- Joined
- Jun 16, 2010
what are the signs?
Well there was the first professional competition in many years just a year ago. I think they have had a 2nd one since then. Granted they were both overseas.
what are the signs?
It must be a tough decision. Here you are, the best in the world at what you do. Whatever you decide to do afterward, the chances are remote that will will be anywhere near as good at it.
She is one of the few skaters who can make a living doing shows, so she wouldn't have to stop skating unless she wants to. As far as competing, she has worked so hard the last 4 years and is basically in the same position as underdog for gold. She may win, she may not but I don't think she will be competitive for the top of the podium for another four years because the young skaters whom she beats only on PCS will eventually get better on that mark.
Or they might not. I remember the same thing was said about Mirai four years ago. Who knows if the young skaters will have longevity in the sport.
Not the same situation. There was quite a bit of holdover from last Quad into this Quad, and the judges did a lot of work to hold down the up-and-comers to benefit them. I don't see the judges being as willing to rip off the younger skaters moving forward, if this season has been any indication. Asada, Kim, Kostner, Suzuki, Wagner are all holdovers.
This time, it will be different. All of the holdovers will be newbies, and countries like the US and Russia have a ton of Junior level skaters that will invade the senior ranks in a couple years.
Edmunds
[Karen] Chen
Radionova
Medvedeva
Sotskova
Sakhanovich
Proklova
That's not talking about Sotnikova, Tuktamysheva (when she gets over her back issues), Lipnitskaya, Gold, and others.
If Mao wants to stay in until 2018, she will have to do 2-3 triple axels per competition for 4 more years because the judges will find it increasingly hard to justify gifting her wins based on PCS for that long.
I don't see her being competitive. Even now, she's pushing the envelop and I'm not sure she will be able to do 3 clean 3As, but anything can happen at the Olympics so we'll have to wait and see that...
I'd really love to see her go in another direction and explore more artistic skating in a freer environment. The Asian pro skating scene seems to be unusually lively, and she would surely have a huge audience both in arenas and on Japanese TV (which I hope fans would share with the rest of us on YouTube). This is not a skater who should be evaluated in tenths of points any longer. She has far more to offer.
I'd really love to see her go in another direction and explore more artistic skating in a freer environment. The Asian pro skating scene seems to be unusually lively, and she would surely have a huge audience both in arenas and on Japanese TV (which I hope fans would share with the rest of us on YouTube). This is not a skater who should be evaluated in tenths of points any longer. She has far more to offer.
Not the same situation. There was quite a bit of holdover from last Quad into this Quad, and the judges did a lot of work to hold down the up-and-comers to benefit them. I don't see the judges being as willing to rip off the younger skaters moving forward, if this season has been any indication. Asada, Kim, Kostner, Suzuki, Wagner are all holdovers.
This time, it will be different. All of the holdovers will be newbies, and countries like the US and Russia have a ton of Junior level skaters that will invade the senior ranks in a couple years.
Edmunds
[Karen] Chen
Radionova
Medvedeva
Sotskova
Sakhanovich
Proklova
That's not talking about Sotnikova, Tuktamysheva (when she gets over her back issues), Lipnitskaya, Gold, and others.
If Mao wants to stay in until 2018, she will have to do 2-3 triple axels per competition for 4 more years because the judges will find it increasingly hard to justify gifting her wins based on PCS for that long.
I don't see her being competitive. Even now, she's pushing the envelop and I'm not sure she will be able to do 3 clean 3As, but anything can happen at the Olympics so we'll have to wait and see that...
The generation of Sot, Gold and Lip simply haven't had the time to establish themselves like Kim and Asada did heading into Vancouver. Kim and Asada were eligible for Worlds the very next season after the 2006 Olympics and had the full 4 years before the Vancouver Olympics to make a name for themselves while someone like Sot wasn't old enough to go to Worlds until last season and Lip still wasn't old enough for Worlds until this season. As for someone like Gold she simply wasn't a phenom at 14 and took more time to start becoming a contender. But just in the last year the kids have really started putting the pressure on the veterans and have made huge improvements so i say it's time for the holdovers from the last 8 years to retire.Exactly. It would be a big mistake for any of the holdovers (well apart from maybe Wagner as she has different goals than the others) to stay in any longer past this season.
The only part I disagree with is the judges working to hold down the newer generation. The newer generation simply hasnt risen this quad. The girls who looked like the new generation 4 years ago like Nagasu, Flatt, Murakami, Lepisto, simply havent gone anywhere, apart from Murakami to a degree but she has << and jump quality and consistency issues. Then the generation of Sotnikova, Tuktamysheva, Lipnitskaya, and Gold havent done anything to justify being competitive except for Lipnitskaya this year on the grand prix series. Sotnikova and Gold finally getting it together for their own Nationals this season for the first time really. Had someone made their mark sooner it would be a different situation, but that didnt happen.