Overview
- Kushida Ikuko and Shimada Takashiro achieved a combined technical element score of 86.86 after the rhythm dance at the Kinoshita Group Cup, surpassing the 85-point Four Continents minimum.
- Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin led the rhythm dance with 79.74 points while Japan’s Yoshida/Morita placed fourth, Kushida/Shimada seventh, and Kihira/Nishiyama eighth.
- The free dance on September 6 will finalize event placings and give Kushida/Shimada an opportunity to reach the 98-point World Championships minimum if they record about 61.07 technical points in the free segment.
- Japan has four ice‑dance teams at the event, but the Japan Skating Federation may name up to three entries for Four Continents and will make selections based on overall international competitiveness rather than minima alone.
- Challenger Series events like the Kinoshita Group Cup are commonly used to earn ISU technical minima, which make teams eligible for championships but do not automatically guarantee national team selection.