Mao Asada headlines Japan team at worlds

[icesk8erdude4e]

Yeah Mao Asada will win if nerves don't get to her first. At the GP Final the only reason why she didn't defend her title was because she let the nerves get to her and Yu Na Kim of Korea did a good free skate.

I definately hope that Mao Asada wins her first and maybe we'll see one or two triple axels from her at the worlds, that would be so nice.

 

[roundboypete]

What's Mao got?

Mao’s got a great big kick-a** Axel!
Mao’s got her triple-triple combo down pat!
Mao’s got her footwork, her layback, component scores,
And that, says Mao, is that!

 

[Linny]

Working on it?

I'm a little behind in my television watching so I just now got around to viewing the Japanese Nationals. Mao wasn't working on a triple axel out of footwork, she completed a triple axel out of footwork. I replayed it a couple of times and although the footwork was simple, it was close enough to the jump to count the jump as being out of footwork.

I'm officially on the Mao band wagon. Her skating just sings.

I'll miss Fumie at this world championships but I'm pleased to see Yukara joining the Japanese World team. Her skating also sings and that wrapped leg doesn't bother me one bit. She's got grace and joy. Love watching her; hope she skates well and has a good time.

Linny

 

[chuckm]

Yes, I know Mao's supposed to be invincible, but she's been in 4 competitions this season (Skate America, NHK, GPF, Japanese Nationals) and won just two of them. She probably will win Worlds this year, but it is not a 100% probability. She was supposed to be a shoo-in to win Junior Worlds last year, and look what happened.

 

[AliasJohnDoe]

I find when Mao hits her 3A, she's kickass for the rest of the performance(note: 2006 NHK and Nationals). But when she misses the 3A, she loses focus on the rest of the performance and makes more mistakes (note:2006 Junior Worlds, 2006 Skate America and 2006 GPF). A good SP always kept her score high enough to keep her in the medals after the bad LP's. If I remember right, even Meier beat Mao's LP at Skate America. If she hits the 3A, she'll win gold. If she misses the 3A, she'll still get at least bronze IMO.

 

[satorare]

Mao is a kind of a perfectionist. When she falls apart, she usually something other than winning as priorities. From what I heard, at Skate America, her aim was to land a triple axel from footworks (not an ordinary one), and at GPF, it was to go over 200 points. Therefore when she missed the opening axels, she lost total motivations.
But coming Worlds at home should be different. Winning gold is THE priority. Even if she falls or pops the triple axel, skating the rest clean would be enough to win (unless Ando skates perfectly clean WITH a quad).

 

[slutskayafan21]

Yes, I know Mao's supposed to be invincible, but she's been in 4 competitions this season (Skate America, NHK, GPF, Japanese Nationals) and won just two of them. She probably will win Worlds this year, but it is not a 100% probability. She was supposed to be a shoo-in to win Junior Worlds last year, and look what happened.

That is a good point. Alot of us tend to look at Asada as if she were virtualy unbeatable, and even going into Worlds this year alot already have her penciled in as the sure gold medalist. That could be a mistake though, like you said she has shown she is not infalliable and has lost her share of competions over the last 15 months. Still the likely worlds winner this year, but also perhaps not as safe a bet as alot of us have a tendency to believe she is.

 

[slutskayafan21]

I find when Mao hits her 3A, she's kickass for the rest of the performance(note: 2006 NHK and Nationals). But when she misses the 3A, she loses focus on the rest of the performance and makes more mistakes (note:2006 Junior Worlds, 2006 Skate America and 2006 GPF). A good SP always kept her score high enough to keep her in the medals after the bad LP's. If I remember right, even Meier beat Mao's LP at Skate America. If she hits the 3A, she'll win gold. If she misses the 3A, she'll still get at least bronze IMO.

I think Meier also outscored Asada in the LP at the GP final too, even though Asada placed higher overall due to her huge SP score.

 

[chuckm]

I think Meier also outscored Asada in the LP at the GP final too, even though Asada placed higher overall due to her huge SP score.

That is true. But if Sarah Meier had not popped the 2A in her FS, she would have won the bronze medal over Mao. Sarah outscored Mao in the FS by 9.2 points, and missed bronze by 2.22 points. If she land landed the 2A, she would have gotten 3.63 points instead of the .88 for the 1A, giving her another 2.75--enough to pass Mao by 0.53 points.

 

[slutskayafan21]

That is true. But if Sarah Meier had not popped the 2A in her FS, she would have won the bronze medal over Mao. Sarah outscored Mao in the FS by 9.2 points, and missed bronze by 2.22 points. If she land landed the 2A, she would have gotten 3.63 points instead of the .88 for the 1A, giving her another 2.75--enough to pass Mao by 0.53 points.

The double axel is such a simple jump for all the senior women these days too, Meier must have been a bit frusterated. The fact Asada was so close to faltering enough in the free skate to lose to Meier overall, despite being over 12 points ahead in the short program, does really show she can be vurnerable at times.

 

[chipso1]

I agree that if Mao goes clean, the gold is hers. If not, her lead from the SP should be enough to keep her in the medals.

I think it's crucial for Meissner to go clean in the short if she has any prayers of repeating as champ or even medalling. If she scores in the low 50's (like at TEB and 4CC), then I think she'll be in too much of a whole to win or maybe even medal.

Here's hoping that everyone skates well .....as of now I would say Asada, Meissner, Kim for the podium...

 

[Tinymavy15]

in response to the above:

Yes, maybe, Yes, No, No and NOOOOO

right.

 

[satorare]

The morning news says Mao changes her FP. No details were reported. Music, choreography, jump layout, or everything? She was witnessed earlier this month practicing 3A+3T and quad loop. One thing likely is that she's too confident (or dissatisfactory) to the contents of "Czardas".

 

[emma]

The morning news says Mao changes her FP. No details were reported. Music, choreography, jump layout, or everything? She was witnessed earlier this month practicing 3A+3T and quad loop. One thing likely is that she's too confident (or dissatisfactory) to the contents of "Czardas".

Oh - this is interesting news - do let us know if you hear/read more about Mao's FP!!!!

 

[R.D.]

Yes, please keep us posted.

 

[chuckm]

I think that could be a good move from Mao, especially if she has dumped "Czardas" which was not a good fit for her.

 

[yaph]

I also heard that news. However, it was likely to be wrong information afterwards.

 

[Tinymavy15]

WOW!!! this is big news. I thought Czaras was good music, but she seemed not to fit like she did with the SP. maybe she picked somthing more classical. This is somthing though.....skating a brand new program at worlds. At least bebin and agosto have skated to it twice in competion before worlds. More pressure on mao's shoulders.

as for the quad loop-we won't see that in competion....but i would like to see a video of it and and i would love to see her land the tripel axel triple toe in her Long.

keep us posted!!!!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I don't think Mao and many other young skaters are ready to show their versatility to the music. It takes time.

This is a contest to win, and the skaters should use whatever music they feel comfortable. Mao and many other young ladies should stick with standard lyrical music, but lyrical music requires strong edges to flow over the ice with good arm movements and in the future body language.

Joe

 

[Spun Silver]

Whew - personally I don't think she should change her LP at this point unless she is going back to an old program she's more comfortable with. I thought she was growing into the Czardas quite nicely although it seemed like a mistake in general (just too fast, even for her).

As for adding a quad at Worlds - that would be idiotic, she doesn't need it... that is, unless Miki's are going well. Hmmm....

It gets more and more interesting.