BIOGRAPHY

Rika Hongo (born September 6, 1996) is the 2014 Rostelecom Cup champion, 2014 Asian Trophy champion, 2014–15 Japanese national silver medalist, and 2013–14 Japan Junior champion.

Hongo debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series in the 2012–13 season. She won a silver medal in Courchevel, France and placed fifth in Croatia. Along with Satoko Miyahara, she was selected to represent Japan at the 2013 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Milan, Italy. Hongo placed seventh in the short program, tenth in the free skate, and finished ninth overall.

Hongo started the 2013–14 season with a fourth-place finish at JGP Mexico and then won a bronze medal at JGP Belarus. At the 2014 World Junior Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, she placed eleventh in the short program, seventh in the free skate, and eighth overall. Making her senior international debut, she won gold at the 2014 Triglav Trophy, her final event of the season.

Hongo began the 2014–15 season with gold at the Asian Open and then took bronze at an ISU Challenger Series event, the 2014 Finlandia Trophy. Making her Grand Prix debut, she finished fifth at the 2014 Skate Canada International. At her second Grand Prix event, the 2014 Rostelecom Cup, she won the gold medal ahead of Russia's Anna Pogorilaya by 4.57 points. Due to her results, Hongo was named first alternate to the Grand Prix Final and was later called on to compete after qualifier Gracie Gold withdrew with a foot injury. She placed fifth in the short program, ahead of Ashley Wagner.