Skaters on Team Japan

[0smile0]

1st JGP assignments for TJ have been decided as below:
https://twitter.com/tokyosengen/status/621980181503160324
Slovakia : Daichi Miyata, Koshiro Shimada, Mai Mihara, Rin Nitaya
Latvia : Sena Miyake, Kazuki Tomono, Kaori Sakamoto, Yuna Aoki
US : Sota Yamamoto, Mitsuki Sumoto, Marin Honda, Yuna Shiraiwa
Austria : Shu Nakamura, Wakaba Higuchi, Rikako Fukase/Aru Tateno
https://twitter.com/tokyosengen/status/621980181503160324

The JSF Strengthening Athletes' B List has also been updated with the new additions.
http://skatingjapan.or.jp/national/national_list.php?sports_id=2

JGP debut skaters

Daichi Miyata (7/14/1996, Jr5, Sr11)
Kazuki Tomono (5/15/1998, Jr4, Sr18)
Koshiro Shimada (9/11/2001, NvA2)
Sena Miyake (3/26/2002, NvA1)
Mitsuki Sumoto (2/4/2001, WesternJr14)

Yuna Aoki (1/10/2002, NvA1)
Marin Honda (8/21/2001, NvA2)
Yuna Shiraiwa (11/26/2001, NvA4)

Rikako Fukase/Aru Tateno (Jr1)

Kumiko Maeda/Junya Watanabe were added to special athletes, so they might get another spot.

Some very talented and promosing novice-turned-junior skaters debut JGP this season, especially Yuna A and Marin.
Yuna S is also promising skater, who is under Mie Hamada same as Satoko and Marin. She has 3F+3T and 2A+3Lo.
Yuna A's money combo is 3Lz+3Lo. I heard Wakaba also plans to put 3Lz+3Lo in FS this season.
Marin has landed 3F+3Lo and 3Lo+3Lo at recent shows.
We might see lots of 2nd 3Lo combo from Japanese skaters this season.

I'm also looking forward to Daichi's JGP debut.
And I don't have any info about Mitsuki. Anyone knows?

 

[mikaboo]

@0smile0
Thanks for the extra information!
I've never heard of Sumoto either. These are all his competition results from last season that I could find.
Kinki Championships - 4th after SP, FS got cancelled due to typhoon
West Japan Championships - 14th overall
Jr High School Competition - 5th overall
Osaka Figure Skating Championships - 2nd, FS only

Actually, I've never seen/heard of Kosuke Nakano either. I hear about Tomono and Shiraiwa a lot but this will be the first time for me to see them skate.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Daichi will do too although I have no idea how his jumps are doing.

Yuna S' 2A+3Lo sounds interesting. I don't think I've ever seen anyone do that but I just looked it up and Miyabi Oba has done it. Must watch it later.

Do you know if Mariko Kihara is going senior? She's another one of Hamada's students that I like.

 

[Interspectator]

Thanks for all this new information! I will watch them all with great interest.

 

[deedee1]

Thanks a lot for those updates.

Very pleased to see names of Sena and Koshiro debuting on the junior circuit, finally! :yes:
A bit surprised Shu is still eligible as a junior. IIRC he's a sophomore at Kansai University. Anyway, wish Shu an injury-free season and he can overcome both his enemies; 3A and his nerve.

 

[0smile0]

Do you know if Mariko Kihara is going senior? She's another one of Hamada's students that I like.

Sorry, I don't know if Mariko is going senior. I'm wondering it, too.
Now 7 girls are assigned to JGP, and Japan has 14 spots. I think all of them are capable of placing within 4th place in each event.
So, it might be difficult for her to get JGP assignment. She is senior domestically and already competed in senior internationally at least twice.
It's likely to go to senior?

Also other skaters without no assignments who competed in JGP last season.
Hidetsugu Kamata, Kento Kajita, Taichi Honda, Taichiro Yamakuma
Yuhana Yokoi, Hina Takeno, Emiri Nagata


Anyway, entries deadline is July 15th for Asian Trophy and July 17 for 1st JGP. So, we will see some clues soon.

 

[mikaboo]

Sorry, I don't know if Mariko is going senior. I'm wondering it, too.
Now 7 girls are assigned to JGP, and Japan has 14 spots. I think all of them are capable of placing within 4th place in each event.
So, it might be difficult for her to get JGP assignment. She is senior domestically and already competed in senior internationally at least twice.
It's likely to go to senior?

Also other skaters without no assignments who competed in JGP last season.
Hidetsugu Kamata, Kento Kajita, Taichi Honda, Taichiro Yamakuma
Yuhana Yokoi, Hina Takeno, Emiri Nagata


Anyway, entries deadline is July 15th for Asian Trophy and July 17 for 1st JGP. So, we will see some clues soon.

OK, thanks. So she might not have placed high enough to get an assignment or didn't do well at the selection meeting then. But she might have a chance for the TBD spot at NHK if she goes senior (along with Nakashio/Kato/Oba).

I was so excited for Daichi that I forgot about the other skaters who didn't get assignments (Yamakuma? Yura Matsuda?:think although I did think that there'd be new names added to the later JGP assignments. And also belatedly surprised about Momoka Sumi and Yuto Kishina not being listed either. It really is a tough world out there.

Thanks a lot for those updates.

Very pleased to see names of Sena and Koshiro debuting on the junior circuit, finally! :yes:
A bit surprised Shu is still eligible as a junior. IIRC he's a sophomore at Kansai University. Anyway, wish Shu an injury-free season and he can overcome both his enemies; 3A and his nerve.

I'm hoping that Sena and Koshiro have a good debut year too deedee1!
And also that Shu gets to go to Junior Worlds since that seems to be his goal for this season.
Ganbare~.

-------------------
Cathy Reed's new blog.
http://ameblo.jp/reed-tokyo-japan/

She's working at Kansai Univ. Ice Rink to assist Coach Hamada's team. No idea if it's permanent or temporary but she'll be moving around a lot. And she says her Japanese is improving!

 

[YesWay]

Cathy Reed's new blog.
http://ameblo.jp/reed-tokyo-japan/

She's working at Kansai Univ. Ice Rink to assist Coach Hamada's team. No idea if it's permanent or temporary but she'll be moving around a lot. And she says her Japanese is improving!

I am pleased that both Cathy and Chris are continuing to contribute to Ice Dance in Japan. Japan is surprisingly weak in Ice Dance (and Pairs) compared to Singles - so it's good to keep experienced competitors like the Reeds involved or competing, to help future teams and promote Dance in general.

I've heard it said, that in Japan it's all about the Singles... Pairs are thought of as people who didn't make it in Singles... and Ice Dance is for people who weren't good enough for Pairs. I think that attitude is pretty ridiculous, especially with such high standards these days across all disciplines. But I also think it is slowly changing, and there is increasing interest in Japan. The Olympic Team event surely helps, and maybe JSF will invest more into Pairs and Dance now...

 

[0smile0]

Entries of Asian Trophy are up.
http://fsat.or.th/images/Participants_list_2015_AOFST_Up-date_16-07-58-upload.pdf

Senior: Keiji Tanaka, Hiroaki Sato/ Riona Kato, Kaori Sakamoto, Mai Mihara
Junior: Mitsuki Sumoto/ Wakaba Higuchi, Marin Honda, Yuna Aoki
Advanced Novice: 1 TBD/ 2 TBDs

I guess TBD spots will go to Shun Sato, Mako Yamashita and Moa Iwano.

 

[Eclair]

Will Kaori Sakamoto and Yuka Nagai be on the Grand Prix series this season? I finally had time to watch junior worlds 2015 and really liked both of them

 

[ser22]

Shun Sato:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2j1py6_佐藤駿くん-小5-夢を描くキセキ-3-11を乗り越えて_sport

 

[NMURA]

I guess TBD spots will go to Shun Sato, Mako Yamashita and Moa Iwano.

I guess Iwano and Rinka Watanabe for novice ladies.
Iwano has broken 100 points at a local competition two weeks ago (the score seems to be generous though).
http://www.jsfresults.com/local/2015-2016/fs/33/01/data0705.pdf

Will Kaori Sakamoto and Yuka Nagai be on the Grand Prix series this season? I finally had time to watch junior worlds 2015 and really liked both of them

Sakamoto is assigned to JGP Latvia. Nagai is moving up.

 

[Eclair]

Thank you very much for the quick reply Looking forward to Yuka's senior debut, as well as Shoma, Mao, Kozuka and Hanyu *Happy*

 

[cohkaix]

Isn't it that both Wakaba and Yuna are also listed in the local Tokyo summer trophy, which will be held during the same time as Asian trophy?
Wakaba has won Asian Trophy last year. So I wonder if it is worth while for her to compete in the same competition again. Also, Yuna says in a recent interview that she's not sure yet which of the two competitions she'll actually participate (link: http://sports.yahoo.co.jp/sports/figureskate/all/1415/columndtl/201507150004-spnavi?page=2). I guess this leaves Marin as a sure entry to Asian trophy?

 

[mikaboo]

Wakaba is at the Cricket Club!

If Wakaba, Yuna A and Marin compete against one another at Asian Open Trophy, I hope there'll be lots of fancams because I think we had to rely on one single fancam last year

 

[hamaguri]

Wakaba is at the Cricket Club!

If Wakaba, Yuna A and Marin compete against one another at Asian Open Trophy, I hope there'll be lots of fancams because I think we had to rely on one single fancam last year

Wow! Asian trophy will be held at August 5-8! Go wakaba! My most favorite Junior lady! Anyway, this year's Japanese juniors get me sooo excited already!

 

[Imagine]

This TV program conducted a poll on the most memorable Olympic moments with female athletes.

I am glad that Shizuka ranked in (cause she's my favorite of course) but I think there is a ridiculous error in the fact that Mao's 8-triple, should've-won-the-whole-thing-regardless-of-the-SP-disappointment Sochi performance is not there at the top.

 

[yhmafan]

This TV program conducted a poll on the most memorable Olympic moments with female athletes.

I am glad that Shizuka ranked in (cause she's my favorite of course) but I think there is a ridiculous error in the fact that Mao's 8-triple, should've-won-the-whole-thing-regardless-of-the-SP-disappointment Sochi performance is not there at the top.

Another doubtful poll here.

Mao’s Sochi FS performance was the most tweeted at that time not only in Japan but also in the world.
I am glad about Shizuka though...

By the way Japanese variety shows really hurt my eyes by their bad taste, messy and noisy screens.

 

[mikaboo]

Rin Nitaya's triple axel??

Wakaba with Nam.

An article about DOI from Absolute Skating.

By the way Japanese variety shows really hurt my eyes by their bad taste, messy and noisy screens.

Mine too (and ears). I hardly watch any these days

 

[alia jackson]

Rin Nitaya's triple axel??

Is that Yuzu, the one that sitting on the ice? Where was this video taken?

 

[cohkaix]

Is that Yuzu, the one that sitting on the ice? Where was this video taken?

Don't think so...look at the wall in the clip, it says 'Howa Sports Land' That's where Akiko also Rin train at. It could be more likely Sota? (Sota also trains at Howa)