Kaori Sakamoto rises to occasion, holds slim lead over Satoko Miyahara at nationals
The final battle for the two women's spots on Japan's 2018 Olympic skating team began in earnest at Musashino Forest Sports Centre on Thursday night and the story could have a surprise ending. Kaori Sakamoto, in her first senior season, grabbed the lead after the ...
Nathan Chen credits rival Yuzuru Hanyu for inspiration
With less than two months to go until the Pyeongchang Olympics, American Nathan Chen is finding himself the focus of a lot of attention. And with good reason. Chen, an 18-year-old from Salt Lake City, is the defending U.S. champion and has won every competition ...
Race for two Olympic spots still wide open
Satoko Miyahara and Wakaba Higuchi came into the Grand Prix Final with excellent chances to solidify their positions as the favorites for Japan's two spots for women for the Pyeongchang Olympics. They didn't do it. After outstanding short programs by both, things came undone in their ...
Alina Zagitova dazzles en route to Grand Prix Final title
Russia's Alina Zagitova continued her amazing debut season in the senior ranks with a comprehensive victory at the Grand Prix Final on Saturday night. The 15-year-old took home the gold with a total score of 223.30 points. Looking elegant and poised in a red outfit, ...
Nathan Chen captures Grand Prix Final title with narrow triumph over Shoma Uno
Nathan Chen ended Japan's run of five straight Grand Prix Final titles with a narrow victory over Shoma Uno on Friday night. The 18-year-old American edged out the Nagoya native with a winning total score of 286.51 points after the free skate, taking home the ...
Yuna Shiraiwa impresses in first season as a senior
She is the longest of long shots to make Japan's team for the Pyeonchang Olympics, but in the long view her prospects are very bright. Yuna Shiraiwa is just one of the talented skaters in the stable of coach Mie Hamada at the Kansai University ...
Wakaba Higuchi excited for opportunity to skate in Grand Prix Final
Wakaba Higuchi said Thursday she is relishing the prospect of making her first appearance at the Grand Prix Final. The 16-year-old secured the final spot among the six qualifiers and is Japan's lone representative in the women's singles event at the final starting in Nagoya ...
Satoko Miyahara's Olympic dream in serious jeopardy
At an event that was massively overshadowed by the injury and subsequent withdrawal of Yuzuru Hanyu, something else was very apparent at the NHK Trophy: Satoko Miyahara's bid to make Japan's Olympic team for the Pyeongchang Games is in big trouble. That might be understating ...
Wakaba Higuchi robbed of victory at Cup of China
Enough of this nonsense. What am I talking about? Skaters winning competitions and then being given the silver medal. Latest case in point: Wakaba Higuchi at the Cup of China on Saturday. Going into the free skate in second place, just 0.12 behind Canada's Gabrielle Daleman, Higuchi gave ...
Wakaba Higuchi earns women's runner-up spot at Cup of China; Alina Zagitova claims title
Wakaba Higuchi claimed second place after the women's free program on Saturday at the Cup of China. Second after Friday's short program, Higuchi scored 141.99 points in a clean long skate at Capital Stadium to close with a total of 212.52 points, just 1.36 behind ...
Wakaba Higuchi finishes second in women's short program at Cup of China
Wakaba Higuchi placed second in the women's short program on Friday at the Cup of China, the third event of the Grand Prix series. Higuchi, third at the season-opening Cup of Russia last month, scored 70.53 points at Capital Stadium to finish behind Canada's ...
Shoma Uno coming on strong in bid for Olympic gold
Shoma Uno began his Grand Prix campaign with a grand performance at Skate Canada last week. The world silver medalist won the competition in Regina, Saskatchewan, by nearly 40 points. More important than the margin of victory was the building belief by many observers that ...
