LADIES FREE Skate

[mskater93]

Thank you mathman for the nice welcome. Do you have any inside info about what happened to Alissa being that you are from Michigan?
I don't understand why she didn't double her jumps or just withdraw? During the kiss and cry neither Jason nor Yuka were talking to Alissa. If I were a coach I would have been rapid firing questions as to what happened unless I already knew the problem.

You don't want to do that in front of the press. Also, since they have a couple year relationship, they now how and when to address those things and that was not the when nor the how. A little professionalism by coaches goes a long way!

[joy k.k]

That she had peaked a bit too early might have occured, but there's Youtube video of her nailing her jumps solidly in the morning practice a day after the short. Also, if she wasn't injured, why would Shizu offer the comment that Mao 'seemed hesitant in a way that was not related to nerves'? (Shizu was basically saying that she thought Mao was not in her best shape not due to a mental but physical, i.e., injury problem.) Or what would account for the sudden nose bleed? It's not like she crashed into a wall. She was just sitting there and her nose just started to bleed. Also, Mao's now been replaced by Miki or Kanako to participate in World Team Trophy, which is kind of disappointing for me as I'd bought tickets to that event because they had announced that Mao would be participating, but it makes sense if she needs to recover from an injury.

Mao keeping mums about injuries is nothing new. She never reveals her injuries, and they only come out years after the fact through her biographer or someone like that.

But I'm guessing that it was something like a sprain. Otherwise, her Federation would never have risked it. They know that Mao's long term health is far more important than securing next year's third spot. And I'm sure they still felt ambivalent about putting Mao in any danger, and it must have been Mao who said that she would do it. I think they would have preferred for her to just stroke about the whole four and a half minutes, rather than attempting and succeeding three triples (flip, flutz and sal)!

Yes. I saw her practice video too. She was doing great except her 3As. And I heard Arakawa said Mao wasn't in the best shape that day. I think she was too tired. She overtrained to get those 3As back. She looked genuinely confused during her interview.

I just remember reading some report said she traind too hard so she couldn't move her body at all like two weeks before the competition. It said they thought she has recovered from the exhaustion already but she wasn't fully recovered or something.

[Olympia]

Whatever happened, I feel terrible for Mao and hope she recovers for next season. We know that her difficulties weren't caused by lack of heart, that's for sure. It's unusual that someone with her delicate artistry is also able to summon up such fierce drive even under great pressure--but she does it every time. Get some rest, Mao, and give yourself time to grieve for your mother. I know from experience that it's not an easy process. Your fans will be waiting for you when you come back next season.

[mskater93]

Liza T was suffering from burn out by the time of the GPF due to all the travelling she had done, her early start to the season, and it being her first season in seniors (all be it that she could not compete in senior Euro's and Worlds). That's why they decided to curtail her season after the YOG's to give her time to recuperate and prepare for next season. Its hardly surprising therefore that she had problems at the GPF.

Sorry, but that is a problem that her team needed to have sorted out - the burn out factor. That could easily happen again at Senior Worlds next season if they don't manage her season (training and competition) properly and she DID NOT win the GPF and if she were lucky might have podiumed.
IMHO, I think this is a poor excuse in the same way I see CC/4CC as a poor excuse for Alissa - that was her team's decision to do that competition and if it wreaked havoc on her programs at Worlds, then they screwed up by choosing to do that competition. If Liza T was burned out, then her team made poor choices in the summer/fall to cause that. You have to be ready to put it out when it counts and in Liza T's case that should have been the GPF (which was her last Senior international of the season) and in Alissa's case that should have been Worlds.

[verte76]

So who won this blasted competition?

[StellaCampo]

I honestly don't understand how this analogy applies to the Sato-Asada relationship.

Sorry if I was vague. I only meant that you are only as good as your most recent 50 jumps not the previous 1000. So if the recent 50 3As all failed you wouldn't trust yourself to do one (ie 3A). I wasn't referring to the Sato-Asada relationship. Also this is why I didn't mention the 2nd half of the article about Mao's practice in Japan going well. Because that's irrelevant for the reason I've given above.

[verte76]

You don't want to do that in front of the press. Also, since they have a couple year relationship, they now how and when to address those things and that was not the when nor the how. A little professionalism by coaches goes a long way!

She had a terrible Worlds! I feel terrible for Alissa!

[Tonichelle]

So who won this blasted competition?

Gold - Kostner
Silver - Leonova
Bronze - Suzuki

[DianaSelene]

delete

[coolboogie22]

Amelie Lacoste have lost a great opportunity to convince Skate Canada that she is the best.
Even Kaetlyn Osmond have better score than Lacoste in Junior Worlds. Next year, I think that Skate Canada will rooting for Kaetlyn Osmond. It would be a better choice for Canada.

[Tinymavy15]

I don't think Mao was injured . She said she has no idea what had happened to her. She said she still doesn't know what had happened to her when she was asked why on the next day. She said she was doing great while she was in Japan. She was nailing 3As. Everything started to go downhill when she arrived in Nice. I think she peaked too soon. She looked tired during her FS.

probably another vicim of the bad ice situation.

[pangtongfan]

Amelie Lacoste have lost a great opportunity to convince Skate Canada that she is the best.
Even Kaetlyn Osmond have better score than Lacoste in Junior Worlds. Next year, I think that Skate Canada will rooting for Kaetlyn Osmond. It would be a better choice for Canada.

Very true. I wouldnt be surprised if we never see her at Worlds again. Osmond will be looked at seriously next year, Phaneuf will probably be improved under Orser. Also might Samson come back, with the wide open Canadian women she has every reason to want to. Then of course one cant ignore the possability of a Rochette comeback, in which case she waltzs back to the top based on anything the current Canadian women have shown. LaCoste did nothing to make her case at Worlds, and will have a hard time getting Canada's 1 spot to return next year.

[jiggs]

WOW, Carolina's LP already has 173.000+ views!!! I saw it was on the main site of Youtube yesterday. Amazing!!! And the Italian commentary is hilariously over the top. They are so happy for her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOf6-8lT9t0

[geoffil]

For those of us who don't speak Italian could you translate it for us or tell us what made it hilarious? I did hear "mamma mia" when Alissa skated and it sounded very sympathetic. I bet it was 1000 times better than Scott Hamilton's grunts and same comments over and over.

[johnny 80]

WOW, Carolina's LP already has 173.000+ views!!! I saw it was on the main site of Youtube yesterday. Amazing!!! And the Italian commentary is hilariously over the top. They are so happy for her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOf6-8lT9t0

I'm proud of her!! Right after olympics, she was humiliated and mocked by Italian media.
I'm happy for her comeback,,