Mao Asada | Page 85 | Golden Skate

Mao Asada

Mao's EX is quite entertaining and the costume doesn't look as bad as what I thought from the pics... the 2A was really good then she singled the toe and stumbled and fell on the landing of the loop. I blame it on that coat, though. Looks like it's quite difficult to jump with that. I hope they change it.

How about Mao's skating? I was quite surprised. After a year off and just recently really started practicing her skating was very smooth, fast and strong. Other than those mistakes in the EX, I though her jumps looked really good and big. I love the axels!

Thanks for the report roma. Glad to hear Mao's skating skills are great and that she performed so well overall, but I also hope she changes the jacket, if it is making it more difficult for her to jump. Then again, maybe Mao just needs a performance or two to get used to jumping with the coat. I really don't know until I see the performances. As usual, Mao and her skating are so beautiful.
 
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Thanks @roma, for your report in detail!:love: I’m glad to know Mao looks in good shape and has improved her skills. And, every program..! Your description is great! Can’t wait to see!
 
In photos it looked bad, but having seen footage of Mao moving in the Ritz costume, it actually does not look awful. Even through the thick, layered fabric, you can still see Mao's beautiful lines, and she seems to be skating very well---she can probably wear anything and look good. Still, I hope they might lose some of the fabric because it looks quite uncomfortable to skate in.
 
@roma thank you for the report I am so looking forward the next one. ;)


Even if I don’t like the EX costume that doesn’t mean it looks awful.
I just wonder because they must know or should have known what types of costumes she does look good with
when she perform something jazzy programs since she had skated to these kinds of music and had some good ones already in the past.

I think that she looks pretty enough in simple costumes like Sing sing sing and very charming and sexy in the Lupin costume.
(and the gifs) :laugh: and Congrats Taka! :hb:
 
Yeah, I think the jumps in the EX were better in the first show. But the rest of her jumps looked really good to me. During the SBS with Joannie (and Joannie's jumps looked really good, too) I thought Mao's was better. The last time I saw her skate live was at Worlds 2014 in both SP and FS and I had a pretty good seat in the SP. From what I saw yesterday I think her jumps looked much better and bigger.
 
The last time I saw her skate live was at Worlds 2014 in both SP and FS and I had a pretty good seat in the SP. From what I saw yesterday I think her jumps looked much better and bigger.

Whee! When was the last time Mao did a toe jump out of a three turn ?
 
Also, I'm not the only one who noticed this. Some of the things that get mentioned when asked to describe Caro's skating is her speed and excellent skating skills that set her apart. During 2014 Worlds SP I was really looking forward to seeing her skate for the first time and see this for myself. She skated to perfection and was really amazed at her speed and skating skills. I love that program a lot and thought she deserved every point she got. That deserved to be the top SP in the Olympics and not the third. But I also thought that Mao was faster that evening and was actually at least as smooth and strong as Caro in the SP... if not even faster and better.

Yesterday I thought the same also. Someone in my other group who also watched the show with better seats mentioned about this... expecting Caro to have the best skating skills but in the end thought Mao looked as good or even stronger and better.
 
Also, I'm not the only one who noticed this. Some of the things that get mentioned when asked to describe Caro's skating is her speed and excellent skating skills that set her apart. During 2014 Worlds SP I was really looking forward to seeing her skate for the first time and see this for myself. She skated to perfection and was really amazed at her speed and skating skills. I love that program a lot and thought she deserved every point she got. That deserved to be the top SP in the Olympics and not the third. But I also thought that Mao was faster that evening and was actually at least as smooth and strong as Caro in the SP... if not even faster and better.

Yesterday I thought the same also. Someone in my other group who also watched the show with better seats mentioned about this... expecting Caro to have the best skating skills but in the end thought Mao looked as good or even stronger and better.

Again, I really appreciate all the analysis of Mao's jumps and skating skills as a live observer in the audience, roma. Do you mind if I ask you: what were Mao's jumps in her other programs? Were they also 2A, 3Toe and 3Loop? Did she do any Biellmann spins or fan spirals or any of her other trademark moves? I can't wait to see her performances.
 
Do you mind if I ask you: what were Mao's jumps in her other programs? Were they also 2A, 3Toe and 3Loop? Did she do any Biellmann spins or fan spirals or any of her other trademark moves? I can't wait to see her performances.

2A, 3T, 3Lo... maybe there was also a 3F there. It's quite hard to take note of the jumps inside the arena coz use of mobile phones is discouraged and the Japanese audience seem to be quite obedient with that. :p Benedictus had a number of spirals, I think, plus a jump or two. Mao and Joannie had SBS 2A. Masquerade had the step sequence. Por Una had the step sequence plus a jump or two of both Mao and Jeff. Sorry, can't remember the actual jumps right now. The tap dancing in the Ritz looked pretty detailed but I think I can only appreciate fully if I sat on arena seats where it is clearer or I can finally see it up close (hopefully there will be) on a TV coverage. Hopefully they air it 30min from now and get uploaded to TheICE channel.

Akiko skated to XO in her black dress. Nice program and jumps! Joannie... again she had pretty stable jumps in her pros. It's hard to remember she's retired the way she is skating right now. When I see Joannie skate and about to jump I don't feel nervous. It's like... I know she can land it with confidence. Caro's jumps looked pretty good, too. She skated to something about Led Zeppelin...

Jeremy Abbott... pretty good skating full of emotion in black/gray. Maybe it was "Dear Lord" but not sure? The ending looked different. Looked like he botched a jump but landed a 2A. Taka was quite expressive in his new EX... must still be feeling really happy from his recent engagement :biggrin: Awesome spread eagles!!! A cute little girl skated (Rin Nagaoka)... fell on only one jump but the rest looked ok. It's good to see little skaters in shows also. :) Mura skated to his FS (based on what little Japanese I can understand). However, it looked liked a part of his FS only as it only had 4 jumping passes starting with an awesome 4T. From what I saw that program is very promising: music, choreo, costume and performance. I hope he skates it clean everytime in competition coz I really like it.

Pang/Tong skated beautifully to Angel and I love it! Weaver/Poje skated their new EX and it was fun. We were clapping throughout. Jeff skated to Uptown Funk and it was really good.

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Overall, though, everyone looked prepared. I expected quite a number of falls as it was the first stop of the show but was surprised everything went well. They looked to have fun there despite the not so good weather and we really enjoyed watching the show. I wished I could have gone to both shows as it seems most skaters skated to a different number in the first show (eg: Satoko skated her SP in the first show bud did the FS in the 2nd show). Now I am really looking forward to a full broadcast but that will take a while...
 
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OMG! Mao has definitely increased her power!! I am soooo looking forward to competition season! (And seeing the show live later this week BTW)

And Patrick Chan!! OMG! He is on a totally different level. He is a god.
 
I really liked Por Una Cabaza and Benedictus. Mao's jumps looked quite good but I am still worried of her consistency. Her dress in Puttin' on the Ritz didn't look as bad as in the pictures. She looked happy and seemed enjoy skating, I think it is the most important thing.
 
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