Mao Shimada wins senior debut with 231.32 and a technical milestone

Japan’s Mao Shimada won the Kinoshita Group Cup in Tokyo on 6 September in her first senior international competition. The 17-year-old posted a personal best of 231.32 points, opening the 2026–27 season with a title against a high-calibre field.

Shimada finished more than ten points ahead of Beijing 2022 silver medallist Alexandra Ignatova, who scored 221.06. Anna Frolova took bronze with 207.86, while Milano Cortina 2026 bronze medallist Ami Nakai placed fourth on 207.72.

The defining moment came in the free skate, where Shimada became the first Japanese senior woman to land a triple Axel and a quadruple toe loop in the same programme. The result carries extra weight because she entered the senior ranks unbeaten after winning all 39 junior competitions she contested.

For clubs, event organisers and venue operators, performances like this underline how consistent real ice, stable refrigeration and careful rink preparation support elite sport. Napapiri has worked with real ice since 1993, and we know that a reliable surface allows athletes to compete safely and precisely. Source: Olympics.com.