Mao Asada's Triple Axel

[Bartek]

Here is my collection of Mao Asada's attempts at the triple axel from 2010 to 2014. It encompasses not only competitions but also footage from practice sessions, warm-ups etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd9GNWKR27c

This is a follow-up to my previous video, which covers her senior career from 2005 to 2010: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GmqbURr-Nc

Please enjoy, comment and share .

 

[largeman]

Here is my collection of Mao Asada's attempts at the triple axel from 2010 to 2014. It encompasses not only competitions but also footage from practice sessions, warm-ups etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd9GNWKR27c

This is a follow-up to my previous video, which covers her senior career from 2005 to 2010: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GmqbURr-Nc

Please enjoy, comment and share .

This is uncanny. Just a few hours ago this afternoon, I was sitting at my desk, thinking about Mao's triple axel (as I do regularly when I'm at work ). And I thought of your previous video and wondered, "hmm, I wonder when the video for 2010-2014 is going to be finished." True story.

A few hours later, here it is! :yes2:

 

[karlowens2]

A little off topic. But, why are women's 3A usually scored lower then men's? I could only find one time when Mao got over 10 - even in combination. Most of the time it's high 8's.

 

[4everchan]

well only 2 women have done it Under COP if i am correct.... Mao and Liza.... Mao's is not big so I am guessing she doesn't get much positive GOE.

I am sure Midori Ito would have gotten a big score on some of hers

A little off topic. But, why are women's 3A usually scored lower then men's? I could only find one time when Mao got over 10 - even in combination. Most of the time it's high 8's.

 

[sarama]

Tech panels are very inconsistent, some URed ones are worse than some downgraded ones, and the last one of the video was fully round!!!!! Anyway she has improved a lot and is continuing to do so(her 3A at COC in the FS this year was just amazing!).... not bad for an old dog:clapper:

 

[MaxSwagg]

A little off topic. But, why are women's 3A usually scored lower then men's? I could only find one time when Mao got over 10 - even in combination. Most of the time it's high 8's.

Most of the time the women's are either barely rotated, two-footed, have step-outs, and/or have absolutely no transitions into them, etc. Plus, you get (unfair, IMO) "double-taxation" when it could be under-rotated but still have otherwise excellent visible quality (posture, height, distance, flow) so you get reduction in base value AND something like -2 GOE. Mao has gotten over 10 several times, I think. If you look at the men (particularly Hanyu's) you can see difficult transitions, incredible speed, height and distance, all while looking effortless and landing with as little upper-body movement as possible.

 

[Bartek]

well only 2 women have done it Under COP if i am correct.... Mao and Liza.... Mao's is not bit so I am guessing she doesn't get much positive GOE.

I am sure Midori Ito would have gotten a big score on some of hers

When Mao lands the axel cleanly and gets the rotation ratified, she actually gets massive GOE. In this video two attempts got over 10 (2013 4CC SP and 2014 Worlds SP), but there are two others: 2013-2014 GPF SP and 2014 Worlds FS, where the calls were dubious, and had she not got them, she would've scored over 10 easily. Also, look at this season's attempts - the clean ones always got very high GOE. Off the top of my head, I particularly remember the one in Cup of China FS.

In terms of ratified triple axels under COP, there was also Yukari Nakano, who got it ratified several times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhzVYt9R6as

 

[4everchan]

When Mao lands the axel cleanly and gets the rotation ratified, she actually gets massive GOE. In this video two attempts got over 10 (2013 4CC SP and 2014 Worlds SP), but there are two others: 2013-2014 GPF SP and 2014 Worlds FS, where the calls were dubious, and had she not got them, she would've scored over 10 easily. Also, look at this season's attempts - the clean ones always got very high GOE. Off the top of my head, I particularly remember the one in Cup of China FS.

In terms of ratified triple axels under COP, there was also Yukari Nakano, who got it ratified several times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhzVYt9R6as

the issue is that Mao often doesn't rotate it or checks/two-foots the landing... i was simply answering why women get less scores than men... jumps are less big, less flow, less transitions and often not fully rotated... I think that when a lady gets a reputation for the quality of her 3A she will score just as high as some men... I don't think the COP is sexist.

 

[4everchan]

also, regarding over 10 points, many men do teir 3A after the 10% bonus mark which would help considerably for the total points earned on the element... mao probably always does the jump in the first couple jumping passes

 

[Crossover]

well only 2 women have done it Under COP if i am correct.... Mao and Liza.... Mao's is not big so I am guessing she doesn't get much positive GOE.

I am sure Midori Ito would have gotten a big score on some of hers

All 3+ across the board except that her leg wrap could've been a little problem under CoP. Nevertheless, despite her small frame, she was like flying into the air when to do 3A. :agree2:

 

[liv]

Midori's leg wrap was never a huge issue on the 3A. The easier jumps, yes, but triple axel was usually without a hugely noticeable wrap... and she would've gotten +GOE on her 3A for sure... she came out of them just as fast as Yuzu does. And, she could do it later in the program, so she'd got the bonus there. It's been over 20 years and still no woman can do that jump like she could... but at least a few are trying them and doing them now.

I am always so happy that Mao keeps going for it because when she does do it cleanly, it's still an amazing jump and really sets her apart, no matter how many 3/3s the others do. It's one thing to have good technique and fast rotations, but it's another to be capable of a 3A.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

All 3+ across the board except that her leg wrap could've been a little problem under CoP. Nevertheless, despite her small frame, she was like flying into the air when to do 3A. :agree2:

Maybe the leg wrap would garner extra GOE for a varier air position

 

[4everchan]

like a foot tano ? lol

Maybe the leg wrap would garner extra GOE for a varier air position

 

[Meoima]

like a foot tano ? lol

We have a new term, ladies and gentlemen!

 

[SarahSynchro]

like a foot tano ? lol

Hahaha, I love it.

 

[Blades of Passion]

OMG, a foot tano. Yes.

 

[gotoschool]

I think Mao is in many ways too harshly criticized for her triple axel for several reasons. First of all, no woman has successfully done it for so long, from 2005 all the way to 2016 or so many times in a single competition, up to 3 times in multiple competitions while doing it in combination with the 2 toe in multiple years even with injuries that were rarely mentioned. Furthermore, there is so much emphasis placed on pure power in the triple axel that what I view as the superior aesthetics and theatricality of Mao's jump are often lost. What Mao brings to the jump to me is a combination of power mixed with the incredible beauty of a ballerina bounding through the air with graceful and often intricate movements on entry and exit, erect posture, magnificent symmetrical air position combined with delayed rotation and excellent height relative to her size on most of her attempts. I think Mao is able to merge femininity, finesse, profound beauty and a wonderful degree of power and flow in and out on her triple axel. I feel like I am at a great ballet or dance when she hits it as she does in the Cup of China LP (my all time favorite triple axel), the Grand Prix Final SP and in Nocturne 2014 and Worlds 2014 LP among many others.

There is great theatricality, staging and an uncanny light, floating quality in her execution of such a formidable jump. While Mao's triple axel at Sochi wasn't her highest or best, the staging of the entrance with her raising her arms dramatically like curtains rising on a grand stage before beginning the turn and long diagonal glide to the jump and her noble and expressive gesture of raising her head and gliding her arms so elegantly at her side with such erect posture combined with opening her arms wide with turning flair then raising them expressively on exit framed her execution like a beautiful painting. Perhaps this sounds esoteric, but her triple axel is the most poetic and most artistic in my opinion. I like Mao's triple axel the best, though Midori's for me is a fairly close second with her superior power for her size being her most positive attribute. Midori also has an aesthetically pleasing triple axel as well, but just not as much as Mao's to me. In addition to the other qualities mentioned, I also think Mao wraps her legs in more tightly to create a more streamlined appearance which with her greater height makes her jump more impressive to me. I believe Mao is also the tallest woman ever to successfully land the jump in competition. I think Tonya Harding's height is fantastic, but her air position is asymmetrical compared to Mao's especially and Midori's as well.

It is funny and bit upsetting that I write these long posts about Mao but I was almost totally tongue tied when I met her in person. At least, I got out maybe 30 words. There seems to an equilibrium: the more a person writes praise for a skater they greatly admire the less they are able to say in person.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I think Mao is in many ways too harshly criticized for her triple axel for several reasons. First of all, no woman has successfully done it for so long, from 2005 all the way to 2016 or so many times in a single competition, up to 3 times in multiple competitions while doing it in combination with the 2 toe in multiple years. Furthermore, there is so much emphasis placed on pure power in the triple axel that what I view as the superior aesthetics of Mao's jump is often lost. What Mao brings to the jump to me is a combination of power mixed with the incredible beauty of a ballerina bounding through the air with graceful and often intricate movements on entry and exit, erect posture, magnificent symmetrical air position combined with delayed rotation and very good height on many of her attempts. I think she is able to merge femininity, finesse, profound beauty and a wonderful degree of power in her triple axel. I feel like I am at a great ballet or dance when she hits it as does in the Cup of China LP, Grand Prix Final SP and in Nocturne 2014 and Worlds 2014 LP. I actually like Mao's triple axel the best, though Midori's is for me a close second even with her superior power for her size. Midori's also has an aesthetically pleasing triple axel as well, but just not as much as Mao's to me. I think Tonya Harding's height is fantastic, but her air position is asymmetrical compared to Mao's especially but Midori's as well.

I think that having the first two women to do the jump with so much power did set the bar high for expectations on how it should be performed. Those two made the ones performed by Yukari, Nelidina and Meissner look much less impressive. Mao and Liza's are the two best since Tonya and Midori's but I personally much prefer the power that the latter performed the jump with.

 

[largeman]

What Mao brings to the jump to me is a combination of power mixed with the incredible beauty of a ballerina bounding through the air with graceful and often intricate movements on entry and exit, erect posture, magnificent symmetrical air position combined with delayed rotation and excellent height relative to her size on most of her attempts. I think Mao is able to merge femininity, finesse, profound beauty and a wonderful degree of power in her triple axel. I feel like I am at a great ballet or dance when she hits it as does in the Cup of China LP (my all time favorite triple axel), the Grand Prix Final SP and in Nocturne 2014 and Worlds 2014 LP. There is theatricality and staging in her execution of the jump. I like Mao's triple axel the best, though Midori's is for me is a fairly close second even with her superior power for her size. Midori's also has an aesthetically pleasing triple axel as well, but just not as much as Mao's to me and I believe Mao has more theatricality and finesse. I think Tonya Harding's height is fantastic, but her air position is asymmetrical compared to Mao's especially and Midori's as well.

I agree with this 100%, and the bolded parts are so well put. I think Mao's 3As are absolutely the best looking ones among the ladies' in the history of figure skating.

My all-time favorites are:
2009 WTT SP
2011 4CC FS - so beautiful it makes my heart ache.
2014 Worlds SP (from Bartek's compilation)
2015 GPF SP (fan cam version)