Kaori Sakamoto: “I’ve realized that I was being too relaxed in my training sessions during the off-season. It’s like I was ‘Rapunzel,’ secluded and unaware of the outside world.”
Kaori Sakamoto kicked off her final competitive season at the Challenger Series Kinoshita Cup, finishing second overall with a total score of 203.64 points.
original source: Nikkansports, September 6th, 2025 by Fujizuka Daisuke / Hochi News
The Challenger Series Kinoshita Cup, held at the Kansai Airport Ice Arena in Osaka, marked the start of Kaori Sakamoto’s farewell season. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on Nikkansports and Hochi News.
The Japanese figure skating star, a three-time World Champion and 2022 Olympic bronze medalist, scored 65.25 points in the short program, placing fourth, before climbing to second overall with 138.39 points in the free skate for a total score of 203.64.
In her SP performance, Sakamoto successfully landed her opening triple lutz and double axel but faltered on her planned triple flip-triple toe loop combination, executing just a double flip. This error cost her approximately 10 points. “It was within expectations,” Sakamoto admitted candidly. “Even in practice, the triple-triple combination had been a challenge. I didn’t come here expecting perfection, but I wanted to use this event to gauge my current condition. Although I wasn’t able to deliver my best, this was an opportunity to push the reset button and move forward.”
She described the competition as a rehearsal for the more intense season beginning in October, adding that she felt she had finally switched into “competition mode.” Sakamoto noted her need to address the nerves that accompany pressure-filled moments: “Even under pressure, I need to perform at my best. This competition has helped me take the first step in that direction.”
In her free skate to Hymne à l’amour, Sakamoto recovered from the short program setback to earn 138.39 points, securing second place overall. While she executed clean elements such as a double axel and several jumps, some errors lingered. She mistakenly repeated three double toe loops, exceeding the allowed limit, which coach Sonoko Nakano pointed out afterward, noting, “Did you realize you attempted three double toe loops?” To this, Sakamoto humorously replied rinkside, “I totally messed up!”
Reflecting on her performance, Sakamoto expressed both humility and determination: “I’ve realized that I was being too relaxed in my training sessions during the off-season. It’s like I was ‘Rapunzel,’ secluded and unaware of the outside world.” Comparing herself to the Disney character, trapped in her tower, she found humor in her self-assessment but also pledged to step up her efforts for the season ahead.
Sakamoto will next compete at the first Grand Prix event of the season in France from October 17 to 19. Looking ahead, she said, “I have enough time to work on improvements. Whether I rise or fall depends on the quality of my training. I want to make sure I’m fully prepared and have no regrets for the next competition.”
While satisfied with having identified key areas for improvement, Sakamoto emphasized her commitment to refining her program after this event: “We already brushed up the choreography once before this competition, and we’ll do so more intensively now. My goal is to enhance both my ability to express the emotions behind the program and to improve the consistency of my jumps.”
Related topics: Kaori Sakamoto
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