Miki Ando's future?

Mathman · May 2, 2006

Here is an article about Miki Ando's fall from grace on the Japanese figure skating scene.

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai/face/news/20060421p2g00m0dm025000c.html

According to this report, not only has she been dropped down into the second funding category by the Japanese Figure Skating Association, but she has also seen a steep decline in her popularity and attendant endorsement opportunities off the ice, including the cancellation of a DVD project on her skating career.

Still only 19, what do you think she needs to do to vault back to the top? Or will she have to be resigned to watch the next generation overtake her?

MM

Joesitz (RIP) · May 2, 2006

I love figure skaters and that includes Miki. She did have one beautiful number in one of those GPs. That's enough for me to consider her making a grand comeback and showing the JF what Fumie showed them.

Joe

SeaniBu · May 2, 2006

I does seem like a really long slump she is going through. I don't know why they didn't get another coach like they did Fumie. I would love to see her stick around for years to come. I hate to say it but Jenny was doing better when she decided to bow out. But Miki seems to have more potential. To me they are equally endowed with beauty and charisma, but Miki can really jump when she is on. It is almost as though Miki just doesn't want it from her last performances I have seen her in. Just the look on her face from start to finish.

Bill508 · May 3, 2006

My understanding of the the DVD deal is that it is unrelated to her popularity or her downgraded status. The DVD was cancelled on March 29th before the Apr 9th "downgrading" and was done so due to the maker not getting "rights" from the JSF which apparently has a contract w/ the skaters. Hope Miki comes back strong next season.

Mathman · May 3, 2006

About contracts, etc., that is interesting timing. Eight high-ranking members of the Japanese Skating Federaion were just forced to resign, including Arakawa's mentor within the organization, over questionable financial goings-on involving the International Fund that supports the partcipation of elite skaters at world events.

This follows the earlier departure of following Federation President Katsaicho Hisanaga, who overspent the international budget to the tune of 18 million dollars over the last three years, mostly on events like NHK.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/FigureSkating/2006/04/26/1551434-ap.html

MKFSfan · May 3, 2006

Around 2004 Worlds, I could've sworn I read an article about Miki which had her retiring following the Olympics regardless of how she did, due to a contract with Toyota...anyone remember this? I think she said she had other interests, like modeling, or becoming a spokesmodel.

Anyway, I really hope she can figure things out and get her skating back on track. Her past season was really sad to watch. She is so much better than that. I assume puberty and pressure, especially with the rise of Mao, got to her a bit. When she's on, her jumps are great and she does have some nice spins, LOVE her layback to beillmann. I thought she made drastic improvements in her overall presentation/artistry since she was Jr. World Champion, but certain parts of her programs, like spirals, FW, connecting/MITF, need a lot of attention.

Kwanford Wife · May 3, 2006

I'm hoping that by downgrading her status, the JF will cancel her contract with Heiss and allow her to return home... Miki's downward spiral began with Carol and that partnership doesn't seem to be working in Miki's best interest. How one begins two seasons with beautiful programs & costuming only to end up a mess by the end ~ is a HUGE concern for me... Miki's Guitar piece last year was stunning ~ only to be replaced by that gosh-awful Firebird mess & again this year with the Merry Christmas music w/ the lovely soft costume to the Halloween monstrosity... such a shame.

In terms of the JF, the most successful Japaneese skaters ALL seem to go through slumps at some point... I remember that DivaKwara & Fumie both had these seasons where you'd go WTF?!? and then come back stronger than ever... so I don't worry about Miki's ability to bounce back, but I do worry about her being a teenager a world away from home with a coach that doesn't seem able to give her the guidance & skill building required....

Mathman · May 3, 2006

I think Miki was with Carol Heiss only one year, is that right? If so, her relative decline began before that. I say "relative," because in figure skating it doesn't seem like you can ever stay in the same place (except Sasha). You're either getting better or you're starting to slip.

The Japanese Federation has had a lot of difficulties with finding elite foreign coaches for their stars, it seems to me. The worst mismatch is Yoshie Onda and Josee Chouinard. I love them both, but together -- no.

IIRC the Japanese Federation tried to mollify Richard Calaghan by offering him Miki when they abrupty snatched Shizuka out of his hands (without telling him) the instant Tarasova became available after falling out with Cohen. (Quite a soap opera, actually.)

MM

Bill508 · May 3, 2006

BTW Miki was suppose to be in the Prince Ice World 2006 show in Yokohoma which kicked off on Apr29th thru May 7th. She cancelled for some unknown (to me anyway) reason. Its worrisome as all the other Japanese skaters are preforming. I hope its a minor physical thing and not a sign of her hanging up her skates.

waxel · May 3, 2006

Miki's "merry Christmas" program (not certain of the proper name) from the early season was lovely.

evenstar · May 3, 2006

waxel said:
Miki's "merry Christmas" program (not certain of the proper name) from the early season was lovely.

ITA. Her Olympic programs and costumes were a total disaster.

SeaniBu · May 3, 2006

evenstar said:
ITA. Her Olympic programs and costumes were a total disaster.

Just your opinion, SP wasn't too fab, but the LP ROCKED! :rock:

MFarone · May 4, 2006

Miki Ando's future

I watched Miki practice with Carol Heiss last year in the spring and early summer. The problems I saw in the footwork and spirals (slow, simple, wobbly edges in the spiral) never went away. She also fell a lot on jumps which really shocked me. I thought those problems were because it was so early in the season - but most of them still were there at the Olympics. I think the puberty monster bit Miki and I'm not sure she is ever going to make the adjustment. Also, I don't know how much say Carol would have in the last minute return to old programs. Doesn't the Japanese federation have a lot of control over their skaters? I hope Miki is able to pull out of this very long slump and regain her jumps and polish up some of the presentation skills.

Maureen

hockeyfan228 · May 4, 2006

When I first saw Ando live at 2004 Worlds, I was especially impressed with her SP: the clean spins positions and transitions, the one-footed-footwork right into the 3Flip, the very nice edges. Her Firebird LP was a bit of a disappointment, but she was just off a very busy junior season and getting used to a senior version of it that was half a minute longer.

I really thought she had made great strides with her guitar concerto LP in 2005, but she had persistent issues with the spiral, her weakest element. Unfortunately, she had a tricky entrance into the first spiral, in which she seemed to have trouble maintaining speed and which she bobbled in all the competitions I saw her in that year. Instead of making a change to the program, she went back to a lackluster Firebird in Moscow.

I hope she can turn it around, because she has such talent, and live, a very clean way of skating. I don't think she'll ever have Arakawa's natural elegance, but deep knees and edges, and patience can go a long way.

MFarone · May 5, 2006

Miki's costume

I can't even remember her SP costume :rofl:

but thought the FS costume made her look, I don't know, large, dumpy :scratch: . She isn't as thin as she was a couple of years ago, she definitely has filled out a little, I didn't think the costume for the free skate flattered her at all. JMO, I'm no fashion expert.

Maureen

SeaniBu · May 5, 2006

MFarone said:
made her look, I don't know, large, dumpy :scratch: . She isn't as thin as she was a couple of years ago, she definitely has filled out a little, I didn't think the costume for the free skate flattered her at all. JMO, I'm no fashion expert.

Maureen

and glad she looks like a woman now. :love:

Eeyora · May 6, 2006

Maybe she should have spent less time with the quad attempts and practiced her other jumps and spiral. I agree her Olympic costumes were awful. Unlike what we have seen in the past. Her black LP dress was lovely last year. Although I didn't get the red string I also liked her red and gold Firebird costume from last years Worlds.

SeaniBu · May 6, 2006

and glad SHE is a woman now.

MFarone · May 6, 2006

Miki

seanibu I agree that Miki is a woman now, she's got the curves to prove it! To me her Olympics costumes were very unflattering which was a shame. You seemed to like the FS dress, so that's good. By the way, when I saw her at practices last year with her hair down and just in plain practice clothes, she was really cute.

If she stays with Carol I'm going to try to see some more practices.

Maureen

slutskayafan21 · May 6, 2006

It is amazing how when she came onto the scene, and strongly contended for a medal at her first Worlds, despite finishing 4th, she looked like somebody who could dominate womens skating for years to come. Now 2 years later she looks like somebody who may not make it to a second Olympics, and may never medal at a Worlds, and is no longer the future of Japanese womens skating, as Asada has blown past her, and even Nakano is pushing her hard.

Miki Ando's future?

Mathman

Joesitz (RIP)

SeaniBu

Bill508

Mathman

MKFSfan

Kwanford Wife

Mathman

Bill508

waxel

evenstar

SeaniBu

MFarone

hockeyfan228

MFarone

SeaniBu

Eeyora

SeaniBu

MFarone

slutskayafan21

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