Azusa Tanaka

Azusa Tanaka (田中 梓沙, Tanaka Azusa, born October 29, 2005) is a Japanese ice dancer and former single skater.

Azusa Tanaka
Native name田中 梓沙
Born (2005-10-29) October 29, 2005
Kyoto, Japan
HometownUji, Kyoto
Height1.52 m (5 ft 0 in)
Figure skating career
CountryJapan Japan
PartnerShingo Nishiyama
CoachCathy Reed
Skating clubIce Academy of Montreal
Began skating2012

Early life and education

Tanaka was born on 29 October 2005 in Kyoto, Japan. She attends Kyoto Koka Girls' High School.[1] Tanaka looks up to fellow Japanese skaters Satoko Miyahara, Kana Muramoto and Yuna Shiraiwa.[2]

Career

Early years

Tanaka began skating in 2012 after being inspired by her older brother's classmate, who was a figure skater.[3] She placed fourteenth at 2017–18 Japan Novice A Championships and seventh at 2018–19 Japan Novice A Championships.[4][5]

2019–20 season: Junior Grand Prix Debut

Tanaka was assigned to make her Junior Grand Prix debut at the 2019 JGP Lake Placid on the 2019–20 circuit. In her short program, she missed her combination due to a fall and doubled a planned triple Loop, placing her tenth with a score of 51.37 points.[6] During the free skate, Tanaka downgraded four jumps, falling twice, and doubled a Lutz. Tanaka finished in fourteenth place overall.[7] Appearing next at the 2019–20 Japan Junior Championships, Tanaka finished in tenth place.

2020–21 season

The 2020–21 Junior Grand Prix circuit was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] As a result, Tanaka did not have the opportunity to compete on the Junior Grand Prix again. At the 2020–21 Japan Junior Championships, Tanaka finished in fifteenth place after several mistakes in both programs.

2021–22 season

Tanaka competed at the 2021–22 Japan Junior Championships and placed fifth overall, making her highest placement in the event. She then competed at the senior level, finishing tenth in the short program with a clean skate despite a quarter call on her combination. Tanaka struggled in the free skate, coming nineteenth in the segment and dropping to eighteenth place overall.

Tanaka was assigned to compete at the 2023 Egna Trophy in the junior category. She came third in the short program with a score of 51.35. In the free skate, she under-rotated the first three jumps and struggled on the spins, then finishing in fourth place behind Canada's Fiona Bombardier.[9]

2022–23 season: Ice dancing career

On 6 May 2023, Japanese ice dancer Shingo Nishiyama announced that he and Tanaka were a new ice dance team and would be training at the Ice Academy of Montreal in Montreal, Canada.[10]

Programs

With Nishiyama
Season Rhythm dance Free dance Exhibition
2023–2024

Women's singles
Season Short program Free skating
2022–2023
[11]
2021–2022
[12]
2020–2021
[13] [14]
2019–2020
[15]

Competitive highlights

JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International: Junior[16]
Event 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22 22–23
JGP U.S.14th
Egna Trophy4th
National
Japan18th
Japan Junior10th15th5th
Japan Novice14th A7th A
Japan Western Sect.8th J6th J3rd J
Kinki Reg.16th B2nd B4th A3rd A7th J3rd J5th J6th J
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Cancelled
A = Novice A; B = Novice B; J = Junior

References
  1. Asano, Yumi (May 6, 2023). "西山真瑚と田中梓沙がアイスダンスでカップル結成、拠点はカナダ・モントリオール" [Shingo Nishiyama and Azusa Tanaka form an ice dance team, based in Montreal, Canada]. 4years Asahi.
  2. Gallagher, Jack (August 3, 2022). "[ICE TIME] Japan's Top Juniors Tuning Up for Return to JGP Circuit". Japan Forward.
  3. 木下スケートアカデミー [@kinoshitaskate] (July 11, 2022). "【田中 梓沙 - AZUSA TANAKA -】" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. "2017 Japan Novice A Ladies - Final Results". Japan Skating Federation.
  5. "2018 Japan Novice A Ladies - Final Results". Japan Skating Federation.
  6. "JGP Lake Placid 2019 Judges Details Per Skater, Junior Ladies' Short Program" (PDF). International Skating Union.
  7. "JGP Lake Placid 2019 Judges Details Per Skater, Junior Ladies' Free Skate" (PDF). International Skating Union.
  8. "ISU Junior Grand Prix series 2020-21 cancelled". International Skating Union.
  9. "2022 Egna Spring Trophy - Junior Women's singles results". Italian Ice Sports Federation.
  10. Shingo Nishiyama [@shinnnnn_gooo] (May 6, 2023). "この度、田中梓沙と西山真瑚はアイスダンスチームを結成することになりました！モントリオールのアイスアカデミーモントリオールで練習できることとても嬉しいです！行ってきます！" [Azusa Tanaka and Shingo Nishiyama will form an ice dance team! I am very happy to be able to practice at Ice Academy Montreal in Montreal! Let's go!] (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. Quadruple Axel 編集部 [@AxelQuadruple] (July 30, 2022). "#田中梓沙 選手 2022-2023シーズンプログラム" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. "Azusa TANAKA: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022.
  13. "West Japan Junior Championships 2020 Women's Short Program". Scramble Talk.
  14. "West Japan Junior Championships 2020 Women's Free Skate". Scramble Talk.
  15. "Azusa TANAKA: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019.
  16. "Competition Results: Azusa TANAKA". International Skating Union. May 6, 2023.
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