1. Overview
Ikue Kitazawa (北澤 育恵Kitazawa IkueJapanese, born October 12, 1996) is a prominent Japanese curler. She is a key member of the Chubu Electric Power curling team, where she currently serves as the skip. Kitazawa has achieved significant success in domestic competitions, leading her team to multiple victories at the Japan Curling Championships in 2017 and 2019. Internationally, she has represented Japan at the World Women's Curling Championship in 2019 and 2022, and earned a silver medal at the 2019 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships. Her career highlights also include numerous strong performances on the World Curling Tour, including event wins and appearances in Grand Slam tournaments.
2. Early Life and Background
2.1. Birth and Early Life
Ikue Kitazawa was born on October 12, 1996, in Saku, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
2.2. Early Sports Career
Prior to her curling career, Kitazawa was involved in rhythmic gymnastics during her middle school years.
2.3. Introduction to Curling
Kitazawa began playing curling at the age of 14. During her time at Nagano Prefectural Usuda High School, she was an active member of the "Karuizawa Fire Bomber" team, which included future teammate Seina Nakajima. As a skip in her second year of high school, she competed in the Japan Championship, securing two victories. After graduating from high school, she joined the Chubu Electric Power curling club, marking the beginning of her professional curling journey.
3. Career
3.1. Team Affiliations and Role Evolution
Kitazawa's career with the Chubu Electric Power curling team has seen her evolve through various roles. Initially, she played as the second. By the 2017 season, she transitioned to the third position. For the 2018 season, she took on the role of fourth while serving as the vice-skip to Seina Nakajima, who was the team's skip at the time. This progression continued, and by the 2022 season, Kitazawa officially assumed the role of the team's skip, leading the team in major competitions, including the World Women's Curling Championship.
3.2. Playstyle and Strategic Role
Kitazawa is recognized for her versatile playstyle, demonstrating proficiency with both soft-weight shots and her self-proclaimed specialty, fast-weight shots, making her a hybrid player on the ice. Beyond her shot-making abilities, she has consistently played a crucial strategic role within the Chubu Electric team. When former skips like Chiaki Matsumura or Seina Nakajima were throwing, Kitazawa often served as the vice-skip, acting as a key advisor in tactical decisions during games.
3.3. Nickname
Ikue Kitazawa is commonly known by her nicknames "Be-chan" or "Bee-chan". These nicknames are derived from "Ikubee" (いくべぇJapanese), a popular mascot character from Aomori Prefecture.
4. Achievements and Competition Participation
4.1. Domestic Competitions
Kitazawa has a distinguished record in domestic Japanese curling. She has won the Japan Curling Championships twice, in 2017 (defeating Satsuki Fujisawa's rink in the final) and 2019 (going undefeated through the round robin and winning the final against Fujisawa's team). Her team also secured silver medals in the 2020 and 2022 championships. Additionally, she has earned bronze medals in 2018, 2021, 2023, and 2024. Earlier in her career, she participated in the Japan Junior Curling Championships in 2011, 2012, and 2013. She also achieved success in the Chubu Curling Championship, winning in 2015 and 2017, and finishing as runner-up in 2016.
4.2. International Competitions
4.2.1. World Women's Curling Championship
Kitazawa has represented Japan at the World Women's Curling Championship on two occasions. In 2019, her team qualified for the playoffs with a 6-6 record, upsetting the third-place Russian team in the quarterfinals. They ultimately finished in fourth place after losing to Sweden in the semifinal and South Korea in the bronze medal game. In 2022, competing in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, her team again finished the round robin with a 6-6 record, placing seventh overall, which was not enough to advance to the playoff round.
4.2.2. Pacific-Asia Curling Championships
She participated in the 2019 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships held in Shenzhen, China. Her team achieved a 6-1 record in the round robin and defeated Hong Kong in the semifinal before ultimately losing to China's Han Yu in the final, securing a silver medal.
4.2.3. World Curling Tour and Grand Slams
Kitazawa has actively competed on the World Curling Tour and in Grand Slam events, achieving notable results. In the 2016-17 season, her team finished as runner-up at the 2016 Canad Inns Women's Classic, losing to Rachel Homan in the final. During the 2018-19 season, they reached the final of the Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic and the semifinals of both the Red Deer Curling Classic and the Karuizawa International. The following season (2019-20), they were finalists at the Advics Cup and reached the semifinals of the International Bernese Ladies Cup. In the 2021-22 season, her team placed third at the 2021 Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic.
The 2022-23 season was particularly successful for Team Kitazawa on the tour. They started with a third-place finish at the 2022 Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic and reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 Saville Shoot-Out. They then secured back-to-back tour victories at the 2022 Alberta Curling Series Major and the KW Fall Classic. Additionally, they 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.
Her Grand Slam record is as follows:
| Event | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Tour Challenge | T2 | T2 |
| Canadian Open | DNP | Q |
| Masters | DNP | Q |
4.3. Mixed Doubles Curling
Kitazawa has also competed in mixed doubles curling. In 2018, she partnered with Koike Hirata to compete in the 2018 Japan Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, where they finished as runners-up.
5. Team History
Ikue Kitazawa has been a member of various curling teams throughout her career, progressing through different positions. Her team compositions are detailed below:
| Season | Skip | Third | Second | Lead | Alternate | Main Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | Tsuchiya Fumino | Ikue Kitazawa | Suzuki Yumi | Morokawa Moe | Ueno Miyu | JJCC 2011 |
| 2012-13 | Tsuchiya Fumino | Ikue Kitazawa | Seina Nakajima | Morokawa Moe | Ueno Miyu | JJCC 2012 |
| 2013-14 | Ikue Kitazawa | Tsuchiya Fumino | Seina Nakajima | Suzuki Yumi | Minori Suzuki | JJCC 2013 |
| 2013-14 | Ikue Kitazawa (s) | Seina Nakajima | Minori Suzuki | Eri Ogihara | Ayoko Tanimoto | JCC 2014 |
| 2014-15 | Satsuki Fujisawa (s) | Emi Shimizu | Chiaki Matsumura | Ikue Kitazawa | Hasumi Ishigooka | JCC 2015 |
| 2015-16 | Emi Shimizu | Chiaki Matsumura (s) | Hasumi Ishigooka | Ikue Kitazawa | KICC 2015 | |
| 2016-17 | Chiaki Matsumura (s) | Emi Shimizu | Ikue Kitazawa | Hasumi Ishigooka | Seina Nakajima | JCC 2017 |
| 2017-18 | Chiaki Matsumura (s) | Ikue Kitazawa | Seina Nakajima | Hasumi Ishigooka | Emi Shimizu | JCC 2018 |
| 2018-19 | Ikue Kitazawa (Fourth) | Chiaki Matsumura | Seina Nakajima (s) | Hasumi Ishigooka | Emi Shimizu | JCC 2019, WWCC 2019 |
| 2019-20 | Ikue Kitazawa (Fourth) | Chiaki Matsumura | Seina Nakajima (s) | Hasumi Ishigooka | Emi Shimizu | PACC 2019 |
| 2020-21 | Ikue Kitazawa (Fourth) | Chiaki Matsumura | Seina Nakajima (s) | Hasumi Ishigooka | Minori Suzuki | JCC 2021 |
| 2021-22 | Ikue Kitazawa (s) | Seina Nakajima | Minori Suzuki | Hasumi Ishigooka | Chiaki Matsumura | JCC 2022 |
| 2022-23 | Ikue Kitazawa (s) | Seina Nakajima | Minori Suzuki | Hasumi Ishigooka | Chiaki Matsumura | JCC 2023 |
| 2023-24 | Ikue Kitazawa (s) | Seina Nakajima | Ami Enami | Minori Suzuki | Hasumi Ishigooka | JCC 2024 |
| 2024-25 | Ikue Kitazawa (s) | Seina Nakajima | Ami Enami | Minori Suzuki | Hasumi Ishigooka |
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6. Personal Life
Outside of her competitive curling career, Ikue Kitazawa is employed as an office worker at the Chubu Electric Power Grid's Saku Sales Office.