Mao News - The 2012-2013 Season!

ddmm wrote:

BTW, where is Fumie ? she hasn't retired right ?

She hasn't retired officialy, but in the latest competition I saw her in she didn't land even one triple jump (just doubles) and failed to qualify for Nationals (she was injured at the time) Before that, she said she was planning to retire, she just wanted to have one last great performance before she did

inskate wrote:

ddmm wrote:

BTW, where is Fumie ? she hasn't retired right ?

She hasn't retired officialy, but in the latest competition I saw her in she didn't land even one triple jump (just doubles) and failed to qualify for Nationals (she was injured at the time) Before that, she said she was planning to retire, she just wanted to have one last great performance before she did

Thank you Inskate. Poor FUmie. They don'T even air her competition in Japan.
I think it's really time for her.

do you have any video of fumie performance that you´re talking about i really want to see what her last performance looked like

ddmm wrote:

inskate wrote:

ddmm wrote:

BTW, where is Fumie ? she hasn't retired right ?

She hasn't retired officialy, but in the latest competition I saw her in she didn't land even one triple jump (just doubles) and failed to qualify for Nationals (she was injured at the time) Before that, she said she was planning to retire, she just wanted to have one last great performance before she did

Thank you Inskate. Poor FUmie. They don'T even air her competition in Japan.
I think it's really time for her.

I admire Fumie for all she's done in the past for Japanese figure skating, so it hurts to see her like she is now. I feel she's been too desperate to try for Olys once more since her old time rival Shizuka won gold in Torino. I do not think that is the right motivation for a skater to go on competing.

However, I do not think Mao will ever end up like Fumie even if she goes on competing after Sochi. If Mao can't win or medal in Sochi, I'd like to at least see her win Worlds once more before she retires. As it is with mens, I think that the possibility of top ladie skaters competing up to a higher age than before is becoming real; look how Akiko's doing for instance. And I'm sorry for Fumie to have to say this, but Mao is a much better skater than her in terms of everything IMO. Mao will never end up like her. Besides, it would be a real shame if Mao retired right after Sochi after all the hard work she's been putting into her reformings. I think she'll be rewarded for all that even after Sochi, and hope she will go on competing at least up until Akiko's age. Still, if she decides to retire after Sochi, I will support her decision. However, did she ever mention that she'll retire after Sochi? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think she's mentioned anything like that so far. We're just imagining that she might retire aren't we?

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

ddmm wrote:

inskate wrote:

ddmm wrote:

BTW, where is Fumie ? she hasn't retired right ?

She hasn't retired officialy, but in the latest competition I saw her in she didn't land even one triple jump (just doubles) and failed to qualify for Nationals (she was injured at the time) Before that, she said she was planning to retire, she just wanted to have one last great performance before she did

Thank you Inskate. Poor FUmie. They don'T even air her competition in Japan.
I think it's really time for her.

I admire Fumie for all she's done in the past for Japanese figure skating, so it hurts to see her like she is now. I feel she's been too desperate to try for Olys once more since her old time rival Shizuka won gold in Torino. I do not think that is the right motivation for a skater to go on competing.

However, I do not think Mao will ever end up like Fumie even if she goes on competing after Sochi. If Mao can't win or medal in Sochi, I'd like to at least see her win Worlds once more before she retires. As it is with mens, I think that the possibility of top ladie skaters competing up to a higher age than before is becoming real; look how Akiko's doing for instance. And I'm sorry for Fumie to have to say this, but Mao is a much better skater than her in terms of everything IMO. Mao will never end up like her. Besides, it would be a real shame if Mao retired right after Sochi after all the hard work she's been putting into her reformings. I think she'll be rewarded for all that even after Sochi, and hope she will go on competing at least up until Akiko's age. Still, if she decides to retire after Sochi, I will support her decision. However, did she ever mention that she'll retire after Sochi? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think she's mentioned anything like that so far. We're just imagining that she might retire aren't we?

Yes, it's just speculating! (luckily!)

https://cam.sumitomolife.co.jp/cmgallery/personality/asada/index.html new CM
with wallpaper download

So, if Mao wins SA next year, she'll become the first female skater to win all the GP events?

Mao2012 wrote:

So, if Mao wins SA next year, she'll become the first female skater to win all the GP events?

Mao2012 wrote:

So, if Mao wins SA next year, she'll become the first female skater to win all the GP events?

That would be amazing!

But she has to be invited first and survive the overscoring american favourites receive.

Mao's New CM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk0093CQmUg

very good analysis of Mao's StSq: http://thewrongedgefigureskatingblog.blogspot.it/2012/11/mao-asadas-swan-lake-step-sequence.html?showComment=1351957570379#c8836416025478778380

Mao2012 wrote:

very good analysis of Mao's StSq: http://thewrongedgefigureskatingblog.blogspot.it/2012/11/mao-asadas-swan-lake-step-sequence.html?showComment=1351957570379#c8836416025478778380

thansk so much for posting this, i always new that Mao steps were very complex, but this gives a clear picture of how complex her steps really are! her edge work, gliding, smoothness is just sooo incredible! it must have been really hard to remember the steps it's really filled with content!

does anyone have a link to Mao's press conference? i would really like to see it!

Not sure if this was posted before:
An interview given in August

http://www.ifsmagazine.com/articles/32516-olympic-focus-for-mao-asada

“My advice to up and coming skaters who dream of becoming champions is to never forget in your mind that the reason you train so hard every day is because you love skating.”

That's what I love...the passion for skating that Mao has! It's interesting that her Bells of Moscow program remains her favorite

thanks for the article sapphiresky i really loooooove Mao's comment, seriously her comment are always sooo accurate and right that i'm thinking of collecting them she really knows how to handle the media and their questions, Mao is really amazing in every sense!

Mao2012 wrote:

So, if Mao wins SA next year, she'll become the first female skater to win all the GP events?

i wonder if japanese federation will be willing to send mao. it would be so great if she were to win skate america! she'd need to keep up her consistency this year to boost her reputation with the judges next year in order to counter the overscoring. would this be considered a career grand slam in figure skating? and to add an olympic gold medal to that, a career golden slam?

swan wrote:

Mao2012 wrote:

So, if Mao wins SA next year, she'll become the first female skater to win all the GP events?

i wonder if japanese federation will be willing to send mao. it would be so great if she were to win skate america! she'd need to keep up her consistency this year to boost her reputation with the judges next year in order to counter the overscoring. would this be considered a career grand slam in figure skating? and to add an olympic gold medal to that, a career golden slam?

oh yes, please. I like both options, the grand slam and especially the golden slam. But the question is also, would SA want her?

zarinaballerina wrote:

swan wrote:

Mao2012 wrote:

So, if Mao wins SA next year, she'll become the first female skater to win all the GP events?

i wonder if japanese federation will be willing to send mao. it would be so great if she were to win skate america! she'd need to keep up her consistency this year to boost her reputation with the judges next year in order to counter the overscoring. would this be considered a career grand slam in figure skating? and to add an olympic gold medal to that, a career golden slam?

oh yes, please. I like both options, the grand slam and especially the golden slam. But the question is also, would SA want her?

the answer is no, they would clearly prefer the gold in there own skaters hands

ballerinamao wrote:

zarinaballerina wrote:

swan wrote:

Mao2012 wrote:

So, if Mao wins SA next year, she'll become the first female skater to win all the GP events?

i wonder if japanese federation will be willing to send mao. it would be so great if she were to win skate america! she'd need to keep up her consistency this year to boost her reputation with the judges next year in order to counter the overscoring. would this be considered a career grand slam in figure skating? and to add an olympic gold medal to that, a career golden slam?

oh yes, please. I like both options, the grand slam and especially the golden slam. But the question is also, would SA want her?

the answer is no, they would clearly prefer the gold in there own skaters hands

Tell me about it, there's a reason skating fans call it Scam America, though next to SC it almost looks like competition with fair judging. However, if Mao makes it to podium at worlds (please yes) and Ashley doesn't, SA will have to take one of the medallists. Maybe Mao also isn't a fan of competing on American continent.

swan wrote:

Mao2012 wrote:

So, if Mao wins SA next year, she'll become the first female skater to win all the GP events?

i wonder if japanese federation will be willing to send mao. it would be so great if she were to win skate america! she'd need to keep up her consistency this year to boost her reputation with the judges next year in order to counter the overscoring. would this be considered a career grand slam in figure skating? and to add an olympic gold medal to that, a career golden slam?

I think JSF would be willing to send her if she's assigned (but I'm not sure if Mao would want to go...). Mao's victory in COC was her 9th win in GPS, and that's already a record in Jpnse figure skating (not a world record though) including mens singles. I'm sure JSF would loooove to make news (they're no better than other countrie's feds!) should Mao go and win at SA!

Oh, and some news articles here mentioned that Mao said 'If I can make it to Sochi, I think my motivations will rise more and more'. Plus somebody close to her team has commented 'Actually, Sato's plans for Mao are succeeding more than it seems. Mao is convinced and okay with not including her 3A. Last season she was in bad shape but her mother died so that was unavoidable. I think she has overcome the feeling that she's in a slump now'. Sato and his wife has also commented 'Although Mao can do much better in practice, we're quite confident that she'll get better (in competitions as the season goes on)'
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20121103-00000312-tospoweb-spo

Btw, who has the world record for winning most in GPS? Yuna? Kostner?

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

Btw, who has the world record for winning most in GPS? Yuna? Kostner?

No,Yuna has 10 wins, and Caro about 4 or 5 I guess. Irina has 16 I think and Michelle 13/ So I think Ira is a world record holder.

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

Oh, and some news articles here mentioned that Mao said 'If I can make it to Sochi, I think my motivations will rise more and more'. Plus somebody close to her team has commented 'Actually, Sato's plans for Mao are succeeding more than it seems. Mao is convinced and okay with not including her 3A. Last season she was in bad shape but her mother died so that was unavoidable. I think she has overcome the feeling that she's in a slump now'. Sato and his wife has also commented 'Although Mao can do much better in practice, we're quite confident that she'll get better (in competitions as the season goes on)'

Pochi thanks for this! What does she mean if she CAN make it to Sochi? I assume she means GPF? For a moment I thought she meant Olympics.

it's fantastic to hear that Sato's plan is succeding more than we think! And I'm really happy about her new 3A attitude.

zarinaballerina wrote:

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

Oh, and some news articles here mentioned that Mao said 'If I can make it to Sochi, I think my motivations will rise more and more'. Plus somebody close to her team has commented 'Actually, Sato's plans for Mao are succeeding more than it seems. Mao is convinced and okay with not including her 3A. Last season she was in bad shape but her mother died so that was unavoidable. I think she has overcome the feeling that she's in a slump now'. Sato and his wife has also commented 'Although Mao can do much better in practice, we're quite confident that she'll get better (in competitions as the season goes on)'

Pochi thanks for this! What does she mean if she CAN make it to Sochi? I assume she means GPF? For a moment I thought she meant Olympics.

it's fantastic to hear that Sato's plan is succeding more than we think! And I'm really happy about her new 3A attitude.

Well, according to her quote in Jpnse, Mao did say 'if she CAN make it to Sochi', yes...I think first of all, as she always is, she was being modest not to make it sound like she already has her ticket to Sochi. The other thing is, she probabaly has begun to regain confidence, but not as much as she had before Vancouver yet. But I read somewhere that she also said something like she's 'become once again able to enjoy skating'...so that's great, she's most likely on the right track, but these mental changes have just started for her (eversince her mother's death, I'm sure). She must need more time to truely get her motivation grip back for Olys. Right now I assume her hands are full dealing with this season.

Not sure if you ever saw the newsclip of her right after last season was over...but if you did, I'm sure you'd understand she needs more and more time to be how she was before then. The media had gathered outside her house and showered her with questions on how she felt about her worst result at Worlds and how she felt about next season and stuff. Mao seemed obviously in terrible shape, and it was clear she didn't want to deal with the media at the time and answered 'I have no thoughts about the future right now' as she went back into her home. I had never seen Mao like that; blunt towards the media looking very very tired. It was when I saw that newsclip that I was able to truely understand how much a shock her mother's death had been to her, and was quite worried about how she'd do this season.

I think the fact that Mao even thought about wanting to quit skating altogether then, wasn't just because she was depressed about her mother, but how insensitive the media acted towards her in such a difficult time. And then before this season, there was that problem with a publishing company which was supposed to publish a book written by her; although the book was about skating only, the company tried to promote it with a catch-copy saying something like 'For my dear mother in heaven' which Mao couldn't stand. The book wasn't published in the end which disappointed her fans, but everyone supported her for not wanting her mother to be used for some cheap tear sweeping advertisement.

I think all these problems swept away her motivations for Sochi Olys, which I'm sure she had when she decided to reform her jumps and polish her skating skills from zero. But I'm guessing that by the end of this season, no matter how she does in Worlds (which I'm positive she'll be entering) she'll get her concrete motivation for Sochi back. If she can win Worlds her confidence will build her motivation, otherwise her vexation will push her into wanting more. So, I'm not that worried about her mental state anymore. Even if you experience a tragedy like losing someone you love and it shocks you for some time, doesn't mean it'll change your whole personality. Mao has always loved big challenges, and however soft she seems she's a real fighter inside. She'll get to notice that that part of her won't change so easily as the season goes.

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

Oh, and some news articles here mentioned that Mao said 'If I can make it to Sochi, I think my motivations will rise more and more'. Plus somebody close to her team has commented 'Actually, Sato's plans for Mao are succeeding more than it seems. Mao is convinced and okay with not including her 3A. Last season she was in bad shape but her mother died so that was unavoidable. I think she has overcome the feeling that she's in a slump now'. Sato and his wife has also commented 'Although Mao can do much better in practice, we're quite confident that she'll get better (in competitions as the season goes on)'
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20121103-00000312-tospoweb-spo

I'm delighted to read this. When we see whatever small clips we get of her practices it seems Mao looks better but then during competition doesn't perform to what she's capable of in practice. I'm glad that quote confirmed it and that Mao's win in China, even if it's a less than perfect skate, seem to increase her motivation to do more.

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

Btw, who has the world record for winning most in GPS? Yuna? Kostner?

I think Irina has the most number of GP wins and by that, I mean gold. (excl GPF)
From a tweet after CoC ladies' FS:

Quote :

Mao Asada now has 7 ladies' Grand Prix wins, joining Kim Yu-Na in 2nd place behind Irina Slutskaya (11) for most wins this century.

However, I counted 12 GP wins for Irina* from Wikipedia (CoR, NHK, SC, CoC)
Yuna has 7 GP wins. (CoC, CoR, TEB, SA)
Mao has 7 also (TEB, CoC, CoR, SC and NHK)
*(Based on current 6 GP events)

Irina and Yuna have won gold in 4/6 events, Mao has won in 5/6 events. If she ever gets SA again and win there that'll be a grand slam.

But for GPF: Irina has 4 wins, Yuna has 3 while Mao has 2.

roma wrote:

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

Oh, and some news articles here mentioned that Mao said 'If I can make it to Sochi, I think my motivations will rise more and more'. Plus somebody close to her team has commented 'Actually, Sato's plans for Mao are succeeding more than it seems. Mao is convinced and okay with not including her 3A. Last season she was in bad shape but her mother died so that was unavoidable. I think she has overcome the feeling that she's in a slump now'. Sato and his wife has also commented 'Although Mao can do much better in practice, we're quite confident that she'll get better (in competitions as the season goes on)'
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20121103-00000312-tospoweb-spo

I'm delighted to read this. When we see whatever small clips we get of her practices it seems Mao looks better but then during competition doesn't perform to what she's capable of in practice. I'm glad that quote confirmed it and that Mao's win in China, even if it's a less than perfect skate, seem to increase her motivation to do more.

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

Btw, who has the world record for winning most in GPS? Yuna? Kostner?

I think Irina has the most number of GP wins and by that, I mean gold. (excl GPF)
From a tweet after CoC ladies' FS:

Quote :

Mao Asada now has 7 ladies' Grand Prix wins, joining Kim Yu-Na in 2nd place behind Irina Slutskaya (11) for most wins this century.

However, I counted 12 GP wins for Irina* from Wikipedia (CoR, NHK, SC, CoC)
Yuna has 7 GP wins. (CoC, CoR, TEB, SA)
Mao has 7 also (TEB, CoC, CoR, SC and NHK)
*(Based on current 6 GP events)

Irina and Yuna have won gold in 4/6 events, Mao has won in 5/6 events. If she ever gets SA again and win there that'll be a grand slam.

But for GPF: Irina has 4 wins, Yuna has 3 while Mao has 2.

Yep, that's because in 1996 was a Nations Cup which also counted as a GP event. Now it's not exist. I counted with GPF wins also, so 4 wins in GPF and 12 in GP events =16. Anyway Irina has the highest number of victories in GP series.