Joannie Rochette Rivalry For 2008-2010? | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Joannie Rochette Rivalry For 2008-2010?

miki88

Medalist
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Not really.

In the 06-07 and 07-08 seasons, no one would argue that Asada and Rochette were rivals in any sense of the word other than the literal (aka, two competitors at the same events). Asada was in another league, Rochette was still struggling with consistency issues (she is now, admittedly). It's not really a question.

The question, as posed by the initial poster, has Rochette BECOME a rival for Asada? In the two seasons, she's beaten her more times than not (TEB 2008, 4CC 2009, Worlds 2009, Japan Open 2009 vs GPF 2008, WTT 2009, Olympics 2010), and their scores are often very close to each others. Now, whether you believe this is because Asada's skills have deteriorated (no 3-3 combination, too much focus on 3A), Rochette's have improved (consistency, jumps, PCS), both or neither is up in the air, of course.

That said, I sorta feel that a rivalry needs an off the ice component for it to be a memorable one: Plushenko-Yagudin, Asada-Kim, etc. This certainly doesn't.

This I agree. I think most of their fans are comfortable enough for them to skate in the same shows, and also both skaters have been quite friendly to each other. In one article, Joannie even said that she thinks Mao is the most graceful skater now. There's a lack of tension that the other two rivalries have.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
That said, I sorta feel that a rivalry needs an off the ice component for it to be a memorable one: Plushenko-Yagudin, Asada-Kim, etc. This certainly doesn't.

Many feel the same way - but for me it is almost the opposite.
The "Battle of The Brians" has become legendary - and yet the two skaters were not enemies, and showed each other alot of respect on and off the ice.

The class the "Brians' showed made their rivalry better for me. The Yags-Plush rivalry felt less like a sporting rivalry and more like I was watching a couple of little boys fighting over the last piece of candy. I admire more mature behavior from my champions.

I think despite the pressure Yuna and Mao feel from their fans and press they handle themselves extremely well. Midori and Kristi is another example of rivals who wanted the Gold medal badly, had immense pressure to win and yet these too always showed such dignity and class.

Maybe I am in a minority here - but for me sportsmanship, grace under pressure, how one handles defeat - these are the qualities I admire. Great sporting rivalries don't have to be about jerky behavior.

The champions I admire most show great quality on and off the ice.
I immediately think of Michelle and Joannie.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
This I agree. I think most of their fans are comfortable enough for them to skate in the same shows, and also both skaters have been quite friendly to each other. In one article, Joannie even said that she thinks Mao is the most graceful skater now. There's a lack of tension that the other two rivalries have.

Also Joannie is five years older than Mao and they are at different stages of their career.
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Many feel the same way - but for me it is almost the opposite.
The "Battle of The Brians" has become legendary - and yet the two skaters were not enemies, and showed each other alot of respect on and off the ice.

The class the "Brians' showed made their rivalry better for me. The Yags-Plush rivalry felt less like a sporting rivalry and more like I was watching a couple of little boys fighting over the last piece of candy. I admire more mature behavior from my champions.

I think despite the pressure Yuna and Mao feel from their fans and press they handle themselves extremely well. Midori and Kristi is another example of rivals who wanted the Gold medal badly, had immense pressure to win and yet these too always showed such dignity and class.

Maybe I am in a minority here - but for me sportsmanship, grace under pressure, how one handles defeat - these are the qualities I admire. Great sporting rivalries don't have to be about jerky behavior.

The champions I admire most show great quality on and off the ice.
I immediately think of Michelle and Joannie.

I agree, but I think the class they showed off the ice (along with their same first names) contributes to the battle. It's not about off-ice hatred or anger. Asada and Kim have composed themselves with nothing less than dignity.

Another example of a rivalry would be Joubert and Chan. Even ignoring the words thrown, their rivalry is about different types of skating styles along with general competition. I'd call that a rivalry because they typify two different schools/directions.
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
I think an interesting rivalry between Chan, Brezina, and Rippon will develop in the years leading up to Sochi. All extremely talented but with his own unique style :agree:.
 

ordinary person

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
So much stuff for Mao/Yuna. Let's talk about Joannie and her rival in the past 2 seasons.
I have to admit that Mao and Joannie were so close to each other face to face.

They have met five times face to face:

Medal count and standing:

2008-09 World Championship/ Joannie (silver) / Mao (4th place)
2008-09 Four Continent/ Joanne (silver)/ Mao (bronze)
2008-09 Grand Prix Final/ Joannie (4th place)/ Mao (gold)
2008-09 Trophee Eric Bombard/ Joannie (gold)/ Mao (silver)
2010 Vancouver Olympic/ Joanni bronze)/ Mao (silver)

Joannie wins 3 vs. Mao 2
Joannie/Mao share same medals: 1 gold, 2 sivler, 1 bronze, 4th place (exactly same for both!)

Now in terms of scores and average scores:

2008-09 World Championship/ Joannie (191.29)/ Mao (188.09)
2008-09 Four Continent/ Joannie (183.91)/ Mao(176.52)
2008-09 Grand Prix Final/ Joannie(166.36)/ Mao(188.55)
2008-09 Trophee Eric Bombard/ Joannie(180.73)/ Mao(167.59)
2010 Vancouver Olympic/ Joannie(202.64)/ Mao(205.50)

Five Events Average Scores for Joannie (184.99) and Mao (185.25).
There is Only 0.26 differences between these two. Isn't it the Best Rivalry between 2008-2010?:thumbsup:
Your thoughts?:confused:

Well,considering the results of the last two seasons joannie is definitely a rival since she beat moa asada head to head competitions,a very interesting rivalry it would be lol

Anyways,Joannie owned Mao Asada more often in those 2 seasons,if she had participated in the world champions she'd might have gotten gold as well
 
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skateflatt

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 14, 2010
Well,considering the results of the last two seasons joannie is definitely a rival since she beat moa asada head to head competitions,a very interesting rivalry it would be lol

Anyways,Joannie owned Mao Asada more often in those 2 seasons,if she had participated in the world champions she'd might have gotten gold as well
She really needs a Gold medal thou...
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Yeah,i'm sure she will get one

I doubt it. I really don't think Joannie will come back to competitive skating, and if she did I can't see her beating both Yu-na and Mao. If she was going to get a World Championship title her best shot would have been this year when yu-na fell apart, but Joannie was not there and even if she was Mao skated lights out.

I love Joannie and would like nothing more than to see her snatch a world title but without a 3/3 I don't see that happening unless both of the top ladies make mistakes.
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Why do you think Joannie will not come back to competitive skating? I seem to recall her saying that she'd like to continue for a season or two at least before the games.
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
I doubt it. I really don't think Joannie will come back to competitive skating, and if she did I can't see her beating both Yu-na and Mao. If she was going to get a World Championship title her best shot would have been this year when yu-na fell apart, but Joannie was not there and even if she was Mao skated lights out.

I love Joannie and would like nothing more than to see her snatch a world title but without a 3/3 I don't see that happening unless both of the top ladies make mistakes.

Well her 3t-1/2lo-3sal is technically a 3-3 and apparently she was doing 3lz-3t in practice this year and intended to do it in competition. I tend to think she has a 3-3 and was more focused on keeping it clean during the Olympic season, now that it's over, she might be willing to take more risks. I tend to think she'll stick around for a couple more years at least.
 

Bijoux

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 8, 2004
Joannie can't beat Mao or Yuna technically and many medals and scores in figureskating have nothing to do with what happened on the ice. Joannie has qualities that only the great skaters have. She is a skater's skater. Her basics are so beautiful that you want to watch her. She skates seamlessly, not as if she is out there to rack up points and grimly determined to win. I can only say that I would rather watch her than any other eligible. No, I'm not canadian. Her maturity is that of Kwam, Yuka, Janet Lynn. She's very sophisticated and uses her whole body in her skating. After watching so many skaters in this big year, it is her programs that will be remembered the most. Heart and soul, she is the most lovely skater out there. I think she said she wants to win one more Canadian title, so I hope she does do it one more year.
 

skateflatt

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 14, 2010
Joannie can't beat Mao or Yuna technically and many medals and scores in figureskating have nothing to do with what happened on the ice. Joannie has qualities that only the great skaters have. She is a skater's skater. Her basics are so beautiful that you want to watch her. She skates seamlessly, not as if she is out there to rack up points and grimly determined to win. I can only say that I would rather watch her than any other eligible. No, I'm not canadian. Her maturity is that of Kwam, Yuka, Janet Lynn. She's very sophisticated and uses her whole body in her skating. After watching so many skaters in this big year, it is her programs that will be remembered the most. Heart and soul, she is the most lovely skater out there. I think she said she wants to win one more Canadian title, so I hope she does do it one more year.
Isn't this thread between Jo Ro and Mao?? What is your point of putting Yuna in here?? Another Mao/Yuna thread??
 
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dlgpffps

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Joannie may not be a rival, but she is certainly a threat. A BIG threat. Who else can consistently put together a 7-triple program with seamless transitions, stunning choreography and grace? She also struggled during the 07-08 season to fix her flutz, so that now she has no technical issues that could give her a hard time. All she lacks is a 3-3. I can't take anything else from her. She's amazing.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Joannie may not be a rival, but she is certainly a threat. A BIG threat. Who else can consistently put together a 7-triple program with seamless transitions, stunning choreography and grace? She also struggled during the 07-08 season to fix her flutz, so that now she has no technical issues that could give her a hard time. All she lacks is a 3-3. I can't take anything else from her. She's amazing.

Yeah, I agree that Joannie may not be a rival but a threat. I read in Miki's book that she is good friends with Caro and Joannie because they are in the same cohort (Joannie is a bit older though) and has competed against each other since Juniors so that each one is kind of conscious about each other (Just to note that she isn't saying anything about the Caro-Joannie relationship, but her relaitonships with these two). To be considered rivals, such long-term competitions may be necessary both for fans and skaters themselves.
 

ordinary person

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
I doubt it. I really don't think Joannie will come back to competitive skating, and if she did I can't see her beating both Yu-na and Mao. If she was going to get a World Championship title her best shot would have been this year when yu-na fell apart, but Joannie was not there and even if she was Mao skated lights out.

I love Joannie and would like nothing more than to see her snatch a world title but without a 3/3 I don't see that happening unless both of the top ladies make mistakes.

I wouldn't say lights out,but the topic was about 2 seasons alone,so that means yeah she beat mao asada 3 times and lost to her only two,why say she can't beat mao then cause the facts are there.
 

tarotx

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Only Worlds, Olympics and Nationals matter-or so I was told many times about Sasha and her gpf win and her status of being a champion figure skater :rolleye: Any way I agree that Joannie is probably more a threat then ia rival. Because of the off ice component. And I don't mean hating on each other but press and fan reaction. Also because Mao's focus has been to get the 2 triple axel's good enough to be credited more so then wining anything other then the Olympics. I personally rather watch Joannie compete though because Mao the past two years has been obsessed with those triple axel's. Joannie has learned to relax while Mao has been on edge.
 
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