Team Japan

[GoldMedalist]

4 hours ago, swanbeau said:

looks like wakaba will be including 3A in her free skate! http://www.goldenskate.com/2017/05/wakaba-higuchi-2/

 

I'm not sure it's a good idea... i mean, it's the olympic season, too much risk

[unicorn]

11 hours ago, swanbeau said:

looks like wakaba will be including 3A in her free skate! http://www.goldenskate.com/2017/05/wakaba-higuchi-2/

Thanks for the info! I hope her and her team train carefully safely, but I think it's the right decision. The 3A in the SP is so risky and can set you back so far for the FS, it's best to focus on going clean in the SP, making the final group so judges don't have an excuse to undermark you, and then go all out in the FS. She has to "stand out" to serve notice to the judges that she's a top contender, and I think the 3A plus consistent programs is the way to do it. I'm glad she liked Gabby's short program, I think something like that very dramatic and fast music could highlight Wakaba's speed. It will be tough competition for Japan's two spots at the Olympics, but traditionally, she's done very well at Nationals, if she can back it up with a solid fall season, she has a great shot.

[Danibellerika]

8 hours ago, GoldMedalist said:

 

I'm not sure it's a good idea... i mean, it's the olympic season, too much risk

 

I think with a healthy Satoko the front runners would be her and Marin for those two spots, therefore it's essentially a do or die situation for Wakaba to make the team so she might as well go for it.  She was also behind Mai every time this season internationally (and for JSF Nats isn't the be all end all).  Personally Satoko and Marin are my preference but if Wakaba earns it I wouldn't argue it. But she will need the 3A to make her case.

[kiches]

I'm excited to see Wakaba's 3A next season, I hope she can get it consistent.

 

While I liked both of her programs this season, I didn't particularly think they highlighted her best qualities. I think when she says something that shows off her speed she means something fast paced and energetic, and what immediately comes to mind for me was her Csardas SP from her first junior season. It really is a shame that Japan only has 2 spots for ladies, I want to see them all get a shot at the Olympics!

[Hannah]

 

21 minutes ago, Danibellerika said:

 

I think with a healthy Satoko the front runners would be her and Marin for those two spots, therefore it's essentially a do or die situation for Wakaba to make the team so she might as well go for it.  She was also behind Mai every time this season internationally (and for JSF Nats isn't the be all end all).  Personally Satoko and Marin are my preference but if Wakaba earns it I wouldn't argue it. But she will need the 3A to make her case.

 

I agree with you. She has to risk to make it to the team. I personally root for her. Fingers crossed!

[Danibellerika]

1 hour ago, Hannah said:

 

 

I agree with you. She has to risk to make it to the team. I personally root for her. Fingers crossed!

 

If only she performed her WTT skate at worlds.  They'd definitely have three spots and her chances would be even better. And would JSF consider Mai who came in 5th over Wakaba who didn't end up doing very well.  So complicated. The Grand Prix is going to be so crucial. 

[fluffypooh]

17 minutes ago, Danibellerika said:

 

If only she performed her WTT skate at worlds.  They'd definitely have three spots and her chances would be even better. And would JSF consider Mai who came in 5th over Wakaba who didn't end up doing very well.  So complicated. The Grand Prix is going to be so crucial. 

skating aside, it's also about how good of a competitor they are, and how they handle pressure especially if they want to compete at the Olympic.  

I feel like Mai is better with dealing the pressure, her facial expression is quite calm during competition 

[fireovertheice]

Just to know, because you know the skaters and FS in general better than me, most of you are thinking that the two sposts for the Olympcs will be given to Satoko and Marin?

If Satoko will recover well - thing that we all hope and wish her - one spot will be sure hers, but the second one?

 

I know that we can't consider properly the scores at this year WTT, but Mai scored very close to the PB of Marin several times also at International competitions. Unfortunately Wakaba this year had very lower score, but really the girl has the potential to do so better than this. Plus Marin had to handle the difficulties of the passage in the senior ranks (it will be in this season, right?) and she proved to be very sensitive to the pressure.

So, what do you bet it will happen?

 

Marin Honda

PB Total Score: 201.61 -  ISU World Junior Championships 2017

PB Score Short Program: 68.35 - ISU World Junior Championships 2017

PB Score Free Skating: 133.26 - ISU World Junior Championships 2017

Source: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014689.htm

 

Mai Mihara

PB Total Score: 218.27 - ISU World Team Trophy 2017 (but 4CC 2017: 200.85 and WC 2017: 197.88)

PB Score Short Program: 72.10 - ISU World Team Trophy 2017

PB Score Free Skating: 146.17 - ISU World Team Trophy 2017

Source: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014150.htm

 

Wakaba Higuchi

PB Total Score: 216.71 - ISU World Team Trophy 2017 (but 4CC 2017: 172.05 and WC 2017: 188.05)

PB Score Short Program: 71.41 - ISU World Team Trophy 2017

PB Score Free Skating: 145.30 - ISU World Team Trophy 2017

Source: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014149.htm

 

[kaeryth]

1 hour ago, Danibellerika said:

 

If only she performed her WTT skate at worlds.  They'd definitely have three spots and her chances would be even better. And would JSF consider Mai who came in 5th over Wakaba who didn't end up doing very well.  So complicated. The Grand Prix is going to be so crucial. 

 

She was underscored in the SP though...

 

I love all the top contending ladies so whoever wins those 2 spots, I'll be happy for them... and at the same time I'll be devastated with whoever misses out.

[kiches]

I think it feels pretty open right now for which two Japanese ladies will end up at the Olympics. 

 

I would give an edge to Satoko and Marin, although Satoko's condition right now seems to be a question mark. I do think it'll come down to who can do well on the GP and make the final. Marin I think has the edge since she's so commercial, a bit like how the US pretty much had to put Jason Brown on the Olympic team back in Sochi since he went viral. Marin already has quite a few endorsements. 

[xeyra]

3 minutes ago, kiches said:

I think it feels pretty open right now for which two Japanese ladies will end up at the Olympics. 

 

I would give an edge to Satoko and Marin, although Satoko's condition right now seems to be a question mark. I do think it'll come down to who can do well on the GP and make the final. Marin I think has the edge since she's so commercial, a bit like how the US pretty much had to put Jason Brown on the Olympic team back in Sochi since he went viral. Marin already has quite a few endorsements. 

 

But Marin also needs to deliver. No matter how commercial she is, if she doesn't do well enough compared to the other ladies, I'm not sure JSF will risk sending her. So no matter that she seems to have the capacity to deliver at just the right competition (Junior Worlds the past two seasons), she will need to be somewhat consistent from early on next season. So will everyone else, to be honest. I like all of the ladies, so I'll love whoever gets to go and be very sad for whoever gets left behind. 

[meoima]

JSF will want Satoko aka miss consistency and Marin aka miss commercial.

i have nothing against them personally. But I think Mai has better skating skills than both, too bad she isn't refined. 

[Joey]

I'd agree with those saying that it's very open, but I think Satoko, Marin and Mai have a bit of an advantage above Wakaba and Kaori (who a lot of people seem to forget, but she has a shot to make it too, IMO). Personally, I'm not sure if JSF will really want Satoko above Mai. Satoko got that silver at WC 2015, but Mais finish last season equals Satokos last finish in 2016 (5th). Both have won 4CC and have great consistency. But Mai, while being less polished, has the big advantage of having superior technique and no big question mark hanging constantly over her rotation. What holds her back are her simple and "juniorish" programs... but if she gets good choreo next season and manages to keep her consistency, I wouldn't be surprised if she starts outscoring Satoko fast. Of course it also depends on how Satoko will do. That she's putting so much effort into correcting her technique is very admirable and I hope she can come back completely healthy and continue to work on that. But at least to me it seems like corrections like that are very difficult and usually take time. I'm not sure next season is good timing for her. So between these two, it's a toss-up for me, but I think at least one of the 2 will make it.

Regarding Marin, yes she has the "advantage" of being the new it girl. Media has been hyping her since forever, she's marketable and charming. But her biggest problem will be that a lot will depend on the fall season, and she's more of a "messy in between but peaks at the right time" skater. Which would be enough with 3 spots or having at least one senior WC under her belt, but with the overall situation this could be her biggest problem. Wakaba on the other hand needs flat out more consistency. She is actually, in my opinion, the girl with the most potential overall. Her jumps are great, big and powerful, good technique, she's capable of 3Lz-3T and a 3A (although we yet have to see the latter in competition). Her skating skills are great, even if not the best among the japanese ladies (who have amazing SS on average!), she has great speed, lots of power, yet moves elegantly, with good attention to detail, good projection, good presence on the ice, good complexity in her programs as well.... it's all there, but she needs to get it together. Kaori is a bit of a wildcard to me. She needs to be very consistent (or bring that 3A as well....) and for some other girls to falter, but stranger things would have happened.

Hopefully they will all stay healthy and can skate their best next season. (And hopefully they get that 3rd spot back at the next WC, a little less heartbreak for the up-coming seasons then!).

[xeyra]

I'm actually most interested in what Rika Kihira is going to do next season. I kind of really want to see her land those quads. 

[ralucutzagy]

5 minutes ago, xeyra said:

I'm actually most interested in what Rika Kihira is going to do next season. I kind of really want to see her land those quads. 

Rika is still junior, isn't she?