Japan Open 2012

Thanks for the report, Shikure!

That's a good jumping layout for the start, basically what I expected in the Mao News thread (except I thought 3Lz and 3F-2L-2L will be attempted a bit earlier in the program, 3Lz after 2A-3T and 3-2-2 as the 1st jumping pass of the 2nd half).
I hope Mao's in good condition and has a great competition to open the season!

Thanks sikure for the update!

It seems she wants to replace 2A-3T with 3A eventually?
I don't mind even if she will not do 3A at all though.
I'm so excited and looking forward to step sequence and choreographic sequence.
Mao and Swan Lake will be a masterpiece for sure!!

linglang wrote:

It seems she wants to replace 2A-3T with 3A eventually?

It would make more sense to replace 3L, because by removing 2A-3T she would miss an opportunity to do a full set of triples and have only 2 combos... Unless she replaced 3F with 3F-3T, too...

I think maybe she's not planning to do 3A in the LP at all for now (and only casually practising it to remind the judges she hasn't given up on it) to let her body rest before Olympics? Some rest - sadly, forced, because caused by injury - seemed to actually improve 3A/4T consistency for Daisuke and Nobunari...

Thank you shikure for the info!

I passed the news on to Mao's Guardian Angels group on Facebook. Everyone there was dying to hear and see the latest news.

inskate wrote:

linglang wrote:

It seems she wants to replace 2A-3T with 3A eventually?

It would make more sense to replace 3L, because by removing 2A-3T she would miss an opportunity to do a full set of triples and have only 2 combos... Unless she replaced 3F with 3F-3T, too...

I think maybe she's not planning to do 3A in the LP at all for now (and only casually practising it to remind the judges she hasn't given up on it) to let her body rest before Olympics? Some rest - sadly, forced, because caused by injury - seemed to actually improve 3A/4T consistency for Daisuke and Nobunari...

Thanks inskate for your input!
I hope Mao will forget about 3A for time being and see how her swan lake will be appreciated by judges without 3A. I don't want to expect too much, but I'd rather hope she will do 3F-3T (not necessarily this season though).

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2012/10/05/kiji/K20121005004264110.html
http://www.jiji.com/jc/p?id=20121005192500-0013416808
http://www.jiji.com/jc/p?id=20121005193140-0013416817&n=1

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20121005/fig12100519430004-n1.html

ETA: Pochi, you are welcome and thank you for passing information there

shikure wrote:

@sn_figure: 浅田真央選手は「白鳥の湖」という“超王道”のプログラム。ジャンプ構成をかなり変えてきています。曲かけでは、3Lo、2A-3T、3F、3Lz、3S、3Lo-2Lo、3F-2Lo-2Loの順番。曲かけ以外では、2A-3Tと同じ場所で3Aも練習していました。#figureskate

Swan lake of Mao, run-through with music 3Lo、2A-3T、3F、3Lz、3S、3Lo-2Lo、3F-2Lo-2Lo. she also practiced her 3A in the place she planed her 2A-3T.

clip: https://youtu.be/6D1V6S2CyZo

Thanks for this info, shikure! Interesting new jump layout from Mao. I was actually hoping for a 3-3 but then it's still 7 triples. I hope 3A is for practices only and include it only when its truly ready. She doesn't even need it. Hmmm... we still don't have news of her SP. Can I still hope for a 3-3 there?

Thanks for info and all the links shikure!

Mao looks great! I can't wait for the competition to start. Is JO long program only, or do the skater compete in the short as well?

Yes! I'm very satisfied that Mao chose a "safe" layout, withour 3-3 or 3A (if you can call a 7-triples program "safe"!), I'm wondering about the 3Lz in the second half of the program... Wouldn't it be a wiser choice to try it after the 2A-3T and then do the first 3F? But maybe it has improved a lot and now it's so solid and that's because Sato decided to put in the second half... Se has to be able to land it in practice if she tries in it competition! I'm VERY excited!

inskate wrote:

It would make more sense to replace 3L, because by removing 2A-3T she would miss an opportunity to do a full set of triples and have only 2 combos... Unless she replaced 3F with 3F-3T, too...

Actually, I take that back! I forgot how early 3L is placed in the program, there's not enough space to get enough speed for a 3A.

Mao2012 wrote:

I'm wondering about the 3Lz in the second half of the program... Wouldn't it be a wiser choice to try it after the 2A-3T and then do the first 3F?

This makes me think that Mao might be at least tentatively planning doing 3F-3T someday... Or replace the first triple loop with solo 3T and go for 3F-3L.

I was hoping for 3F-3T too, but looking at her practice clip I see she still has troubles with 2A-3T. It seems that she just doesn't like 3T as the second jump.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ifP6Vi3SFA&feature=youtu.be
Practice clip !!! She seems in very good shape !!!

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/all/headlines/20121005-00000020-spnavi-spo.html
the other news, she said in later half there will be part of black swan to show her steps and skills.

babayaga wrote:

I was hoping for 3F-3T too, but looking at her practice clip I see she still has troubles with 2A-3T. It seems that she just doesn't like 3T as the second jump.

I saw the clip in practice, but I'm not too worried. There wasn't enough speed out of 2A to fully rotate 3T, but that should improve with time. It was just the first official practice in competition, so I think it's normal Mao's not skating with full confidence and speed yet. Actually, I think I would be more worried if she did, because the last time she had an amazing early practice session (Worlds 2012), the next one and the actual competition didn't go too well.

As for 3T in combo - actually, I think by now everything depends on the quality of the first jump. If Mao can land a jump with a sure edge and good speed, I think tacking on 3T is achievable.

Actually, looking back, Mao seemed to have more success with 3F-3T than with 2A-3T - when she went for 2A-3T in 2006-07 season she landed it cleanly 1 of 3 attempts; her 3F-3T was landed 4 out of 4 times and downgraded only once. She still could land it in the off-season after that, but when the troubles with 3F started her 3-3s went AWOL, although she managed to hold on to 3F-3L longer because she didn't need as much speed out of 3F to tack on 3L.

So I think everything depends on how confident Mao can become with 3F now after improving it. I wouldn't want het to attempt 3F-3T too son, because it would only interfere with perfecting 3F, but it's something to consider once 3F is stable.

bibi wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ifP6Vi3SFA&feature=youtu.be
Practice clip !!! She seems in very good shape !!!

3F-2L-2L ('Tano) is back!!!

Love the music cut so far, I hope they are connected smoothly.

ETA: I was thinking Mao's 2A looked a little wonky in this clip, but after I downloaded the clip and watched it in slow-mo it turned out it was a 3A. It actually seems fully rotated! It's hard to tell because of the poor image quality, but there seems to be no "skid" on the ice (like in practice session at recent Worlds), all the rotation happens in the air (which made me confuse it with 2A in the first place).
I must say, while for a 2A the jump seemed a bit off (long approach, not as much speed out of the jump as usual) for a 3A that was a very good attempt!

bibi wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ifP6Vi3SFA&feature=youtu.be
Practice clip !!! She seems in very good shape !!!

Is that a 3A at 0:28? She is rotating so fast I can barely count the revolutions.

YES! a 3A and a Mao smile !

Lady_in_black wrote:

bibi wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ifP6Vi3SFA&feature=youtu.be
Practice clip !!! She seems in very good shape !!!

Is that a 3A at 0:28? She is rotating so fast I can barely count the revolutions.

It's a 3A (as I added in my edited post on the previous page). I actually thought it was a 2A and downloaded the clip to see it frame-by-frame because it seemed a bit off (too long approach for a 2A ). I was so surprised to see it was actually a 3A!

I Looove Mao's new light blue training wear. And am I wrong ? she has gained some weight and muscle. She's looking really good !!!! you go girl!

ddmm wrote:

YES! a 3A and a Mao smile !

YEs !! She looks so happy

I thought it was a 2A because it looked clean and rotated, it looked to good to be a 3A It is one of the best attempts I saw from her in a long time.

ddmm wrote:

I Looove Mao's new light blue training wear.

I love it as well! I also liked the pink/mauve top from the earlier clip. Very fitting colors for Mao...

Quote :

And am I wrong ? she has gained some weight and muscle. She's looking really good !!!! you go girl!

bibi wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ifP6Vi3SFA&feature=youtu.be
Practice clip !!! She seems in very good shape !!!

Thank you! Holy wow that 3A was huge! I see TAT didn't choose only Odette(white swan) music but music from male variation as well. I like it.

ddmm wrote:

I Looove Mao's new light blue training wear. And am I wrong ? she has gained some weight and muscle. She's looking really good !!!! you go girl!

No you're not wrong she gaiend muscle and weight. She looks so good and her training outfit... I love this style on her. I hope we'll se a sleeveless costume.

shikure wrote:

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/all/headlines/20121005-00000020-spnavi-spo.html
the other news, she said in later half there will be part of black swan to show her steps and skills.

OMG, yes!!! If she went for the really dramatic stuff it's going to be sooo amazing. I don't know how I'll survive until tommorrow! I can't wait.

ahhhh this is soooooo incredible Mao's 3A in practice was HUGE and soo fast i also had to rewatch it a couple of times to fully grasp it. her jumps look really good, and i LOOOOVE THE FACT that there will be a part of black swan!

Here's another practice clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZolZYt_7wjo&feature=g-all-u
After her 3A, I think we can see Elene Gedevanishvili (yellow top) clapping for her That's sweet !