What about MAI asada?

[feraina]

It must be tough to be Mao Asada's sister when you're a competitive skater yourself. I actually really like Mai's elegant, graceful style; she stands out with Yukina Ota in this dept among the Japanese ladies.

This article from 2004 said she landed 3axel in competition in 2002, and used a 3lutz-3toe in her 2003-4 LP, neither of which she seems to attempt these days. Actually, she does very few combo jumps anymore (they all look shakey, except the 2axel-2loop-2loop from 2005-6 season). Does anyone know what happened to her in the interim? Puberty monster?

Here's her nice 2006 Campbell's Cup Cup LP on YouTube.

Do you think she has any chance of getting to Worlds given Japan's depth?

 

[morninglight]

I totally agree that she is a very beautiful skater.

I like them both because they are extremely elegant. But Mai looks more mature. I love her calm, warm atmosphere. She has grace of her own.

According to her profile in the United Airline Japan, with which she has a contract, she had injuries and bodily changes, which has made it difficult to keep her wonderful jumps.

Reference (IN JAPANESE)
http://www.unitedairlines.co.jp/jsp/ja/middlepage/asada2006_0802.jsp#maiprofile

Also she once became a model and actress (although she didn't quit skating either). But she decided to discontinue that career. She says in the following fluff that she wanted to escape but that she still could not quit skating. (What a gorgeous way of “escaping” though! She certainly is very beautiful. Although she may not be very tall as a model, she has a beautiful line as well. )

References (IN JAPANESE)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FCY_z3rr4Y

Because she has been more focused since the 2006-7 season, I believe that she has a great potential for making the team for the next Worlds.

 

[attyfan]

I also like her skating. I think, though, that Rafael should introduce Mai to Karen Kwan -- who will understand (probably better than anybody) the trials and tribulations of competing against a sister with a "bigger name"

 

[childfreegirl]

I thought of Karen Kwan too. I love Mai's style and grace and perfer her to Mao. Mao may have the big jumps, but to me Mai seems more elegant and mature. I would really love to see more of her.

 

[morninglight]

????

She appears to be a mellow, gentle young lady, and seems to be a very supportive sister of Mao as well.

I personally would think that having a role model so close may be very helpful. Closely observing advanced people always helps get better. Besides, Mai has wonderful qualities that Mao may not have. Perhaps they may be helping each other

 

[feraina]

... she had injuries and bodily changes, which has made it difficult to keep her wonderful jumps... Also she once became a model and actress (although she didn't quit skating either).

Wow, thanks for the info and refs (I wish I could read Japanese!). I hope she gets her 3-3's back, I'd love to see her more on the international scene. The Japanese federation seems to feel the same way. They sent her to 4C, SA, and CoC last year, plus the Campbell's Invitational, even though she hardly had any decent results prior to that. Thankfully she did reasonably well in all these assignments. I hope she gets lots of exposure again next year, and places even higher!

 

[Spun Silver]

I hope so too. She's really a pleasure to watch and the fans took to her immediately (at least judging by the forums).

I hope she and Mao (and Miki) will be doing SOI again next year too since I missed them this year.

 

[morninglight]

Mai Videos

2006 SP at Japanese Nationals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV476bHbi9s

2007 Stars on Ice in Japan (Aranjuez Mon Amour)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkTr5QVufmI

Love the gala performance. Very expressive and sophisticated. I think that she could make a great career as a pro skater

Enjoy!

 

[morninglight]

Wow, thanks for the info and refs (I wish I could read Japanese!). I hope she gets her 3-3's back, I'd love to see her more on the international scene. The Japanese federation seems to feel the same way. They sent her to 4C, SA, and CoC last year, plus the Campbell's Invitational, even though she hardly had any decent results prior to that. Thankfully she did reasonably well in all these assignments. I hope she gets lots of exposure again next year, and places even higher!

You are most welcome!

Yes, I hope she would be placed higher next seasons. If I remember correctly, she was placed 8th at the Japanese Nationals. It would be really cool if both sisters could make the Olympic team!

Besides, because she has already had her name known and has popularity of her own, it wouldn't be difficult for her to turn to pro in future.

 

[Tinymavy15]

mai reminds me so much of Karen Kwan, who was always the more gentle skater, with not so good jumps, who athough older had to play runner-up to her famous sister. I doubt that Mai will stay skating for long... she is lucky to have a successful modeling career, she should make the most of it.

 

[hockeyfan228]

mai reminds me so much of Karen Kwan, who was always the more gentle skater, with not so good jumps, who athough older had to play runner-up to her famous sister. I doubt that Mai will stay skating for long... she is lucky to have a successful modeling career, she should make the most of it.

I agree. I loved Karen Kwan's skating, and I think Mai Asada is lovely, too. I always wished they would have had their younger sisters's jumping ability and consistency.

 

[feraina]

I agree. I loved Karen Kwan's skating, and I think Mai Asada is lovely, too. I always wished they would have had their younger sisters's jumping ability and consistency.

Did both pairs of sisters start skating at the same time (within each pair)? Do you think it's starting late that disadvantaged the older ones? Or their relative height? Or just coincidence?

I thought Karen had great sensitivity to music, but I prefer Mai's style/posture to hers -- JMO. Mai Asada is pretty consistent, I think. Her main problem is that she doesn't do many combinations, which limits her number of triples. Some of her single triples are gorgeous, including the 3toe. I don't know why when she tries to tack on a 2toe after another jump, it always look so awkward -- never learned the right techniques, maybe.

Oh, and she could improve on her spins and spirals -- when I watch her I think if she just practices them more, or get the right coaching advice or something, she can really make them spectacular instead of somewhat unsatisfying.

Of course having a super-talented skater so close-by can be motivating, but on the other hand, they share many of the same resources, like parents, coaches, and finance. I admire how they seem to be so amicable and supportive of each other, even though I'm sure issues like which coach to hire, where to train, which trips to take, how much money to spend on each sister, come up all the time, and invariably there will be conflicts. Given Mao's relative success, I wonder if Mai sometimes feels to be in a compromised position. Or if they're in the same competition, and Mao is exuberant b/c she just won it, and Mai's upset b/c she just placed 7th or whatever, it can't be easy for either sister. And how's the mother supposed to act?

 

[ks777]

I think I read somewhere that Mao started skating at the age of 5 and Mai started at the age of 8. So Mao must have started skating a year earlier than her older sister. Miki Ando started skating at 9yrs old and they all practiced under the same coach and Miki and Mao were the practicing partners.

Yes, I wish Mai would work on her spins since she doesn't have the big jumps like her younger sister.

Mai's 2nd jump, the 2toe does look cautious because she just learned how to do it right. If she gets too nervous, she tends to toe-axel her toe-loop jump.

 

[chuckm]

Mai Asada is #25 on the ISU World Ranking list, and #28 on the Seasons Best list. Skaters must be in the top 24 on either the ISU World Ranking list or the Seasons Best list to be guaranteed at least one GP invitation. Mai just fell a little short in both categories. According to the GP selection criteria, though, Mai is eligible to be invited to a GP event once all the 'guaranteed' skaters have received their invitations.

 

[shine]

It must be tough to be Mao Asada's sister when you're a competitive skater yourself. I actually really like Mai's elegant, graceful style; she stands out with Yukina Ota in this dept among the Japanese ladies.

She's elegant, but I don't think she can quite compare to Yukina Ota. But then rarely does any female skater in my mind

 

[antmanb]

I don't know why when she [Mai Asada]tries to tack on a 2toe after another jump, it always look so awkward -- never learned the right techniques, maybe.

It looks to me (from the 2006 Campbells youtube clip) that she doesn't have a strong enough check on the landings to her triples - she seems to slightly over-rotate some of the solo triple jumps. triple jumps take a lot of upper body strength to check the rotation on the landing and you need an excellent check on the landing of a triple if you hope to execute any kind of combination. Mai seems to have tons of musicality and presentation skills so i think she's with the right coach to work out her jump technique and get those triples under control.

Ant

 

[emma]

I too liked Karen Kwan and like Mai Asada...but didn't Karen Kwan 'suffer' from height, that is, didn't her height interfere with her ability to jump? Perhaps Mai has a similiar problem as she too is taller than her little sister. I remember wishing that Kwan (Karen that is) would have switched to dance, and I wonder if anyone thinks Mai would be a good ice dancer?

 

[morninglight]

They are about the same height now. But perhaps because Mai has more mature, gentle atmosphere, she may look taller than Mao.
Mai seems to have been working hard and I believe that she will get better and better I personally think that it would be nice if people would appreciate her skate just as it is, without comparing with her sister too much. Even now, she is quite successful as a single skater and invited to perform at several ice shows. I will look forward to seeing more of her performances next season