Kaori Sakamoto secures fifth national title
2024-25 Japanese Nationals: Women
Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto secured her fifth national title at the 2024-25 Japanese National Championships on Sunday in Osaka, Japan. Three-time Junior Grand Prix Final winner Mao Shimada finished in second place, while Wakaba Higuchi rose from fourth to grab the bronze.
Kaori Sakamoto
Sakamoto demonstrated top form in Osaka, just weeks after earning third place at the 2024-25 Grand Prix Final. With an impressive score of 228.68, she secured her fourth consecutive national title (fifth in total) to continue her winning streak since the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
The 2022 Olympic bronze medalist skated her Spanish-themed short program by Ástor Piazzolla in the fourth group. The 24-year-old ran through the program with ease, showcasing her effortless skating skills. She landed a flowy triple flip-triple toe combination in the second half, earning +1.82 GOE (Grades of Execution). Her step sequence was especially sharp, reflecting the skater’s growing confidence with the program. Sakamoto scored a big 78.92, taking a three-point lead into the free skate.
Skating last at the event, Sakamoto opened her free program to music from Chicago with her world-class double Axel to earn +1.60 GOE. The jump received a perfect mark from seven out of the nine judges. The skater made an unfortunate mistake on her signature triple-triple combination but quickly recovered. She scored a huge 149.76 in the free skate. The cheers from the audience did not stop as she was confirmed as the five-time Japanese National champion. She is the first woman to achieve this feat since Mao Asada.
Sakamoto will be competing at the 2025 World Championships to qualify three spots for the Japanese women towards the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics. She will also participate in the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China.
Mao Shimada
The 16-year-old phenom won the silver medal in the women’s event, making it the third consecutive time she has medaled on the senior level at the national championships.
Shimada delivered a fabulous short program to music from Wicked. The 2023 World Junior champion landed the triple Axel as her opening jump, although deemed as on the quarter by the technical panel. She received huge GOEs on her other jumps, as well as on her step sequence. Shimada’s well-roundness put her behind Sakamoto with a score of 75.58.
In her free skate to Japanese music to “Mado Kara Mieru,” Shimada landed another triple Axel, although underrotated. She then fell on her quadruple toe, a jump she landed for the first time at 2024 JGP Poland. She then filed through the rest of her skate, showing impressive rotational speed and consistency. Shimada made a mistake, but on the most difficult element of the women’s event. Her otherwise outstanding quality put her ahead with 143.42 in the free skate, and 219.00 total.
The skater from Kyoto will aim to match her three-peat from the Junior Grand Prix Final at the 2025 Junior World Championships in Debrecen, Hungary. 2024-25 Junior Grand Prix silver medalist Kaoruko Wada and Junior World Championship bronze medalist Ami Nakai will complete the team.
Wakaba Higuchi
Higuchi’s dream comeback season continued as she took the podium at the national championships for the first time since winning silver in 2021.
The 23-year-old delivered a solid skate in her short program to the dramatic Dune soundtrack, a fan favorite. With an effortless double Axel and triple jumps that she has delivered more and more consistently throughout this season, Higuchi scored 71.05. Although unofficial, this was only the second time the skater has broken the 70-point mark in the short program since the 2022 Beijing Olympics. She ranked fourth in the segment.
In her free skate, Higuchi fought strongly for a medal. With a double Salchow and couple of scratchy landings, she still delivered a very strong performance. The skater showed fight for every jump and every moment. The audience rose to their feet for Higuchi’s skate as she took her final position. She ranked third in the segment, with 135.35 points and third overall with 206.40.
The 2024 Skate America champ has been assigned to the 2025 Four Continents Championships in Seoul, South Korea, and to the 2025 World Championships.
Mone Chiba
2024-25 Grand Prix Final silver medalist Chiba continued to make her case for Japan’s number two at the event that began her success last season where she was second.
She delivered a fun and energetic performance to her disco Donna Summer short program to “Let’s Dance,” getting the crowd excited. She scored an unofficial personal best score of 74.72, coming in third after the free skate.
But the free skate proved to be a tough battle for Chiba. She fell on an underrotated triple Salchow and received two other additional costly underrotations. Visibly upset, she ranked seventh in the segment, dropping to fourth place overall with 205.69, finishing just off the podium by less than a point behind Higuchi.
Chiba will aim to defend her title at the upcoming 2025 Four Continents Championships. Additionally, she will join countrymates Sakamoto and Higuchi in a bid to secure three spots for Japanese women at the 2025 World Championships for the 2026 Milano Olympics.
Rino Matsuike
With such a successful start of the season, two-time Grand Prix circuit silver medalist Rino Matsuike has been struggling with consistency. However, after placing last among the five Japanese women in her Grand Prix final debut, Matsuike used this experience to build momentum. She eventually secured herself a top five ranking.
The 20-year-old from Nagoya skated a wonderful short program to “One Day I’ll Fly Away” with beautiful lines and transitions. She received a level four on all of her spins and step sequence. With an under rotation on her solo Lutz jump, she still broke the 70-point barrier with 70.79.
In the free skate, she scored 133.21 after her two triple Lutzes were called underrotated by the technical panel. But Matsuike’s edges and performance ability have been her strength this season, with her “Lux Externa” program being among fan favorites.
The four-time Grand Prix medalist will look for a first podium-finish at the 2025 Four Continents Championships. She is first alternate for the 2025 World Championships in Boston.
Mako Yamashita finished the event in a surprising sixth place, with some of the cleanest protocols of the event. She topped 2024 Skate America silver medalist Rinka Watanabe and 2023 Grand Prix final bronze medalist Hana Yoshida, who respectively came in 7th and 10th place. As a result, Yamashita was named as an alternate for the 2025 Four Continents Championships.
Rounding out the top 11
Rinka Watanabe, who was 11th after the short program, placed sixth in the free skate and seventh overall (200.25).
Rion Sumiyoshi finished eighth (197.53) overall, followed by Saki Miyake (196.55), Kaoruko Wada (195.63), and Hana Yoshida (195.27).
Mai Mihara withdrew after the short program where she was ranked 23rd.
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