Ladies LP

[McWicked]

Exactly, she is in fact way better than Sasha....

Ditto :agree:

 

[Particle Man]

Exactly, she is in fact way better than Sasha....

"Better" in what way? Better in technical elements? Yeah, better than most everyone in that. Better in Presentation, artistry, choreography? Better than many, but doesn't even compare to Sasha in that sense. Yu-Na and Mao are the queens of TE. Sasha was the queen of artistry. But since artistry doesn't count anymore, yeah you're right, at least according to CoP. Under CoP, Mao and Yu-Na will ALWAYS be "better."

 

[Bennett]

Someone said she was SLOW? She attacked everything from start to finish, she threw in everything she had and did it justice.

I said Ashley was slower than she was at the previous event and SP yesterday (at her high standard). Her LP was more fantastic and had more attack at the previous event. It was really unfortunate that she could not deliver her best and missed the medal here. But I hope that she will do better next times.

 

[Yogudin]

Looks like they did their best to prevent Asada to surpass Kim's score on paper. I had a feeling this is not NHK but SBS Trophy in reality. Anyway she will make every effort to avoid nitpickings in Seoul. I can't wait for the showdown. Landing a clean 3S is another accomplishment.

O.K. Koreans has organized SBS Trophy today in Japan for Mao! Then, please, organize NHK GPF for Yuna in the next month in Korea! That's great!

 

[kandidy]

Looks like they did their best to prevent Asada to surpass Kim's score on paper. I had a feeling this is not NHK but SBS Trophy in reality. Anyway she will make every effort to avoid nitpickings in Seoul. I can't wait for the showdown. Landing a clean 3S is another accomplishment.

Why the judges need to prevent Mao who is reigning world champion to surpass Kim Yuna's score?
As many people said, you can't actually compared this competition with another(you can compare at some degree,though). I am so glad that Mao landed two triple axel in the Lp and showed how gutsy to perform that. At one level, Mao always did well in Japan, we will see in 2 weeks from now at GPF how she stands with other 2 Japanese , Yuna, Joannie and Carolina.

By the way, yes, Laura landed Lutz!! (The landing looked very cheat to me though), wow.

 

[piejesu]

Why the judges need to prevent Mao who is reigning world champion to surpass Kim Yuna's score?
As many people said, you can't actually compared this competition with another(you can compare at some degree,though). I am so glad that Mao landed two triple axel in the Lp and showed how gutsy to perform that. At one level, Mao always did well in Japan, we will see in 2 weeks from now at GPF how she stands with other 2 Japanese , Yuna, Joannie and Carolina.

By the way, yes, Laura landed Lutz!! (The landing looked very cheat to me though), wow.

i agree with you! i don't know why ppl bring up yuna in this thread.
She was not in this NHK trophy.

Yuna has her own style and her way, and Mao has her own.

Anyway, Mao did a good job in her LP! Congrats to Mao!

 

[demarinis5]

There was a lot of passion in Mao's FS today. I don't think I have ever seen
so much emotion in her skating before. I am from the old school and I like to see that quality in a skater, which is something I have sadly been missing lately from the ladies . JMO

 

[Luciana]

By the way, yes, Laura landed Lutz!! (The landing looked very cheat to me though), wow.

Congratulation Laura.
I am a little sad I can't see Laura or Wagner at GPF.
But good luck both of them at Euro and 4Con.
I'm sure they will improve and I also hope the judges will give more pcs to them.
They are well deserved.

 

[Medusa]

Oh Mao - what a program. I already loved it at TEB, the energy throughout the program and the choreography is just special. But this time... And the second 3A was actually really borderline underrotated, she has good chances of succeeding with 2 3As. But what was really amazing was the first one. I think I have never seen her landing a 3A so perfectly backwards.

The possibilities concerning the jump layout are practically limitless now, Tarasova must be happy. The Salchow looked so easy, she did a true Lutz in the SP, she didn't use the Loop today... Asada has 6 different Triples for 7 jumping passes. Amazing. And can I just say that I am very proud of her for fixing that sit-spin of hers? It's a real sitspin now (rarely seen among the ladies, probably a balance problem because of the different centre of gravity - lots of men have better sitspins), she fixed that over the summer.

This is a special program - it is a goose bumps program in my opinion. Only comparable to Kim's short.

Can't wait to see Suzuki.

 

[mycelticblessing]

^ITA about the goosebumps. There was so much energy in Mao's skate, I can only imagine what it must have been like at the arena. Masquerade Waltz works great when the crowd can really get into the skate like they did here. And two 3As!!!

 

[Bennett]

I feel for Ashley and Laura. I feel that their good placements after SP might have made them nervous. But I am glad that Laura landed the lutz.
Akiko did not have anything to lose and Yukari was gutsy as always.

 

[adamlondon]

mao's options

Wow someone was right in saying the possible permutations for mao is endless now that she can virtually do all the triples. If I were her I would replace the toe loop or the salchow with a loop which she seemed to do so easily before. I think the judges should bunk up her PCS for virtue of pushing the boundaries of 2 triple axels and attempting all the different jumps in both long and short programs as it does break through new heights in ladies' skating.

I noticed her program had virtually no breathing points and build in intensity as it goes along and she manages to do that so well even towards the end. SHe must be so conditioned.

 

[mycelticblessing]

I noticed her program had virtually no breathing points and build in intensity as it goes along and she manages to do that so well even towards the end. SHe must be so conditioned.

Yeah, the footwork sequence was right at the end, and while most skaters start slowing there, Mao seemed to go faster and faster.

 

[Andalusia]

I've only seen Mao's LP via YouTube, and I must say her program seemed a little flat this time around. It was basically just jump, jump, jump...no real choreography there at all. I wasn't so sure about the program at TEB, but now I'm inclined to think the music doesn't do anything for her. To me, nothing in her performance bore any relation to the music whatsoever. Perhaps she's focusing too much on the jumps - that would explain why she looked winded at the end...her spins were so slow.

Still, kudos to her for being technically adventuresome...but where was the lutz?

And more of Yu-Na being dragged into this thread when she's totally unrelated to this event and Mao...can't the Yu-Na bunnies put a sock in it for once? Makes me think they secretly believe Mao is the superior skater, or they are threatened by her - if they're convinced Yu-Na is better, they wouldn't feel the need to tear Mao down so much. And it is tearing down, no matter how pathetically they try to disguise it.

 

[flying camel]

This has officially become enough of a problem for every single American lady out there right now that I think the USFSA needs to have mandatory jumping lessons at Champs Camp this summer for the ladies. (Maybe Evan could attend too).

They do need to do something.

At least Ashley didn't seem to have a total meltdown.

 

[frozenhell]

?

And more of Yu-Na being dragged into this thread when she's totally unrelated to this event and Mao...can't the Yu-Na bunnies put a sock in it for once? Makes me think they secretly believe Mao is the superior skater, or they are threatened by her - if they're convinced Yu-Na is better, they wouldn't feel the need to tear Mao down so much. And it is tearing down, no matter how pathetically they try to disguise it.

I thought it was one Mao fan who dragged yu na into discusion by saying judges tried best to prevent mao from breaking yu na's season best score. If I am wrong, let me know.
It was pretty dumb stuff but it was just single Mao fan anyway, so I don't understand why you are trying to fan the flame when there wasn't much fire to begin with.

Also if it is mainly complaint about judges' decision, I won't call it "tear down". If that's the case, nobody gets as much "tear down" as Kostner and I think most posters made it clear they have nothing aginst Kostner even they hardly agree to her score.

 

[demarinis5]

Would someone be kind and post the protocols for the
Ladies. Thanks.

 

[Medusa]

Would someone be kind and post the protocols for the
Ladies. Thanks.

Long Program
Short Program

 

[fourclover]

Just saw Mao's LP. I love her classy dress. Wow. It's true that choreography was a bit flat until the step sequence but she makes up for it with her knack for seamless flow across the ice and gorgeous stretch positions. I don't see how she could lose to Yu-na if she performs at this level at the Final and World Championships. It's going to be a very tough call if both perform at the top level. If Yu-na succeeds in her triple loop with no mistakes and Mao does both triple axels without any mistakes, then it'll literally become comparing apples and oranges. Yu-na has the musicality and artistry and Mao has the super-human graceful athletic talent. The judges will have to make a statement about figure skating with the scores they give these phenoms.

I can already see the fans at either camp calling the other foul if one gets an edge call or underrotation and the other doesn't. Apples and oranges yet they have to be given scores. I enjoy them both.

 

[demarinis5]

Long Program
Short Program

Thank you!

I can already see the fans at either camp calling the other foul if one gets an edge call or underrotation and the other doesn't. Apples and oranges yet they have to be given scores. I enjoy them both.

:agree: I am a fan of both YuNa and Mao too.