Mao Asada

[gotoschool]

Here are some of the latest HD videos of Mao's performances on youtube

2009 COIJO Exhibition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGryYfcKkEM

The Ice Caprices https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0LkBRjdtC4

2008 Grand Prix Final Exhibition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5W3YgZIu0w

2009 Worlds Exhibition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwq1VxX12eI

2009 TEB LP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-1pWN4Bc44

2009 JNC FS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n77CZ1cy_Dk

2009 Worlds SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fl7TSDjx-8

2009 Worlds LP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCRn_RPxefc

 

[CarneAsada]

Yeah, that makes so much sense, let's give an 8 triple with a 3A and 3-3Lo ONE LESS POINT that Yuna's empty 6 triple Les Mis.

Her PCS was 5 points below Yuna/Adelina. That alone would bring it up to 147. Only 3 more points are needed for a WR. Then there's the SIXTH place GOE. So give correct GOE for the Solo 3Lo, the gigantic 3S etc and there are easily more than 3 points.

Most of the 140+ programs from the last quad were overscored anyway. If Sochi inflation were applied to Mao's FS as to the others, I said she should've gotten 152.50. But if you believe a 160 was deserved, I won't try to convince you otherwise...

 

[gotoschool]

Mao's jumps never lacked height, don't just believe anything those who want to undermine Mao's achievement and skills, whenever her height is mentioned from the commentators, it's usually because they praise the good height she gets on her jumps, especially on the Axel. Next time you hear anyone claim that, quote the different commentators and skaters comment on her height, and tell them are they all wrong, do you know better then all those people.

I just found the jump analysis in frames and centimeters on page 51 of this thread. Averaging out the centimeters for each triple jump, Mao actually just edges out Adelina. Mao has 37.25 centimeters, Adelina 37 centimeters, Yuna 35.42 and Carolina 35.42, but of course Mao's are averaged out over 8 triples, Carolina and Adelina's over 7 and Yuna's over 6. So based on this information in these average terms, Mao actually wins.

 

[Kelly]

Here are some of the latest HD videos of Mao's performances on youtube

2009 COIJO Exhibition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGryYfcKkEM

The Ice Caprices https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0LkBRjdtC4

2008 Grand Prix Final Exhibition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5W3YgZIu0w

2009 Worlds Exhibition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwq1VxX12eI

2009 TEB LP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-1pWN4Bc44

2009 JNC FS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n77CZ1cy_Dk

2009 Worlds SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fl7TSDjx-8

2009 Worlds LP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCRn_RPxefc

Thanks very much. I still wish Mao will come back with her 8 triples long program and break the world record.

 

[Ultra]

Here is a composite image comparison of Mao's 3A from the World Record 2014 SP, and her Sochi LP. As there seems to be some exaggeration of their differences...

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-.../nsxgvJtIlnw/s1600/Mao+2014+W+SP+3A+logo.png

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-...Y/_e7Np0yzv4E/s1600/Mao+Sochi+LP+3A+logo.png


There is almost NO difference between these two jumps. In the last two frames, almost every part of her body is in the exact same position. The shoulders/torso/hips are identical, the silhouettes match up. A jump is definitively UR when the skater lands with their body facing "forwards" of the line of flight, and this is clearly not the case. The foot differs only superficially, the rest of the body is the same. The stuff other people were getting away with is just ridiculous compared to even the allegation that this "might" be UR.

Even compared to men, almost nobody in history jumps as high as their own hips. Her 3A is in the league of a Yagudin or Plushenko.

 

[Franklin99]

Even compared to men, almost nobody in history jumps as high as their own hips. Her 3A is in the league of a Yagudin or Plushenko.

Well, when you make that kind of comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK01mukJJe0

 

[mary01]

Thanks very much. I still wish Mao will come back with her 8 triples long program and break the world record.

I soo badly want this too, because she was already robbed of the fs world record at the Olympics, i want her to take it back, because she is the rightful owner of that WR and should be holding it now.

 

[randomfan]

Yeah, that makes so much sense, let's give an 8 triple with a 3A and 3-3Lo ONE LESS POINT that Yuna's empty 6 triple Les Mis.

Her PCS was 5 points below Yuna/Adelina. That alone would bring it up to 147. Only 3 more points are needed for a WR. Then there's the SIXTH place GOE. So give correct GOE for the Solo 3Lo, the gigantic 3S etc and there are easily more than 3 points.

Mao and Yuna are my favourite skaters.

You are just biased and rude. Mao surely skated the best out of everyone that night and deserved 1st place in the FS, but her true deserved score should be around 147 and 148 (or maybe even 149). If you are a big Mao fan, than yeah you can support her. But bashing on others is just stupid. Is it Yuna's fault that the judges score her higher than other skaters? I read your previous comment of Yuna having zero transitions and above her empty Les Mis, but you really took it too far. What would you say if Yuna did 8 clean triples for her Les Mis and Adios Nonino? That it's empty? That there are no transitions? You'd probably say the same thing as what you say about Mao. That she deserved a world record.

Mao's TES should be 75/76 and PCS be 73 so it would equal 148/149.

Then there is the other post you said about Yuna's record. What makes you think that she didn't deserve a record? Are you some kind of figure skating researcher? You can't just say someone deserved a world record or not. And just because a program is not hard doesn't mean a skater can't get a world record.

If you don't like Yuna then instead of bashing her on a forum you should just be quiet and only talk about Mao. After all this is the Mao thread.

 

[gotoschool]

Mao's FS at Sochi is a world record to me.
But, it's great, randomfan, that you believe Mao deserved to win the FS at Sochi.


I meant to post this a while back. It's a post that rosewood made at fsuniverse. paraphrased

In it, she said that NHK announced the most impressive sports moments determined by audience votes. She said that No.1 was pro tennis player Kei Nishikori for placing top 5 in the world ranking. She said No 2 was Mao for her redemptive LP at Sochi, and she said that No 3 was Hanyu for winning Olympic Gold at Sochi.

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/ind...say-figure-skating-is-wonderful.89260/page-20

Here are a couple of more posts of Mao programs at youtube in HD:

2010 4CC Exhibition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeKreoaIFK8

2010 4CC LP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EQihn2sXY4

 

[mary01]

Yeah, that makes so much sense, let's give an 8 triple with a 3A and 3-3Lo ONE LESS POINT that Yuna's empty 6 triple Les Mis.

Her PCS was 5 points below Yuna/Adelina. That alone would bring it up to 147. Only 3 more points are needed for a WR. Then there's the SIXTH place GOE. So give correct GOE for the Solo 3Lo, the gigantic 3S etc and there are easily more than 3 points.

ITA, no matter how people want to defend the scores at the olympics or that Mao only was robbed of a few points, it would not make sense when compared to the other skaters pcs where there was a significant gap, when compared to the goe she received all season and which mysteriously suddenly sank significantly at the Olympics, and when compared to the crazy technical content she showcased with the little reward and biased calls on top of it. The underscorement was way too obvious for everyone!

 

[minze]

ITA, no matter how people want to defend the scores at the olympics or that Mao only was robbed of a few points, it would not make sense when compared to the other skaters pcs where there was a significant gap, when compared to the goe she received all season and which mysteriously suddenly sank significantly at the Olympics, and when compared to the crazy technical content she showcased with the little reward and biased calls on top of it. The underscorement was way too obvious for everyone!

And that my friends was the biggest injustice done at the Olympics.

 

[randomfan]

ITA, no matter how people want to defend the scores at the olympics or that Mao only was robbed of a few points, it would not make sense when compared to the other skaters pcs where there was a significant gap, when compared to the goe she received all season and which mysteriously suddenly sank significantly at the Olympics, and when compared to the crazy technical content she showcased with the little reward and biased calls on top of it. The underscorement was way too obvious for everyone!

Compare to the other skaters? You couldn't really compare her to the other skaters because the Tech Panel was stupid and gave wrong calls to people. Here is a list of the errors he and some judges made in the Free Skate:

Mao Asada
1. She received underrotation marks for 3Lo and 3T, but those were completely rotated. Not too sure about the 3T since I found no slow motion videos but it looked good during the actual skate.
2. She recieved low GOEs for the "underrotated" jumps as well as the edge call which is normal, but for jumps like the 3S or the final 3Lo (favourite element of the whole program!) she received no call yet got extremely deflated GOEs.
3. PCS was too low. Should've been at least 72.70.

Adelina Sotnikova
1. Wrong edge on opening combo as well as underrotation, but was not called.
2. 3F was pre-rotated but not acknowledged.
3. According to the rules, she deserved a bigger deduction for the stepout then what she received.
4. Incorrect level 4 on step sequence when it was level 3.
5. One judge gave her 3s for every element except stepout and one other element (chsq or stsq?).
6. PCS was all wrong in every way - should've been 66.

Yuna Kim
1. Incorrect level 3 on step sequence when it was level 4.
2. Low GOEs for most elements.
3. GOEs were wrong for second 3Lz.

Julia Lipnitskaia
1. Like Adelina, judges flooded her with inflated GOEs.
2. Incorrect edge on first 3Lz was not called.
3. PCS WAS RIDICULOUSLY OVERSCORED AND MOST NOTABLY HIGHER THAN MAO'S PCS. Should've been 62.

As you can see here, Adelina and Julia were clearly overscored. Although I admit that both Yuna and Carolina are better in PCS than Mao, I wouldn't have minded Mao getting higher PCS. The underscorement was obvious for everyone, yes, but only because the Russians really wanted a Russian to win so some of the judges and the tech panel purposely gave unfair scores to others. Plus the two Russian girls were the people who others compared with Mao most. IMO the free skate should've been

1. Mao - 148/149
2. Yuna - 145
3. Carolina - 142/143
4. Adelina - 132
5. Ashley - 128
6. Gracie - 127
7. Julia - 125
8. Akiko - 125

If Mao finished the highest, than you can't really compare her score with the others.

 

[Meoima]

can we just forget about Sochi? it's like beating a dead horse.

 

[randomfan]

can we just forget about Sochi? it's like beating a dead horse.

You're right. Sorry everyone for getting all worked up. Adelina and Julia are lovely skaters. Adelina always seems to enjoy her skating while Julia never fails to impress me. It was just this event where the scoring was off.

 

[gotoschool]

I found this article published just after Skate America 2013 about Mao Asada, with a lot of quotes from Mao. There are also a lot from Ashley Wagner, who is very complimentary and respectful towards Mao in the article, and a nice quote from Elena Radinova.

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-comme...ndaries-wins-skate-america-gold-ashley-wagner

 

[YesWay]

can we just forget about Sochi? it's like beating a dead horse.

LOL, the scoring aspects, yes :-D

I mean, crazy scoring at the Olympics? People still got surprised or worked up by that? Really?!
2014 was no different to 2010 in that respect, and I predict there will be crazy scores in 2018 too.

Personally, I don't have any particular problem with who got what medals each time, whatever the numbers. I accept there are arguments for this skater or that skater, but pfft - bored with the "controversy", "injustice", fan wars, etc within 1 week.

But rather than forget Sochi, I will remember it forever for one of the greatest performances of all time:
Mao's free skate

 

[Meoima]

LOL, the scoring aspects, yes :-D

I mean, crazy scoring at the Olympics? People still got surprised or worked up by that? Really?!
2014 was no different to 2010 in that respect, and I predict there will be crazy scores in 2018 too.

Personally, I don't have any particular problem with who got what medals each time, whatever the numbers. I accept there are arguments for this skater or that skater, but pfft - bored with the "controversy", "injustice", fan wars, etc within 1 week.

But rather than forget Sochi, I will remember it forever for one of the greatest performances of all time:
Mao's free skate

:thumbsup: ITA Who cares about scores. It's just like ordinal system in disguise all the time. But Mao's free skate at Sochi rock! I remember being shocked because I didn't expect her to skate light out.

 

[yhmafan]

I still believe that her Sochi LP deserved a world record, also any kind of medals overall (because underscored not only LP but also SP imo).

However, I think maybe it’s the time we better to move on and look ahead for the next season.
as realistically speaking, even if she will come back, she will NOT go to the next Olympic no matter how much we hope y know
and we fans know her dream was to get a gold at Olympic when she was a child but the dream will never come true

Considering various things, the time she has and the chance when she take back the WR that she deserved are very limited in future.
so I wish if once she is determined and will continue to go as an athlete, she will be able to grab it at least.
But again, whatever the result may be, I would be happy as long as she could be happy and healthy, she is already a legend

 

[gotoschool]

:thumbsup: ITA Who cares about scores. It's just like ordinal system in disguise all the time. But Mao's free skate at Sochi rock! I remember being shocked because I didn't expect her to skate light out.

If you look back at Mao's past it is not unusual for her to have a rough SP and come back with a stellar LP as she said herself in the press conference after Sochi. In her first World Championships 2007, she singled the loop in combo after the 3F and got a mandatory -3 GOE for both jumps ( I just love these harsh scoring rules) in the SP and went into the freeskate in 5th place. Then, she came back in the freeskate and set a new world record even with some incredibly huge deductions on her 3A and 2A / 3T combo. If the value of the 3A had been the same as it is today, even with the extremely strict deductions, she would have won the world championship.

Czardas LP 2007 Worlds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yiQwm_VtrU

Then, she was in last place after the SP in the Grand Prix Final in 2007 and came back to win the freeskate successfully executing a free program with a base tech score of 70.05 including a 3A, 3F / 3T combo and a 3F / 3Lo combo with those spectacular spirals, spins and steps. She was hit with 2 foot landings (I believe) due to slight touches with the swinging of the free leg on the 3A and maybe the back end of the 3F / 3T, but I honestly have been unable to see the touch / touches. This along with a PCS of only around 59. To me, this one should have gotten the world record too.

2007 Grand Prix Final LP http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV8TVXnkltE

But, Sochi was just the most dramatic example of her comeback in the long and of her underscoring. I have always thought that Mao skated with a lot of emotion. She cried after all 3 of these redemptive freeskates. Maybe some people didn't feel it for the ones in 2007 (thought I really did) especially Worlds 2007, but she finally connected in a major way with her greatest audience in Sochi. To me, this is her greatest victory.

Mao's FS Sochi along with the final group of skaters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5fA9o2sBis

Then there is Mao's great comeback in the 4CC's LP 2010.
Mao's Bells of Moscow LP at 4CC''s in 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8oV9_LrTzo


yhhma fan: I would love for Mao to return and give more legendary performances like these and I will cherish them regardless of the scores. I hope she gets the LP and overall record, but based on the precedent for her scoring in the LP at least, I just don't know if her scores will be what they deserve to be.

Redemption photos

http://grand-duchessa.tumblr.com/post/88139724139/mao-asada-redemption

 

[mary01]

I still believe that her Sochi LP deserved a world record, also any kind of medals overall (because underscored not only LP but also SP imo).

However, I think maybe it’s the time we better to move on and look ahead for the next season.
as realistically speaking, even if she will come back, she will NOT go to the next Olympic no matter how much we hope y know
and we fans know her dream was to get a gold at Olympic when she was a child but the dream will never come true

Considering various things, the time she has and the chance when she take back the WR that she deserved are very limited in future.
so I wish if once she is determined and will continue to go as an athlete, she will be able to grab it at least.
But again, whatever the result may be, I would be happy as long as she could be happy and healthy, she is already a legend

If she decides to comeback i'm pretty sure she will stay till the Olympics, anything else wouldn't make sense. she already has already won every other major competition several times, the only thing she hasn't won is the olympics, so that would be the main motivation for coming back. She may seem to have been around for a long time due to her huge succes from very early on, but Mao is still very young and could easily continue to until the Olympics and even a further.