Rika Kihira (born July 21, 2002) is a Japanese figure skater. She is a two-time Four Continents champion (2019 & 2020), the 2018-19 Grand Prix Final champion, a two-time Japanese national champion (2019-20 and 2020-21) the 2018 Japanese national silver medalist, and the 2017 Japanese national bronze medalist. On the junior level, she is the 2017 Japanese Junior national champion and the 2016 JGP Slovenia champion.
Career[]
2016-17 Season[]
Rika debuted on the Junior Grand Prix circuit at 2016 JGP Czech Republic in Ostrava. She led the short program by 3.27 points. A fall on a downgraded triple axel during the freeskate put her in second place in the freeskate and overall, being a mere 0.08 points behind the leader, Anastasia Gubanova.
During Rika's second JGP event, 2016 JGP Slovenia in Ljubljana, she was situated in second place during the short program. 2.16 points behind the short program leader, Alina Zagitova, Kihira won the event after producing a clean freeskate and earning a personal best. This gave Kihira a significant 15.49 point-lead, ahead of World Junior champion and training partner Marin Honda. Rika's JGP placements qualified her for the 2016-17 JGP Final.
During the 2016-17 JGP Final in Marseille, a fall and missed jump situated Rika in the fifth and final position for the short program. The freeskate, while containing a fall on a downgraded triple axel, was enough to situate Rika in third place in the freeskate, and fourth place overall.
At 2017 Japan Junior Championships in Sapporo, a clean short program placed her in fourth place. However, various mistakes in the freeskate placed Rika in fourteenth place in the freeskate, and eleventh place overall. She subsequently did not qualify for 2017 Junior Worlds.
2015-16 Season[]
Rika's placements at Japanese junior and novice championships were first and eleventh place respectively. She did not qualify for 2016 Junior Worlds.
Programs[]
| Season | Short Program | Freeskate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 |
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| 2020-2021 |
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| 2019-2020 |
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| 2018-2019 |
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| 2017-2018 |
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| 2016-2017 |
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| 2015-2016 |
Exhibitions[]
| Season | Music |
|---|---|
| 2019-2020 |
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| 2018-2019 |
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| |
| |
| 2017-2018 |
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| 2016-2017 |
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International Results[]
(Season bests highlighted in bold, personal bests italicized, world records underlined)
| 2022-2023 Season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| November 25 - 27 | 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo |
6 64.07 |
4 128.36 |
4 192.43 |
| October 28 - 30 | 2022 Skate Canada |
8 59.27 |
3 125.06 |
5 184.33 |
| 2020-2021 Season | ||||
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| April 15 - 18 | 2021 World Team Trophy |
4 69.74 |
5 132.39 |
3T/4P 202.13 |
| March 22 - 28 | 2021 World Championships |
2 79.08 |
9 126.62 |
7 205.70 |
| 2019-2020 Season | ||||
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| February 20 - 23 | 2020 International Challenge Cup
 |
1 74.27 |
1 156.38 |
1 230.65 |
| February 4 - 9 | 2020 Four Continents Championships
 |
1 81.18 |
1 151.16 |
1 232.34 |
| December 5 - 8 | 2019-20 Grand Prix Final
 |
6 70.71 |
4 145.76 |
4 216.47 |
| November 22 - 24 | 2019 NHK Trophy
|
2 79.89 |
2 151.95 |
2 231.84 |
| October 24 - 27 | 2019 Skate Canada
|
1 81.35 |
2 148.98 |
2 230.33 |
| September 12 - 14 | 2019 Autumn Classic
|
1 78.18 |
1 145.98 |
1 224.16 |
| 2018-2019 Season | ||||
| Date | Competition | SP | FS | Total |
| April 11 - 14 | 2019 World Team Trophy
|
1 83.97 |
5 138.37 |
2T/4P 222.34 |
| March 18 - 24 | 2019 World Championships
|
7 70.90 |
2 152.59 |
4 223.49 |
| February 21 - 24 | 2019 International Challenge Cup
|
2 66.44 |
1 141.90 |
1 208.34 |
| February 5 - 10 | 2019 Four Continents Championships
 |
5 68.85 |
1 153.14 |
1 221.99 |
| December 5 - 9 | 2018-19 Grand Prix Final
|
1 82.51 |
1 150.61 |
1 233.12 |
| November 23 - 25 | 2018 Internationaux de France
 |
2 67.64 |
1 138.28 |
1 205.92 |
| November 9 - 11 | 2018 NHK Trophy
|
5 69.59 |
1 154.72 |
1 224.31 |
| September 20 - 22 | 2018 Ondrej Nepela Trophy
 |
1 70.79 |
1 147.37 |
1 218.16 |
| 2017-2018 Season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| March 5 - 11 | 2018 World Junior Championships
 |
Junior | 4 63.74 |
9 111.51 |
8 175.25 |
| December 7 - 10 | 2017-18 JGP Final
|
Junior | 4 66.82 |
4 125.63 |
4 192.45 |
| October 11 - 14 | 2017 JGP Italy
|
Junior | 2 66.72 |
3 119.09 |
3 185.81 |
| September 6 - 9 | 2017 JGP Latvia
 |
Junior | 6 55.05 |
1 125.41 |
2 180.46 |
| August 2 - 5 | 2017 Asian Open Trophy
 |
Junior | 1 60.26 |
1 122.80 |
1 183.06 |
| 2016-2017 Season | |||||
| Date | Competition | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| December 8 - 11 | 2016-17 JGP Final
|
Junior | 5 54.78 |
3 120.38 |
4 175.16 |
| September 21 - 24 | 2016 JGP Slovenia
 |
Junior | 2 65.93 |
1 128.31 |
1 194.24 |
| August 31 - September 3 | 2016 JGP Czech Republic
 |
Junior | 1 66.78 |
2 118.73 |
2 185.51 |
| 2015-2016 Season | |||||
| Date | Competition | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| March 23 - 27 | 2016 Triglav Trophy
|
Novice | 5 27.28 |
1 82.53 |
1 109.81 |
| August 5 - 8 | 2015 Asian Open Trophy
 |
Novice | 8 29.57 |
4 70.33 |
5 99.90 |
Medal Record[]
(In chronological order)
| Type | Competition | Season | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 2022 Japan Open | 2022-23 | Senior |
| Bronze | 2021 World Team Trophy | 2020-21 | Senior |
| Gold | 2020-21 Japan Championships | 2020-21 | Senior |
| Gold | 2020 International Challenge Cup | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Gold | 2020 Four Continents Championships | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Gold | 2019-20 Japan Championships | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Silver | 2019 NHK Trophy | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Silver | 2019 Skate Canada | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Silver | 2019 Japan Open | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Gold | 2019 Autumn Classic | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Silver | 2019 World Team Trophy | 2019-20 | Senior |
| Gold | 2019 International Challenge Cup | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Gold | 2019 Four Continents Championships | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Silver | 2018-19 Japan Championships | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Gold | 2018-19 Grand Prix Final | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Gold | 2018 Internationaux de France | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Gold | 2018 NHK Trophy | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Gold | 2018 Western Sectionals | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Gold | 2018 Ondrej Nepela Trophy | 2018-19 | Senior |
| Bronze | 2017-18 Japan Championships | 2017-18 | Senior |
| Gold | 2017-18 Japan Championships | 2017-18 | Junior |
| Bronze | 2017 JGP Italy | 2017-18 | Junior |
| Silver | 2017 JGP Latvia | 2017-18 | Junior |
| Bronze | 2016 Western Sectionals | 2016-17 | Junior |
| Gold | 2016 JGP Slovenia | 2016-17 | Junior |
| Silver | 2016 JGP Czech Republic | 2016-17 | Junior |
| Gold | 2016 Triglav Trophy | 2015-16 | Novice |
| Gold | 2015-16 Japan Championships | 2015-16 | Novice |
| Gold | 2015 Kinki Regionals | 2015-16 | Novice |
| Bronze | 2014 Kinki Regionals | 2014-15 | Novice |
Small Medal Record[]
(Only awarded at ISU Championships)
| Type | Competition | Season | Program | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | 2021 World Championships | 2020-21 | Short | Senior |
| Gold | 2020 Four Continents Championships | 2019-20 | Freeskate | Senior |
| Gold | 2020 Four Continents Championships | 2019-20 | Short | Senior |
| Silver | 2019 World Championships | 2018-19 | Freeskate | Senior |
| Gold | 2019 Four Continents Championships | 2018-19 | Freeskate | Senior |
Sources[]
http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00054891.htm
https://www.statsonice.com/skater/Rika/Kihira/