This is where we discuss figure skating and skating related items. How did you favourite skaters perform, and so on? However we never speculate on the private lives of skaters, like who might be going out with whom, because that is poison and is not tolerated here. A good guideline is that if it's not publicly announced, in the papers etc. then it's probably best to leave it alone. Is it a gray area? Then write to me and ask.
The 87th All Japan National Championships take place at the Towa Pharmaceutical RACTAB Dome in Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture, Dec. 21-24, 2018.
There are currently 29 men, 29 ladies, two pairs and three ice dance teams scheduled to compete. Berths for Four Continents and Worlds will be decided at this competition.
Yuzuru Hanyu has withdrawn from this competition as he continues his recovery from the ankle injury he suffered at Rostelecom Cup while attempting a quad loop in practice.
Japan will field a team to Four Continents in February and three skaters in each of the men’s and ladies disciplines at the World Championships. Hanyu and Shoma Uno will be shoe-ins for the first two, but who will claim the third?
Daisuke Takahashi achieved his goal of making the roster for these national championships. He could be the dark horse in the field.
In the ladies field, there are six possible contenders for the three spots in Saitama: Rika Kihira, Satoko Miyahara, Wakaba Higuchi, Kaori Sakamoto, Marin Honda and Mai Mihara.
Another exciting ladies free skate at Japanese Nationals -
From RockerSkating:
Two different women landed two triple axels each in their free skates - Rika Kihira rallies from 5th for silver and Ayaka Hosoda gets her first top 10 at nationals ever at age 23
Kaori: I didn't expect I'm the winner!
Kihira: My shoes didn't fit well, but I'm glad about my performance.
Miyahara: I'm glad I'm within the best three!
In the men's event at Japanese nationals there was no Yuzuru Hanyu but there was the much-anticipated return of Daisuke Takahashi. There was also Shoma Uno competing on an injured right ankle (severe sprain incurred before the SP).
It is not only in Russia that junior-age skaters are performing well - as you can see below, the skater finishing 9th in the FS had the 2nd highest technical mark (the top one was Shoma Uno). That skater was 14-year old Shun Sato
Daisuke Takahashi, having not competed internationally in several years, does not have the minimum TES points required to compete at either 4CC or Worlds. They have to be acquired at an approved competition and by 21 days prior to the first practice for either competition. Will his federation be able to arrange for him to get them in time for one or both???
It appears that the Japanese Federation has already gone ahead and named their teams for 4CC, Worlds and Junior Worlds:
4CC (in Anaheim, CA, USA)
Men: Shoma Uno, Keiji Tanaka, Kazuki Tomono
Ladies: Kaori Sakamoto, Rika Kihira, Mai Mihara
Pairs: Miu Suzaki/Ryuichi Kihara
Dance: Misato Komatsubara/Tim Koleto
Worlds (in Saitama, Japan)
Men: Shoma Uno, Keiji Tanaka, Yuzuru Hanyu [Daisuke Takahashi declined the 3rd spot; he would have needed to get the ISU minimum scores]
Ladies: Kaori Sakamoto, Rika Kihira, Satoko Miyahara
Pairs: Miu Suzaki/Ryuichi Kihara
Dance: Misato Komatsubara/Tim Koleto
Junior Worlds (in Zagreb, Croatia)
Men: Tatsuya Tsuboi, Koshiro Shimada
Ladies: Yuhana Yokoi, Tomoe Kawabata, Yuna Shiraiwa (she still needs the TES minimums)
Kaori Sakamoto 228.01 2 2 (152.36 FS) 7 triples 
Rika Kihira 223.76 5 1 (155.01) landed 3A3T & 3A 
Satoko Miyahara 1 4 (146.58) 
