2018 Japanese National Championships
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| Four in a row for Tiny Queen |
Final results:
Satoko Miyahara: 73.23 (SP) + 147.16 (FS) = 220.39 - 1st
Satoko rebounded from her performances at the Final and turned in two very good programs here. She wasn't perfect though...she under-rotated her 3Lz-3T combo in both segments of the program. Luckily she was able to hit the rest of the jumps and max out her non-jump elements to make up the difference. Satoko has been such a rock for Japan this quad and continues to be an exemplary model for the young girls coming behind her. No one is more deserving of a spot. Satoko won her 4th straight national title and has been officially named to the 2018 Olympic team. Yay for Tiny Queen!
Kaori Sakamoto: 73.59 (SP) + 139.92 (FS) = 213.51 - 2nd
Kaori continues to shock and surprise me every time she steps on the ice. I totally didn't see her coming at Skate America and, despite her great performances at that event, I didn't think she'd be a major player here either. Man, I love it when a skater proves me wrong! Kaori won the SP and was able to finish a comfortable 2nd overall in the event. Kaori has been getting stronger competition to competition and the fact that she stepped up and delivered under pressure here is a major plus. It proves that she can handle the glare of the spotlight and still get the job done. That's why Kaori has been named to the 2018 Olympic team. Congrats!
Rika Kihira: 66.74 (SP) + 141.29 (FS) = 208.03 - 3rd
Rika has been on my radar for a few seasons and now she'll be on everyone's radar as we look towards that post-Pyeongchang group of skaters. Rika started off badly in the SP, doubling her lutz which earned her no points and left her 5th going into the FS. She was able to make up quite a bit of ground in the FS, thanks in large part to her two opening jumps: 3A-3T and 3A. The jumps were AMAZING and earned her a total of 24.87 points. She went on to deliver a solid overall performance which placed her 2nd in the FS and moved her up to finish 3rd overall. I can't wait to see what this girl will do in the coming years!
As for the rest...
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| Just couldn't keep it together |
Wakaba Higuchi (206.96, 4th): I'm so sad for Wakaba. She blew me away on the Grand Prix this season but she just seems to freeze up at the big events. A popped axel in the SP left her in 4th place but she was still easily within striking distance of the podium. The FS wasn't a disaster but a doubled jump and an under-rotation lost her critical points and seemed to take her out of the performance. The pressure was on and rather than rise, she faded. Unfortunately Wakaba will miss the Olympic team but has been named as an alternate.
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| Good effort but not enough |
Mai Mihara (204.67, 5th): Mai ran into major trouble in the SP, under-rotating and falling on her 2A. That mistake left her in 7th place. To her credit she stormed back in the FS with a nearly flawless performance that placed 3rd in the segment and moved her up to finish 5th overall. She's been good this year but just not good enough to compete at the top. Mai has come a long way but I still feel like she needs a little more time to develop into that amazing skater I know she can be.
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| Strong effort as always |
Rika Hongo (197.62, 6th): Rika was wonderful in the SP. I just love her program and the amazing way she performs. The crowd went crazy for her and the judges loved it too. She placed 3rd in the segment. Unfortunately things fell apart in the FS and she was not able to hang on to her positioning. I love Rika's fighting spirit. I wonder if she will continue to compete beyond this season?
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| Her time is yet to come... |
Marin Honda (193.37, 7th): Marin had a solid outing overall but it wasn't nearly enough to be competitive for a top spot. As gorgeous as she is Marin is missing something right now. The good news is there's no rush to find it. Like most of the women at this event, I feel as though her time is coming in these next four years.
That's it for Japan. Congrats to Satoko and Kaori for making the Olympic team! Moving on...
2017 Russian National Championships
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| A new Russian queen is crowned |
Alina Zagitova: 78.15 (SP) + 155.44 (FS) = 233.59 - 1st
Not much of a surprise here. With Evgenia Medvedeva still out, Alina came in as the heir apparent and easily took the coveted Russian crown. Interestingly enough, Alina could have scored even higher than she did as she was not 100% clean in either program. She stepped out of her combo in the SP and under-rotated a jump in the FS. Even with the errors she was able to top Evgenia's total score from last year by 0.02. As the national champ, I believe Alina's Olympic spot is officially set. The rest of the team will be announced after the European Championships (assuming Russia is sending athletes to Pyeongchang).
Maria Sotskova: 76.39 (SP) + 145.37 (FS) = 221.76 - 2nd
It was another day at work for Maria. I have to say I'm really impressed with how steady she has been despite the enormous pressure she is under. The pressure didn't seem to affect her in the SP but I could see a little of it seeping through in the FS. Things were a bit shaky in the second half but Maria maintained her focus and finished strongly. The relief on her face once her scores came up in the K&C was clear as day. It's been a season-long battle for her and she accomplished her goal...but she's not quite done yet. I hope Maria can deliver at Euros and make the team. She definitely deserves it this year.
Alena Kostornaia: 73.59 (SP) + 142.98 (FS) = 216.57 - 3rd
Alena is probably my favorite Eteri skater. There's something about her that is distinctly different from the rest of the bunch and I find that refreshing. Her movements are polished and finished and it makes her so much more enjoyable to watch than the majority of the skaters in that camp. Even her backloading doesn't bother me because there's so much to appreciate in her movement around the ice prior to the jumping. Zagitova should take some lessons from Alena in that department... Alena was lovely and clean in the competition, placing 4th in both segments and 3rd overall.
As for the rest...
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| From 10th to 4th! |
Stanislava Konstantinova (211.28, 4th): Stanislava placed a disappointing 10th in the SP but turned in an amazing FS to finish 3rd in the segment and pull all the way up to finish 4th overall. Very good to see her not give up and bounce back so well. I know she struggled on the JGP earlier this year, so being able to finish 4th here should help her to get back into the federation's good graces.
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| Not this year |
Polina Tsurskaya (207.61, 5th): Polina had a real shot at finishing in the top 2 here. She was a little more than a point behind Sotskova after the SP. Missed jumps plus lower levels lost her a ton of points in the FS and dropped her down the standings. I definitely feel as though Polina can be a major factor in the women's field...she just needs more time to get herself together.
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| Just gorgeous! |
Anastasiia Gubanova (206.60, 6th): Anastasiia is such a beautiful skater. I find it interesting that her skating doesn't adhere to the Russian aesthetic, meaning her style is very different from the majority her Russian teammates. She was lovely in both segments of the competition and definitely brought grace and elegance to the event. I'm still worried about the technique on her jumps but it was great to see her deliver two strong performances here.
Other Competition Notes: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (202.06, 7th) turned in two solid performances. She dropped a few points in the FS but overall, it was just about as close to the best she could do... Elena Radionova (196.78, 10th) struggled in both segments. She fell in the SP and gave away too many points at the beginning of her FS. To her credit, she was able to deliver a strong second half of her FS... Alena Leonova (176.72, 15th) lost the steam she carried with her through the Grand Prix. After so many strong performances earlier in the season, she struggled in both programs here.
Congrats to the medalists! More than likely the team will be Evgenia, Alina and Maria, but we'll have to wait for an official announcement. Furthermore, we'll have to see how Russia decides to the handle the IOC ban on all Russian athletes. Will they send a team to compete under the neutral flag? Or will they boycott the 2018 Olympic Games completely?
A Few Other Countries...
Italian National Championships
French National Championships
It was a pretty close race this year but Mae Berenice Meite (183.00) came out on top, winning her 4th national title. Laurine Lecavelier came in second (178.04) and Lea Serna finished third (171.39). The French women only have one spot to Pyeongchang and it appears as though they are waiting to announce who gets the spot until after the European Championships. Even though Mae won, it's very likely the spot will go to the skater who comes out on top at that event.
Chinese National Championships
We haven't seen Zijun Li at a national competition since 2015. I think she may still be injured. With her not competing on the Grand Prix this season and not competing at nationals, I don't know if we'll see her in Pyeongchang. Xiangning Li (193.97) earned her first title this year, beating out two-time defending champion Ziquan Zhao (183.02) who finished second. Hongyi Chen (176.59) earned the bronze medal.There are only a few national competitions left. The U.S. championships will start next week and Canadian nationals will take place January 8-14. I'll have plenty more on the U.S. championships very soon. Laters!
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