What are Mao Asada's chances of becoming Olympic Champion in 2014?

[jatale]

"Older"? My gosh, Yuna and Mao will only be 23 at Sochi, still plenty young to teach the babies a thing or two.

[skateluvr]

I would just leave it at "Anything can happen, any of the top 5 contenders can win" and leave it at that. Mao is still a contender. She has never been out of the picture, even at times when she was struggling with a number of technical issues as well as personal issues in the past few years.

I can't believe it's almost 2014 because 2010 feels like it was just yesterday. That Winter Olympics left a crater in my soul that hasn't faded one bit. My favourite lay down two incredible performances and her amazing rival laid down an awesome SP with a few missteps in her LP. In the moment, however, I was trembling and almost couldn't bear to watch. After she finished and cried out--in relief? Disbelief? Elation?--I couldn't help but tear up a little, too. Whether your favourite wins an Olympics or not will not change how much you love them, but I know the intense feeling of wishing for it to happen. Only while watching replays could I truly breathe and enjoy her skates for what they were. I know others were devastated, and I do not fault them because I would have been, too, if the outcome had been different, not because I feel someone else would not have been as worthy, but just because we are all entitled to have our favourites and it's just human to feel that way.

There will be critics, critiques and criticisms along with the celebrations. Sasha Cohen remarked how much more difficult it was to keep track of CoP requirements while being expressive and performing to the max, as opposed to how things were under the 6.0 system. I would imagine it's something akin to being asked to perform a delicate surgery while running on a treadmill and also masterfully singing a complex song, and on top of that, tastes vary. This is why I love figure skating! While there will always be favourites, and a number of widely accepted "Greats", it's hard to love just one skater, or to pick out a single skater who can be considered "the best" at everything that matters in figure skating. It is a multi-dimensional sport. One of my coworkers says that's why he doesn't like judged sports, because they're not as objective as something like racing. And I say, well, it's what makes them even better.

I love YuNa Kim, I love Mao Asada, and I love Patrick Chan. Their faults are tiny compared to what they bring to the sport and to my enjoyment of it, and the better they skate, the better it is for me. So, I hope they continue to improve and to bring it. I've got tickets to Worlds this year and I am planning on making more than one poster.

I like them all too, very much...I do not even know where worlds is, I cannot think far ahead, but I am so jealous prettykeys. You may see several veteran champions do comebaclks. You might see the best of russia before the Olympic season, you might see Ashley win a meddle or Katelyn (ur Korean/Canadian yes?) debut at WC and charm everyone. You will likely barring injury see your beloved Yuna, the sister you'd love to have. I am so excited for you and I know we will get an excellent play by play. Do you have behind the scenes contacts? And you'll meet other GSers able to do the Wcs. Repeat you are so lucky!!!!! We expects pics of you with Yuna, Mao, Patrick, Katelyn, Amelie and for me please Ashley and number two girl!!!! Gracie? I am almost hoping Mirai is kicking butt by end of season, or that Gracie is jumping like the former YuNa Kim did. And what if it's between a 15 or 16 year old and YuNA or Mao for the gold? This is going to be FABULOUS! IF I DID NOT LIKE YOU AND YOUR UNIQUELY beautiful Avatar , sorry caps, I would hate you and die of jealousy.

For the few who can go, please remember us watching mostly on internet, lose your shyness and get great candid photos and video to upload to youtube

Who else plans worlds? It may be the last comp. where Yuna and Mao compete, and thank you Ms Keys for speaking for the mai I am suren Korean heritage folks who also love Mao as she is an enchantress 3a or no 3a, she is a butterfly. After 2014 Carolina, Mao, Yuna, Maybe Ashley, Plushy, Joubert and many others, like Chan, top ice dancers ice dancers, awesome pairs will be gone.

So as Olympia reminds the few here who will fight over Yuna/Mao (thinly veiled unforgiveness for political unfair things of the past-hey my dad fought in WW2 and suffered but never said a bad word about the Japanese), please let us enjoy the thread without the bitterness. It is if Mao could win in Sochi. Maybe we need a separate, what does Yuna need to do technically and artistically to repeat as gold medalist -or maybe more likely, get on podium in 2014. In fact, I want to know what CoP experts here thinks so I'll start it. It is not a gush/fan thread...it is a question, so we can continue to discuss the OT and honor the OP's intention and not let the fighting hijack the thread.

Yay Prettykeys!!! Youu write so well,we will have a great fan perspective from worlds!!!!! It seems far off but we are half way through the GP...who can keep up? I stay up late to see the videos on youtube as I'm not lucky with streaming, but Universal sports itself is putting up the top people in every contest, so we can see high quality (on the laptop grrr) skating...seems they learned they need to promote the sport as so many do not have capability for Tv viewership here in USA.

Can someone tell me if CBC has the whole competitions of GPs that we in USA can watch? Last year I watched CBC but did not find the GPs available to me...any ideas?

PS

Please young people, vote BTW PS, if only for the ballot questions in your state, and the all imp. congressional races and senate races, even if you hate politics, or both the parties for President. yes we should have more choices---sadly the two party lock is working against diversiity in the highest office. Lots of young american post or read here. Please vote-it affects your whole life and some of u are uite terrified of the current debt and ho it affects disabled/elderly/the most vulnerable. FS is diversion but politics is life itself sadly. Yes I will put this plea in a cafe thread -properly. NOV 6 is tomorrow!!!

[gmyers]

Maybe Yuna could teach jumps and Mao step sequences and High pcs ability for both