If mao want to rightfully beat Yuna, she need to have a lot to work on. She need to have more choregraphy, difficult transition in and out of her jump. she need to learn how to interpret the music and acting when she skate. She need to do the real 3A, not the triple salchow with pre-rotation to pretent like a 3A.
I agree. I have to admit the long Yuna-mao 'rivalry' (is it really still?) has kept us fans completely thrilled.
Objectively, here is what I see in them - I mean, thing's I'd like to see in the skaters in the future. Given how technically superb they both are, in their own unique, distinctive ways, I know I'm already asking for far too much. But there you go.
Yuna:
- 3 Loop: I know she included this jump in the past until COR 2007? and I remember it being textbook, just like all other jumps she does in her routines. I know that she had had a massive fall on this jump/going to the boards in the SP in juniors (I remember the 05 world?); and I hear that this is one of her least favourite jumps. I think last time we saw her 3Lo was 4CC 2009, when she fell on it. She then announced that she's going to to leave this jump until after the Olympics, so if she decides to compete for seasons to come, it'd be superb to see the whole range of triples in her FS. This lady already is in the league of her own, as shown in the O, but I'm sure her FS routine can upgrade, technically. PCS will only follow suit. Wow. 150+? Seriously?
Yuna has surprised, well, me in the change of FS jump routine this year (09/10) so I know there always is a chance she'll amaze us yet again next season, which, hopefully will include 3Lo.
- 3Lz+3T, 3F+3T in one programme: To me, she performs the most gorgeous combinations, and it was a shame that we didn't get to see the latter this season. But, I've seen in many practices she does 3F+3T, so she clearly is keeping up with it. Good for her! Unfortunately though, this would mean she'll have to give up her another amazing combo, 2A+3T. But, she had performed 2A+3S in the past, and this should be just as good.
So, in my own little dream world, her new line up for FS looks something like: 3Lz+3T, 3F+3T, 2A+3S+2T (hang on, does 3Lz+2T+2Lo sound better?), 3Lz, 3Lo, 3S, 2A
- lastly, 3A or a quad. I know it sounds insane, but hey, one can dream. To me, she does some of the most powerful, fully-rotated jumps and seeing her 2A (especially in SP) this season, she may just be able to pull it off. As many has pointed out, she has great trajectory and maintains such tight rotations in the air, so if anyone can do it, my bet will be on hers. On a side note, apparently yuna suffered a big anti-climax crash and a lack of motivation following the big O? I mean, these should be enough to motivate her to compete again..
Mao:
- 3A: A shocking number of her 3A's were DG this season, including this very WC. I'm sure she'll work on her jumping mechanisms over the summer to improve upon this.
- 3Lz, 3S: Both toe jumps seemed to have completely disappeared off her routines. Would be good to see them back next season.
- 3-3: Also disappeared from her routines. I remember the time when she pulled off two 3-3 in one programme and going 'woah...'. I'm sure this will, too, be on her agenda over the summer.
