Mao's programs this year

[SkatingAnalyst]

A few years ago, young Mao Asda seemed very promising to be an Olympic
champion, doing 3-axels so easily with excellent success ratio.

In 2005, at Jr. Worlds, tiny cute Mao looked like an invincible genius even to
talented skater Yu-Na Kim.

Since then, the success ratio of 3-axels had gradually deteriorated and even
became a problem jump for her.

Many people attribute her low scores in recent competitions to her music,
dresses, scheduled jump passes and even to Tarasova.

The real problems lie way deeper rooted than people think.

3-axel is a very very difficult jump even to male skaters...
Unlike other jumps, it uses only one leg to spring... and
it requires greater strength or light body weight to be successful.

Young light-weighted Mao gained the magical 3-axel by using pre-rotation technic
without much difficulties.(Pre-rotation is generally accepted for young girls)
But at the expense of toe jumps... especially ... luts.

It is practically impossible to use proper out-side edge when you pre-rotate almost half a turn

Pre-rotation also kills a lot of approaching speed... thus reducing the quality of
jumps. Pre-rotation simply does not go well with speedy approach.

It is not right time for Mao to change her fundamentals... Olympic is just 4 months away.

All Mao can do is... practice the very right speed for 3-axel ... not too fast which
is prone to fall ...and not too slow speed prone to under-rotation downgrade.

It'll be an uphill battle for Mao to execute two perfect programs with not-so-perfect
3-axel technic.

And it'll be a real long, long-shot for Mao to win a competition if Yu-Na is in it.

 

[R.D.]

If Mao stays with Tarasova and keep the same SP and LP, I don't think she will medal at Olympics.

I'd NEVER in a million years thought I'd say this, but if that happens, that's just too bad. She's easily capable of medaling, perhaps winning even, and for her to finish OTP would be a shame, really.

 

[Okami]

Good news!

Mao considers changing her SP to Caprice!
http://number.bunshun.jp/other/figure/column/view/4237/page:3
Mao confirms that this year's exhibition [Paganini's Caprice] was created as a possible SP. And there is a possibility that Mao will switch to Caprice before Olympics!

The article starts with mentioning that Nobunari Oda won the competition in Paris with a smile. The skater who had cried because of receiving low PCS skated a program that fully utilized his expressive personality and his PCS soared as a result. He ended up defeating the reigning European Champion and former World Campion.
Then the author mentioned that Mao lost, because at that point she could not win. In contrast to Nobunari's program, Mao's music does not take advantage of her natural charm. Mao's music was suggested by her coach, and feels too heavy and dark.

It is mentioned that Mao chose her current music in a hope that it will give her more strenght and fighting spirit. Another music for Mao's LP was discarded because Mao feared that it will make her look too weak. But then the author adds that she believes that this is not Mao's true power.

[Short mention of Mao's growth as a skater since the last Olympics...]

Then the author states that she believes that the key to high score is expressing the joy of skating. Again she mentions that Nobunari's "Chaplin" and YuNa's "Bond Girl" show how important is the music selection and choreography. The judges no longer look just for technical elements. They want to see complete programs that show the joy of skating. She adds that in order to compete with YuNa, who is way ahead at this point, Mao needs to rediscover the joy of skating.

I must say I wholeheartedly agree and I hope that TAT allows Mao to switch to Caprice!

 

[Spun Silver]

I hope this is true!! To my mind, Mao with Caprice and Bells would knock Yu Na's socks off. Then, instead of being overwhelmingly dirgelike, her two Olympic programs would show her amazing interpretive range, from flirtatious to tragic - far, far greater than Yu Na's two programs. Then Mao's joy of skating will be apparent again.

BTW, how convenient that she has an alternative SP waiting in the wings.

I'm in the minority that, the second time out, loves Bells. The progress from her first to her second performance was very great. I'm not expert enough to know whether she should change the jump layout or not, but she's mastering the power of the music. If she conquers it, it's a masterpiece.

I also hope she doesn't change coaches. No extraneous drama in Olympic season. TAT is the coach of champions and she loves Mao. I trust her.

 

[CARA]

Good news!

Mao considers changing her SP to Caprice!

Okami, thanks for the great news! I quickly followed your link and read the article. I think the reporter's thesis - the importance of knowing yourself and skating accordingly - is right on target.

In general, I'm guessing that it is still hard for a young female to assert one's will in Japan. I hope she starts now. It's just not about the V. Olympic, but for her skating career's sake. It would be a shame for such a talented skater not to be able to realize her full potential. I'm afraid that it happens to too many Japanese young skaters than I'd like to admit.

 

[SXTN]

tat is ignorant.. last year at worlds i saw mao's freeskate with german, british, italian, french and canadian commentary... everyone basically said the same: poor mao, change your music and couch... but tarasova regardless of that decided to use masquerade another time ( though i have to admit that it works a lot better as a short program)

some posters said it's important to show your joy of skating and confidence in order to impress the judges ( like yuna, joannie etc).. well, how can she do that , she has to listen to the "wake-up-vampires"-song every day probably... the next thing TAT will be suggesting is vodka instead of water before competition starts.. "to make her spirit stronger" ahhhh, i don't like that russian granny

at TEB, did you hear how TAT was screaming behind the boards? after mao fell on the 2A, she did a spin.. TAT was : " faster, faster" and then " now go, go!" ok, it's good when couches show their participation, but tat exaggerates.. how can an 18 year-old girl regain her confidence if the couch is screaming through the whole arena during her freeskate?!?! that's more intimidating than supporting to my mind, lol

 

[nylynnr]

If Mao stays with Tarasova and keep the same SP and LP, I don't think she will medal at Olympics.

She's likely getting a new short. I think that was planned; otherwise, why just recycle last year's free skate music? IMO, if she keeps this LP, you're correct about the Olympics. In Paris, about 10 people in my section had their fingers in their ears during Bells.

 

[ks777]

She's likely getting a new short. I think that was planned; otherwise, why just recycle last year's free skate music? IMO, if she keeps this LP, you're correct about the Olympics. In Paris, about 10 people in my section had their fingers in their ears during Bells.

I don't think it was planned. More like Mao wanted to make Caprice her short but Tarasova insisted on making the last year horrible LP into this year SP.

I don't think just changing the SP will cut it. She needs a drastic change. During the off season, how often was Mao really coached by Tarasova and her assistant? I bet not often. She really needs a full time coach. Look at Yuna, she is improving every year because she has full time coaches that understand Yuna's strengths and weaknesses. I don't see any improvements whatsoever since Mao left Artunian. In fact, she has gotten worse.

She needs to get rid of her LP and Tarasova altogether. If I were Mao, I would go talk to Shizuka Arakawa and see why she left Tarasova right before the Olympics. Arakawa must have felt she couldn't win with Tarasova.
If Sasha withdraw from Skate America, I would give Artunian a call for help.

 

[seniorita]

Shizuka was in paris by the way doing the commentary
Caprice is great program and Mao total sells it, audience loves it, I would love the change also!

 

[Penny]

Mao's costumes are ridiculous, especially compared with Yu-na's beautiful dark blue with sparkly collar LP outfit. She needs an intervention.

 

[janetfan]

I don't think it was planned. More like Mao wanted to make Caprice her short but Tarasova insisted on making the last year horrible LP into this year SP.

I don't think just changing the SP will cut it. She needs a drastic change. During the off season, how often was Mao really coached by Tarasova and her assistant? I bet not often. She really needs a full time coach. Look at Yuna, she is improving every year because she has full time coaches that understand Yuna's strengths and weaknesses. I don't see any improvements whatsoever since Mao left Artunian. In fact, she has gotten worse.

She needs to get rid of her LP and Tarasova altogether. If I were Mao, I would go talk to Shizuka Arakawa and see why she left Tarasova right before the Olympics. Arakawa must have felt she couldn't win with Tarasova.
If Sasha withdraw from Skate America, I would give Artunian a call for help.

:agree: :agree: :agree:

 

[CARA]

Yes! yes! Intervention it is! I agree with the idea of giving Arturian a buzz and persuade him to be Mao's full-time coach.

Mao. Talk to Shizuka. Be bald. Staying the course probably won't give you a satisfactory result a t the Olys anyway, IMO. So be bald and enact big change!

 

[Blades of Passion]

Mao is a shadow of the skater she used to be.

It's also easy for me to see how Joannie Rochette and Miki Ando have come out on top over Mao on the occasions they have.

Well, despite Mao's decline, I still think she deserved 2nd place at the last World Championships. Her spins and spirals are superior to that of Rochette and Ando. Although, ironically, she never gets credit for her spiral sequence...it always gets graded as level 3. Rochette uses much more boring spiral positions but, because it follows CoP, she gets a level 4 and thus receives more points.

 

[bx11]

Mao should go back to Nocturne

I hope This is still possible for some changes before the olympics:

1) Mao needs a full time coach, not to travel anymore to Russia.

2) Change her short program music to Nocturne by chopin [/COLOR][/COLOR](by Lori Nichol) Jumps should be: 3flip-3toe, 3lutz, 2axel

3) Her Long Program has to incorporate some light moment .
the jumps shoulb be: 3axel, 3flip-3toe, 3lutz, 3flip-2loop-2loop, 3salcow, 3loop-2loop, 2xel-2axel (the order could changed)

I really love Mao since her begining at junior, and I think she has the most potentiel to be the completed package skater.

Je t'aime Mao!!!

 

[HCOSurfer]

Good news! Mao considers changing her SP to Caprice!

This is good to hear. Now all she needs is to change that monotonous LP to her EX from last year, Por Una Cabeza.

 

[Nadine]

I personally don't like any of Mao's exhibition skates, they don't move me at all, I just skip them.

It takes something very special to move me to tears or awe/excitement as a figure skating fan, which might explain why Oksana Baiul is one of my favorite skaters of all-time. She could do both.

That said, my favorite program of Mao's thus far is Clair de Lune. Ah...

 

[PROKOFIEV]

I must respectfully disagree with most of the posts on here. What Mao needs right now is to:
1. Keep TAT and trust her 100 percent.
Thanks to her, I am very sure she learned to come out of her comfort zone and challenge herself to become a more versatile skater. With TAT's help, Mao has changed the history of woman's figure skating. Even though it is not perfect all the time, she is able to land 2 3A in a long program, which no woman skater has ever accomplished.

2. Keep the music she has right now.
The choice of the music is brilliant. And I do not think there is anyone else who can skate to that kind of music right now, except Mao. A confident Mao can skate to her music and she can own them as if she composed them for herself! If she chose fluffy and light music, she would not have learned to put emotion into her skating, as much as she does right now.

3. Keep on trying the 3A
She has to feel fortunate that she can do one of the most difficult jumps in figure skating. Be proud that she is only one who can do them even though they are not perfect all the time. Keep on trying. DO NOT GIVE UP!!

4. Keep those dresses
The collar is a signature part of her outfit!!! Mao should not listen to others. Stay focused on what she decided and worked for this season. Just believe that the current situation is the best for her. The only thing she needs to do is to get her confidence back and skate the best program she can, each time!! Even though she may not win as many golds as she wants , I am sure she will leave us with so many memorable programs that we will not forget.

In the piano world, I knew so many talented students who wasted their immense talent, solely because they listened to others, too much. When the student does not do well at a competition, the surrounding audience starts to blame her errors on the teachers and the music. The student ends up changing teachers, technique, and overall playing, which leads to the destruction of her talent and what she had built up for so long.

I am sure many people disagree with me, but I truly believe that she has everything she needs to accomplish her goal, to become the most memorable skater (not just to do well at the Olympics!)
I just want Mao to ignore the negativity, and to keep following this path of success that she is building.




Go Rachael, Go Caroline, Go Alissa, Go Mirai, Go Alexe, Go Sasha!

 

[Sk8bug]

A few years ago, young Mao Asda seemed very promising to be an Olympic
champion, doing 3-axels so easily with excellent success ratio.

In 2005, at Jr. Worlds, tiny cute Mao looked like an invincible genius even to
talented skater Yu-Na Kim.

Since then, the success ratio of 3-axels had gradually deteriorated and even
became a problem jump for her.

Many people attribute her low scores in recent competitions to her music,
dresses, scheduled jump passes and even to Tarasova.

The real problems lie way deeper rooted than people think.

3-axel is a very very difficult jump even to male skaters...
Unlike other jumps, it uses only one leg to spring... and
it requires greater strength or light body weight to be successful.

Young light-weighted Mao gained the magical 3-axel by using pre-rotation technic
without much difficulties.(Pre-rotation is generally accepted for young girls)
But at the expense of toe jumps... especially ... luts.

It is practically impossible to use proper out-side edge when you pre-rotate almost half a turn

Pre-rotation also kills a lot of approaching speed... thus reducing the quality of
jumps. Pre-rotation simply does not go well with speedy approach.

It is not right time for Mao to change her fundamentals... Olympic is just 4 months away.

All Mao can do is... practice the very right speed for 3-axel ... not too fast which
is prone to fall ...and not too slow speed prone to under-rotation downgrade.

It'll be an uphill battle for Mao to execute two perfect programs with not-so-perfect
3-axel technic.

And it'll be a real long, long-shot for Mao to win a competition if Yu-Na is in it.

That's interesting, but I think that what you're referring to is a skid, which is actually a positive aspect of Mao's 3A.
A skid is not the equivalent of pre-rotation.
If it were, I'd have to call Yu-na's double axel the perfect example of pre-rotation, because frankly, she has a wonderful skid.
In fact, Alexei Yagudin, Olympic gold medalist, happened to have a skid just like Mao. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik_-azVq6eA

It is physically IMPOSSIBLE to do a 3A without a skid. How else will you be able to reach the height that is essential to do such a difficult jump?

IMPOSSIBLE.
Mao has wonderful technique.

 

[Gee]

Wow Caprice is a wonderful program, so I imagine Mao will be skating to that for the SP at the GPF.

 

[Nadine]

I agree, Sk8bug, Mao has wonderful technique on her 3Axel!:thumbsup:

My all-time favorite 3Axel of Mao's came at the very beginning of her 2008 4CC FS ~ perfect, exquisite, one-of-a-kind ~ it just looked so effortless. Not only that, Mao's is so different from Tonya & Midori's in terms of presentation. This fragile-looking tall supple ballerina could do something like that! It still boggles my mind, especially when she tacks on the 2T with the Tano flourish, it honest to God looks like something out of the ballet (btw Sasha Cohen has been recently doing this as well after her 3S; Mao's is still my favorite though with Sasha almost tying, lol).

By the way, I just wanted to say that though Yuna Kim blew me away with her James Bond program, she has never made me cry, yet. Though I truly do appreciate everything she does as a skater, to be a fan of someone, there has to be I-don't-know what. It's different from each one of us, our favorites just have something that makes them that much more special to each one of us. Hard to define, but you fans know what I speak of.

My fandom of Mao's goes beyond her incredible athleticism, heartfelt artistry, and her sheer guts & determination. No, I sense this vulnerability in her as well, this quiet humility, kindness. But she also needs nerves of steel to do what she does, and a backbone made out of titanium! Especially this year, specially this year...


p.s. PROFOFIEV, good words, well said.