Mao Asada | Page 123 | Golden Skate

Mao Asada

solar said:
We don't need to see her sochi SP :noshake:
Click to expand...

I think the best way to handle this tumult of emotion is to watch the valleys of despair in the SP and the peaks of jubilation in the LP together in one video, "The Legendary Day of Mao Asada."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yBg5CCg30w

Some possible explanations for the challenges Mao encountered in her China Open freeskate. Some posters here, Meoima and Plummededragon have mentioned that Mao possibly had an issue with soft boots during the freeskate. However, the poster ultra said that the unprecedented heat in the arena, as evidenced by how profusely skaters like Mao were sweating at the end of their freeskates, caused difficult skating conditions because the ice was soft. I thought that these conditions could possibly have something to do with Mao's jumping difficulties since soft and slippery ice would be harder to get traction on and make it easier to fall. The conditions could also have been worse for Mao because she was the last to skate since the resurfacing and because she uses the deepest and sharpest edges of the women and needs more traction as a result. These reasons for Mao's difficulties seem somewhat plausible since most other skaters had a lot of jumping problems, except Rika Hongo, though I admit I didn't see everybody. These are just guesses; I am not saying I am right.

rosewood also posted the following article that gives insight into Coach Sato's and Mao's thoughts about the freeskate.

One article I read said as follows:
http://zasshi.news.yahoo.co.jp/article?a=20151108-00010003-sportiva-spo&p=1

Mr Sato (after FS): "Looking back the event with my head cooled down, my take is she had tremendous pressures on her shoulders at this competition after the long break. She was the first skater following the warm-up in the SP and it worked in her favor. But today she was the last skater in the segment, so various thoughts might have come to her head during the time when she was waiting. I think she needs to experience some more competitions from now. She looked just the same as her former herself, but I believe she felt pressure."

Mao (after FS): "The mistake on the opening 3F-3Lo made me go rushing and rushing. I went for the luz before leaving things behind. The mistakes in the second half was caused by the imbalance of my stamina and my feelings."

I think the stamina issue may have been caused by the heat in the arena, but Mao has never been one to make excuses, which is one quality among many I admire in her.

CONK also said that fans reported Mao not having good practices in her FS during her first day in China. CONK also said that she had heard that Mao had been devoting a lot of time mainly to her SP until the final practice of the LP before the competition. Finally, CONK reported that in a post competition interview Mao said she wants to devote more time to her FS in preparation for the NHK trophy.

The good thing is that Mao will hopefully never have to skate in a rink this hot again and that she will have more time to practice her FS for the NHK, but I hope she brings that breathtaking triple axle to every skate she has from now on.
 
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I found this charming interview of Mao speaking the most English I have ever heard her speak after winning the Rostelecom Cup in 2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA-UJNMNw1A

Here is another interview in English:

After 2006 Skate America short program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmyUwtmch9w at about 6:10

after Mao won the LP in the 2007 Grand Prix Final:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBVlu_OG9UM

after short program at Worlds 2008 at about 5:30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTldsaCXDds

after 2008 Worlds her first World Championship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfs-5VZyDjk

Interview March 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P0d5eSvsY8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uowjF2AUGpI interview collection
great clips bad backgrond music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmyUwtmch9w Skate America SP 2006 short interview at end


Here are interviews with a translator:
very short interview after Mao won the 2005 Grand Prix Final
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Yy7V-q5jc

Interview after the Sochi Olympics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaiCo_i_cCI

After winning 2008 Grand Prix Final: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4FzArV3ovE

interview after World Championship 2012 short program:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8YFlE7hd1g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3hKu7Qxy0I Skate America 2013

Here is Mao's interview after 2014 Worlds where she won her 3rd World championship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ3dJFVEPqk

Here is an interview with Mao after she won the Cup of China 2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YeqAUgBwX8

I have never seen Mao perspire so much.
 
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gotoschool said:
I found this charming interview of Mao speaking the most English I have ever heard her speak after winning the Rostelecom Cup in 2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA-UJNMNw1A


Here is an interview with Mao after she won the Cup of China 2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YeqAUgBwX8

I have never seen Mao perspire so much.

This is a complimentary commentary with Kurt Browning for Mao's Madame Butterfly at Cup of China
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhOJXoEsoj4
Click to expand...

Wonderful thanks! I will add the interviews to the OP.
 
Solar, Largeman and Tulosai, I found a very nice HD video of the skate (Largeman's first link). Thanks so much!
 
This has probably already been said many times, but I wanted to write something to praise her FS, since I didn't fall in love with it while watching JO, but I definitely did this week: after watching Elena, Anna and Rika you can really tell how sublime everything she does is: there are not many transitions, but her arm movements and attention to all musical nuances manage to interpret this extremely sophisticated music in a fantastic way. I'm really looking forward to admiring a clean performance :love:
 
Hi everyone! :yay:
Haven't been here for a long time...
We are all (in Russian fan club) so happy for Mao's comeback!! Great to see her so fresh, strong and in good shape!
I like the programs, especially SP and the both costumes are very beautifull! For me her SP dress one of the best for all time, maybe the second one after Rachmaninov's )

If someone needs we have all types of Mao's LP in Sochi.
If you have an account in the social russian network VK, you can find our group mao_asada. There are many videos and other information in it.
The second alternative - I could send you the link to download the version you want to have or maybe you want it all? )) no problem with that!
Here are some of them:
- Official Russian 1 Sport TV Channel (Trankov comments)
- NTV+ channel (TAT comments)
- NBC
- ARD
- NBCsn (Weir&Lipinsky comments), this record from other cameras, very interesting and maybe the best one (good view to the step sequence) :rock:

All videos are in a very good quality or HD. :cool2:
 
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Welcome Mao Russian fan club :party: to this fantastic Maofan thread and thank you so much for the information. It's so nice to hear her fan club from Russia. :ghug:



FSGMT said:
This has probably already been said many times, but I wanted to write something to praise her FS, since I didn't fall in love with it while watching JO, but I definitely did this week: after watching Elena, Anna and Rika you can really tell how sublime everything she does is: there are not many transitions, but her arm movements and attention to all musical nuances manage to interpret this extremely sophisticated music in a fantastic way. I'm really looking forward to admiring a clean performance :love:
Click to expand...

Yes me too :luv17: Nobunari Oda has said almost the same thing as you on a TV show, he also said, that’s just like he was watching “4 minutes Opera.” :)
 
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MaoRussianFan said:
Hi everyone! :yay:
Haven't been here for a long time...
We are all (in Russian fan club) so happy for Mao's comeback!! Great to see her so fresh, strong and in good shape!
I like the programmes, especially SP and the both costumes are very beautifull! For me her SP dress one of the best for all time, maybe the second one after Rachmaninov's )

If someone needs we have all types of Mao's LP in Sochi.
If you have an account in the social russian network VK, you can find our group mao_asada. There are many videos and other information in it.
The second alternative - I could send you the link to download the version you want to have or maybe you want it all? )) no problem with that!
Here are some of them:
- Official Russian 1 Sport TV Channel (Trankov comments)
- NTV+ channel (TAT comments)
- NBC
- ARD
- NBCsn (Weir&Lipinsky comments), this record from other cameras, very interesting and maybe the best one (good view to the step sequence) :rock:

All videos are in a very good quality or HD. :cool2:
Click to expand...

Welcome! :cheer: I hope you'll post often!
 
I was a little out of the loop. I am glad for her fans that she is back (and in style)! I hope she got a good rest. She's given us so much over the years, and to get more from her is precious.
I recently watched a clip of a 2008 performance. It's amazing what she's still doing and how she's polished everything over the years. I was not a fan at first, but she's won me over.
 
Welcome to the thread psychotopek and MaoRussianFan.

I just wanted to post some of the kind remarks that commentators made about Mao's freeskate at the China Open.

Kurt Browning said, "I'm always excited to see a triple axel in the ladies event and to see it displayed in that beautiful music in her beautiful costume with her elegant skating. It was seamlessly put into the program. Mao is showing us a little of everything. Moments that may be lack of concentration and then back with a beautiful jump and never losing touch with the program......It is evident obviously that she is the best in the field."

Woman commentator: "Madame Butterfly is the perfect piece of music for Mao. Absolutely stunning! Beautiful triple axel. Absolutely gorgeous. She knows how to create those magical moments with her choreography."
I think the second mark tells the tale almost 70 points way ahead of the other girls.
Kurt Browning; As it should be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhOJXoEsoj4

NBC commentary of Mao's LP at CHina Open
Tracy Wilson from NBC said, about Mao's performance, "Her interpretation of the music is heartfelt. It absolutely captivates you. I'm so glad she is back Terry."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNS4XbwHRQo

Absolute- free from imperfection; complete; perfect. not mixed or adulterated; pure
 
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Thanks yet again to rosewood for this translation of Mao's interview after her SP performance. It's great to know she was satisfied with it.

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/ind...er-beauty-is-her-biggest-weapon.95911/page-14 #411

Here is my favorite quote from Mao in the interview:

I won Worlds' title three times. But that's not everything. I have my ideal skating and performance that I aim at in my thoughts. There will be goals endlessly. So I'll do my best looking up to greater heights.
Click to expand...

I admit at first I thought Mao should change her jump layout. But now, I understand that Mao has a vision of a perfect performance and that goes beyond just winning. Without creating these ideals, I don't think she would be the inspirational artist and athlete that I admire so much. People criticized Mao for reworking her jumps after winning Worlds convincingly in 2010. But without starting on the long road to reworking her jumps and skating skills back in 2010 she would have never realized her dream of the Sochi LP and her Nocturne at Worlds and given what I think are the greatest performances I have ever seen. And now she looks to go one step further by achieving the 4 triple SP with the 3F / 3L, the 3A and the 3Lutz with a proper edge and to keep the same jumps as at Sochi and skate with a new level of maturity she has brought from her experiences outside the skating world. I look forward to watching her work towards her goal which she has already gone a long way to achieving. To my eyes and the Russian announcers who were watching in real time (without the microscope of slow mo replay), she has already done the 4 triple SP and her subtle and compelling expression of sorrow and longing in Madame Butterfly is heart rending in its transcendent beauty.

I don't think my 3Lz was a failure. I don't take it as a negative but I think the fact that I did a lutz in competition had an important meaning.
Click to expand...

Mao made a similar quote when she was having difficulties reworking her jumps in the 2010-2011 season though she is more positive now and has a higher performance level.

While it is mortifying to have people see my mistakes, I feel there is meaning in competing when I am in this condition.
Click to expand...

http://coolplay.tk/watch/LQD0k4IgDA4 at 1:48

I think this comeback should be for Mao, not me or anyone else. She has already proven her greatness and been a wonderful inspiration. Mao and Coach Sato knew what was best back in 2010 and I trust they will do what is best again.
 
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