Wakaba Higuchi JPN
2018 World Championships free skate
It was one of my favorite and most underrated free skates of the entire season. Wakaba Higuchi’s Skyfall is powerful, nuanced, and showcased a side of her artistry that we’ve never seen before.
When she had that incredible start to her season at Lombardia Trophy, it seemed as if she had rediscovered her confidence after a less-than-stellar 2017 Worlds. But the rest of her fall proved to be just inconsistent enough to push her off the Olympic conversation when Kaori Sakamoto emerged as the dark horse.
Higuchi’s consolation prize, though, was a return trip to the World Championships. And she was determined to prove that she was absolutely one of the best in the world.
This free skate was the skate of her career so far. Everyone in the arena felt the attack and commitment she put into this program. And with this skate, Higuchi is now a World silver medalist.