It would be very nice if the men’s programs could go this well at the Olympics too! #4CCfigure

If retired athletes giving color commentary are held to the same conflict of interest standards as journalists, how can anyone whose former coaches, rivals, or training mates are in the sport be allowed to commentate? BTW, Johnny Weir commentated on a tribute program to himself!

If the USFS sends the men’s podium to the Olympics (and they very well might), the Russian skating media is going to be extra insufferable, isn’t it?

Ice dance at a domestic event? The judges can find all kinds of ways to cook those scores if they want to. …Emphasis on the “if they want to.” 😶

Honestly, I’m more curious to hear the 4CC and WC assignments (especially WC first alternates) at this point, since OG spots have become pretty obvious based on the nationals placements. #JPNnationals

Good recovery by Mao Shimada after the 4T attempt fall (for a moment I was afraid she’d hurt her arm). It must feel a little strange to be fighting for gold at pre-OG Nationals when you’re not eligible to go. #JPNnationals

Happy to see Mone bounce back from the free skate at the GPF!

Rinka Watanabe showed a huge amount of grit here! #JPNnationals

Yuna! 😭🌟 It’s bittersweet, but I’m glad she had her late-career moment in the sun after injuries and setbacks. #JPNnationals

Wakaba putting up an amazing fight! 😭🌟 #JPNnationals

Mai Mihara in her final nationals skate! 😭

Japan’s team event lineup isn’t as clear as in past years—they previously split men and women, since they only had one spot each in pairs and dance. But this time they could potentially use one of the splits for pairs. I’m guessing they’ll still split singles, but not 100%.🤔

The Olympic team isn’t announced until tomorrow, but I think it’s clear that the former Kanto trio will almost certainly be the ones. #JapanNationals

Tatsuya Tsuboi has announced he is retiring after this season. This will leave only Saki Miyake among the current Sysmex skaters, as teammates Kaori Sakamoto and Mai Mihara are also retiring. hochi.news/articles/202...

I’m glad to see the junior ice dance teams have the opportunity to skate in front of the senior nationals audience. …Don’t think it makes up for the federation not using all their available ice dance spots on the junior Grand Prix, though (I don’t know what was up with that…).

Although there’s little intrigue regarding the Olympic spots, I’m still nearly as excited for the ice dance and pairs competitions at Japanese nationals, because I want to see all the newer teams’ progress! RD and pairs SP are today.

I’m afraid whatever fairly slim chance Rion had at an OG spot has gone… An evening full of heartbreaks!

Ok, I’m regretting that I wasn’t willing to deal with the childcare logistics necessary to attend Nationals this year… but maybe I’d have gotten too emotional anyway! #JPNnats

Go, Wakaba, go!

Rinka Watanabe is really bringing the fight this season! 💪 #JPNnats

Oh, dear. Absolute disaster for Hana Yoshida. 😓

Mayuko Oka! 🤩 She’s really emerging as the total package! #JPNnats

I’m much less bothered by jump errors than I am by watching guys just hemorrhaging points on spins, like… come on…. #JPNnats

Lots of ups and downs in the first three groups of men—Shuntaro Asaga turning his popped lutz into a double-triple combo was pretty clutch. I am hoping we’ll see a big jump in the scores for the last two groups, as we still have no one in the 80s or higher. #JPNnats

Japanese Nationals starts today with the men’s and women’s short programs! The Olympic (and 4CC, JWC, WC) teams are scheduled to be announced at the end of the competition (Sunday night JPN time).

There were FOUR teams entered in pairs at the 2024 YOG, presumably because so few teams have both members meeting the YOG age requirements. …I wonder how many people being outraged over the discipline’s removal actually watched the competition last time. 🤔

While she didn’t use the word “retirement” specifically, Mai Mihara’s latest IG post suggests that the upcoming Nationals will mark the end of her competitive career. Not really surprised but still sad! www.instagram.com/p/DSCQdvWGP7...

Five women attempted 3A at Japanese Junior Nationals 2025, though only Mayuko Oka was clean. Mayuko Oka 3A +0.96 Mao Shimada 3A< F Mei Okada 3A< F Sumika Kanazawa 3A<< Reina Kawakatsu 3A< F #figureskating

Mao Shimada won her 5th-straight Japanese junior national title! Mayuko Oka was 1st in the free—3A helped her rise from 8th to silver overall. (Protocol shown) Mei Okada took bronze. The medalists + 4th-place Sumika Kanazawa will compete again at the JGP Final. #figureskating

Japanese Olympian Keiji Tanaka has announced his marriage. Congratulations to the couple! #Figureskating www.instagram.com/p/DRWwA_kEtW...

Japan Junior Nationals is this Sunday and Monday (JPN time)! Note: This is only for singles, as the junior national ice dance competition will be held alongside the seniors in December. No junior pairs entered this year. #figureskating

This free skate music isn’t awful, but it really does nothing to emphasize Kazuki’s strengths. No energy, no real crescendo… Maybe it makes me sound uncultured, but it’s kind of a snooze fest. #SkateAmerica

Oh dear! I didn’t think Japan’s team event ice dance spot was very realistically up for grabs, but if this isn’t seriously cleaned up by Nationals, Kushida/Shimada might have an opening (depending how they do at Golden Spin). #NHKtrophy

Yuna and Sumitada bringing the heat! 👏👏👏👏 #NHKTrophy

JPN Ice Dance Qualifier Ikura Kushida/Koshiro Shimada Moonlight Serenade/Sabrina Rather shocking double fall early on (I think he slipped while holding her), but they recovered well. It’s a dream pairing—I’ll be so sad if they don’t stick around! 92.02, 159.21 🥇

JPN Ice Dance Qualifier Rika Kihira/Shingo Nishiyama Mononoke Hime Significant wobbles on the curve lift and twizzles, but again—they’ve had around a month’s practice and Rika’s new to ice dance. Extremely impressive how far they’ve come! 77.13, 136.74 into 2nd

JPN Ice Dance Qualifier Ayano Sasaki/Yoshimitsu Ikeda The Bells of Notre Dame They’ve clearly put in a lot of work—it would be nice if they could get more opportunities from the JSF to compete. 88.65, 143.41 into 1st

JPN Ice Dance Qualifier Chisato Uramatsu/Atsuhiko Tamura Experience Some lovely moments, and nice costumes, too! And… did they do a side-by-side jump? Is that allowed? I need to brush up on my ice dance! 80.39, 130.86 into 1st

JPN Ice Dance Qualifier Haruno Yajima/Tsukasa Yajima Liebestraume 48.78, 79.67

Catching up on the men at Skate Canada. Only one skater under 80 points in the short? That’s a big step up from the last two events! I hope the free skates go as well.

JPN ice dance qualifier RD protocols for Ikura Kushida/Koshiro Shimada (1), Rika Kihira/Shingo Nishiyama (2), and Ayano Sasaki/Yoshimitsu Ikeda (3). The winning team can be assigned to Golden Spin if the total TES (RD+FD) is at least 85 points. Looking forward to the FD!

I LOVE that we get to see Rika Kihira do ice dance. 😍 I HATE that she has to deal with this cheese ball theme. 😩 Can’t we get the lady a tango or something? 😭

JPN Ice Dance Qualifier Ikura Kushida/Koshiro Shimada Got the Groove/Show Me Something Special No shortage of charisma on this team! They’re a great pair of performers. 67.19, 1st place (Far ahead of 2nd-place Kihira/Nishiyama with 59.61)

JPN Ice Dance Qualifier Chisato Uramatsu/Atsuhiko Tamura Beautiful Life Another new couple looking promising! They’re closer in height than I would’ve guessed, but Chisato seems very at home in ice dance. 50.47, into 3rd

JPN Ice Dance Qualifier Rika Kihira/Shingo Nishiyama Mambo No. 5 I think they look great, especially considering the limited prep time! (To be fair, though, I’m not very knowledgeable about ice dance.) 59.61, into 1st

JPN ice dance qualifier Haruno Yajima/Tsukasa Yajima I Want It That Way/Livin La Vida Loca Kind of shaky, but I think they’re a new couple. 30.89, into 2nd

JPN ice dance qualifier Ayano Sasaki/Yoshimitsu Ikeda Barbie Girl/Be My Lover Nice energy! A bit out of sync on the twizzles. 54.76

In the warmup, Rika and Shingo appear to have really great synchronization. Looking forward to the actual program! #icedance

Would I have chosen the Thong Song for a junior rhythm dance? No. But it does give me some nostalgia… #icedance

Mako Yamashita was a little off axis on the 2A, but held on and looked really strong overall. 67.82, overtaking Saki Miyake for 1st (many skaters still to come) #JapanWestSectionals