21 February 2024

Japan junior women on a mission to join a club led by Eve Muirhead

Few have made it to consecutive finals at the world junior curling championships, even fewer have made it three times.

Scotland’s Eve Muirhead’s junior career is the most decorated one in global curling history. She won four titles in five years — from 2007 to 2011 —, taking a junior sabbatical because of the Winter Olympic Games in 2010.

Scotland’s Eve Muirhead, who won four titles in five years — from 2007 to 2011 —, taking a junior sabbatical because of the Winter Olympic Games in 2010, is the most notable female athlete to make it to three finals with teammate Sarah MacIntyre.

The most recent player to make three finals was Canada’s Karlee Burgess between 2018 and 2020, who also won five medals in five years at the championships. Matilda Mattsson’s whole Sweden rink would achieve the same feat between 2000 and 2002 unchanged.

Ueno Yui and Miura Yuina will be aiming to join that illustrious group, being part of the Japanese women’s team competing at the 2024 edition in Lohja, Finland.

Ueno is ready to line up at her fifth championship, first competing in 2016 at the age of 13. In 2020 in Krasnoyarsk she was part of Yamamoto Sae’s rink that finished fourth.

Following the 2021 cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ueno was joined by Miura on Yamamoto’s winning team for 2022, the nation’s first world title.

With their skip graduating, Miura stepped in as skip in 2023, taking her quartet to the silver medal.

Now, Ueno will play alternate and Miura is second on Winter Youth Olympic Games medallist Tabata Momoha’s rink with third Nihira Miku and lead Nakajima Mikoto.

Japan has emerged as one of the top women’s curling nations as a result and once again, the players find themselves among the favourites. However, the more experienced members of the team have acknowledged it is a time of transition.

“Yes, we won gold and silver medals in the past two years, but we have changed and are a completely different team,” said Ueno.

“We are going into this competition as challengers.

“I am sure that the new members will play without pressure, and I hope everyone will enjoy the competition.”

Their continuous success can be attributed to many things including the year-round access to ice and having opportunities to train and compete abroad. However, chemistry is key.

“We need to build effective communication in a short period of time, which I sometimes find difficult, but it is also interesting because I make new discoveries by playing with different curlers,” said Miura.

Ueno added, “I feel that it is important for everyone to be on the same page and to work toward the same goal.”

There is a consensus between the pair that their previous teammates were very jovial. It’s clear that having fun was a large part of how they successfully played and how they socialised off the ice. With Nihira, Tabata and Nakajima it is not that same dynamic – but yet one they agree is still positive for success.

“This time, we have a group of all-rounders who have high technical skills and can play in any position,” said Ueno, who recently was crowned national champion at elite level in Japan.

“This time, each member of the team is very talented and reassuring,” added Miura.

“It is exciting to watch them play at a high level with an excellent sense of weight.

“Also there is good communication between the front and back ends.”

Technical tenacity may be the difference between gold and silver in the 2024 final, where the likes of defending champions Scotland – skipped by last year’s third Robyn Munro – and the consistent Norway and Switzerland, are back with similar rinks.

The versatility can be found on and off the bench. Miura is one of the great minds in the competition, while Ueno, the most experienced member of the team, will be an analytical eye off the ice.

“Last time as the skip, she supported the team with her fast ice reading, accurate line calls, and good shots,” said Ueno about Miura.

“I believe she will be able to support us in any position, drawing on her experience from the past two competitions.”

To join that three-in-a-row club, you have to be a special type of player, but most importantly, you have to have a special team. Between the new ambitious students joining the rink this year and the experience of Ueno and Miura, Japan’s transitional year could bring even more silverware.

Engage with the World Curling Federation during the World Junior Curling Championships 2024 on TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook, and Weibo and by searching the hashtags #WJCC and #curling