2021 Japan Curling Championships

The 2021 Japan Curling Championships (branded as the 38th Zen-Noh Japan Curling Championships) were held from February 8 to 14 at the Wakkanai City Midori Sports Park in Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan.[1] Both the men's and women's events were played in a round robin format which qualified four teams for a page playoff.

2021 Japan Curling Championships
Host cityWakkanai, Hokkaido
ArenaWakkanai City Midori Sports Park
DatesFebruary 8–14
Men's winner Consadole
Curling clubTokoro CC, Tokoro, Hokkaido
SkipYuta Matsumura
ThirdTetsuro Shimizu
SecondYasumasa Tanida
LeadShinya Abe
AlternateKosuke Aita
CoachBob Ursel
Finalist Tokoro Junior (Maeda)
Women's winner Hokkaido Bank
Curling clubSapporo CC, Sapporo, Hokkaido
SkipSayaka Yoshimura
ThirdKaho Onodera
SecondAnna Ohmiya
LeadYumie Funayama
AlternateAyami Ito
CoachHiroshi Sato
Finalist Loco Solare (Fujisawa)
« 2020
2022 »

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was reduced from its usual nine teams to just seven teams. The winning teams earned the right to represent Japan at the 2021 World Men's Curling Championship and the 2021 World Women's Curling Championship respectively.[2]

The 2021 championship served as a qualifier to Team Japan for the 2022 Winter Olympics for both Consadole's Yuta Matsumura and Loco Solare's Satsuki Fujisawa. Because Consadole won their third straight national title, they were named the Japanese representatives for the 2021 Olympic Qualification Event. Loco Solare lost in the final to Hokkaido Bank's Sayaka Yoshimura, forcing a best-of-five trial between the two rinks to determine who would represent Japan at the qualification event.[3]

Summary

On the men's side, Consadole won their third consecutive and overall national championship.[4] Through the round robin, the team, represented by Yuta Matsumura, Tetsuro Shimizu, Yasumasa Tanida, Shinya Abe and Kosuke Aita, finished in second place with a 5–1 record. They ranked behind the Tokoro Junior team led by Takumi Maeda, who were the surprise of the event. SC Karuizawa Club (Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi) and TM Karuizawa (Yusuke Morozumi) also qualified for the playoffs, each going 4–2 in the round robin. In the 1 vs. 2 page playoff, Consadole took one in an extra end to edge Tokoro Junior 9–8 while TM Karuizawa stole one in the tenth end to eliminate SC Karuizawa Club 5–4. In the semifinal, Tokoro Junior scored four points in the second end and stole three ends en route to an 8–5 victory over TM Karuizawa. Experience prevailed in the gold medal game as Consadole took three in the eighth end and stole a single in the ninth to hold off Tokoro Junior 9–7 and win their third consecutive national title. Since this edition of Consadole formed in 2018, the team has had many successes such as a silver medal at the 2019 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships and a fourth-place finish at the 2019 World Men's Curling Championship.

The women's event saw Hokkaido Bank, skipped by Sayaka Yoshimura, win their second national championship with the first coming in 2015 under skip Ayumi Ogasawara. The Hokkaido Bank team of Yoshimura, Kaho Onodera, Anna Ohmiya, Yumie Funayama and Ayami Ito finished 5–1 through the round robin in second place, trailing defending national champions Loco Solare (Satsuki Fujisawa) who finished a perfect 6–0. Chubu Electric Power (Seina Nakajima) went 4–2 while the playoff picture was rounded out by Fujikyu (Tori Koana) at 3–3. Loco Solare continued their dominant play into the playoffs while they downed Hokkaido Bank 9–4 in the 1 vs. 2 game while Chubu Electric bounced Fujikyu 7–4. Team Yoshimura rebounded in the semifinal game, defeating Chubu Electric 8–2 to advance to the gold medal game. Hokkaido Bank stole two in the third end of the final to lead 3–1 but Loco Solare quickly wrestled the lead back to go up 5–4 after six. After trading singles in ends eight and nine, Team Fujisawa led 6–5 heading into the tenth end. There, Hokkaido Bank scored two points to win 7–6 and claim the national title. Since Ogasawara retired from competitive curling in 2018, the Hokkaido Bank rink won two consecutive bronze medals in 2019 and 2020. The current team found notable success at the 2019 Masters Grand Slam of Curling event where, after entering the event seeded twelfth out of fifteen teams, they reached the final before losing to Tracy Fleury.

Medalists

GoldSilverBronze
Men Consadole
Yuta Matsumura
Tetsuro Shimizu
Yasumasa Tanida
Shinya Abe
Kosuke Aita
Tokoro Junior
Takumi Maeda
Uryu Kamikawa
Hiroki Maeda
Asei Nakahara
TM Karuizawa
Yusuke Morozumi
Masaki Iwai
Ryotaro Shukuya
Kosuke Morozumi
Women Hokkaido Bank
Sayaka Yoshimura
Kaho Onodera
Anna Ohmiya
Yumie Funayama
Ayami Ito
Loco Solare
Satsuki Fujisawa
Chinami Yoshida
Yumi Suzuki
Yurika Yoshida
Kotomi Ishizaki
Chubu Electric Power
Ikue Kitazawa (Fourth)
Chiaki Matsumura
Seina Nakajima (Skip)
Hasumi Ishigooka
Minori Suzuki

Men

Qualification

The following teams qualified to participate in the 2021 Japan Curling Championship:[5]

Qualification methodBerthsQualifying team(s)
2020 Champion1 Consadole
2020 Runner-Up1 TM Karuizawa
Hokkaido Region1 Tokoro Junior
Tōhoku Region1 Team Iwate
Kanto Region1 Team Tani
Central Region1 SC Karuizawa Club
West Japan Region1 Okayama CA

Teams

The teams are listed as follows:[5]

TeamSkipThirdSecondLeadAlternateLocale
ConsadoleYuta MatsumuraTetsuro ShimizuYasumasa TanidaShinya AbeKosuke Aita Kitami
Okayama CAHiroki YoshiokaHiromitsu FujinakaHiroshi FukuiYusuke Nonomura Okayama
SC Karuizawa ClubTsuyoshi YamaguchiRiku YanagisawaSatoshi KoizumiFukuhiro OhnoTaisei Kanai Karuizawa
Team IwateKenji TomabechiEiwa MatsubaraTadashi SatoMitsuru KikuchiKazuto Yamaguchi Iwate
Team TaniRyutaro TaniShunta MizukamiKohei OkamuraDaiki YamazakiTakuya Ishikawa Tokyo
TM KaruizawaYusuke MorozumiMasaki IwaiRyotaro ShukuyaKosuke Morozumi Karuizawa
Tokoro JuniorTakumi MaedaUryu KamikawaHiroki MaedaAsei Nakahara Kitami

Round robin standings

Final Round Robin Standings

Key
Teams to Playoffs
TeamSkipWLW–LPFPAEWELBESEDSC
Tokoro JuniorTakumi Maeda511–0483327243845.83
ConsadoleYuta Matsumura510–1432523208632.07
SC Karuizawa ClubTsuyoshi Yamaguchi421–0443526221532.68
TM KaruizawaYusuke Morozumi420–14336302221241.12
Team TaniRyutaro Tani24334222274575.12
Okayama CAHiroki Yoshioka15344323290243.98
Team IwateKenji Tomabechi061849182502110.60

Round robin results

All draws are listed in Japan Standard Time (UTC+09:00).[6][7]

Draw 1

Monday, February 8, 9:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
Consadole (Matsumura) 002010203X8
Team Tani (Tani)000001010X2
Sheet B12345678910Final
Team Iwate (Tomabechi)101000101X4
Okayama CA (Yoshioka) 030112010X8
Sheet D12345678910Final
SC Karuizawa Club (Yamaguchi)20204020XX10
TM Karuizawa (Morozumi) 01000201XX4

Draw 3

Monday, February 8, 18:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
Team Iwate (Tomabechi)0100001XXX2
TM Karuizawa (Morozumi) 2021130XXX9
Sheet B12345678910Final
Tokoro Junior (Maeda) 10000213007
Team Tani (Tani)02011000206
Sheet D12345678910Final
Consadole (Matsumura)020220200X8
SC Karuizawa Club (Yamaguchi) 101001010X4

Draw 5

Tuesday, February 9, 13:30

Sheet A1234567891011Final
Tokoro Junior (Maeda) 202003001019
SC Karuizawa Club (Yamaguchi)010110220108
Sheet B12345678910Final
Okayama CA (Yoshioka) 03001010207
TM Karuizawa (Morozumi)20110102029
Sheet D12345678910Final
Team Iwate (Tomabechi)0010010XXX2
Consadole (Matsumura) 2204100XXX9

Draw 7

Wednesday, February 10, 9:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
Okayama CA (Yoshioka) 101001010X4
Consadole (Matsumura)020030101X7
Sheet B12345678910Final
Team Tani (Tani)00020300106
SC Karuizawa Club (Yamaguchi) 10002031018
Sheet D12345678910Final
Tokoro Junior (Maeda) 220301XXXX8
Team Iwate (Tomabechi)001010XXXX2

Draw 9

Wednesday, February 10, 18:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
Team Tani (Tani) 400101020X8
Team Iwate (Tomabechi)011010101X5
Sheet B12345678910Final
TM Karuizawa (Morozumi)10002001015
Consadole (Matsumura) 02010210006
Sheet D12345678910Final
Okayama CA (Yoshioka) 020010010X4
Tokoro Junior (Maeda)202200102X9

Draw 11

Thursday, February 11, 13:30

Sheet A1234567891011Final
TM Karuizawa (Morozumi)110100010318
Tokoro Junior (Maeda) 002021101007
Sheet B12345678910Final
SC Karuizawa Club (Yamaguchi) 202030XXXX7
Team Iwate (Tomabechi)010101XXXX3
Sheet D12345678910Final
Team Tani (Tani)02011110017
Okayama CA (Yoshioka) 10300002006

Draw 13

Friday, February 12, 9:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
SC Karuizawa Club (Yamaguchi)002010301X7
Okayama CA (Yoshioka) 100102010X5
Sheet B12345678910Final
Consadole (Matsumura) 200020010X5
Tokoro Junior (Maeda)020002103X8
Sheet D12345678910Final
TM Karuizawa (Morozumi) 201210101X8
Team Tani (Tani)010002010X4

Playoffs

Page playoff systemSemifinalFinal
1 Tokoro Junior82 Consadole9
2 Consadole91 Tokoro Junior7
1 Tokoro Junior8
4 TM Karuizawa5
3 SC Karuizawa Club4
4 TM Karuizawa5

1 vs. 2

Friday, February 12, 18:00

Sheet B1234567891011Final
Tokoro Junior (Maeda) 020020200208
Consadole (Matsumura)002103011019

3 vs. 4

Friday, February 12, 18:00

Sheet D1234567891011Final
SC Karuizawa Club (Yamaguchi)010200010004
TM Karuizawa (Morozumi) 201000000115

Semifinal

Saturday, February 13, 15:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
Tokoro Junior (Maeda) 041001110X8
TM Karuizawa (Morozumi)100210001X5

Final

Sunday, February 14, 10:00

Sheet B12345678910Final
Consadole (Matsumura) 020201031X9
Tokoro Junior (Maeda)101020300X7
2021 Japan Curling Championships

Yuta Matsumura
3rd Japanese Championship title

Final standings

PlaceTeamSkip
ConsadoleYuta Matsumura
Tokoro JuniorTakumi Maeda
TM KaruizawaYusuke Morozumi
4 SC Karuizawa ClubTsuyoshi Yamaguchi
5 Team TaniRyutaro Tani
6 Okayama CAHiroki Yoshioka
7 Team IwateKenji Tomabechi

Women

Qualification

The following teams qualified to participate in the 2021 Japan Curling Championship:[5]

Qualification methodBerthsQualifying team(s)
2020 Champion1 Loco Solare
2020 Runner-Up1 Chubu Electric Power
Hokkaido Region1 Hokkaido Bank
Tōhoku Region1 Aomori CA
Kanto Region1 Fujikyu
Central Region1 SC Karuizawa Club
West Japan Region1 Team Kurashiki

Teams

The teams are listed as follows:[5]

TeamSkipThirdSecondLeadAlternateLocale
Aomori CAShinobu AotaKaoru ItoNatsuki SaitoAyako YoshidaChieri Yamashita Aomori
Chubu Electric PowerIkue Kitazawa (Fourth)Chiaki MatsumuraSeina Nakajima (Skip)Hasumi IshigookaMinori Suzuki Nagano
FujikyuTori KoanaYuna KotaniMao IshigakiArisa KotaniMichiko Tomabechi Yamanashi
Hokkaido BankSayaka YoshimuraKaho OnoderaAnna OhmiyaYumie FunayamaAyami Ito Sapporo
Loco SolareSatsuki FujisawaChinami YoshidaYumi SuzukiYurika YoshidaKotomi Ishizaki Kitami
SC Karuizawa ClubAmi EnamiAsuka KanaiJunko NishimuroMone Ryokawa Nagano
Team KurashikiKaori NobukiYuri TakaharaYukari IdoAi KawadaRyoko Kawada Okayama

Round robin standings

Final Round Robin Standings

Key
Teams to Playoffs
TeamSkipWLW–LPFPAEWELBESEDSC
Loco SolareSatsuki Fujisawa60672630172917.41
Hokkaido BankSayaka Yoshimura515429312011228.05
Chubu Electric PowerSeina Nakajima426229291841037.07
FujikyuTori Koana33524026244624.54
SC Karuizawa ClubAmi Enami24324722222837.04
Aomori CAShinobu Aota15314117281556.19
Team KurashikiKaori Nobuki0659153100134.86

Round robin results

All draws are listed in Japan Standard Time (UTC+09:00).[6][7]

Draw 2

Monday, February 8, 13:30

Sheet A12345678910Final
Fujikyu (Koana) 01001011004
Hokkaido Bank (Yoshimura)00200200217
Sheet B12345678910Final
Chubu Electric Power (Nakajima) 0012222XXX9
Aomori CA (Aota)0000000XXX0
Sheet D12345678910Final
Loco Solare (Fujisawa) 320563XXXX19
Team Kurashiki (Nobuki)001000XXXX1

Draw 4

Tuesday, February 9, 9:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
Chubu Electric Power (Nakajima)513047XXXX20
Team Kurashiki (Nobuki) 000100XXXX1
Sheet B12345678910Final
SC Karuizawa Club (Enami)001010010X3
Hokkaido Bank (Yoshimura) 020102202X9
Sheet D12345678910Final
Fujikyu (Koana)030200302010
Loco Solare (Fujisawa) 105021020112

Draw 6

Tuesday, February 9, 18:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
SC Karuizawa Club (Enami)000100XXXX1
Loco Solare (Fujisawa) 042023XXXX11
Sheet B12345678910Final
Aomori CA (Aota) 521212XXXX13
Team Kurashiki (Nobuki)000000XXXX0
Sheet D12345678910Final
Chubu Electric Power (Nakajima) 202001020310
Fujikyu (Koana)02010030208

Draw 8

Wednesday, February 10, 13:30

Sheet A1234567891011Final
Aomori CA (Aota) 001010200206
Fujikyu (Koana)100103001028
Sheet B1234567891011Final
Hokkaido Bank (Yoshimura)001020110308
Loco Solare (Fujisawa) 020302001019
Sheet D12345678910Final
SC Karuizawa Club (Enami)001002020X5
Chubu Electric Power (Nakajima) 110220205X13

Draw 10

Thursday, February 11, 9:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
Hokkaido Bank (Yoshimura) 10201021018
Chubu Electric Power (Nakajima)01020200106
Sheet B12345678910Final
Team Kurashiki (Nobuki)000010XXXX1
Fujikyu (Koana) 415102XXXX13
Sheet D12345678910Final
Aomori CA (Aota)00030010004
SC Karuizawa Club (Enami) 01201100117

Draw 12

Thursday, February 11, 18:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
Team Kurashiki (Nobuki)000001XXXX1
SC Karuizawa Club (Enami) 343110XXXX12
Sheet B12345678910Final
Loco Solare (Fujisawa)020200201X7
Chubu Electric Power (Nakajima) 101001010X4
Sheet D12345678910Final
Hokkaido Bank (Yoshimura)021201110X8
Aomori CA (Aota) 300020001X6

Draw 14

Friday, February 12, 13:30

Sheet A12345678910Final
Loco Solare (Fujisawa) 21110202XX9
Aomori CA (Aota)00001010XX2
Sheet B12345678910Final
Fujikyu (Koana) 200300310X9
SC Karuizawa Club (Enami)011010001X4
Sheet D12345678910Final
Team Kurashiki (Nobuki)000001XXXX1
Hokkaido Bank (Yoshimura) 413240XXXX14

Playoffs

1 vs. 2

Saturday, February 13, 10:00

Sheet B12345678910Final
Loco Solare (Fujisawa) 103000212X9
Hokkaido Bank (Yoshimura)020101000X4

3 vs. 4

Saturday, February 13, 10:00

Sheet A12345678910Final
Chubu Electric Power (Nakajima) 010102120X7
Fujikyu (Koana)002010001X4

Semifinal

Saturday, February 13, 15:00

Sheet D12345678910Final
Hokkaido Bank (Yoshimura) 30111011XX8
Chubu Electric Power (Nakajima)01000100XX2

Final

Sunday, February 14, 15:30

Sheet B12345678910Final
Loco Solare (Fujisawa) 10020200106
Hokkaido Bank (Yoshimura)01201001027
2021 Japan Curling Championships

Sayaka Yoshimura
2nd Japanese Championship title

Final standings

PlaceTeamSkip
Hokkaido BankSayaka Yoshimura
Loco SolareSatsuki Fujisawa
Chubu Electric PowerSeina Nakajima
4 FujikyuTori Koana
5 SC Karuizawa ClubAmi Enami
6 Aomori CAShinobu Aota
7 Team KurashikiKaori Nobuki

References