to Canada, they do really good job with them

 

[AlimaAsh]

I saw them for the first time yesterday and they are amazing! Great lifts and skating skills, and they are both so fun to watch. I will definitely be cheering for them in the next season.

 

[Skatesocs]

They're lovely.

 

[surimi]

Congrats to RikuRyu on their first place SP! I think training abroad is really paying off for them. I look forward to watching their SP.

 

[readernick]

Congrats to RikuRyu on their first place SP! I think training abroad is really paying off for them. I look forward to watching their SP.

They are were so delightful! I like their skating but I love their seemingly supportive and positive relationship. Japan is fortunate to have such a wonderful pairs team. Thanks to them, Japan has a shot at an Olympics team medal!

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

I missed their practice by very little. Was it good?

 

[GoneWithTheWind]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NShwg_8Sbxw

Gorgeous SP from Riku and Ryuichi at Skate America! The lift was especially strong and they were thrilled to achieve a new SB. They're in 3rd place going into the free, and have about a 4 point lead over 4th place at the moment. Fingers crossed they have a clean FS and perhaps manage to win their first GP medal

 

[flanker]

They were really good in this SP.

 

[s_parks]

GP silver, woot woot