Ladies Free Skate

[inside edge]

AFA I can get from her practice video, she does not seem to really "have" 3A. Yes, she lands them consistently. But she either URs or two-foots a lot. Even a person with untrained, possibly biased eyes like me (I am a fan) can see them clearly without slow-mo. I also have an impression that she is not totally aware of it, as she says that the condition of 3A is good and that she did it in the same way at SP as she does in practice. I wish Mao has a coach who can say something about it and help make a decision.

I wish Mao has a coach who can say something about it and help make a decision.

[aftertherain]

I wish Mao has a coach who can say something about it and help make a decision.

Maybe someone here who can speak Japanese?

[aurora100]

What about both Japanese bomb and Zhang wins! :chorus:

Zhang has to fix that awful launch into her jumps, especially in a lutz. Instead of propelling her it stops her from jumping. She needs to jump up not try to get her leg to push her up. Why isn't her coach making her fix it now, while she is relatively young?

[aftertherain]

Zhang has to fix that awful launch into her jumps, especially in a lutz. Instead of propelling her it stops her from jumping. She needs to jump up not try to get her leg to push her up. Why isn't her coach making her fix it now, while she is relatively young?

Because her coach has been coaching her for years and if she never saw anything wrong in the beginning, she won't "see" it now, I assume.

Which is bad.

[miki88]

AFA I can get from her practice video, she does not seem to really "have" 3A. Yes, she lands them consistently. But she either URs or two-foots a lot. Even a person with untrained, possibly biased eyes like me (I am a fan) can see them clearly without slow-mo. I also have an impression that she is not totally aware of it, as she says that the condition of 3A is good and that she did it in the same way at SP as she does in practice. I wish Mao has a coach who can say something about it and help make a decision.

Her 3A at nationals looks better than the one in these practices though. Hmm...

[Nadine]

AFA I can get from her practice video, she does not seem to really "have" 3A. Yes, she lands them consistently. But she either URs or two-foots a lot. Even a person with untrained, possibly biased eyes like me (I am a fan) can see them clearly without slow-mo. I also have an impression that she is not totally aware of it, as she says that the condition of 3A is good and that she did it in the same way at SP as she does in practice. I wish Mao has a coach who can say something about it and help make a decision.

Where is this practice video, please? I cannot find it. The only one I found is this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4TlHm0lMJA

In the aforementioned video she didn't even try a 3A, and the 3F was popped again, just like she did in the actual competition. Also, though her 2A was good it wasn't great like the one she did in the actual competition, which was almost overrotated!

Her 3A at nationals looks better than the one in these practices though. Hmm...

True, that's the first thing I noticed, her 3A at Japan Nationals was textbook perfect in both the SP & LP. Not so here. But I give her kudos for going for it!

I think it has to do with nerves, as she tends to have more nerves for competitions that are NOT held in Japan. In Japan she always does well, not so elsewhere. Hopefully she can turn that around in the FS.

What's truly sad is that the international judges have been basically telling her that they like it when she presents a well-rounded program like she did at 2007 & 2008 Worlds. Seven triples, all different, with a couple of 3/3 combos. thrown in for good measure. But, no, Mao insists on putting in the 3A, in both the SP & LP.

Still, I have to hand it to her, she skates her heart & doesn't deviate from her plan. And alas it is she that is skating & taking all the risks, not me, and I respect her decision. In the end of the day, she can hold her head high.

But that said, I have to question Mao's reasoning about the Olympics. From the beginning she has stated that her mind is on Sochi 2014, not so much this Olympics. I think this is the crux of all her problems, take one competition at a time, how does she even know she will make it to the 2014 Olympiad? Maybe this is her way to take the pressure off herself, one just has to wonder...

[miki88]

Where is this practice video, please? I cannot find it. The only one I found is this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4TlHm0lMJA



But that said, I have to question Mao's reasoning about the Olympics. From the beginning she has stated that her mind is on Sochi 2014, not so much this Olympics. I think this is the crux of all her problems, take one competition at a time, how does she even know she will make it to the 2014 Olympiad? Maybe this is her way to take the pressure off herself, one just has to wonder...

Maybe she is just stubborn about the 3A. She wants to win and she wants to do it with her trademark jump. I know it seems unrealistic and silly to some people, but I think that's her mentality. Her goal is not just to medal, because there are so many alternate layouts she can try which may be easier for her to get on the podium. I actually have hope for her for 2014, because I think Mao will become more mature and be wiser about her layouts by that time. Shizuka won at 25, Miki got better in her 20s, so I think Japanese women really do get better with age, because they take fewer risks.

[Nadine]

Hmm, you have a point, but like I said before she may not even make it to the next Olympiad (e.g. Yukari Nakano). Anything can happen, she may get injured, lose ALL of her jumps, be outjumped & outclassed by another young sprite coming up in the ranks (e.g. what happened to Sasha Cohen at 2010 US Nationals).

But as I said from the beginning, I loooooooooove Mao's gutsiness/fearlessness/riskiness/no holds barred skating, which is why I am a fan of her & Evgeni Plushenko!!!!

[miki88]

Hmm, you have a point, but like I said before she may not even make it to the next Olympiad (e.g. Yukari Nakano). Anything can happen, she may get injured, lose ALL of her jumps, be outjumped & outclassed by another young sprite coming up in the ranks (e.g. what happened to Sasha Cohen at 2010 US Nationals).

But as I said from the beginning, I loooooooooove Mao's gutsiness/fearlessness/riskiness/no holds barred skating, which is why I am a fan of her & Evgeni Plushenko!!!!

Yea, I like the fearless aspect of Mao too That's what makes her more exciting than Yuna for me. She is more fearless than some men IMAO. I just wish she had Plushenko's consistency, then she'll be unstoppable.

[Nadine]

That's what I like to hear!

GOOOOOOO MAO-CHAN!!!!

[mel66]

I'm pretty sure that akiko will be the gold medalist here.
I think mao will medal too but not sure silvere/bronze.

[Tinymavy15]

I think Mao's Sochi hopes should be pretty small right now. As she gets older jumping will only become more difficult. I think that if she was going to win a OGM she would have won in 2006, when she was denied the right to go.

Yu-na might still be around in 2014 or might come back for it. There will be lots of other girls to contened with, who knows, maybe Gao and Mirai will be two of them. If Mao loses the triple axel (which has pretty much happened now) she was nothing. Her PCS aren't high anymore, and rightly so. Her SP at 4CC just looked like skating from element to element.

[PolymerBob]

If Mao does not win here, that could be a good thing for her. It will show her that she needs to make changes. I hope she does turn herself around in time for Vancouver. I won't be interested in the ladies' event unless it's a tight contest. I have no intention of watching a coronation.

Because her coach has been coaching her for years and if she never saw anything wrong in the beginning, she won't "see" it now, I assume.

Which is bad.

I am going to take a guess here, ( and guessing is all any of us can do right now. ) I will guess that Caroline and Ms. Li know what her problems are, but have decided to wait until this season is over before trying to fix them.

[miki88]

If Mao does not win here, that could be a good thing for her. It will show her that she needs to make changes. I hope she does turn herself around in time for Vancouver. I won't be interested in the ladies' event unless it's a tight contest. I have no intention of watching a coronation.



I am going to take a guess here, ( and guessing is all any of us can do right now. ) I will guess that Caroline and Ms. Li know what her problems are, but have decided to wait until this season is over before trying to fix them.

I agree. Sigh. I really feel for these skaters, because they get so much criticisms when things don't go well.

[aftertherain]

I am going to take a guess here, ( and guessing is all any of us can do right now. ) I will guess that Caroline and Ms. Li know what her problems are, but have decided to wait until this season is over before trying to fix them.

It's possible, but would Ms. Li really be the right person to help Caroline and if so, why didn't she help her with the jumps earlier on? Sure she coached Chen Lu to her first world title, but as far as I know, Lulu didn't have Caroline's "mule-kick".