Mao Asada says "two triple axels in total"

gmyers said:

Even if you don't think it's because of Julia it's a fear move.

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well this statement I can accept.
We have to respect skaters especially with mao asada's caliber with her greatest achievements , yes she is capable of fear now but only with herself not with other skaters not even with the defending champion.
The only reason behind for dropping the second axel is for boosting up her score and to balance the program as her and what her coach said. so stop false speculations with no reliable proof just to degrade other skaters just to over patronize your favorite skater

it is great that she is having good practices arty:. And for the some comments I think some fans (of other skaters) are the ones scared :yes:, not Mao.

I don't get it...If this is such a great layout with a 12 point BV advantage over the rest of the field, why didn't she use this layout earlier?

chapis said:

it is great that she is having good practices arty:. And for the some comments I think some fans (of other skaters) are the ones scared :yes:, not Mao.

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lilahozi said:

If this is such a great layout with a 12 point BV advantage over the rest of the field, why didn't she use this layout earlier?

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10chars

lilahozi said:

I don't get it...If this is such a great layout with a 12 point BV advantage over the rest of the field, why didn't she use this layout earlier?

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But she did. She used the 8 triples layout in Skate America and NHK, but changed it at the GPF and Nationals. I'm not sure why, but I did read an article where her coach mentioned her back injury she's been suffering since 2012, and how it effected some of her elements. That may be why she changed her original layout, but I'm just speculating, so don't take my word for it.

Franklin99 said:

But she did. She used the 8 triples layout in Skate America and NHK, but changed it at the GPF and Nationals. I'm not sure why, but I did read an article where her coach mentioned her back injury she's been suffering since 2012, and how it effected some of her elements. That may be why she changed her original layout, but I'm just speculating, so don't take my word for it.

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She was using the "8 triples layout" since 2013 4CC, the beginning of the year, and yes, when she unveiled it with the return of her previously-MIA 3A and even went for a 3-3, everyone was talking about what a crazy layout it was and how huge her BV advantage would be. As far back as early 2012 she had been showing the 3-3 in practice though her 3A attempts all seemed unsuccessful. Literally no one on this forum can fathom why she suddenly decided it was a good idea to once again attempt two 3As in an LP.

But if the two 3As in LP had been going well (including practice) she would have just stuck with it, right? I'm sure the reason she switched is because she failed them in competition, and continued to fail them in practice, and finally switched back. Whatever the reason, I'm not trying to bash Mao, I hope this change will help her to skate her best, same as all the other competitors.

Her layout has allowed her to make multiple errors in the LP and still score above 130 in many cases. If she goes clean or even < one her score will be huge. She just hasn't done it yet.

lilahozi said:

I don't get it...If this is such a great layout with a 12 point BV advantage over the rest of the field, why didn't she use this layout earlier?

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You have said a valid point; that's why the BV max plan is not working in a normal condition. If you lay out such a grand plan, first the judge is suspicious of your ability to deliver and consequently turns their eye on every defect. They tend to make conservative judging to ratify jumps. But as evident in the recent Euro and Grand Prix, judges have been very lenient about the qualities, which caused massive score inflations and let Julia emerge as a strong force. In this context, Asada may as well adopt that radical move to her advantage, because she will be the one most benefited, if that trend continues. It is just a tentative measure to stave off the challenge from the newbies, but against Kim, it hardly works.

Ven said:

But if the two 3As in LP had been going well (including practice) she would have just stuck with it, right?

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1. 2 x 3A LP layout is worth LESS than her current layout.

2. IF Mao managed to execute the current layout, she would become the first lady to land 8 triples in the LP and make the Guinness Worlds Records again.

3. Including second 3A meant Mao had to remove 3F-3L and replace 3Lz with solo 3F.

4. At the time of Nationals coach Sato expressed concern that including two 3As will spoil the balance of the program (as they had to remove 3Lz and some transitions, plus both 3As had to be landed in the middle of the rink).

5. In 2010 doing two 3As turned out to be a smart strategy, as Mao's 3Lz & 3S were too unstable to put them into a program. Now she can do all the jumps and earn the points the less risky way. Plus, she has 2A-3T and 3S planned in the second half (and no spiral sequence before them to rest), so using all the stamina on 3As might not be the best idea.

CarneAsada said:

Literally no one on this forum can fathom why she suddenly decided it was a good idea to once again attempt two 3As in an LP.

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The timing makes me think that TAT's advice had something to do with it. Sometime around NHK trophy there was an interview with TAT where she said something to the extent "Mao, remember your spirit and determination from the time you landed 3 3As in one competition!" And then during the GPF Mao actually went for two 3As in the LP. In the interview with Mai, Mao said that she wanted to channel "Mao from Vancouver" and feel that determination again.

Another reason bight be the chronic back pain (caused by overdoing Biellman while she was a junior). Not having to do 3F-3L & 3Lz for a while might have actually took some load off her back ( ), as AFAIK she didn't practice 3A more than usual (except for the LP runthroughs).

lilahozi said:

I don't get it...If this is such a great layout with a 12 point BV advantage over the rest of the field, why didn't she use this layout earlier?

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Aside from what Franklin99 said, one thing to consider is that it is a 8 triple layout, and Mao is not 17 anymore. The skaters her age struggle with executing 6 triple layouts consistently.
Mao didn't have the advantage of resting throughout the season -she competed at JO, her GP events, GPF and her Nationals. It's likely that, ike the rest of the ladies, she was cautious not to peak to early.
Plus, only recently her jumps became stable enough to attempt it. At previous Nationals, she didn't even attempt 3A, still struggled with 2A-3T & 3S, and failed to land 3L.

HalfTriple said:

You have said a valid point; that's why the BV max plan is not working in a normal condition.

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I'd say it worked pretty well - she broke 130 in every international LP this season (the only lady to manage it so far).

Call it whatever but the facts are this is bad news for Julia. I thought Mao would beat herself and I was betting on it. How will the judges view it though? Is it still possible the judges snub her for dropping the 3a and in turn reward a clean Julia or Sotnikova or whoever for doing their hardest layout? It is arguable that a two 3a program is tougher and hold it against Mao for not going for it(she is well known for it). We'll see soon enogh but it appears Mao is locking up a silver to me and focusing on gold second. I don't neccasarily disagree I'm just calling a spade a spade. She's going for silver with a smaller chance at gold instead of going for gold with a bigger chance at 2nd to 5th. Smart move in my book. I still like a clean Julia but probably not over a clean Mao, I almost forget what that looks like but even Ill admit it would be good to see again.

OMG!! Mao is attempting only two triple-axels?

Remind me again how many triple-axels her competitors are attempting? :think:

Oh, yeah. None. OMG!! How dare they even compete in the Olympics.

She has kind of made it a staple of hers though. Has she not? Is it unfair of the judges to expect it out of her? Probably, but....is it possible they do? Only time will tell. Even though I'm a Julia über, if Mao can skate clean and put it down, I will most definitely cheer for her. Good skating is good skating after all.

Sam-Skwantch said:

She has kind of made it a staple of hers though. Has she not? Is it unfair of the judges to expect it out of her? Probably, but....is it possible they do? Only time will tell. Even though I'm a Julia über, if Mao can skate clean and put it down, I will most definitely cheer for her. Good skating is good skating after all.

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Sam-Skwantch said:

We'll see soon enogh but it appears Mao is locking up a silver to me and focusing on gold second. I don't neccasarily disagree I'm just calling a spade a spade. She's going for silver with a smaller chance at gold instead of going for gold with a bigger chance at 2nd to 5th.

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How often do people have to point out that the 8-triple program is the one with the higher BV? How is changing to a program with higher BV not going for gold anymore?

And again, I doubt it's an easier layout either. It's not as if that 3F-3Lo would jump itself - and we all know how much the judges love 3-3Lo combos *cough*

Doing 8 different triples will locked in a silver for her plus a better chance of winning gold and with a bonus of another record from the guinness book, so why wolud she sacrifice all of this by doing a program that she already did at the vancouver games.
One triple axel plus 3f+3r is enough to end up in 1st or 2nd is the smartest approach and great stability in her program beacause she is even doing her 3+3 even in ice shows.
The bottom line is that haters are gonna hate, she cannot please everybody whatever program she and her coach decide

Li'Kitsu said:

And again, I doubt it's an easier layout either. It's not as if that 3F-3Lo would jump itself - and we all know how much the judges love 3-3Lo combos *cough*

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Judges may not like +3Lo combos but they want to be the part of "history". She won't lose because of UR(s) which only slow motion can detect. When she loses, it must involve multiple visible errors.

nagoya said:

The bottom line is that haters are gonna hate, she cannot please everybody whatever program she and her coach decide

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:agree:

Different time, but both of Hughes triple triple combos in her winning Olympic long program were +3lo combos, 3 salchow and 3 toe loop. Let's not get into the ever ending argument about the quality of her jumps, but has anyone since done 2 triple/triple combos in the long program. That is an amazing 6 triples right off the bat. I thought I had read that Polina was going to do that at nationals, but she didn't.

Icey said:

Different time, but both of Hughes triple triple combos in her winning Olympic long program were +3lo combos, 3 salchow and 3 toe loop. Let's not get into the ever ending argument about the quality of her jumps, but has anyone since done 2 triple/triple combos in the long program. That is an amazing 6 triples right off the bat. I thought I had read that Polina was going to do that at nationals, but she didn't.

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Yep, Mao did!
In 2007-2008 where she won 4CC and Worlds she had 3A, 3F-3T and 3F-3Lo in her LP!