Kihira sets pace at Japan nationals
Rika Kihira took the lead after the women's short program at the Japan Championships on Thursday night at Yoyogi Gymnasium. Kihira, who was the runner-up behind Kaori Sakamoto at the nationals last year, earned a score of 73.98 points. Four-time national champion Satoko Miyahara is ...
Yuzuru Hanyu dazzles en route to fourth NHK Trophy title; Alena Kostornaia wins women's event
Yuzuru Hanyu won the NHK Trophy in decisive fashion on Saturday night, claiming the title by a whopping 55 points before a packed house at Makomanai Ice Arena. The superstar, who qualified for next month's Grand Prix Final with the victory, landed four quads in ...
Yuzuru Hanyu looks sharp in NHK Trophy practice
Yuzuru Hanyu came through his first NHK Trophy practice session in two years with flying colors on Thursday. The two-time Olympic champion, who injured the lateral ligament in his right ankle in 2017 at an NHK Trophy practice in Osaka, looked sharp this day, tearing ...
Japan skaters struggle at Skate America
The senior Grand Prix season began in disappointing fashion last weekend with Japan being shut out of the medals. The Hinomaru's best showing was Kaori Sakamoto's fourth-place finish in the women's singles at Skate America. Russia's Anna Shcherbakova won in impressive fashion with a total of ...
Skate America kicks off GP season
The senior Grand Prix season gets underway on Friday with Skate America in the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, which is hosting its first-ever GP event. Japan will be looking for multiple medals in the women's competition, with a strong team of Kaori Sakamoto, ...
Hanyu's health a paramount concern
When a country takes the gold and bronze medals in the same discipline at a Grand Prix it would usually be considered a successful weekend. The joy for Japan at the Cup of Russia, however, was tempered by the injury suffered by two-time Olympic champion ...
Kihira's star soaring after great debut
Rika Kihira made a great first impression on a great many people with her performance at the NHK Trophy last weekend. The 16-year-old was nothing short of spectacular in her senior Grand Prix debut, beating a veteran field that included teammates Satoko Miyahara and Mai ...
Shoma Uno, Mako Yamashita stake claims for GP Final spots
Shoma Uno looked in midseason form as he rallied to victory at Skate Canada on Saturday in Laval, Quebec. The Olympic and world silver medalist was second after the short program, but came back to win the event for the second straight year with a ...
Satoko Miyahara, Kaori Sakamoto off to great starts in GP series
Satoko Miyahara and Kaori Sakamoto started the senior Grand Prix season off with a bang on Sunday, finishing 1-2 at Skate America in Everett, Washington. The two stars illustrated why they were the two women selected to represent Japan at the Pyeongchang Olympics. Miyahara took ...
Shoma Uno, Satoko Miyahara score big victories in season debuts
World and Olympic silver medalist Shoma Uno and world bronze medalist Satoko Miyahara began their seasons with victories in decisive fashion at the Lombardia Trophy and U.S. International Classic, respectively, on Saturday. Uno won in Bergamo, Italy, with a total score of 276.20 points, while ...
Yuto Kishina battles hard to earn first JGP medal of career
Yuto Kishina kept Japan's medal streak alive in the Junior Grand Prix this season by bringing home the bronze at the Lithuania JGP in Kaunas on Saturday. Kishina was third after the short program and fought hard to capture the first JGP medal of his ...
Shae-Lynn Bourne noted Yuzuru Hanyu's genius making 'Seimei'
One of the positive aspects of the internet is that every once in a while you stumble across some undiscovered gem that is enjoyable and revelatory. Such was the case recently when I listened to an interview with renowned choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne from last January ...
