2016 Finlandia Trophy Ladies SP

[gourry]

But she gains speed more effortlessly than anyone else, through the difficult steps and turns, and the edges are the deepest.

No she doesn't. That's why her SS is not scored highest and people perceive her as a slow skater.
If she truly gains speed effortlessly by doing difficult steps and turns, she would've scored really high SS score a la Patrick Chan. He does difficult turns and steps. Yet have you ever heard anyone call Chan a slow skater?
I often wonder why she does that. To what end? To gain a reputation as a slow skater? Because that's what's happening. Especially last year's Worlds, she looked quite sluggish compared to other skaters in FS. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate her strategy. If crossover is what you need to gain speed, do it.

 

[MaxSwagg]

No she doesn't. That's why her SS is not scored highest and people perceive her as a slow skater.
If she truly gains speed effortlessly by doing difficult steps and turns, she would've scored really high SS score a la Patrick Chan. He does difficult turns and steps. Yet have you ever heard anyone call Chan a slow skater?
I often wonder why she does that. To what end? To gain a reputation as a slow skater? Because that's what's happening. Especially last year's Worlds, she looked quite sluggish compared to other skaters in FS. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate her strategy. If crossover is what you need to gain speed, do it.

Yes, she does. Using many crossovers to gain speed is a piss-poor showing of good skating skills, though there are a few exceptions. Yuna is perceived to have great skating skills (and she is good) but her LP has something like upwards of 40 crossovers. Shoma uses many crossovers and skates at a decent clip, but would you consider him at the level of Chan and Hanyu? If you do, that is also goofy-minded...

 

[Skatingcat]

I don't pretend to know the super technical aspects of skating (but you guys are educating me), but Mao's skate blew me away. I thought it was gorgeous, and I cannot wait to see how it progresses.

I feel like Mao is damned if she does the triple axel and damned if she doesn't. I love watching her skate, and as much as I liked Anna P's program (and I really liked it). I found Mao's "Rach Lake" program was artistically superior.

It almost makes me want to get an ice network subscription. Ack!

 

[DiamondDust]

I miss the triple axel, but I liked Mao's sp. It'll be interesting to see the lp. Go Mao!

 

[[email protected]]

This looks like much better event than Nepela stream wise. The stream almost did not stop. Of course, the stream quality of the JGP which went at the same time is unbeatable. The only complaint is about the lack of slo-mos and weird camera angles.

I did not see Mao's combo clearly because of the camera. Understand, it was 3F-2Lo. I enjoyed her program - music was somewhat unusual but I like it and like her interpretation. Her step sequence is to die for! If she brings 3A and 3Lo into the combo, I think, this program can score 42+35=77

I also like Anna's SP, although so far her last year one was somewhat more powerful to me especially when she skated it during the worlds. But the main thing is that it looks like Anna does not want to be a meltdown queen any longer. 4 programs already this season and no falls so far, only stepouts. Hope, tomorrow the trend won't change and she wins the competition. Her FP is quite good. One thing which bothers me - she looked quite tired at K&C - hope, she is OK.

Liza is not suffering - she just jumps somewhat worse and does not get high scores any longer. For me she is overall a similar skater to Gracie: good jumper when the jumps are good - not much to be impressed about other than that. And she used to have decent pcs 2 seasons ago while being virtually the same skater as now. I would even say that she has improved pcs wise. But with the abundance of other Russians the judges shifted her way down in pcs pecking order. She just have to bring her top jumping form back including 3A - otherwise, with combined pcs below 90 it will be a challenge for her even to clear 200. I may be wrong but let's see if tomorrow she gets pcs higher than 60 - she had 68 at 2015 Europeans and 66 at 2015 worlds.

Finally, there are two out of this world beauties skating there: Anna (who would doubt?) and another girl from Estonia.

 

[burntBREAD]

Who scored higher than her for components ?

And she did a Flip, No ? Those get called as well

Uhh, I do love Mao, but when it comes to the flip and the lutz, Mao has only ever achieved an outside edge like two times in competition (in 2008-09) and in a few practice clips last year. Otherwise, everything -- flip, lutz, all off a DEEP inside edge her entire career!

I also do agree that she has strong edges but could show a bit more speed. Whether it's right or not to determine SS on speed, the reality is that it's probably the biggest factor (and has the biggest impact on almost all the PCS categories) and I don't doubt that Mao could skate faster.

 

[minze]

Mao is past her peak. The program is monotonous and she looks sluggish. Her PCS is a clear warning from the judges.

Still no reliable 3-3 or Lutz in her arsenal.

Are you sure? You know this after the first program of the season.

 

[100yen]

It's really interesting to see people's different opinions on Mao's programs. Some see them as monotonous and drab while others see them as subtly exquisite. I think goes way back to the "Masqurade Waltz" days (maybe even "Fantasie Impromptu", but I think "Bells" caused the greatest division among fans) when I believe Mao started to get more control over her music choices. She seems to be very partial to looping, rhythmic pieces that build up over time with a slow intensity.

The rhythmic pace at the beginning helps her get her jumps and lot of technical elements out of the way at the start so at the end she can take advantage of the built tension in the music to unleash incredibly passionate step sequences. I think Mao's music and program choices really work to her strengths and even her own personality (sometimes the underdog and comeback kid who's been through a lot put always pulls through in the end). Of course it's also up to personal opinion. I could listen to the full 20-minute "Bolero" piece with ease, while more than 3 minutes of it annoys the crap out of my mom. No opinion is better than the other, they are just simply different tastes in style.

 

[SXTN]

Are you sure? You know this after the first program of the season.

Compared to other skaters (like Ashley Wagner, Pogo or Hanyu) Mao seems to be lazy. She does not fix her longterm issues like rotation, edge calls, speed or jump combos.

Maybe all the money has destroyed her competitive spirit.

 

[100yen]

Compared to other skaters (like Ashley Wagner, Pogo or Hanyu) Mao seems to be lazy. She does not fix her longterm issues like rotation, edge calls, speed or jump combos.

Maybe all the money has destroyed her competitive spirit.

 

[Leonardo]

Compared to other skaters (like Ashley Wagner, Pogo or Hanyu) Mao seems to be lazy. She does not fix her longterm issues like rotation, edge calls, speed or jump combos.

Maybe all the money has destroyed her competitive spirit.

I know, don't feed the trolls and all, but this kind of comment makes me want to puke.

 

[Rissa]

Count me among the ones loving Mao's SP. Yep, I do agree it's a difficult music, but holy crap her choreo is awesome and those tiny birdy jumps in the spin!

 

[minze]

Compared to other skaters (like Ashley Wagner, Pogo or Hanyu) Mao seems to be lazy. She does not fix her longterm issues like rotation, edge calls, speed or jump combos.

Maybe all the money has destroyed her competitive spirit.

Did you just call a 3 times world champion lazy:dumb:

 

[yyyskate]

Uhh, I do love Mao, but when it comes to the flip and the lutz, Mao has only ever achieved an outside edge like two times in competition (in 2008-09) and in a few practice clips last year. Otherwise, everything -- flip, lutz, all off a DEEP inside edge her entire career!

I also do agree that she has strong edges but could show a bit more speed. Whether it's right or not to determine SS on speed, the reality is that it's probably the biggest factor (and has the biggest impact on almost all the PCS categories) and I don't doubt that Mao could skate faster.

I just watched Anna and Mao, gotta to wow : Anna's ice presence, the costume, the stunning red lips and music really suits her!
as for Mao, about the bold part I highlighted, I think if she could manage to skate faster, she should have already did long time ago (why not), Remember many people's live view feeling about Mao's speed at Boston Worlds, "like skating in molasses".I feel the same today, maybe her condition is not good this time as well.
about Mao's program, I have to say, my honest opinion is she havent stretched artistically that much over her career. This program had the similar feeling of her Rach, bell programs or even her last season SP. I am talking about the way how she use her body, how she interprets her stsq etc. (They are different programs ofc) which makes me wanna recommend some dance lessons to her e.g. hiphop, Jazz, latin and modern etc.
a couple of creative ideas choreographically I like, those ideas also used in her Bach ex program. her structured moves (her fav style) suits those ideas.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Count me among the ones loving Mao's SP. Yep, I do agree it's a difficult music, but holy crap her choreo is awesome and those tiny birdy jumps in the spin!

It kinda grows on me each time I watch it and I liked it from the start.

 

[Krunchii]

Compared to other skaters (like Ashley Wagner, Pogo or Hanyu) Mao seems to be lazy. She does not fix her longterm issues like rotation, edge calls, speed or jump combos.

Maybe all the money has destroyed her competitive spirit.

Uhh did you forget that in the quad before this she reworked her entire jump technique? It set her back two seasons and in the same quad she reworked her spin technique and increased her spin rotations per kick working with Takahiko Kozuka and Nobuo Sato. And she is working on the lutz, this and this are all from last fall at Japan Open and CoC, clearly not e at all. Mao Asada is so far from lazy, also she said for this competition she is taking it at Mao pace so that she doesn't injure herself, she's 26 which is like 60 in the figure skating world, she cant just do something freely because she wills it.

 

[100yen]

Uhh did you forget that in the quad before this she reworked her entire jump technique? It set her back two seasons and in the same quad she reworked her spin technique and increased her spin rotations per kick working with Takahiko Kozuka and Nobuo Sato. And she is working on the lutz, this and this are all from last fall at Japan Open and CoC, clearly not e at all. Mao Asada is so far from lazy, also she said for this competition she is taking it at Mao pace so that she doesn't injure herself, she's 26 which is like 60 in the figure skating world, she cant just do something freely because she wills it.

I think people forget just how hard this is. If you have ever figure skated yourself on even an intermediate level, you know how difficult technique change is. Your body literally learns to jump a certain way and muscle memory takes over. Learning to jump a new way is pretty much like starting from scratch. It takes a TON of time and patience. There are times where you fall so much you feel like giving up and just going back to your old techniques and deal with the low scores, but Mao motivated herself to work through this. To me, that is the opposite of lazy.

 

[yyyskate]

watch Sima somehow makes me worry about the future of Gubonova.

 

[yyyskate]

Uhh did you forget that in the quad before this she reworked her entire jump technique? It set her back two seasons and in the same quad she reworked her spin technique and increased her spin rotations per kick working with Takahiko Kozuka and Nobuo Sato. And she is working on the lutz, this and this are all from last fall at Japan Open and CoC, clearly not e at all. Mao Asada is so far from lazy, also she said for this competition she is taking it at Mao pace so that she doesn't injure herself, she's 26 which is like 60 in the figure skating world, she cant just do something freely because she wills it.

why should she rework her jumps and spin as well in the first place? Does those hard work really worked? Those are the questions people should think about especially future skaters.
At the end of day, competition is judged by the outcome, not how sensational the background story is.

and when she is reworking her technique, she was still been hold up and given opportunities, and i dont know, how longer will this kinda treatment still be open to her.

 

[Krunchii]

why should she rework her jumps and spin as well in the first place? Does those hard work really worked? Those are the questions people should think about especially future skaters.
At the end of day, competition is judged by the outcome, not how sensational the background story is.

Because she learned if she kept skating she would lose her jumps so it was necessary? She wanted to win, so she improved her technique, what? Is a skater just supposed to stagnate and not strive to improve? And yes the hard work worked, she set several PBs in both her SP and FS after reworking her jumps and one of them is a world record.

And I don't recall myself arguing anywhere that her score here wasn't fair or that her story should be factored into her scores, I was defending Mao from being called lazy.