Figure Skating Misc

Riku and Ryuichi coming in clutch! Great news for Team Japan.
#milanocortina

I’m still recovering from the heat attack I had watching the Georgian team’s lift. 🫣

Almost every ice dance team in this competition look like they could be characters in Blades of Glory—ISU, why have you done this discipline so dirty??? 😭

Today’s unfortunately the only reasonably timed competitions from Japan. Although, looking at the schedule, she might wake up early enough for us to see the final skaters in individuals. 🤔

Am I getting old? I’m not sure I can get behind straight-up booty shorts on the ice. 🤔 Then again, it’s no more than you see when a skirt blows up, so…? 🤷‍♀️

Enjoying what might be the only Olympic skating that I can see live this time. Middle of the night competition viewing just doesn’t work out the same with an eleven-month-old at home! 😭

It would be very nice if the men’s programs could go this well at the Olympics too!
#4CCfigure

If retired athletes giving color commentary are held to the same conflict of interest standards as journalists, how can anyone whose former coaches, rivals, or training mates are in the sport be allowed to commentate?

BTW, Johnny Weir commentated on a tribute program to himself!

If the USFS sends the men’s podium to the Olympics (and they very well might), the Russian skating media is going to be extra insufferable, isn’t it?

Ice dance at a domestic event? The judges can find all kinds of ways to cook those scores if they want to.

…Emphasis on the “if they want to.” 😶

Honestly, I’m more curious to hear the 4CC and WC assignments (especially WC first alternates) at this point, since OG spots have become pretty obvious based on the nationals placements.
#JPNnationals

Good recovery by Mao Shimada after the 4T attempt fall (for a moment I was afraid she’d hurt her arm).

It must feel a little strange to be fighting for gold at pre-OG Nationals when you’re not eligible to go.

#JPNnationals

Happy to see Mone bounce back from the free skate at the GPF!

Rinka Watanabe showed a huge amount of grit here!

#JPNnationals

Yuna! 😭🌟

It’s bittersweet, but I’m glad she had her late-career moment in the sun after injuries and setbacks.

#JPNnationals

Wakaba putting up an amazing fight! 😭🌟
#JPNnationals

Mai Mihara in her final nationals skate! 😭

Japan’s team event lineup isn’t as clear as in past years—they previously split men and women, since they only had one spot each in pairs and dance. But this time they could potentially use one of the splits for pairs. I’m guessing they’ll still split singles, but not 100%.🤔

The Olympic team isn’t announced until tomorrow, but I think it’s clear that the former Kanto trio will almost certainly be the ones.
#JapanNationals

【全日本フィギュア】世界選手権代表の壷井達也が引退表明　坂本花織、三原舞依らチームメートに続き - スポーツ報知 男子フリーが行われ、昨季世界選手権代表の壷井達也（シスメックス）が１３２・９１点、合計２０７・４３点。演技後に「ここで終わりでいいと思ってる。今シーズンで引退させていただくと決めました」と、現役引

Tatsuya Tsuboi has announced he is retiring after this season.

This will leave only Saki Miyake among the current Sysmex skaters, as teammates Kaori Sakamoto and Mai Mihara are also retiring.

hochi.news/articles/202...

I’m glad to see the junior ice dance teams have the opportunity to skate in front of the senior nationals audience.

…Don’t think it makes up for the federation not using all their available ice dance spots on the junior Grand Prix, though (I don’t know what was up with that…).

Although there’s little intrigue regarding the Olympic spots, I’m still nearly as excited for the ice dance and pairs competitions at Japanese nationals, because I want to see all the newer teams’ progress! RD and pairs SP are today.

I’m afraid whatever fairly slim chance Rion had at an OG spot has gone… An evening full of heartbreaks!

Ok, I’m regretting that I wasn’t willing to deal with the childcare logistics necessary to attend Nationals this year… but maybe I’d have gotten too emotional anyway!
#JPNnats

Go, Wakaba, go!

Rinka Watanabe is really bringing the fight this season! 💪

#JPNnats

Oh, dear. Absolute disaster for Hana Yoshida. 😓

Mayuko Oka! 🤩

She’s really emerging as the total package!

#JPNnats

I’m much less bothered by jump errors than I am by watching guys just hemorrhaging points on spins, like… come on….
#JPNnats

Lots of ups and downs in the first three groups of men—Shuntaro Asaga turning his popped lutz into a double-triple combo was pretty clutch.

I am hoping we’ll see a big jump in the scores for the last two groups, as we still have no one in the 80s or higher.

#JPNnats