Rising choreographer Benoit Richaud says Kaori Sakamoto in good form ahead of worlds
Following a disappointing fourth-place finish at last month's Four Continents Championships in California, Japan champion Kaori Sakamoto didn't dwell on her result, but rather went right back to work to prepare for this month's world championships in Saitama. Benoit Richaud, Sakamoto's choreographer, whose stock is ...
Rika Kihira, Shoma Uno lead gold haul for Japan
It was a banner weekend for Japan on the ice, with Rika Kihira and Shoma Uno taking the gold medals at the Four Continents Championships and Satoko Miyahara and Koshiro Shimada doing the same at the Bavarian Open. Kihira bounced back from her second-place finish ...
Rika Kihira was steadfast that she was going to land a triple axel at the Four Continents Championships. She didn't land it during the short program and found herself in fifth place going into Friday night's free skate. She successfully nailed it on her first ...
Sakamoto in 2nd after short program; Uno struggles to 4th at Four Continents
Defending champion Kaori Sakamoto placed second, just over half a point behind Bradie Tennell of the United States, after the women's short program at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships on Thursday. American Mariah Bell is third and Sakamoto's compatriot Rika Kihira fifth heading into ...
Ayaka Hosoda very likely to continue competitive career next season
Veteran skater Ayaka Hosoda, who stole the show with her triple axels at the Japan Championships in December, is very likely to continue her skating career, The Japan Times has learned. In an exclusive interview with Hosoda on Tuesday, the jumping sensation said, "I'm willing ...
Kihira, Sakamoto look to lead Japan to sweep again at Four Continents
The skating season gets back in full swing this week with the Four Continents Championships in Anaheim, California, starting on Thursday. Japan's women will be looking for their second straight sweep of the podium at the event. Japan is sending a strong team that includes ...
Kaori Sakamoto's ascension no surprise to gifted choreographer Benoit Richaud
Kaori Sakamoto was impressive in victory at the Japan nationals on Sunday, rising to the occasion on the biggest domestic stage of the year. That the 18-year-old dethroned four-time defending champion Satoko Miyahara and beat Grand Prix Final winner Rika Kihira may have surprised some, ...
Kaori Sakamoto bests Rika Kihira and Satoko Miyahara to win national title
Kaori Sakamoto put on a stunning performance Sunday night, using an incredible combination of power and grace, to win the title at the Japan championships. The 18-year-old from Kobe was absolutely spectacular in her free skate to "The Piano" and overtook Grand Prix Final champion ...
Satoko Miyahara holds slim lead over Kaori Sakamoto after short program at nationals
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Four-time national champion Satoko Miyahara is in the lead after the short program at the Japan championships on Friday night. Miyahara, gunning for her fifth straight title, skated last and gave the fans an evening to ...
High drama for nationals with return of Daisuke Takahashi
With two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu out of this week's Japan nationals in Osaka due to injury, the focus will be squarely on the battle between the elite women skaters to make the team for the world championships and the return of Daisuke Takahashi ...
Rika Kihira now the favorite for world title
Rika Kihira's super season continued over the weekend with a decisive victory at the Grand Prix Final in Vancouver, British Columbia. The young star dethroned Olympic champion Alina Zagitova of Russia to take the crown. The 16-year-old Kihira has won all four of her events ...
Rika Kihira in lead at Grand Prix Final; Shoma Uno in second place
Sixteen-year-old starlet Rika Kihira blew away the competition with a stellar short program Thursday at the Grand Prix Final, posting the highest women's score in the world since the judging system was revised ahead of the season. Kihira continued her exceptional Grand Prix debut campaign ...
