I don't know. It makes one wonder if Mao should just go back to doing her own thing. She got edge and under-rotation calls but still won. Attempt to correct technique was an honorable intention, but has it been successful? Seemingly not. At any rate, I hope she somehow finds a recipe for success- she's one of my favorites.
Mao's so far into changing her technique, she has to finish the commitment to the correction because she can't go back at this point.
As for Tukt, better constructed programs with more flow and speed would give her an edge when she makes a few mistakes (think Yuna Kim). As it was, in the LP, she was 10 points in PCS behind Kostner who got only a L2 on one spin, popped an Axel, only did 1 3F (that had some issues) and didn't attempt a 3Lz. Tukt was seemingly clean in that segment and even with a huge TES advantage over Kostner, didn't beat her in that segment. Also, even clean, Tukt didn't get a lot of +GOE.
Mao is a fantastic skater. I love her flow and step sequences. Also I praise her for attempting the triple axel. Still, I worry about her. After her second world title in 2010, I thought she would become the dominant skater right until Sochi. Still, I want to trust the wisdom of Nobuo Sato and think that Mao will make a strong comeback next season.
I'm wondering how the return of Miki Ando will affect her. Suzuki had a great year and Murakami is on her way up. The japanese nationals will surely be interesting.
Nobuo Sato is one of the finest coaches in Japan. I doubt that he'd do anything that could harm a national treasure like Mao. This isn't his first student, and surely he knows what to do to bring her greatness back to the forefront. Somehow this will work out. I have both faith and hope!
I agree that Tukt needs better programs. With time, hopefully Mishin will give her just that. My point was that she is completely capable of winning and scoring well even with her current programs because of the high technical content.Originally Posted by mskater93
I hope Asada keeps going for the triple axel. Success or not, I think this jump is what makes her significant in figure skating history. If she won the 2014 Olympics (entirely plausible at this point, IMO) without the 3A, I think that would be sad in a way -- a sad compromise. I wouldn't deny that it would help her PCS to abandon the 3A; the judges seem to give preference to the women who don't try to be "too" athletic. Still, the triple axel is why Mao Asada is part of figure skating history -- hope she doesn't give up on it.
I love Mao. I think she has achieved greatness and has peaked in 2010. I love to watch her do anything. I find her qualities make her one of Japan/Worlds greats. Japan has given us Midori Ito, Yuka Sato, Shizuka Arakawa, Mao Asada. And other special ladies. But these four WC's are in the great club. Yuka Sato narrowly missed Oly podium, but she's world class.
I am happy with Mao with or without the 3 axel. She has Miki, Akiko, Kanako to battle. And others. So if she struggles I am with her. She skates with her heart like MK. I'm happy she goes on.
I hope she DOES give up on it as it hasn't been anywhere near clean in the last two years except maybe on happy accident (she was less than 50% with full rotation in competition since the Olympics). Her jumps seem to have lost a lot of spring and many of them look borderline rotated, even her 3Lo which was her money jump. PCS has nothing to do with women who "don't try to be too athletic". Kim got HUGE PCS and she looked all kinds of athletic - her programs were designed to showcase her speed and jumping prowess. Rochette, once she established herself, also got fabulous PCS and I don't think anyone would ever say Joannie went the pretty princess route. Leonova's programs don't look particularly "girly" and she stood on the World podium this year. Suzuki added to her technical arsenal this year and also stood on the podium and her programs aren't balletic. Wagner also looks VERY athletic in her programs and people who didn't like her Black Swan program complained the balletic arms look unnatural on her. Mao would get all kinds of huge PCS if she went clean and likely even more with a 3A.
Unfortunately, I also don't know if you can really say that Mao winning Sochi is entirely plausible with the way she skated near the end of the season (and even earlier). She hasn't been the dominant force one would have expected being the reigning OSM.
Mao is still on a journey and is reworking her technique
no doubt she will peak again, the question is when ?
Mao does have 3-3 I think she still has her reliable 3F-3Lo
but I agree she needs to RID of her 3A obsession
Lipnitskaia does 3T-3T
Last edited by sky_fly20; 05-23-2012 at 03:47 AM.
Mao needs to stop attempting to put in the 3axle. She puts herself in such a hole everytime she does it. I understand the point value of it, however it she is more than a one trick pony. I love her & find it very frustrating to have every performance marred by her failed attempt at it.
Heres to a new season of perfect performances by her
Mao has been declining for the most part since 2009. She came back a bit during the Olympic year but has been sliding down again.
Oh, I hope you're wrong.
I've seen too many skaters prematurely "buried" by fans and journalists who bounced back. I never say never.
Jammers, I am always left agape at your commennts. Mao was WC in 2008 and 2010. "SHe came back a bit in Olympic year." WTH????? She won the silver medal. Coming back a bit would be placing 3rd or 4th or 5th. All those placements were great performances, BTW. She did 3 triple axels, landed them, who cares if not perfect. She is tiny...most senior men can't do a good triple axel never mind three. She was undermarked while Yuna was overscored. She could not have done any better given the music and those Tarasova programs where Yuna was packaged as perfectly with the world's best choreographer doing her programs. Wilson is a genius and Tarasova has her Russian tastes which were awful for Mao. Mao wasn't Mao but she still beat amazing ladies from 3-7th place. Best ladies Olympics ever with amazing skating, 1-7-no falls in LP.
Geesh. She is up against losing her mother. Give her time. If she can find her motivation, she will be back on the Olympic podium. Mao Asada is a skater you see every 20 years. She knows and Sato knows the points and she wants to do the triple axel. She has courage. And she has a vision of who she is in Japan's history and that is very important to her. She is not a quitter. To come back from crushing defeat in her eyes without the gold medal and to win the WC a month later shows how feirce she is. She is an iron butterfly.
skateluvr, I just love that post. All true, and all very beautifully said.
People are way too fast in writing skaters off. Mao has a lot to work on, but I still believe she'll manage it. Except for worlds, this season was better than the last one, and both were tough for her for private reasons.
Besides, any skater who manages to skate a Ex programm like Jupiter that beautifully is still easily world class for me.
Thanks, skateluvr.
Besides her beautiful buoyant movement and smooth-as-silk skating skills, Mao has two indispensable traits that many other skaters only wish they had: the willingness to work hard and an absolute mental toughness that won't let her give up, even in high-pressure situations. (That Olympic long program, for example!) This girl will not give up, and so I'm not going to give up on her.
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