Russian pair win NHK Trophy
Published: 12/11/2011 at 06:32 PM
Online news: Sports
Russian pair Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov won their second Grand Prix title in a row after rallying from fifth position overnight to lift the NHK Trophy Saturday.
Akiko Suzuki leads after short program
SAPPORO, Japan -- Japan's Akiko Suzuki had a near-flawless short program on Friday to upstage compatriot Mao Asada and take the early lead at the NHK Trophy.
Skating to "Hungarian Rhapsody," Suzuki opened with a triple toeloop, triple toeloop combination and hit all her jumps to finish the short program with a personal-best 66.55 points. Russia's Alena Leonova was second at 61.79, followed by Asada with 58.42.
"I'm very happy with my short program," Suzuki said. "Last season, my coach told me the triple-triple was necessary. I just couldn't do it before and he said I must have it in my program or I wouldn't reach the top."
SAPPORO, Japan — With two of her biggest rivals on a sabbatical, two-time world champion Mao Asada of Japan is aiming for a confidence-boosting win to open her figure skating season at this weekend’s NHK Trophy.
With archrival Kim Yu-na of South Korea sitting out the season and world champion Miki Ando of Japan also taking the year off, Asada would appear to have a clear path to another world title, but will need to overcome a recent spell of inconsistency.
Japan Firm Unveils Robot Suit for Nuclear Workers
November 07, 2011
Tsukuba, Japan. The Japanese maker of an exoskeleton robot suit to assist walking on Monday unveiled a model that could help nuclear workers weighed down by heavy anti-radiation vests in contaminated zones.
Cyberdyne, based northeast of Tokyo, demonstrated an upgraded version of the robot device called the Hybrid Assistive Limb, or HAL, that can be worn under anti-radiation tungsten vests as heavy as 60 kilograms.
Lightweight Tyvek protective outfits can provide a barrier between radioactive materials and the body, but are not effective in blocking radiation itself.
