Ayami Ito (伊藤 彩未, Ito Ayami, born September 3, 2001) is a Japanese curler from Sapporo.[1] She is the alternate on the Hokkaido Bank curling team, which is skipped by Miku Nihira. At the international level, she represented Japan at the 2021 World Women's Curling Championship.[2]

Ayami Ito
Born (2001-09-03) September 3, 2001 (age 23)
Team
Curling clubHokkaido Bank CS,
Sapporo
SkipMiku Nihira
FourthMomoha Tabata
SecondSae Yamamoto
LeadMikoto Nakajima
AlternateAyami Ito
Curling career
Member Association Japan
World Championship
appearances
1 (2021)
Medal record
Women's Curling
Representing Hokkaido
Japan Curling Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Wakkanai
Silver medal – second place 2024 Sapporo
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Tokoro

Career

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Ito competed in her first Japan Curling Championships during the 2017–18 season as part of the Aomori Junior team. Her team, with Miori Nakamura, Kyoka Takahashi and Hiyori Ichinohe, fared quite well at the national championship despite being the youngest team in the field. The team went through the round robin with a 5–3 record, enough to qualify for the playoff round. They then lost to the eventual champions Fujikyu in the 3 vs. 4 game and were eliminated in fourth place.[3] Ito and her teammates were unable to return to the national championship the next two years.

In 2021, she joined the Sayaka Yoshimura Hokkaido Bank Fortius team as their alternate for the 2021 Japan Curling Championships. Through the round robin, the team posted a 5–1 record, only suffering one loss to Satsuki Fujisawa and Team Loco Solare. They then lost to Fujisawa again in the 1 vs. 2 game, before winning the semifinal over Chubu Electric Power to qualify for the final. In the final, the team trailed by one point coming home. They were able, however, able to score two points in the tenth and final end to secure the 7–6 victory and the national championship.[4] Their win qualified them for the 2021 World Women's Curling Championship, Ito's first international event.[2] At the Worlds, the team finished in eleventh place with a 5–8 round robin record.[5]

After their contract expired with Hokkaido Bank halfway through the 2021–22 season, Team Yoshimura formed their own team named Fortius.[6] Ito was then recruited to the new Hokkaido Bank team, skipped by Momoha Tabata, for the 2022 Japan Curling Championships. At the championship, the team upset multiple top teams such as Chubu Electric Power and Fujikyu, ultimately finishing the round robin in second place with a 6–2 record. This qualified them for the 1 vs. 2 page playoff game against Loco Solare, which they lost 6–4. They then lost in the semifinal to Chubu Electric Power, earning the bronze medal from the championship.[7]

Personal life

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Ito is employed as an office worker.[1]

Teams

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Season Skip Third Second Lead Alternate
2017–18[8] Miori Nakamura Ayami Ito Kyoka Takahashi Hiyori Ichinohe
2019–20 Miori Nakamura Ayami Ito Hiyori Ichinohe Yuuna Harada
2020–21 Sayaka Yoshimura Kaho Onodera Anna Ohmiya Yumie Funayama Ayami Ito
2021–22 Momoha Tabata Miku Nihira Mikoto Nakajima Ayami Ito
2022–23 Momoha Tabata Miku Nihira Mikoto Nakajima Ayami Ito
2023–24 Momoha Tabata Miku Nihira Sae Yamamoto Mikoto Nakajima Ayami Ito
2024–25 Momoha Tabata (Fourth) Miku Nihira (Skip) Sae Yamamoto Mikoto Nakajima Ayami Ito

References

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  1. ^ a b "2021 World Women's Curling Championship Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Hokkaido Bank". NHK. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  3. ^ "第35回 全農 日本カーリング選手権大会 結果". Japan Curling Association (in Japanese). Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  4. ^ "第38回 全農 日本カーリング選手権大会が終了しました。男子優勝はコンサドーレ、女子優勝は北海道銀行という結果となりました". Japan Curling Association (in Japanese). Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  5. ^ Jackie Spiegel (May 9, 2021). "World Women's Curling Championship 2021: Results, standings, schedule and TV channel". Sporting News. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  6. ^ "チーム運営に関してのご報告" (in Japanese). Fortius. November 11, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  7. ^ "2022 Japan Curling Championships – Results". Japan Curling Association (in Japanese). Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  8. ^ "Ayami Ito Past Teams". CurlingZone. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
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