Seina Nakajima
{{Short description|Japanese curler}}
{{Infobox curler
| name = Seina Nakajima
| image =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|12|2}}
| birth_place = Karuizawa, Nagano
| Curling club = Karuizawa CC,
Karuizawa
| Skip = Ikue Kitazawa
| Third = Seina Nakajima
| Second = Minori Suzuki
| Lead = Hasumi Ishigooka
| Alternate = Ami Enami
| Member Association = {{JPN}}
| World Championship appearances = 2 ({{WWCC|2019}}, {{WWCC|2022}})
| Pacific Championship appearances = 1 ({{PACC|2019}})
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport| Women's Curling }}
{{MedalCountry| {{JPN}} }}
{{MedalCompetition| Pacific-Asia Championships }}
{{MedalSilver| 2019 Shenzhen | }}
{{MedalCountry| 24px Nagano }}
{{MedalCompetition| Japan Curling Championships }}
{{MedalGold | 2017 Karuizawa | }}
{{MedalGold | 2019 Sapporo | }}
{{MedalSilver | 2020 Karuizawa | }}
{{MedalSilver | 2022 Tokoro | }}
{{MedalBronze | 2018 Nayoro | }}
{{MedalBronze | 2021 Wakkanai | }}
{{MedalBronze | 2023 Tokoro | }}
{{MedalBronze | 2024 Sapporo | }}
}}
{{Nihongo|Seina Nakajima|中嶋星奈|Nakajima Seina| born December 2, 1997, in Karuizawa}} is a Japanese curler from Nagano.{{Cite web|url=https://www.curling.ca/files/2022/03/2022-OK-Tire-BKT-Tires-World-Womens-Curling-Championship-media-guide-WEB.pdf|title=2022 World Women's Curling Championship Media Guide|publisher=Curling Canada|access-date=March 16, 2022}} She is the third on the Chubu Electric Power curling team, which won the Japan Curling Championships in both 2017 and 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?view=Main&eventid=5778#1|title=2019 Japanese Women's Curling Championship|website=CurlingZone|access-date=July 26, 2020}} At the international level, she has represented Japan twice at the World Women's Curling Championship ({{WWCC|2019}}, {{WWCC|2022}}) and the 2019 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships, where she won a silver medal.{{Cite web|url=https://www3-nhk-or-jp.translate.goog/sports/special/curling/jcc2022/teams/3/?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp|title=Chubu Electric Power|website=NHK|access-date=May 24, 2022}}
Career
Nakajima and her team of Chiaki Matsumura, Emi Shimizu, Ikue Kitazawa and Hasumi Ishigooka broke onto the national stage during the 2016–17 season when the team won the 2017 Japan Curling Championships. After suffering defeats to the Satsuki Fujisawa rink in both the round robin and 1 vs. 2 page playoff games, the team, representing Chubu Electric Power, edged Fujisawa by a score of 7–5 in the final game.{{Cite news|url=https://sportiva.shueisha.co.jp/clm/othersports/other/2017/02/07/_split_ls/index.php|title=全員カーリングで優勝の中部電力 五輪をかけLS北見と最終バトルへ|language=Japanese|publisher=Sportiva|author=Takeda Soichiro|date=February 7, 2017|access-date=April 10, 2022}} Although they won the national championship, the team did not compete in the 2017 World Women's Curling Championship as Team Fujisawa failed to finish in the top two at the 2016 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships.{{Cite news|url=http://wcf.rethink3.com/pacc2016/women-finals|title=Korea women win gold at home Pacific-Asia Curling Championships 2016|publisher=World Curling Federation|date=November 12, 2016|access-date=April 10, 2022}} Also during the 2016–17 season, Team Matsumura finished runner-up at the 2016 Canad Inns Women's Classic World Curling Tour event, falling in the final to Rachel Homan.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tsn.ca/wct-cct-recap-homan-epping-get-wins-as-season-picks-up-1.591505|title=WCT/CCT Recap: Homan, Epping get wins as season picks up|work=TSN|date=October 24, 2016|access-date=April 10, 2022}}
In September 2017, the 2017 Japanese Olympic Curling Trials were held between Japan's top two rinks, Loco Solare (Satsuki Fujisawa) and Chubu Electric Power (Matsumura) to determine Japan's representative in the women's event for the 2018 Winter Olympics. After splitting the first two games, Team Fujisawa won the next two games to secure a 3–1 victory in the best-of-five series.{{Cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/09/10/olympics/winter-olympics/curling-team-ls-kitami-wins-right-represent-japan-pyeongchang-games/|title=Curling team LS Kitami wins right to represent Japan at Pyeongchang Games|publisher=Japan Times Online|date=September 10, 2017|access-date=April 10, 2022}} At the 2018 national championship, Team Matsumura could not defend their title as they fell in the semifinal game to Fujikyu (Tori Koana).{{Cite web|url=http://www.curling.or.jp/result/jcc/jcc2018/jcc2018-top.html|title=第35回 全農日本カーリング選手権大会|language=Japanese|website=Japan Curling Association|access-date=April 10, 2022}}
The following season, the team altered their lineup, promoting Nakajima from alternate to skip of the team throwing second stones. On the tour, the team reached the final of the Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic and the semifinals of both the Red Deer Curling Classic and the Karuizawa International.{{Cite web|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/team.php?teamid=121161&profileid=10966|title=Team Seina Nakajima: 2018–19|website=CurlingZone|access-date=April 10, 2022}} At the 2019 Japan Championship, the team went undefeated through the round robin with a perfect 8–0 record. They then defeated Loco Solare again in the 1 vs. 2 game to advance to the final, where they again faced Fujisawa. In the final, Team Nakajima took four in the fifth end followed by a steal of three in the sixth, aiding them in securing their second Japanese championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sapporo-curling.org/jcc2019/|title=The 36th Zen-Noh Japan Curling Championships|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129182100/https://www.sapporo-curling.org/jcc2019/|archive-date=January 29, 2019|website=Sapporo Curling|access-date=April 10, 2022}} By winning the Japanese championship, Nakajima and teammates Ikue Kitazawa, Chiaki Matsumura, Hasumi Ishigooka and Emi Shimizu represented Japan at the 2019 World Women's Curling Championship.{{Cite news|url=http://wcf.rethink3.com/wwcc2019/meet-the-teams-wwcc|title=Meet the teams competing at the LGT World Women's Curling Championship 2019|publisher=World Curling Federation|date=March 8, 2019|access-date=April 10, 2022}} It was Nakajima's first international curling event. At the world championships, the team squeaked into the playoffs with a 6–6 record, before upsetting the third place Russian team in the quarterfinals. They then lost to Sweden in the semifinal, and lost to South Korea in the bronze medal game, settling for fourth place.{{Cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/sports-pmn/a-capsule-look-at-teams-competing-at-the-world-womens-curling-championship|title=A capsule look at teams competing at the world women's curling championship|author=Gregory Strong|work=National Post|agency=The Canadian Press|date=March 15, 2019|access-date=December 6, 2020}}{{Cite news|url=http://wcf.rethink3.com/wwcc2019/bronze|title=Korea win historic LGT World Women's bronze medals|publisher=World Curling Federation|date=March 24, 2019|access-date=April 10, 2022}}
Nakajima and her team represented Japan at the 2019 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships in Shenzhen, China the following season. After going 6–1 in the round robin and defeating Hong Kong in the semifinal, they lost in the final to China's Han Yu.{{Cite news|url=https://worldcurling.org/2019/11/pacc2019-women-gold/|title=China women win Pacific-Asia Curling Championships 2019|publisher=World Curling Federation|date=November 9, 2019|access-date=December 6, 2020}} The team lost in the final of the Advics Cup at the start of the season, and reached the semifinals of the International Bernese Ladies Cup. At the 2020 Japan Curling Championships, Team Nakajima once again went undefeated through the round robin with an 8–0 record. They then lost in the 1 vs. 2 game to Fujisawa, before bouncing back with a semifinal victory over Hokkaido Bank Fortius (Sayaka Yoshimura). In a tight final game, Loco Solare scored a single in an extra end to win the national championship by a final score of 7–6.{{Cite web|url=https://japan-curling.jp|title=【公式】第37回 全農 日本カーリング選手権大会 2020|language=Japanese|website=Japan Curling|publisher=Japan Curling Association|access-date=April 10, 2022}}
Team Nakajima played in no World Curling Tour events during the abbreviated 2020–21 season as there were no events held in Japan or Asia.{{Cite web|url=https://worldcurlingtour.org/women/schedule/2021|title=2020–21 World Curling Tour: Women's Schedule|website=World Curling Tour|access-date=April 10, 2022}} The team would compete in the 2021 Japan Curling Championships, held from February 8 to 14, 2021 in Wakkanai, Hokkaido.{{Cite news|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/sports/story/9084/index.html|title=市川美余さん 知っておきたいカーリング女子4強解説！ 日本選手権に向けて (Miyo Ichikawa Curling Girls 4 Strong Commentary You Want To Know! Ahead of the Japan Championship)|publisher=NHK Sports|language=Japanese|date=February 7, 2021|access-date=April 10, 2022}} The team posted a 4–2 record through the round robin of the national championship, earning them a spot in the 3 vs. 4 page playoff game. After defeating Fujikyu in the 3 vs. 4, they lost in the semifinal to Hokkaido Bank Fortius, eliminating them from contention.{{Cite web|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?eventid=6849&eventtypeid=82&view=Playoffs#1|title=2021 Japan Curling Championship|website=CurlingZone|access-date=April 10, 2022}}
Back on tour for the 2021–22 season, Team Nakajima finished third at the 2021 Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic.{{Cite web|url=https://hokkaidobank-curling.jp/|title=2021 Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic|website=Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic|access-date=April 10, 2022}} Because Team Fujisawa won the 2021 Japanese Olympic Curling Trials and were representing Japan at the 2022 Winter Olympics, a world championship trial was held between Chubu Electric Power, Fujikyu and Hokkaido Bank Fortius to determine who would represent Japan at the 2022 World Women's Curling Championship. Chubu Electric posted a 3–1 record in the qualifying round, earning them a spot in the best-of-three final against Yoshimura. After splitting the first two games, the Nakajima rink took one in the tenth end of the final game to earn the berth as Team Japan at the World Championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?eventid=7227&eventtypeid=82&view=Main#1|title=2021 Japan World Championship Trials|website=CurlingZone|access-date=April 10, 2022}} The team altered their lineup for the World Championship, naming Ikue Kitazawa the skip of the team with Nakajima moving up to play third.{{Cite news|url=https://worldcurling.org/2022/03/preview-wwcc2022/|title=BKT Tires & OK Tire World Women's Curling Championship 2022 heading to Prince George, Canada|publisher=World Curling Federation|date=March 14, 2022|access-date=April 10, 2022}} In Prince George, British Columbia, Canada for the Worlds, the Japanese team again went 6–6 through the round robin, however, it was not enough to qualify for the playoff round, and they placed seventh.{{Cite news|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/curling/news/2022-world-womens-curling-championship-results-standings-schedule-tv-channel/plizdp9cj0v0rhr9ogjpzob5|title=2022 World Women's Curling Championship: Results, final standings of Canada's Bronze medal performance at the international tournament|publisher=Sporting News|author=Bryan Murphy|date=March 28, 2022|access-date=April 10, 2022}} The team wrapped up their season at the 2022 Japan Curling Championships. There, Chubu Electric finished 6–2 through the round robin and qualified for the playoffs as the third seed. They won the 3 vs. 4 game 12–2 over Fortius (Yoshimura) and then beat Hokkaido Bank (Tabata) 7–5 in the semifinal. In the final, they fell 7–3 to Fujisawa's Loco Solare rink.{{Cite news|url=https://www.si.com/curling/news/15-year-old-wins-japanese-curling-title|title=15-Year-Old Wins Japanese Curling Title|publisher=The Curling News|website=Sports Illustrated|date=May 29, 2022|access-date=August 7, 2023}}
Team Kitazawa began the 2022–23 season with a third-place finish at the 2022 Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic.{{Cite news|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/post.php?postid=5899|title=Yoshimura secures Hokkaido Bank women's title|publisher=CurlingZone|access-date=August 7, 2023}} While in Canada, the team had one of their most successful seasons to date, beginning with a quarterfinal finish at the 2022 Saville Shoot-Out.{{Cite web|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/event.php?view=Main&eventid=7411#1|title=2022 Saville Shoot-Out|website=CurlingZone|access-date=August 7, 2023}} They then won back-to-back tour events at the 2022 Alberta Curling Series Major and the KW Fall Classic.{{Cite news|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/post.php?postid=6365|title=Kitazawa wins Curling Stadium ACS Major|publisher=CurlingZone|access-date=August 7, 2023}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/post.php?postid=6422|title=Japan's Kitazawa wins KW Fall Classic|publisher=CurlingZone|access-date=August 7, 2023}} They also reached the finals of the Prestige Hotels & Resorts Curling Classic, the Driving Force Decks Int'l Abbotsford Cashspiel and the fourth event of the 2022 Alberta Curling Series.{{Cite web|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/team.php?teamid=160768&profileid=31270|title=Team Ikue Kitazawa: 2022–23|website=CurlingZone|access-date=August 7, 2023}} In the new year, the team competed in the 2023 Japan Curling Championships for the chance to represent Japan at the 2023 World Women's Curling Championship. There, the team finished second through the round robin with a 6–2 record. They then lost the 1 vs. 2 game and the semifinal to Loco Solare and SC Karuizawa Club (Kanai) respectively, finishing third.{{Cite web|url=https://japan-curling.jp/|title=Zen-Noh Japan Curling Championships 2023|language=ja|website=Japan Curling Association|access-date=August 7, 2023}}
Personal life
Teams
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col"| Season
! scope="col"| Skip ! scope="col"| Third ! scope="col"| Second ! scope="col"| Lead ! scope="col"| Alternate |
|---|
| scope="row"| 2013–14{{Cite web|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/player.php?playerid=28805&view=Teams#1|title=Seina Nakajima Past Teams|website=CurlingZone|access-date=December 6, 2020}}
| Ikue Kitazawa || Seina Nakajima || Minori Suzuki || Eri Ogihara || Ayoko Tanimoto |
| scope="row"| 2015–16
| Seina Nakajima || Minori Suzuki || Ami Enami || Sae Yamamoto || |
| scope="row"| 2016–17
| Chiaki Matsumura || Emi Shimizu || Ikue Kitazawa || Hasumi Ishigooka || Seina Nakajima |
| scope="row"| 2017–18
| Chiaki Matsumura || Emi Shimizu || Ikue Kitazawa || Hasumi Ishigooka || Seina Nakajima |
| scope="row"| 2018–19
| Ikue Kitazawa (Fourth) || Chiaki Matsumura || Seina Nakajima (Skip) || Hasumi Ishigooka || Emi Shimizu |
| scope="row"| 2019–20
| Ikue Kitazawa (Fourth) || Chiaki Matsumura || Seina Nakajima (Skip) || Hasumi Ishigooka || Emi Shimizu |
| scope="row"| 2020–21
| Ikue Kitazawa (Fourth) || Chiaki Matsumura || Seina Nakajima (Skip) || Hasumi Ishigooka || Minori Suzuki |
| scope="row"| 2021–22
| Ikue Kitazawa || Seina Nakajima || Minori Suzuki || Hasumi Ishigooka || Chiaki Matsumura |
| scope="row"| 2022–23
| Ikue Kitazawa || Seina Nakajima || Minori Suzuki || Hasumi Ishigooka || Chiaki Matsumura |
| scope="row"| 2023–24
| Ikue Kitazawa || Seina Nakajima || Ami Enami || Minori Suzuki || Hasumi Ishigooka |
| scope="row"| 2024–25
| Ikue Kitazawa || Seina Nakajima || Ami Enami || Minori Suzuki || Hasumi Ishigooka |
| scope="row"| 2025–26
| Ikue Kitazawa || Seina Nakajima || Minori Suzuki || Hasumi Ishigooka || Ami Enami |
References
{{Reflist}}