NEWSWORTHY
Mai Mihara mesmerizing in victory at Winter Universiade
It was a mixed bag of results for Japanese skating over the weekend. The good news arrived from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, where Mai Mihara won the Winter Universiade in decisive fashion. The bad news emanated from Zagreb, where Japanese skaters struggled at the world junior championships and ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Yuzuru Hanyu amazes again in Helsinki win
Just when you didn't think he could go one better, he did. Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu stunned the skating world again with his artistry and technical prowess on the way to a commanding victory at the Helsinki Grand Prix last weekend. Hanyu set three world ...
Yuna Shiraiwa is in second place at the Helsinki Grand Prix following the short program on Friday night. Shiraiwa, 16, earned a score of 63.77 points at Helsinki Arena. Reigning Olympic champion Alina Zagitova of Russia leads Shiraiwa by 5.13, while Belgian Loena Hendrickx is ...
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 ...
Hanyu set for Helsinki, Cup of Russia
Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu will begin his Grand Prix season in Helsinki at the GP that is replacing the Cup of China, according to the ISU's recent announcement of GP assignments. Helsinki will surely bring back fond memories for both Hanyu and his fans, ...
