Mao Asada plans to retire after Sochi

[Jtsmith12]

Here is the article in Japanese http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20130413/fig13041321000003-n1.html and a short one in english: http://english.kyodonews.jp/photos/2013/04/219406.html

 

[MaiKatze]

Not really a big surprise isn't it?

 

[Jammers]

I like Mao but it's time for the next generation of girls to take over post Sochi.

 

[MaiKatze]

I hope all the japanese skaters who plan to retire "after Sochi" will think about participating in the Worlds 2014 in Tokyo. Finishing on Home Ice.....maybe as a World Champion sounds exciting to me! (Of course, it is nicer to leave as OGMedalist, but let's be realistic here...)

With Akiko and potentially Kanako leaving, this will be a sad time for japanese ladies skating.

 

[Olympia]

Oh, dear, at moments like this, I realize how much I don't like change.

 

[ForeverFish]

I hope all the japanese skaters who plan to retire "after Sochi" will think about participating in the Worlds 2014 in Tokyo. Finishing on Home Ice.....maybe as a World Champion sounds exciting to me! (Of course, it is nicer to leave as OGMedalist, but let's be realistic here...)

With Akiko and potentially Kanako leaving, this will be a sad time for japanese ladies skating.

ITA. The only drawback of having three world-class skaters is that they'll leave behind a HUGE power vacuum when they're gone.

 

[MaiKatze]

Any News on Kozukas plans after Sochi? (I guess his first priority is making the team.....but then?) Imagine Yuzuru winning Olympic Gold and also retiring next year. Gloomy!

 

[sky_fly20]

I think we all agree huge power Vaccum needs to be filled by 2014
so many will retire even spanning 3 quadrennial

Mao, Yuna, Carolina, Akiko, S/S, P/T, V/T, Oda, Takahashi, Abbott, V/M, D/W just to name some.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Mao, Yuna, Carolina, Akiko

I suspect at least one of these skaters might hang on a year after Sochi because there is going to be such a void that a world title will be within reach where it might no have been before.

 

[FlattFan]

Basically the best three ladies in many many years gonna retire all at once.
Taka will also retire.
Looks like this will be the final nail in the coffin for figure skating. Who wants to see Liza and Adelina and Gracie and Ashley dominating the world scene?

Sad year for figure skating. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

 

[FlattFan]

I suspect at least one of these skaters might hang on a year after Sochi because there is going to be such a void that a world title will be within reach where it might no have been before.

Only Akiko. The other 3 got the world title. Nothing left to prove.

 

[pointyourtoe]

Is this assuming she wins, though? One of the top contenders, Carolina, will be 28 at Sochi. It's not totally unfathomable that Mao or Yuna might make it to Pyongyang. Then again, everyone peaks differently.

 

[hurrah]

I knew there was something terribly wrong when I saw Mao skate at World Trophy. I'm so sad but I knew this was going to happen one day. With Mao and Dai retiring, the Golden Age of Japanese Figure Skating will end. There will be empty seats in Japan even.

 

[Slowdive]

Basically the best three ladies in many many years gonna retire all at once.
Taka will also retire.
Looks like this will be the final nail in the coffin for figure skating. Who wants to see Liza and Adelina and Gracie and Ashley dominating the world scene?

Sad year for figure skating. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Hopefully if the best three ladies do retire after Sochi you will no longer post on this forum.

 

[babayaga]

I knew there was something terribly wrong when I saw Mao skate at World Trophy. I'm so sad but I knew this was going to happen one day. With Mao and Dai retiring, the Golden Age of Japanese Figure Skating will end. There will be empty seats in Japan even.

I agree, Mao looked in pain after free skate at WTT. I am afraid this decision is partially dictated by some injury she is not talking about.

 

[ElleluvsL]

Basically the best three ladies in many many years gonna retire all at once.
Taka will also retire.
Looks like this will be the final nail in the coffin for figure skating. Who wants to see Liza and Adelina and Gracie and Ashley dominating the world scene?

Sad year for figure skating. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Don't forget about Zijun. She's possibly the only one keeping me excited about the future of the sport for the ladies post-Sochi.

 

[chuckm]

People keep saying D/W are retiring, but THEY have not said it.

 

[pangtongfan]

People keep saying D/W are retiring, but THEY have not said it.

Skaters dont have to announce their retirements over a year before the Games, and most dont. It would be unlikely they choose to continue though. The only way I could see it is if they dont win the Sochi OGM they are clearly favored for now, and even then they might still go pro.

 

[Jammers]

Even if D/W don't get gold in Sochi i can't see them hanging around for another 4 years. By then they will be 30,31 and sooner or later their skill level will start to diminish. But post Sochi we will see perhaps the greatest turnover in skating history not just in numbers but in terms of legends and World champions.

 

[pangtongfan]

I cant see them staying either. Of course we dont know for sure on any of these skaters (especialy the ones who havent made an official announcement, but even those could go back on their word) but I think others have summed up well the skaters retiring post Sochi most likely. Others who probably will would be Chan, Moore-Towers & Moscovitch (well maybe just him), Pechalat & Bourzat, Kozuka, Oda.