- Joined
- Mar 23, 2010
I don't agree. Winning a title by skating far below your best level does not make you consistent. Patrick Chan medaled in every event after Vancouver (winning only one bronze, in fact). Would you call him a consistent skater? That isn't taking anything away from Mao, she is a great skater. She just isn't a consistent one if we are talking about putting together two programs that can beat skaters like Liza regularly.
If you want to talk about consistency.
Pre Sochi's scoring of Liza is consistently around 170s, except when skate in Europe when it can hit 180. that is why an European panel undoubtedly favours her scoring. Last year she managed to hit 210 from 169 in the beginning of the season, partly due to post Sochi inflation, but I believe also has to do with Adelina's absent from the scene, so she naturally benefited from the #1 Russia lady status once it is finally confirmed Adelina is out the rest of the season. Of course how she dominated the field being the hardest working skater in the ladies naturally boosted her score and impressions even further complete with 3A. Mao not being around in a field along with most of the veterans in a young field, Liza naturally promoted to veterans status receives all the bonuses reserved for being the head of the pack that typically happens in this sport.
However, it is important to note Mao despite her worst days has always scored averagely good 20 points higher than Liza, as well as being competitively more successful overall despite her inconsistencies. Pre Sochi Mao's marks generally consistently fluctuate between 180s to 200s, 10 to 20 points higher than Liza. Say Liza's new 3A now cancel out about 5 points difference, plus the new value changes with the 3T and new SP rule can potentially cancel out another 4 points difference. It means if they go according to pre Sochi standard, they should be around 10-12 points difference between the 2, still with Mao leading.
I have always felt Mao's reputation for inconsistency although true, but is somewhat exaggerated. If you take away her 2011 season when she is re-tuning her jumps. Frankly when she was competing with the like with Yuna Kim - likely the most consistent skater in the history of the sport, male or female, of course she is going to look poorer in consistency, but so will everybody. She is certainly more consistent than Carolina Kostner or dare I say Miki Ando at least in PCS. If you really compare her to the rest of the currently field, she is more consistent overall in her longer career than everyone else on the top 10 power list due to youngster's relatively short career so far. Liza has only really been consistently dominating 1 season. The one season without Mao.
If you look at Adelina's entire history, Adelina has suffers far worse consistency than both Liza and Mao despite their less than desirable physique conditions past 2 years. Liza nursing back injury around 2013 went through her slump, Mao been fixing her technique for about 2 years and personal loss that may affect her emotional state, while Adelina didn't have any issues as far as I am aware, but she repeatedly underperformed at big competitions. Lost the Youth Olympic to Liza. 5th in GPF. 9th at worlds. Controversial Russia national wins.
So for you to discuss consistency as the reason to put Mao below Liza and Adelina, you are infact being totally SUBJECTIVE and not OBJECTIVE as you claim.
Frankly we shouldn't ignore post Sochi inflation season 2014-2015 when Mao wasn't competing, as Liza as the leader in the field became the sole benefactor of the type of bonuses that have been given for field leaders like Mao, and power federation #1 status. Consider Yuna coming back to the field for WC2013 having been away for 2 years had a depression affect over the score inflation at worlds in 2013. with 69 score in her WC Short Program and everyone's score been repressed after her.
I would expect Mao's return should affect the PCS inflation we experienced post Sochi as long as she skate well. Although it must be said, it depends largely on the judging panel make up and how strict the technical panel is going to be. Theoretically as long as Mao skate some what cleanish got a generous tech panel, her participation should repress PCS inflation overall compare with last season, particularly on skaters such as Liza, Elena's PCS. Either that, or we will experience even crazier inflation race as one continent trying to out doing another. Mao got NHK, Liza got TEB.
Japan Open should be very interesting, as it can set the tone of how the rest of the season may play out.
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