2016-17 State of Japanese Ladies Skating

[Biellmann]

Satoko's small jumps depend on pre-rotation and have no delay. I have no idea how she is capable of mastering 3A. At least Wakaba's or Kaori's jumps have some delay and longer time in the air.

It's the same with Shoma Uno's jumps

 

[hippomoomin]

As I said earlier, how much more Mao can achieve in terms of placement and jumps is questionable in both Worlds and Olympics.
With the depth of lady's field, even this forum does not do much talking about her. I am hoping she offers something new, such as original/innovative choreography, or better jumps. Her performance level has been great and she cannot do much more than she already does, and she can do so by just doing shows.

She has already figured it out. She's staying until 2018. She will start her season at Finlandia Trophy. As for who will represent Japan at Worlds, the most likely trio is Satoko Miyahara - Wakaba Higuchi - Mao Asada, imo.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

As I said earlier, how much more Mao can achieve in terms of placement and jumps is questionable in both Worlds and Olympics.

Mao's biggest problem is that her weakness are amplified in the current judging system. Under rotations are punished harshly, and her 3/3 and 3A are prone to those calls. Wrong edge take-offs are also penalized severely, and she has one of the most noticeable flutzes in the current field. It's hard for her to get the PCS she deserves when her execution scores are so low. She needs to find some way to minimize risk in her competitive programs so she can get full credit for the jumps she does.

 

[ioanna]

As I said earlier, how much more Mao can achieve in terms of placement and jumps is questionable in both Worlds and Olympics.
With the depth of lady's field, even this forum does not do much talking about her. I am hoping she offers something new, such as original/innovative choreography, or better jumps. Her performance level has been great and she cannot do much more than she already does, and she can do so by just doing shows.

This forum does enough talking in her fan fest thread from what I've seen. I suppose Rika Hongo can beat Mao at Nationals but she would also have to do well in the GP for her to be sent to Worlds over Mao.

 

[hippomoomin]

Yep. She was trained under the old system.

Not sure even Yuna would hold up against new comers, unless she gets HUGE GOE for everything she does.

With the old generation of skaters retiring, I am somehow trained to appreciate the current standards more.

I don't want Mao to be heartbroken again in 2018 and then retire after that. Her goal after Vancouver was to get GOLD in 2014, only to realize it was even more competitive and she was not as good as in 2010; Had she been on the podium, she probably retired in 2014. Now her realistic competitive goal would be on the podium in 2018, and lady's field will be even more competitive. Even a successful 3A wouldn't set her apart. She may land the 3A and mess up with other jumps in the short. Mao has to really justify her motivation and goal, and don't get disappointed when things falter.

 

[chloepoco]

Yep. She was trained under the old system.

Not sure even Yuna would hold up against new comers, unless she gets HUGE GOE for everything she does.

With the old generation of skaters retiring, I am somehow trained to appreciate the current standards more.

I don't want Mao to be heartbroken again in 2018 and then retire after that. Her goal after Vancouver was to get GOLD in 2014, only to realize it was even more competitive and she was not as good as in 2010; Had she been on the podium, she probably retired in 2014. Now her realistic competitive goal would be on the podium in 2018, and lady's field will be even more competitive. Even a successful 3A wouldn't set her apart. She may land the 3A and mess up with other jumps in the short. Mao has to really justify her motivation and goal, and don't get disappointed when things falter.

Maybe she'll be the next Fumie Suguri? Just kidding!!

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I don't want Mao to be heartbroken again in 2018 and then retire after that. Her goal after Vancouver was to get GOLD in 2014, only to realize it was even more competitive and she was not as good as in 2010; Had she been on the podium, she probably retired in 2014. Now her realistic competitive goal would be on the podium in 2018, and lady's field will be even more competitive. Even a successful 3A wouldn't set her apart. She may land the 3A and mess up with other jumps in the short. Mao has to really justify her motivation and goal, and don't get disappointed when things falter.

I honestly feel like the competitor who would push Mao the most is Liza. She is the one skater (at least a few years ago) who does all the jumps Mao does, but better; Liza rarely has UR or edge issues on any jump. Mao must be a bit disheartened to lose on TES by a wide margin to skaters who do much easier 3/3s and no 3A.

 

[Lambari]

Maybe she'll be the next Fumie Sugari? Just kidding!!

:rofl2: While Fumie was still competing some people didn't even know she was still there though, I don't see this hapenning with Mao because of how much attention she attracts. Maybe she'll become the next Plushenko jk, I love Mao hence my avatar

 

[yuki]

Maybe she'll be the next Fumie Sugari? Just kidding!!

(Suguri, btw)

I don't want Mao to be heartbroken again in 2018 and then retire after that. Her goal after Vancouver was to get GOLD in 2014, only to realize it was even more competitive and she was not as good as in 2010; Had she been on the podium, she probably retired in 2014.

Mao was a better skater in 2014 compared to 2010, both technically and artistically; she just didn't handle the pressure similarly well in 2014.

 

[YesWay]

I don't get the ridicule aimed at Fumie Suguri.

In my opinion she deserves respect for her many accomplishments (and they were many), and for continuing to compete for whatever reasons she has - instead of quitting just because other people thought she should. Why should she? Maybe she just loves competitive skating, what's wrong with that?

She still competes even now - she was at Obserstdorf adult competition earlier this year, and she still skates beautifully. I'd say she's still good enough that she could be national champion in a majority of the ISU member countries...!

 

[noidont]

I love Mao and don't want her to retire like ever. She already does plenty of shows and if she can also find the time to compete, there is no reason not to. Frankly if Wagner can medal, Mao can too, it just depends on performance of the day. Mao is not a fearless competitor and probably will never be, but I prefer to watch her over Satoko and Wakaba any day.

 

[chloepoco]

:rofl2: While Fumie was still competing some people didn't even know she was still there though, I don't see this hapenning with Mao because of how much attention she attracts. Maybe she'll become the next Plushenko jk, I love Mao hence my avatar

I love Mao too.....

(Suguri, btw) QUOTE]


Thanks for catching that!

 

[Lambari]

I don't get the ridicule aimed at Fumie Suguri.

In my opinion she deserves respect for her many accomplishments (and they were many), and for continuing to compete for whatever reasons she has - instead of quitting just because other people thought she should. Why should she? Maybe she just loves competitive skating, what's wrong with that?

She still competes even now - she was at Obserstdorf adult competition earlier this year, and she still skates beautifully. I'd say she's still good enough that she could be national champion in a majority of the ISU member countries...!

In my opinion there's no ridicule going on, I didn't mean that way. Or else I wouldn't be joking about Mao's future since she's one of my favourites. She can as well skate as much as she wants too. :yay:

 

[chloepoco]

In my opinion there's no ridicule going on, I didn't mean that way. Or else I wouldn't be joking about Mao's future since she's one of my favourites. She can as well skate as much as she wants too. :yay:

Ditto that..... I admire both Fumie and Mao for their tenacity!

 

[mikeko666]

It's the same with Shoma Uno's jumps

Shoma has MUCH MORE speed going into the jumps. See the distance his 3A covers. I wouldn't even compare his jumps to Satoko's.

 

[Seren]

I'm not sure how Mao can be described as not as good in 2014. She set the SP world record that year at Worlds. She had a terrible skate in the SP at the Olympics, but her FS was one of the most incredible skates I've ever seen. If she had put those two skates together (the worlds SP and Olympic LP) she would very likely have won gold in Sochi.

Mao is magical. I will always love watching her more than some of the jumping prodigies we are seeing now (that doesn't mean I don't also appreciate and like the jumpers). But she has a quality about her than cannot be taught.

 

[largeman]

With the depth of lady's field, even this forum does not do much talking about her.

you're entitled to your opinions, but this is just not factually accurate...

 

[gotoschool]

I love Mao and don't want her to retire like ever. She already does plenty of shows and if she can also find the time to compete, there is no reason not to. Frankly if Wagner can medal, Mao can too, it just depends on performance of the day. Mao is not a fearless competitor and probably will never be, but I prefer to watch her over Satoko and Wakaba any day.

It also depends on Mao and those skating against her to be judged more fairly. Besides as many have already said, the great qualities in her skating including her jumps are so often ignored by the system. Yes she makes mistakes, but according to the people I showed Mao's Worlds freeskate performance too, Mao did give the performance of the day just as she did in the Sochi LP. And even with what I and many others think is overly harsh scoring with rules and rulings made that so often disfavored her, she has still won more world and Grand Prix titles than any other women skater from Asia, so I think it is inaccurate to say that she isn't a fierce competitor. Instead, her ability to endure and keep skating despite such rulings and harsh scrutiny shows her stamina, though for me her being a greater artist and athlete who can move my emotions so deeply is much more meaningful and unique. Beyond the beauty of Mao's skating, I think it is her nobility in fighting against and often succeeding in a system that in my view is so often pitted against her that makes her so appealing and honorable.

 

[bosskil]

Lovely and cute. I'm thinking the emoticons means that She's leaving on the Slovenia flight and gonna be strong enough to get a gold medal, so that I can go to France (for JGP Final).

Exactly. :yes:

 

[ioanna]

Shoma has MUCH MORE speed going into the jumps. See the distance his 3A covers. I wouldn't even compare his jumps to Satoko's.

He didn't have half that distance before he was taught how to use distance in order to land it. His 3A improved with time. Yes he has speed but he also has a lot of crossovers.