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Post by Admin on Nov 10, 2021 22:12:53 GMT
Men: Zhou, Uno meet again
While there is no Hanyu, Uno is joined by 2019 world bronze medallist Vincent Zhou in Tokyo, the American coming off of his first-ever Grand Prix win when he beat both Uno and Nathan Chen to capture Skate America.
The triumph snapped Chen’s 10-event and more than three-year-long winning streak.
Uno and Zhou are the heavy favourites to go 1-2 in the men's singles event, but in what order we’ll have to wait and see. Though last week’s results in Italy, with Kagiyama Yuma bouncing back from seventh to first, are a reminder to expect the unexpected.
The Republic of Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan makes the trip straight from Torino to Tokyo, having been brilliant in the short program but then struggling in the long.
The men’s field also features Matteo Rizzi of Italy, Makar Ignatov and Alexander Samarin of Russia, Nam Nguyen of Canada, and Japan’s Yamamoto Sota.
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Post by Admin on Nov 11, 2021 0:26:39 GMT
Women: New Grand Prix champ will emerge in Tokyo
With Trusova out, fans are guaranteed a fourth champion in four Grand Prix events in women’s singles, Trusova having won at Skate America and her Russian compatriots Kamila Valieva (Skate Canada) and Anna Shcherbakova (Gran Premio d’Italia) also notching wins.
Could that be Daria Usacheva? The 15-year-old made her senior Grand Prix debut with a silver behind training mate Trusova in Las Vegas, but the aforementioned Sakamoto has experience on her side in Tokyo, skating in her fifth Grand Prix season. She took fourth place at Skate America.
The Republic of Korea’s You Young, the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) champion, is especially dangerous with her triple Axel, the jump propelling her to bronze behind Trusova and Usacheva at Skate America three weeks ago.
Usacheva, You, and Sakamoto were separated by just 1.38 points total there.
The triple Axel is the same jump that American teen Alysa Liu will look to have in her armour, having landed it in the short program (though it was called under-rotated) at Skate Canada before falling on it in the free.
Japan’s 17-year-old Kawabe Mana also has the triple Axel, as she showed in a compelling free skate at Skate Canada, placing sixth in the segment and ninth overall.
Another Japanese 17-year-old, Matsuike Rino, is the reigning junior national champion.
Lim Eun-soo (KOR) and Amber Glenn (USA) are also set to feature.
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Post by Admin on Nov 11, 2021 1:50:44 GMT
Pairs: World champs make GP season debut at NHK Trophy
While some skaters – like Chen and China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong – are finished with their two Grand Prix assignments, others are just starting, including the reigning world champions in pairs, Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov.
The duo has kept its La Esmerelda short program from last season, though they have a new free skate, choreographed by Nikolai Morozov. They opened their international season with a win at Finlandia Trophy last month, beating Russian compatriots Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov by 14 points thanks to a 153.37 in the free.
Tarasova/Morozov captured their fifth Grand Prix gold at Skate America, but felt as though they weren’t at their best, with particular room for improvement on their side-by-side jumping.
The two teams will go head-to-head again this weekend.
Japanese fans will have plenty to cheer about in the pairs as the breakout team of Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi, the Canada-based pair, winning a surprise silver behind Tarasova/Morozov in Las Vegas with an especially engaging free skate, set to “Woman.”
Team USA’s Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc will look to continue their good form, as well, having won bronze at Skate Canada two weeks ago.
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Post by Admin on Nov 11, 2021 3:10:56 GMT
Dance: Sinitsina/Katsalapov also back onto GP ahead of Beijing 2022 Much like their teammates Mishina/Galliamov, it’s a first Grand Prix stop in the Olympic year for Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov in the ice dance, the team coming off of its world championship-winning season last year. Two-time world medallists Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. won silver at Skate America, and will look to be the stiffest challenge for the Russian favourites.  Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson will have redemption on their minds after finishing seventh at Skate Canada. And Vancouver 2010 men’s singles bronze medallist Takahashi Daisuke continues his venture into dance with partner Muramoto Kana. They’ll compete along with Japanese teammates Komatsubara Misato and Koleto Tim, the reigning and three-time national champions. |
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Post by Admin on Nov 11, 2021 19:42:52 GMT
The big news at 2021 NHK Trophy is that Yuzuru Hanyu is out with an ankle injury after reinjuring the same ankle that caused him to withdraw from competitions both in 2017 and 2018. But the competition will continue to be intriguing, particularly because it will be a rematch between Vincent Zhou and Shoma Uno, who took first and second over Nathan Chen at Skate America earlier this season. Both have a great shot at making it to the Grand Prix Final, which will be back in Japan in just a few weeks.
GOLD Shoma Uno JPN - With silver at Skate America three weeks ago, Uno should be set for the Final with either gold or silver this week at NHK. But he’s likely focused on delivering a stronger free skate than he had either at Japan Open or Skate America. The free skate is especially important for him because of the increased difficulty he’s thrown into that program, and as he approaches the second half of the season, he will be looking to make some inroads in consistency in order to keep himself competitive for both the Olympic team and the Olympic podium, if he gets there.
SILVER Vincent Zhou USA - Zhou has delivered some of the best skating in his career so far this season, and this will be his fourth competition already. He’s been undefeated so far - winning at Cranberry, then Nebelhorn, then Skate America. It will be interesting to see how much the extra competitions he’s had translates to this event, and whether having all the travel and competition under his belt will affect his performances here. Two clean skates and he can take home his second Grand Prix title of the season.
BRONZE Junhwan Cha KOR - After a brilliant short program last week in Italy, Cha was unable to seize the opportunity and dropped from third to fifth in the free skate and off the podium. He’s got such talent and great potential as an all-around skater, and absolutely can take a medal home this week at NHK Trophy.
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