Team Japan

[Yatagarasu]

There is an interview with Mai, post WTT posted on ISU site. Some of the bits are about next season, so I'll quote them:

 

Q: You finished the event with such a strong note. What does it mean for you looking into next season?

M: Next season will be the Olympic season, and we will need to compete for a spot in the Olympic team. As the first step heading into next season, I felt very satisfied to be able to skate two clean programs in my final competition this season.

 

Q: In order to prepare for next season, what will you do this summer?

M: I want to polish my presentation, so I will take ballet courses and challenge different things. My goal is to improve my presentation to a competitive level against the top skaters, so I want to pay more attention to my posture, my expression, etc. in my daily training.

 

Q: You are still so young, but Figure Skating at senior level requires maturity in your skating. What are you working on in order to get a more matured appearance and presentation?

M: Through competing with top skaters this season, I’ve realized that the quality of presentation can be seen from every arm movement, every facial expression, every detail in your performance, and I’ve really learned a lot from them. So now I am more aware of these details when I train, and I hope I can improve little by little.

 

Q: You mentioned you want to challenge different things. Is there any genre of music or theme that you want to challenge next season?

M: I haven’t decided yet. But this season I have been skating to Cinderella, and this program really made me happy and energized, and I think it also brought me good luck. So next season, I also want to skate to something that gives me a good feeling.

 

The ballet bit is interesting and it will certainly help her (please fix those hands Mai). I wonder what she's planning.

It's a nice interview so do give it a read!

[ralucutzagy]

Nice read! Thank you! :s_roses

Of the japanese girls newlly emerged from the jr she's the one I like the most. Her consistency and her freshness! Good luck in your new season, Mai!

[OmNom]

Overall I'd say this senior debut has been a fruitful season for Mai. Not only in term of results, I think she has gained a lot of experience in dealing with pressure, transitioning into a senior and learning what the landscape looks like now that's she's one of the tops. I think she has a lot to feel good about going into next season, and it'll be so exciting to see how she could make use of this momentum.

[meoima]

Mai has great skating skills for her age, she's fast and natural on the ice. Her jumps are good too. I hope her the best.

[Hannah]

I love Mai personality. If she's taking ballet classes then I guess she can take classical music next season...?

 

She's smart working on the second mark because she will definitely need to raise it next season if she wants to get to the team.

[GoldMedalist]

I love Mai's Cinderella :love:

 

But i think her WTT EX program (or something similar) should be her olympic LP :acceptable:

[OmNom]

Hannah said:

I love Mai personality. If she's taking ballet classes then I guess she can take classical music next season...?

 

She's smart working on the second mark because she will definitely need to raise it next season if she wants to get to the team.

 

totally agree with you. she's finally starting to think like a senior on top.

and I'm always for more classical music, so bring them all to me!

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/cf/5b/f2/cf5bf2650b040b62924f6bad21efae6e.gif

[OmNom]

Shoma's going to reveal his programme(s) for next season at FoI 26-28 May. This'll be interesting..

[tsuyoboogie]

I saw them at junior worlds. They are pretty nice. If they can get throw triples and 3tw soon, they should be great for the future. Riku and shoya only paired up recently if I am not wrong, saw them at JWC. This is the first time I saw rikako and aru, or maybe I have but I completely missed them

 

I apologize for being off the current topic.

 

Riku and Shoya have actually been training together for at least 2 years now. However, this past season was their first competing internationally. With Ami Koga's unfortunate injury and dissolved partnership with Spencer Akira Howe, Riku and Shoya were sent to Mentor Torun Cup to gain the minimum TES needed to qualify for WJC.

They've recently started working on a 3LzTh. It still needs work, but on April 15, both Riku and Shoya uploaded a clip to their twitter accounts (@BestShoya @miurariku1217) of them practicing this throw jump. I would've posted a link but can't since it's my first post here.

Also, for anyone interested and able to read Japanese, back on September 25, 2015, Shoya retweeted a link to an interview he did with J Sports where he talks about his experience as a beginner Pairs skater. Sorry, but I am not proficient enough to translate.

 

Rikako and Aru have been skating together since 2014. You've probably seen them compete before since they've participated in JGPs and WJC for the past two seasons.

With Rikako and Aru moving to Seniors next season, there seems to be a lot of anticipation for promising Ice Dance team of Utana Yoshida and Takumi Sugiyama to make their Junior debut.

[Gio]

I saw them at junior worlds. They are pretty nice. If they can get throw triples and 3tw soon, they should be great for the future. Riku and shoya only paired up recently if I am not wrong, saw them at JWC. This is the first time I saw rikako and aru, or maybe I have but I completely missed them

 

I apologize for being off the current topic.

 

Riku and Shoya have actually been training together for at least 2 years now. However, this past season was their first competing internationally. With Ami Koga's unfortunate injury and dissolved partnership with Spencer Akira Howe, Riku and Shoya were sent to Mentor Torun Cup to gain the minimum TES needed to qualify for WJC.

They've recently started working on a 3LzTh. It still needs work, but on April 15, both Riku and Shoya uploaded a clip to their twitter accounts (@BestShoya @miurariku1217) of them practicing this throw jump. I would've posted a link but can't since it's my first post here.

Also, for anyone interested and able to read Japanese, back on September 25, 2015, Shoya retweeted a link to an interview he did with J Sports where he talks about his experience as a beginner Pairs skater. Sorry, but I am not proficient enough to translate.

 

Rikako and Aru have been skating together since 2014. You've probably seen them compete before since they've participated in JGPs and WJC for the past two seasons.

With Rikako and Aru moving to Seniors next season, there seems to be a lot of anticipation for promising Ice Dance team of Utana Yoshida and Takumi Sugiyama to make their Junior debut.

 

Don't apologise this is great :yay:

So happy to see promising pairs and dance teams. Throw 3lz is more than i'd ever expected tbh xD

[ShiroKJ]

Nagai Yuka has been accepted into Waseda Uni. Congrats Yuka! :s_yes

 

http://wasedasports.com/feature/20170512_69618/

[Dara]

 

[ShiroKJ]

Lovely video about TJ's 2016-17 season

 

[Gio]

https://mobile.twitter.com/ice_skeota/status/863723843549937664/video/1

 

Wakaba at PIW in case someone is interested  

[mcq]

 

On 5/12/2017 at 11:41, tsuyoboogie said:

 

I apologize for being off the current topic.

 

Riku and Shoya have actually been training together for at least 2 years now. However, this past season was their first competing internationally. With Ami Koga's unfortunate injury and dissolved partnership with Spencer Akira Howe, Riku and Shoya were sent to Mentor Torun Cup to gain the minimum TES needed to qualify for WJC.

They've recently started working on a 3LzTh. It still needs work, but on April 15, both Riku and Shoya uploaded a clip to their twitter accounts (@BestShoya @miurariku1217) of them practicing this throw jump. I would've posted a link but can't since it's my first post here.

Also, for anyone interested and able to read Japanese, back on September 25, 2015, Shoya retweeted a link to an interview he did with J Sports where he talks about his experience as a beginner Pairs skater. Sorry, but I am not proficient enough to translate.

 

Rikako and Aru have been skating together since 2014. You've probably seen them compete before since they've participated in JGPs and WJC for the past two seasons.

With Rikako and Aru moving to Seniors next season, there seems to be a lot of anticipation for promising Ice Dance team of Utana Yoshida and Takumi Sugiyama to make their Junior debut.

Wow thanks for the info! Haha why are you apologizing, this info is awesome! I have never seen them competing internationally before so I assume they only pair up recently. But they look promising. Especially once they got 3Tw and  3Th down :D

Is Utana and Takumi the one who went to the same competition with Kana and Chris and the spanish ice dance team (only they went for novice). I remembered a japanese ID team won that event (novice one, iirc) Was that them?