- Joined
- Nov 13, 2012
R.D means when Yuna take a long break after Vancouver then comeback for Sochii doubt yuna is coming back..
R.D means when Yuna take a long break after Vancouver then comeback for Sochii doubt yuna is coming back..
i doubt yuna is coming back..
next season will be the first time we're not going to see mao, yuna, akiko, miki, and possibly carolina.. sounds depressing..
No need to be so dramatic. While I, too, would be sad to see the triple axel go, don't forget that a) Mao is taking a break. She may yet come back. In fact, judging from the interview, I think she will: she seems to be saying that she wants to take a break to recharge. I dunno if she'll go 'til 2018, but I think she'll be back for a season. b) Even if she doesn't return, the fierce rivalry between the Russian girls will pick up the slack. Pyeongchang could end up being Salt Lake City for women.The end of the triple axel unless she comes back. It might never be done ever again. All practice reports show no one even tries it except one person said Mae Berenice tried it. It's over. A jump will never be done again.
For my selfish self, I am a bit bummed. But for Mao's sake, I'm glad, because it means she can lift her head up and see what else is going on in life. As Mathman says, she is one of the all-time greats, profoundly artistic as well as technically commanding. How lucky we are to have been able to watch her all these years. Perhaps we'll get to see some more from her in the future.
I feel lucky we have seen her skate for so long. She is a treasure! A much deserved break.
I don't think so. There has been a seismic power shift in the skating world as noted in these latest Worlds and Olympics. 2014/15 will be filled with questions and expectations of an entirely new sort now. I am very intrigued and am already "signed up" on the Polina band wagon.
I agree. I was depressed the last time this happen. When Michelle, Irina and Sasha exited, I actually stopped watching for a year...but Mao and Yu-Na pulled me back in and it's been great watching this era of skating with those two as well as Carolina, Akiko, Kanako, Miki, etc..
I'll really miss Mao, Yu-Na, Carolina and Akiko but it does look like their time is ending...and I'm okay with that.
I'm excited for this new era. I'm on so many bandwagons at this point, I just decided to get a season pass so I can hop from one to the other. I'm a fan/supporter of: Adelina, Elena, Julia, Gracie, Polina, Ashley, Mirai, Satoko and Zijun...plus there are a number of up-and-coming juniors I really like too. I'll definitely miss the established veterans but I'm ready for the new veterans as well as the newbies to take over.
As for Mao, it's a much needed and well-deserved break. She's been going all-in since her junior days w/o a break. That's a testament to her dedication to the sport. Amazing that she pretty much managed to stay major injury-free all of these years...great conditioning.
With the exception of Olympic gold, Mao has literally won everything there is to win in this sport: all six GP titles, GPF, nationals, 4CC and worlds...and many of those wins are several times over. If she doesn't see herself hanging around until 2018, there's really nothing left for her to accomplish unless she wants to compete just for the love of competing. There's nothing left for her to prove. The girl's legacy is cemented already. She'll be on this list of greats who never achieved Olympic gold, but she's in damn good company.
I adore Mao and I wish her all of the best.
Maybe 10years laterShe has been the hardest working women in figure skating for years. I don't remember her ever missing anything except for the GPF when her mother died. She will be missed. I am totally hoping for ice show with Yuna and Mao. Could it ever happen??
I don't know about never. I do think it might be a while. A long while.
Miyabi Oba can land a triple axel in pratice, and wasn't that far off a successful landing in competition last December, at Japanese nationals.
Joshi Helgesson lands 3 axels at practise
There are videos of it but I can't find it right now
No need to be so dramatic. While I, too, would be sad to see the triple axel go, don't forget that a) Mao is taking a break. She may yet come back. In fact, judging from the interview, I think she will: she seems to be saying that she wants to take a break to recharge. I dunno if she'll go 'til 2018, but I think she'll be back for a season. b) Even if she doesn't return, the fierce rivalry between the Russian girls will pick up the slack. Pyeongchang could end up being Salt Lake City for women.
I think it was good to see a flexible, ballerina-type skater like Mao attempting the triple axel. Midori Ito was a powerhouse, a freak of nature (in the best way)--she was incredible but it was unsurprising that she didn't inspire imitators. You either were Midori or you weren't. But Mao proves you don't have to be Midori to have a 3A. Seeing her work and struggle for it may yet inspire other girls to try the same.
Her retirement is definitly the end of an era in skating. I'm glad she's taking a year off but I hope to see her back and win that olympic gold medal that she deserves so much. But even if she doesn't do it, she will always remain my favourite. We will miss you so much Mao-chan !!!
Mao definitely could've won in Torino, considering how everyone else skated. Arakawa won with five triples and no 3-3 combination (and it's not because she already knew the others faltered--she skated before Slutskaya, who easily could've beaten Arakawa's skate had she even been 50% on). But I doubt Mao would've continued all the way to Sochi had she won at 15. Heck, maybe she would've retired right away Tara Lipinski-style, and we never would've witnessed her rivalry with Yuna in the next four years! That's too horrifying to contemplate.For me, Turino was the Olympic gold that she deserved by never got a chance to compete for. She would have been young with little pressure and more technical content than anyone else. I truely believe she would have metaled and likely won. One the flip side if she had won she may have retired and we would have missed the last 8 years of her career. She was never one of my favorites but I have a great level of respect for her. She seems like one of the hardest workers out there. I'll miss her and I wish her well. But time eventually catches up with all athletes and she been on top for years. She has the unique opportunity to go out on top and enjoy a lucrative professional career. So I hope she can retire in peace instead of trying for a comeback in couple of years which likely will leave her off the olympic podium yet again.
Mao definitely could've won in Torino, considering how everyone else skated. Arakawa won with five triples and no 3-3 combination (and it's not because she already knew the others faltered--she skated before Slutskaya, who easily could've beaten Arakawa's skate had she even been 50% on). But I doubt Mao would've continued all the way to Sochi had she won at 15. Heck, maybe she would've retired right away Tara Lipinski-style, and we never would've witnessed her rivalry with Yuna in the next four years! That's too horrifying to contemplate.
In my perfect world, Irina skates well and wins gold in SLC, 6-triple healthy Michelle Kwan wins gold in Torino, while Mao skates her Worlds SP in Sochi and wins gold there. Sadly, it was not to be, for any of these legends.
The end of the triple axel unless she comes back. It might never be done ever again. All practice reports show no one even tries it except one person said Mae Berenice tried it. It's over. A jump will never be done again.
I would rather Michelle win in 2002 at home and Irina win in 2006. Michelle was never really the best skater in 2006 so even though I would have been happy for her winning the elusive OGM it almost would have been a bit by default since the favorites all underperformed (or werent even there). Irina winning in 2006 after dominating most of the previous 2 years would have been far more fitting, just as Michelle winning on home ice after winning 4 of the last 6 worlds, and again turning the tables on Irina at the big event after losing to her most of the season as she had since 99-2000.
I was never a huge fan of Irina but, after Michelle pulled out of Torino, I felt that if the gold had to go to someone, I'd have been okay with it going to Irina...just not Sasha (for my own selfish reasons). The fact that Shizuka won was cool with me too. At least Sasha or Irina ubers could never hold an OGM over Michelle's head