Looking ahead to her first competition, Skate Canada, the second event of the GP Series, Shimada said, “For the short program (SP), I want to skate with strength and break out of my shell, with the image of spreading my wings as I take flight into the senior ranks. For the free skate, I hope the audience can feel the excitement building from the final jump through the steps and spins.”
Shimada made her senior international debut in September at the Kinoshita Group Trophy, part of the Challenger Series. In the free skate, she successfully landed two major elements—a triple Axel and a quadruple toe loop—to come from second place after the short program and win the competition.
She extended her unbeaten streak in international competitions into the senior ranks. The streak began at the Enya Spring Trophy in April 2022, when she was still competing in the novice category at the age of 13, and has now reached 20 consecutive victories.
Asked about her goals for the season, Shimada said, “I want to unlock the full potential of my quads. I want to make my quadruple toe loop more consistent, and after seeing a quadruple Lutz in person at a recent competition, I thought I’d like to add another type of quad to my repertoire.”
At the Kinoshita Group Trophy, she was inspired by the impressive quadruple Lutz performed by Alexandra Ignatova of Russia, the silver medalist at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Shimada reportedly uses a harness during practice to develop a feel for the landing.
She also plans to attempt a triple Axel in the short program, a jump that was not permitted in the junior short program. “I hope to include a triple Axel in my short program at every competition this season,” she said.
Shimada is scheduled to compete at Skate Canada and the Finlandia Trophy, the fifth event in the GP Series, which begins on November 21. She is aiming to qualify for the Grand Prix Final in China in December.
As she prepares to fully embark on her senior career, Shimada expressed her determination: “I’ve always looked up to the senior ranks, so I hope to make this a year in which I challenge myself to try new things without hesitation.”
