Kim vs. Asada X

skate4ever · Feb 15, 2009

I had some time to kill so went on Wikipedia and found out that this year's Worlds will be the tenth match up between Kim and Asada.

Kim vs. Asada I
04-05 Junior GPF: Asada Gold, Kim Silver
(Asada 1: Kim 0)

Kim vs. Asada II
04-05 Junior Worlds: Asada Gold, Kim Silver
(Asada 2: Kim 0)

Kim vs. Asada III
05-06 Junior Worlds: Kim Gold, Asada Silver
(Asada 2: Kim 1)

Kim vs. Asada IV
06-07 GPF: Kim Gold, Asada Silver
(Asada 2: Kim 2)

Kim vs. Asada V
06-07 Worlds: Asada Silver, Kim Bronze
(Asada 3: Kim 2)

Kim vs. Asada VI
07-08 GPF: Kim Gold, Asada Silver
(Asada 3: Kim 3)

Kim vs. Asada VII
07-08 Worlds: Asada Gold, Kim Bronze
(Asada 4: Kim 3)

Kim vs. Asada VIII
08-09 GPF: Asada Gold, Kim Silver
(Asada 5: Kim 3)

Kim vs. Asada IX
08-09 4CC: Kim Gold, Asada Bronze
(Asada 5: Kim 4)

Kim vs. Asada X
08-09 Worlds: ???

In every event they went head-to-head, they both finished on the podium.
Simply amazing.

SailorGalaxia518 · Feb 15, 2009

Well if Yu-Na Kim skates to clean programs, she will be pretty much unbeatable at Worlds.

I am not saying that I don't think Mao can catch her, I think her and Rochette has a shot but they will need to go all out if they want to catch her.

And plus we all know, third time is the charm for Yu-Na Kim

jaejang2001 · Feb 15, 2009

It's unfair at 07/08 worlds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WIdnLO_8qA

shallwedansu · Feb 15, 2009

We're so used to seeing Kim win early in the season and then Asada take over in the second half. It looks like this season the tables have turned. Worlds is going to be even more exciting and I think it's still an even toss up between Mao and Yu-Na.

jaejang2001 said:
It's unfair at 07/08 worlds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WIdnLO_8qA

Everytime you post a puppy dies somewhere. Make that a puppy and a figure skating fan.

jaejang2001 · Feb 16, 2009

4CC FS says "MAO is OVERATED"

R.D. · Feb 16, 2009

So Asada leads 5-4, eh?

Kim Yu Na is on a streak right now. I'd imagine at worlds she'll put up a score like 80 or something and then she can basically sleepwalk to the Championship from there on out. The only one that has any sort of chance is Asada. Maybe Rochette if she can put up a strong SP.

HCOSurfer · Feb 16, 2009

jaejang2001 said:
4CC FS says "MAO is OVERATED"

Something tells me you're not from St. Paul.

skate4ever · Feb 16, 2009

SailorGalaxia518 said:
Well if Yu-Na Kim skates to clean programs, she will be pretty much unbeatable at Worlds.

As much as I adore Yuna, the only thing is that I don't believe that she's ever skated a clean SP + LP in a single competition in her young career.

Then again, I think the only time Mao skated clean short and long programs was at Japanese nationals.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen a lady figure skater complete a clean SP + LP for a couple of seasons now. Miki Ando at 05-06 Worlds in Tokyo was pretty close, I think.

I know that it's no easy feat to perform two clean programs in one event, but since it's become so rare now, I'm not sure if it's because the girls have become more aggressive or their average level of skills has declined.

fumie_fumie · Feb 16, 2009

HCOSurfer said:
Something tells me you're not from St. Paul.

I think he is. He is probably doing his PhD in math in St. Paul. He is just a rabid Yuna fan, who wants to chew out her "enemy" Mao. A lot of fans of other skaters do exactly that anyway. so why single him out?

Tinymavy15 · Feb 16, 2009

Thanks for settling the score skate4ever! Nice. Don't forget about the times they met on the GP circuit (there must have been at least twice). Taking those into account, the score is more tied.

MissCleo · Feb 16, 2009

Not necessarily. Since they do so well at Worlds, they dont have to compete with each other on the circuit, just at the GPF

skate4ever · Feb 16, 2009

Tinymavy15 said:
Thanks for settling the score skate4ever! Nice. Don't forget about the times they met on the GP circuit (there must have been at least twice). Taking those into account, the score is more tied.

As cleopatra said, they have never met in a regular season grand prix events, not even during their novice and junior years. I believe the nine competitions I listed are the only times they've met. Someone could correct me if I'm wrong.

In any case, they could've become good friends just by hanging around on the podium. "Oh, it's you ... again."

What a rivalry.

mycelticblessing · Feb 17, 2009

It's interesting that they never seem to both go to the same skating event. Could it be to make sure that there's good ticket sales for countries hosting the events? The skating events without Mao/Yuna in the Grand Prix were pretty boring.

Dodhiyel · Feb 17, 2009

Yes, we have one of skating's great rivalries again. Let's face it, they are both extraordinary. I think that having Tarasova as her coach gives Mao an edge ( I am so tired I am making puns in my sleep lol. The coffee will kick in soon...)

Mao is a super-athlete. I have no doubt of that. She has pure strength, lots of it, and she looks at home on the ice, to me. Yu-na is quite simply, exquisite to watch; I would say that she has a natural artistic edge, and Brian Orser seems to be the perfect coach for her. She does have a problem with injuries, though.

I think that either one of them can get higher marks than the other at any event, and this uncertainty makes it exciting. Thanks for doing the legwork (leg? lol) skate4ever

(okay, the fingerwork, I guess lol). I am not against either of them, quite the contrary, so I get to enjoy their competition, without a lot of stress. I think we are all lucky to get to see them. :clap:

Mathman · Feb 17, 2009

mycelticblessing said:
It's interesting that they never seem to both go to the same skating event. Could it be to make sure that there's good ticket sales for countries hosting the events? The skating events without Mao/Yuna in the Grand Prix were pretty boring.

The way the draw goes for the Grand Prix, none of the medalists from the previous year's Worlds can go to the same GP event.

Each GP event is guaranteed to have exactly one of the first, second and third place skaters at Worlds, and exactly one of skaters 4, 5, and 6.

The two GP events last year which did not have Mao or Yu-na had Carolina Kostner (world silver medalist) instead.

Yogudin · Feb 20, 2009

Mao should win!

Kim vs. Asada IX
08-09 4CC: Kim Gold, Asada Bronze
(Asada 5: Kim 4)

Kim vs. Asada X
08-09 Worlds: Asada Gold, Kim Silver
(Asada 6: Kim 4)

They should go head-to-head and both should finish on the podium in LA World. Simply amazing? Yes, indeed amazing that it can be sure only in that way!

fourclover · Mar 5, 2009

Gold medal is important too but I hope Yu-na would get fit for the Worlds. Throughout the Grand Prix series you could tell she wasn't fit like she used to be at last year's Grand Prix. Although this year's programs are nice, it's hard to watch Yu-na carrying around excess on her delicate frame. Her jump rotations are slower and so are her spins. Just compare this year's to last year's anything you'll see the big difference. I hope she gets back to her fit shape before the World's and the Olympics.

Also, I hope Yu-na doens't mention any excuses if she messes up on jumps. Look at Mao (she's very fit for her frame BTW) who kept her injury a secret during 4CC. I know part of Yu-na's attitude have to do with Korean spectators who seem to think she's not human. But I think both Korean audiences and Yu-na could use some maturity.

turtle · Mar 5, 2009

fourclover said:
Gold medal is important too but I hope Yu-na would get fit for the Worlds. Throughout the Grand Prix series you could tell she wasn't fit like she used to be at last year's Grand Prix. Although this year's programs are nice, it's hard to watch Yu-na carrying around excess on her delicate frame. Her jump rotations are slower and so are her spins. Just compare this year's to last year's anything you'll see the big difference. I hope she gets back to her fit shape before the World's and the Olympics.

Also, I hope Yu-na doens't mention any excuses if she messes up on jumps. Look at Mao (she's very fit for her frame BTW) who kept her injury a secret during 4CC. I know part of Yu-na's attitude have to do with Korean spectators who seem to think she's not human. But I think both Korean audiences and Yu-na could use some maturity.

What does keeping silent about one's own injuries have anything to do with the person's maturity? So whenever athletes talk about their new injuries they are using them as excuses? Excuses for what?

On a different note, Mao, to me, has the most beautiful body line, very healthy, fit, and balanced. On the other hand, Yuna probably has to work harder to maintain certain body weight and line. But then, I think she has also gotten physically more mature and that's why she looks very different from last year.

skate4ever · Mar 6, 2009

fourclover said:
Gold medal is important too but I hope Yu-na would get fit for the Worlds. Throughout the Grand Prix series you could tell she wasn't fit like she used to be at last year's Grand Prix. Although this year's programs are nice, it's hard to watch Yu-na carrying around excess on her delicate frame. Her jump rotations are slower and so are her spins. Just compare this year's to last year's anything you'll see the big difference. I hope she gets back to her fit shape before the World's and the Olympics.

Also, I hope Yu-na doens't mention any excuses if she messes up on jumps. Look at Mao (she's very fit for her frame BTW) who kept her injury a secret during 4CC. I know part of Yu-na's attitude have to do with Korean spectators who seem to think she's not human. But I think both Korean audiences and Yu-na could use some maturity.

turtle said:
What does keeping silent about one's own injuries have anything to do with the person's maturity? So whenever athletes talk about their new injuries they are using them as excuses? Excuses for what?

On a different note, Mao, to me, has the most beautiful body line, very healthy, fit, and balanced. On the other hand, Yuna probably has to work harder to maintain certain body weight and line. But then, I think she has also gotten physically more mature and that's why she looks very different from last year.

I agree with turtle. Injuries are very real to skaters and I think it's better to be open about them. Yuna lost to Mao in this year's GPF, injury-free, on home ice and said she was just as happy to win a silver medal, so I don't think it's fair to accuse her of being immature in that regard.

As for Yuna's physical appearance, figure skating requires a certain level of muscular strength and slender body line is not a necessary nor sufficient condition for being a successful figure skater. We see a number of skaters with model-like figures in grand prix circuit and international competitions who do not perform very well. On the other hand, skaters like Katarina Witt, Michelle Kwan and Irina Slutskaya did not have slender bodies in their heydays.

I don't think Yuna has to worry about her bodyline. Maybe Mao is just blessed with a gene pool that has a higher rate of metabolism. Besides, I know many girls who would give anything to have Yuna's body.

Wrlmy · Mar 6, 2009

skate4ever said:
I don't think Yuna has to worry about her bodyline. Maybe Mao is just blessed with a gene pool that has a higher rate of metabolism. Besides, I know many girls who would give anything to have Yuna's body.

Count me in! IMO Yuna and Alissa have the perfect physique a skater can hope for. Their bodies are just perfectly proportioned, with long limbs, beautiful neck line, and well-balanced, not too curvy yet not stick-figure-like shoulders and hips.

fourclover, I believe what you are looking for is a gymnast body (May I stress that I'm not talking about rhythmic gymnast) like young Tara Lipinski. Yuna may not be as slender and stick-like as she used to be, but that's part of growing, and she looks more gorgeous than ever. Less efficient in terms of jump rotation? The rule of physics says so. More mature and interesting? Million times yes.

Kim vs. Asada X

skate4ever

SailorGalaxia518

jaejang2001

Match Penalty

shallwedansu

jaejang2001

Match Penalty

R.D.

HCOSurfer

skate4ever

fumie_fumie

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win

MissCleo

skate4ever

mycelticblessing

Dodhiyel

Mathman

Yogudin

fourclover

turtle

skate4ever

Wrlmy

Similar threads

Connect with us