Ladies LP

[katha]

But why didn't Mao get a full-time coach in the first place? I understand that Folle does the day-to-day work, but she has no proven track record as a coach...even less as a jumping expert. Why didn't Mao (or the JSF for that matter) take TAT as choreographer, for mental support at competitions, politiking etc. and get a technical coach in Japan specifically for her jumps? One doesn't exclude the other. Especially since she wanted to overhaul most of her jumps in the summer of 2008: Add the salchow, fix the lutz, add a triple axel combination etc.

As I understand it Arutunian held her jumps together, but he grew frustrated because she spent more time in Japan than with him and she grew frustrated because he wouldn't come to Japan more often. Fair enough, but someone in Asada's environment should have seen that Arutunian is a jump specialist and they would need another jump specialist to replace him. Yagudin and Kulik were fine with TAT, sure, but they basically continued training jumps the way Mishin and Kudriatsev taught them to. At least that's what I always read...

Yeah, I don't know, this is an awful lot of pressure and expectations to handle for such a young girl and I don't think that she has been advised all that well. Not that my useless rambling here is any different.

[R.D.]

So this means we may get to see Rachael Flatt at GPF instead of Carolina or Mao.

Hey, I'm fine with that!

*ducks*

[bibi]

Where is Morozov interview about Mao ? :O

[Dipyramidal]

Okay I'm expecting a big change soon either from Mao or from JSF.

[figurejennah]

Miki ANDO JPN
tes=58.23
pcs=57.52
ded.=1
lp=114.75
total comp.=171.93
place=1st

Mao ASADA JPN
tes=40.06
pcs=59.28
ded.=1
lp=98.34
total comp.=150.28


I just watched Mao's performance, and it was absolutely the worst performance of the season, not just hers, but all other's included. I cannot believe that she was the 2008 world champion, she doesn't even seem like the same person. Also, what I don't understand is how could her PCS be 59.28, when she basically messed up the ENTIRE program? Looking at Miki's protocols, Miki's tes is 18 points higher than Mao's (40.06), but somehow Mao's pcs is higher than Miki's??? This is absolutely suspicious to me, and I cannot accept it. It is true that 98.34 is a low score for Mao, but honestly, her score should have been somewhere around 80s, not 90s. Even in the short program, her tes was the 8th highest (I think?), but her pcs was the 1st highest. Mao definitely is a talented skater, but this kind of favoring really upsets me. I want all the skaters to be treated fairly, and Mao shouldn't be a special exception.

[ks777]

But why didn't Mao get a full-time coach in the first place? I understand that Folle does the day-to-day work, but she has no proven track record as a coach...even less as a jumping expert. Why didn't Mao (or the JSF for that matter) take TAT as choreographer, for mental support at competitions, politiking etc. and get a technical coach in Japan specifically for her jumps? One doesn't exclude the other. Especially since she wanted to overhaul most of her jumps in the summer of 2008: Add the salchow, fix the lutz, add a triple axel combination etc.

As I understand it Arutunian held her jumps together, but he grew frustrated because she spent more time in Japan than with him and she grew frustrated because he wouldn't come to Japan more often. Fair enough, but someone in Asada's environment should have seen that Arutunian is a jump specialist and they would need another jump specialist to replace him. Yagudin and Kulik were fine with TAT, sure, but they basically continued training jumps the way Mishin and Kudriatsev taught them to. At least that's what I always read...

Yeah, I don't know, this is an awful lot of pressure and expectations to handle for such a young girl and I don't think that she has been advised all that well. Not that my useless rambling here is any different.

Because Mao won the world championships without a coach and probably thought she was good enough to coach herself with her mom's help.. what a bad idea it turned out to be. She should just go back to Arutunian.

[Dipyramidal]

Because Mao won the world championships without a coach and probably thought she was good enough to coach herself with her mom's help.. what a bad idea it turned out to be. She should just go back to Arutunian.

I think she might but Mao doesn't wan to live by herself, so it'll be lonely for her living in America and also Arutunian doesn't like to go to Japan..... I hope Lee Barkell would coach Mao. He helped so many people with their jumps. Mao has like 3 months to get in together and possibly win the olympics.

[katha]

Because Mao won the world championships without a coach and probably thought she was good enough to coach herself with her mom's help.. what a bad idea it turned out to be. She should just go back to Arutunian.

Well, they should have seen that these were probably still the remnants of RA's work. And she was skating better because she was no longer homesick and the personal friction between her and her coach was removed. IMO it was clear that she and Arutunian didn't get along anymore, so ending that coaching arrangement was probably a good idea. But he should have been replaced with someone whose technical knowledge was just as sound.

[bmelanie]

Mao ASADA JPN
tes=40.06
pcs=59.28
ded.=1
lp=98.34
total comp.=150.28


I just watched Mao's performance, and it was absolutely the worst performance of the season, not just hers, but all other's included. I cannot believe that she was the 2008 world champion, she doesn't even seem like the same person. Also, what I don't understand is how could her PCS be 59.28, when she basically messed up the ENTIRE program? Looking at Miki's protocols, Miki's tes is 18 points higher than Mao's (40.06), but somehow Mao's pcs is higher than Miki's??? This is absolutely suspicious to me, and I cannot accept it. It is true that 98.34 is a low score for Mao, but honestly, her score should have been somewhere around 80s, not 90s. Even in the short program, her tes was the 8th highest (I think?), but her pcs was the 1st highest. Mao definitely is a talented skater, but this kind of favoring really upsets me. I want all the skaters to be treated fairly, and Mao shouldn't be a special exception.

as bad as I feel for Mao, ITA - her PCS is through the roof. It's what some skaters get for a clean program and a standing ovation for chrissakes. Funny how no one comments on it (and everyone always harps on Yuna for getting high PCS...at least when she gets them her programs are well executed)

[R.D.]

Mao ASADA JPN
tes=40.06
pcs=59.28
ded.=1
lp=98.34
total comp.=150.28


I just watched Mao's performance, and it was absolutely the worst performance of the season, not just hers, but all other's included. I cannot believe that she was the 2008 world champion, she doesn't even seem like the same person. Also, what I don't understand is how could her PCS be 59.28, when she basically messed up the ENTIRE program? Looking at Miki's protocols, Miki's tes is 18 points higher than Mao's (40.06), but somehow Mao's pcs is higher than Miki's??? This is absolutely suspicious to me, and I cannot accept it. It is true that 98.34 is a low score for Mao, but honestly, her score should have been somewhere around 80s, not 90s. Even in the short program, her tes was the 8th highest (I think?), but her pcs was the 1st highest. Mao definitely is a talented skater, but this kind of favoring really upsets me. I want all the skaters to be treated fairly, and Mao shouldn't be a special exception.

Perhaps if she continues to struggle her presentation scores will match accordingly (like Meissner last season)

[ilunga1965]

Mao ASADA JPN
tes=40.06
pcs=59.28
ded.=1
lp=98.34
total comp.=150.28


I just watched Mao's performance, and it was absolutely the worst performance of the season, not just hers, but all other's included. I cannot believe that she was the 2008 world champion, she doesn't even seem like the same person. Also, what I don't understand is how could her PCS be 59.28, when she basically messed up the ENTIRE program? Looking at Miki's protocols, Miki's tes is 18 points higher than Mao's (40.06), but somehow Mao's pcs is higher than Miki's??? This is absolutely suspicious to me, and I cannot accept it. It is true that 98.34 is a low score for Mao, but honestly, her score should have been somewhere around 80s, not 90s. Even in the short program, her tes was the 8th highest (I think?), but her pcs was the 1st highest. Mao definitely is a talented skater, but this kind of favoring really upsets me. I want all the skaters to be treated fairly, and Mao shouldn't be a special exception.

Yeah...her pcs score was the highest both in the sp and in the lp even though her tes was the 8th highest in sp and the 7th highest in lp. I feel a bit sorry for the other ladies.

[wonderlen3000]

Maybe go to Brian Boinito. It will be battle of the Brains all over again.
Seriously, maybe she could learn to be relax and more artistic from skating with A.Cizney.

[DarkestMoon]

Maybe go to Brian Boinito. It will be battle of the Brains all over again.
Seriously, maybe she could learn to be relax and more artistic from skating with A.Cizney.

It would be interesting for her to go to Brian Boitano, but I don't know if he wants to coach her since he is committed to Alissa.

[Enthusiast]

Alissa Czisny! I hope she defends her U.S. title again, out of all the most uninteresting US girls right now, sure she's inconsistent and is all over the place but I cannot simply imagine Rachael Flatt or Caroline Zhang win US Nats, as well as all the other non thrilling US ladies today. Go Alissa!

[Phoenix347]

I think perhaps Mao's schedule was really hard on her. 3 competition in a month? Two tough GP back to back? It had to be hard on her. She probably didn't even get to go back to Japan between TEB and Rostelecom Cup (pretty sure she didn't. I think I understand why she did win the PCS portion of the FS. She was still very graceful and artistic in her presentation. How her arms move and how she holds the spirals are a marvel to watch. She just had some difficulties with the technical portion of the skate. She must be exhausted, both physically and mentally, from the harsh schedule. Did she have any say in the GP assignments? Perhaps ISU should try to avoid back to back GP's for any given skater, especially a skater who had skated just a couple of weeks before her first GP event.

What Tarasova said was very interesting. It's almost as if she was trying to distance herself from Mao's results. Like as if she's trying to save her face. However, I think perhaps Mao should never have gotten a part time coach. How can you give it your all with a part time coach? As someone said already perhaps her winning 2008 Worlds without a coach convince her that she didn't need a full time coach... that she would do just fine with a part time consultant. Also, she should have selected someone, even a consultant, that she could communicate effectively without a translator. Maybe Tarasova is saying these things because she realizes that her affiliation with Mao is likely to come to an end soon.

As for Mao, it was very heartbreaking to see her suffer so much in the Kiss and Cry area. She was so deflated after the FS... her shoulders were limp and even her skate go get off the ice was limp. To me it seem as if Tarasova didn't even really try to give Mao any comfort.

As some have already said, you cannot completely dismiss Mao's chances just because of this showing in Moscow. She still has many of the wonderful qualities that made her a world champion. The soft lines, her gorgeous posture; her hands seem to caress the air as she glides over the ice. She just need to fixed a couple of technical issues and bam, she'll be contending for the gold again. She might need to go back to Arutunian and even commit to training in the US if she really wants to win gold at Vancouver. It would be a shame to see such a wonderful skater compete poorly at the Olympics. However, I do think she'll figure these problems out and give a glorious Olympics to remember. She is a world champion, after all.

Edit:

Alissa Czisny! I hope she defends her U.S. title again, out of all the most uninteresting US girls right now, sure she's inconsistent and is all over the place but I cannot simply imagine Rachael Flatt or Caroline Zhang win US Nats, as well as all the other non thrilling US ladies today. Go Alissa!

I think Ashley Wagner might have a good chance to win the US title. She looked pretty good today even if she had some UR's and a flutz. At this rate Czisny may not even make it to the Olympic squad. That will also depend on how Cohen's comeback pans out. Hopefully Cohen will actually skate at Skate America next month. US women's championships should prove very interesting.