“Our first goal is to surpass my score at the NHK Trophy and, if all goes well, win a medal.” Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi have set their sights on their first Grand Prix podium at the Finlandia Trophy
Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi aim for their first Grand Prix podium at the Gran Prix event Finlandia Trophy
original source: Nikkansports, 20th November 2025 by Wataru Matsumoto
Japanese pair skaters Yuna Nagaoka (20) and Sumitada Moriguchi (23) have set their sights on their first Grand Prix podium at the Finland event, building confidence from strong training and international recognition. Here’s a translation of their comments posted on Nikkansports.
During practice on the competition rink the day before, Moriguchi checked elements such as the twist lift, where he throws and catches Nagaoka overhead, and said, After training on the 20th, Moriguchi said, “Our first goal is to surpass my score at the NHK Trophy and, if all goes well, win a medal.”
For the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, Japan has, for the first time, secured two pair skating spots. Nagaoka and Moriguchi contributed to earning the second spot and are now in a strong position to be selected alongside world champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara. At their first Grand Prix event of the season, the NHK Trophy, they scored a personal best of 202.11 points and finished fourth. At this competition, they will also face Germany’s Hase/Volodin, last season’s World silver medalists, with whom they trained during a summer camp in Europe. Nagaoka said, “They praised us, saying, ‘You’ve improved so much!’”
Related topics: Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy, Sumitada Moriguchi, Yuna Nagaoka
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