Wikipedia

Rika Hongo

Rika Hongo (Japanese: 本郷理華; born September 6, 1996) is a Japanese retired competitive figure skater who is a two-time (2015–16) Four Continents bronze medalist, 2014 Rostelecom Cup champion, 2015 Finlandia Trophy champion and 2014–15 Japanese national silver medalist.

Rika Hongo
Hongo in 2016
Native name本郷 理華
Born (1996-09-06) September 6, 1996 (age 28)
Sendai, Japan
HometownNagoya
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
CountryJapan
Skating clubHowa Sports Land Skating Club
Began skating2001
RetiredJune 15, 2021
Four Continents Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Seoul Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Taipei Singles
Japan Championships
Silver medal – second place 2014–15 Nagano Singles

Personal life

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Rika Hongo was born on September 6, 1996, in Sendai, Japan.[1] Her mother, Yuko, is a former figure skater.[2] Her father is from the United Kingdom.[3] In 2015, Hongo attended Chukyo University.[4]

Career

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Early years

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Hongo began skating in 2001.[1] She moved to Nagoya at age nine to train under coach Hiroshi Nagakubo.[5] Shizuka Arakawa was named as an influence in a 2006 report.[5]

2012–2013 season

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Hongo debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series in the 2012–13 season. She won a silver medal in Courchevel, France and placed fifth in Croatia. Along with Satoko Miyahara, she was selected to represent Japan at the 2013 World Junior Championships in Milan, Italy. Hongo placed seventh in the short program, tenth in the free skate, and finished ninth overall.

2013–2014 season

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Hongo started the 2013–14 season with a fourth-place finish at JGP Mexico and then won a bronze medal at JGP Belarus. At the 2014 World Junior Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, she placed eleventh in the short program, seventh in the free skate, and eighth overall. Making her senior international debut, Hongo won gold at the 2014 Triglav Trophy, her final event of the season.

2014–2015 season

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Hongo began the 2014–15 season with gold at the Asian Open and then bronze at the 2014 Finlandia Trophy, an ISU Challenger Series event. Making her senior Grand Prix debut, she finished fifth at the 2014 Skate Canada International after placing fifth in the short program and free skate. At her second Grand Prix event, the 2014 Rostelecom Cup, Hongo won the gold medal ahead of Russia's Anna Pogorilaya by 4.57 points after placing second in the short program and winning the free skate.[6] Hongo was first alternate to the Grand Prix Final[7] and was later called on to compete after qualifier Gracie Gold withdrew with a foot injury. She finished sixth overall after placing fifth in the short and free programs.

At the Japan Championships, Hongo won the short program and placed second in the free skate, winning the silver medal behind Satoko Miyahara and earning her first medal at Japanese Nationals. At the 2015 Four Continents, she placed third in the short and long programs, capturing the bronze medal behind gold medalist Polina Edmunds and silver medalist Miyahara.

Hongo made her senior worlds debut at the 2015 World Championships in Shanghai, where she earned personal bests in all segments of the competition. She finished sixth overall after placing fifth in both segments.

2015–2016 season

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Hongo began her season by winning both segments in a domestic competition called the Summer Cup, held in Shiga prefecture, Japan. Two months later, she outscored Yulia Lipnitskaya by 15.12 points to win gold at a Challenger Series event, the 2015 CS Finlandia Trophy, where she obtained a personal best total score of 187.45 points. Hongo then won silver at 2015 Cup of China, but placed fifth at 2015 Rostelecom Cup, and as a result, did not qualify for the Grand Prix Final.[8] She placed 4th at the Japan Championships.

Ranked 4th in the short and 5th in the free, Hongo came away with the bronze medal at the 2016 Four Continents in Taipei, behind Satoko Miyahara and Mirai Nagasu. She finished 8th at the 2016 World Championships in Boston.[citation needed]

2016–2017 season

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Hongo finished 4th at the 2016 CS Autumn Classic International and 6th at her first GP event of the season, 2016 Skate Canada International. She placed 5th at both of her December competitions, the 2016 Cup of China and the Japan Figure Skating Championships.

Hongo replaced the injured Satoko Miyahara at the 2017 Four Continents Championships, finishing 10th.[9]

2017–2018 season

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Hongo began her season with a silver medal at the 2017 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy.

2019–2020 season

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Hongo decided to take a hiatus from skating, despite having had a new “Ghost in the Shell”-themed free skate choreographed for her by Shae-Lynn Bourne in May 2019. It was unknown whether she would return to competitive skating.[10][11]

2020–2021 season

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Hongo competed at the Chubu Regionals, a qualifier for the 2020–21 Japan Championships and placed second behind Mako Yamashita and ahead of Rin Nitaya. She finished first in the free skate. She later placed eighteenth at the Japan Championships.

Hongo announced her retirement from competitive skating on June 15, 2021.[12]

Post-competitive career

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In the spring of 2023, Hongo was cast to play Bon Clay in the summer show, One Piece on Ice.[13]

Programs

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Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2020–2021
2019–2020 Did not compete in this season
2018–2019

[14]

2017–2018
[15]
2016–2017
[1]
  • Carmina Burana
    by Carl Orff
    choreo. by Shae-Lynn Bourne
2015–2016
[17][18][19]
  • Reel Around The Sun
    by Bill Whelan
    choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto
2014–2015
[20]
2013–2014
[21]
2012–2013
[22]

Competitive highlights

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GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International[23]
Event 10–11 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 20–21
Worlds 6th 8th 16th
Four Continents 3rd 3rd 10th
GP Final 6th
GP Cup of China 2nd 5th
GP Finland 10th
GP NHK Trophy 7th
GP Rostelecom 1st 5th
GP Skate Canada 5th 6th 6th
CS Autumn Classic 4th
CS Finlandia 3rd 1st 16th
CS Ondrej Nepela 2nd
Asian Games 4th
Asian Open 1st
Challenge Cup 2nd
Printemps 1st
Triglav Trophy 1st
International: Junior[23]
Junior Worlds 9th 8th
JGP Belarus 3rd
JGP Croatia 5th
JGP France 2nd
JGP Mexico 4th
National[24]
Japan 5th 6th 2nd 4th 5th 6th 17th 18th
Japan Junior 19th 3rd 1st
Team events
Team Challenge Cup 3rd T
7th P
T = Team result; P = Personal result. Medals awarded for team result only.

Detailed results

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Senior level

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Hongo at the 2014–15 Grand Prix Final

Small medals for short program and free skating awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only.

2020–21 season
Date Event SP FS Total
December 24–27, 2020 2020–21 Japan Championships 17
59.05 		19
101.80 		18
160.85
2018–19 season
Date Event SP FS Total
December 21–23, 2018 2018–19 Japan Championships 17
55.93 		16
107.25 		17
163.18
November 2–4, 2018 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki 11
51.11 		7
105.48 		10
156.59
October 4–7, 2018 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy 15
46.54 		16
87.12 		16
133.66
2017–18 season
Date Event SP FS Total
February 22–25, 2018 2018 Challenge Cup 2
62.07 		3
106.72 		2
168.79
December 21–24, 2017 2017–18 Japan Championships 3
70.48 		8
127.14 		6
197.62
November 10–12, 2017 2017 NHK Trophy 4
65.83 		7
122.00 		7
187.83
October 27–29, 2017 2017 Skate Canada International 6
61.60 		6
114.74 		6
176.34
September 21–23, 2017 2017 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy 2
66.49 		2
123.49 		2
189.98
2016–17 season
Date Event SP FS Total
Mar. 29 – Apr. 2, 2017 2017 World Championships 12
62.55 		18
107.28 		16
169.83
March 10–12, 2017 2017 Coupe du Printemps 1
59.27 		1
103.29 		1
162.56
February 23–26, 2017 2017 Asian Winter Games 2
60.98 		4
100.39 		4
161.37
February 15–19, 2017 2017 Four Continents Championships 9
59.16 		13
108.26 		10
167.42
December 22–25, 2016 2016–17 Japan Championships 2
69.20 		6
125.08 		5
194.28
November 18–20, 2016 2016 Cup of China 6
63.63 		6
118.12 		5
181.75
October 28–30, 2016 2016 Skate Canada International 4
65.75 		8
105.44 		6
171.19
Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, 2016 2016 CS Autumn Classic International 4
60.33 		4
110.01 		4
170.34
2015–16 season
Date Event SP FS Total
Mar. 28 – Apr. 3, 2016 2016 World Championships 7
69.89 		8
129.26 		8
199.15
February 16–21, 2016 2016 Four Continents Championships 4
64.27 		5
117.51 		3
181.78
December 24–27, 2015 2015–16 Japan Championships 2
68.39 		4
124.89 		4
193.28
November 20–22, 2015 2015 Rostelecom Cup 6
63.45 		5
115.67 		5
179.12
November 6–8, 2015 2015 Cup of China 2
65.79 		1
129.97 		2
195.76
October 9–11, 2015 2015 CS Finlandia Trophy 1
65.75 		1
121.70 		1
187.45
2014–15 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 23–29, 2015 2015 World Championships 5
62.17 		5
122.41 		6
184.58
February 15–19, 2015 2015 Four Continents Championships 3
61.28 		3
116.16 		3
177.44
December 26–28, 2014 2014–15 Japan Championships 1
66.70 		2
121.93 		2
188.63
December 11–14, 2014 2014–15 Grand Prix Final 5
61.10 		5
115.03 		6
176.13
November 14–16, 2014 2014 Rostelecom Cup 2
59.85 		1
118.15 		1
178.00
Oct. 31 – Nov. 2, 2014 2014 Skate Canada International 5
59.10 		5
112.37 		5
171.47
October 9–12, 2014 2014 CS Finlandia Trophy 3
52.11 		3
101.60 		3
153.71
August 7–10, 2014 2014 Asian Trophy 1
57.91 		2
110.98 		1
168.89

Junior level

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2013–14 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
April 2–6, 2014 2014 Triglav Trophy Senior 1
57.71 		1
95.61 		1
153.32
March 10–16, 2014 2014 World Junior Championships Junior 11
51.47 		7
106.41 		8
157.88
December 20–23, 2013 2013–14 Japan Championships Senior 7
59.25 		6
117.06 		6
176.31
November 22–24, 2013 2013–14 Japan Junior Championships Junior 3
52.84 		1
110.28 		1
162.12
September 25–28, 2013 2013 Junior Grand Prix Belarus Junior 5
50.10 		5
94.87 		3
144.97
September 4–7, 2013 2013 Junior Grand Prix Mexico Junior 6
48.09 		3
99.48 		4
147.57
2012–13 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3, 2013 2013 World Junior Championships Junior 7
52.15 		10
90.47 		9
142.62
December 20–24, 2012 2012–13 Japan Championships Senior 6
56.61 		4
115.82 		5
172.43
November 17–18, 2012 2012–13 Japan Junior Championships Junior 3
55.47 		3
103.87 		3
159.34
October 22–25, 2012 2012 JGP France Junior 3
53.16 		2
96.22 		2
149.38
October 3–6, 2012 2012 JGP Croatia Junior 6
45.93 		4
95.04 		5
140.97
2010–11 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
November 26–28, 2010 Japan Junior Championships Junior

19

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Rika HONGO: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 2, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "19歳の新星が主役の座を狙う！浅田真央を追いかける、絶好調・本郷理華にも注目！". GUTSPOSE. November 7, 2015. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016.
  3. ^ "2位の18歳、本郷 「まだ足りない」 ジャンプ回転不足". 産経新聞. December 28, 2014. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  4. ^ "本郷理華選手が優勝、日野龍樹選手は6位入賞 フィンランドで行われたフィンランディア杯". 中京大学. October 15, 2015.
  5. ^ a b ""荒川静香のリンク" 金夢見る少女がピンチ". テレビ朝日 (TV Asahi). March 24, 2006. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  6. ^ "ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2014 - Ladies". Archived from the original on October 29, 2015.
  7. ^ Kondakova, Anna (December 1, 2014). "Rika Hongo 'grateful' for opportunities". Golden Skate.
  8. ^ Xiong, Wei (November 24, 2015). "Rika Hongo: 'Not where I want to be yet'". Golden Skate.
  9. ^ "Mihara shocks field, captures Four Continents title". The Japan Times. February 18, 2017.
  10. ^ "Shun Sato stellar in Lake Placid JGP victory". The Japan Times. September 3, 2019.
  11. ^ "Team Japan 2019-2020 Season". July 28, 2019.
  12. ^ Hongo, Rika (June 15, 2021). "いつも応援してくださっている方々へご報告です🙇🏻‍♀️" (Instagram). Archived from the original on December 24, 2021.
  13. ^ Valentine, Evan. "One Piece on Ice Casts Its Villains". ComicBook. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  14. ^ "本郷 理華 ｜ スケート∞リンク ～フジスケ～". フジテレビ (in Japanese). Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  15. ^ "Rika HONGO: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017.
  16. ^ Ge, Misha (May 27, 2017). "Not sure how many times i said "Again ! Repeat !" for those dancing parts, maybe 20 times or more, but she done a good job on working hard on them. The music she requested me, at first i though was a big challenge for her, but im very glad and satisfied for her hard work to take this challenge and to see her spirit of improving in it. #RikaHongo #Soon #DreamsOnIce" (Instagram). Archived from the original on December 24, 2021.
  17. ^ "Rika HONGO: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 28, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ^ Xiong, Wei (June 12, 2015). "Japanese stars debut programs at 'Dreams on Ice'". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  19. ^ Xiong, Wei (June 26, 2015). "Rising stars of Asia: Sky's the limit for 'lucky' Hongo". IceNetwork.
  20. ^ "Rika HONGO: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. ^ "Rika HONGO: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 24, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^ "Rika HONGO: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on December 26, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  23. ^ a b "Competition Results: Rika HONGO". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021.
  24. ^ "本郷 理華/HONGO Rika" (in Japanese). Japan Skating Federation. Archived from the original on November 1, 2014.
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