Mao's challengers

Triple Flip Posts : 263 Join date : 2008-03-11

So who do you think will pose a big challenge to Mao next season? Obviously Yu-Na, seeing as she's Mao's rival, but who else?

- Kim Yu-Na (duh! Very Happy

)
- Carolina Kostner
- Caroline Zhang
- Mirai Nagasu
- Rachael Flatt
- Ashley Wagner
- Yukari Nakano
- Miki Ando
- Kimmie Meissner

Posts : 1 Join date : 2008-06-05

Kim is getting away with her famous lips because she's appointed as the "Mao's rival". Her lip is almost as bad as Mao's flutz and the judges hardly EVER mark her points down for that when the edge pull is clearly a cheat. The ISU needs someone for this position to make the ladies figure skating more "exciting" and make money. In other words, Kim needs those outrageous GOE on every element to fill the "gap" and to make this "rivalry" works. Her jumps are less impressive, the lip is getting worse by each competitions. Nonetheless her "scores" have soared to no limit. Many people (expect some "score sheets" fetishists) are doubtful about the judging on Kim.

Subject: Re: Mao's challengers Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:18 am

2ch.net wrote:: Kim is getting away with her famous lips because she's appointed as the "Mao's rival". Her lip is almost as bad as Mao's flutz and the judges hardly EVER mark her points down for that when the edge pull is clearly a cheat. The ISU needs someone for this position to make the ladies figure skating more "exciting" and make money. In other words, Kim needs those outrageous GOE on every element to fill the "gap" and to make this "rivalry" works. Her jumps are less impressive, the lip is getting worse by each competitions. Nonetheless her "scores" have soared to no limit. Many people (expect some "score sheets" fetishists) are doubtful about the judging on Kim.

I do not agree. Yu Na's jump are really impressive! Her flip is not a lip, it has the "flat" edge, so the judges can not give minus goes for that. I'm always impressed by the big jumps and the distance she travel in those jumps, aren't you?

Posts : 24 Join date : 2008-05-22 Location : Germany

I think big rivals are

Yu Na Kim
Carolina Kostner
Sarah Meier (She will be on the same level as Caro)

Subject: Re: Mao's challengers Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:26 pm

I hope Mai Who, me?

Posts : 49 Join date : 2008-06-05 Location : Philippines

Throughout the years, Miki Ando's career has been a roller coaster. She's so inconsistent, wowing you one time, then will have you saying "what the hell happened?" another time. I really hope she finds that confidence in herself and not let the pressure get to her.

Oh and yeah, I think Carolina Kostner is Mao's BIGGEST rival.

Triple Flip Posts : 228 Join date : 2007-09-18

MaoNinja wrote:: I hope Mai

hehe, ME TOO Wub

I think 3 young American girls will be Mao's big rivals!!

Dedicated Mao Fan Posts : 1298 Join date : 2007-10-29

bibi wrote:: I do not agree. Yu Na's jump are really impressive! Her flip is not a lip, it has the "flat" edge (...)

I agree, she used to lip badly but she did her best to fix that!

As for who will be Mao's biggest challenger... I think only time will tell. There's no way to guess how the skaters will cope with injuries, growth spurts and nerves...

Mao's goal for this off-season is to fix her spins, levels, lutz and salchow. I think that if she accomplishes it and continues to be injury-free, it will take a great effort from other skaters to challenge her. She has abig advantage of having 3A, two difficult 3-3's and excellent steps and spirals. Her scores this season weren't as big as they could be, because she kept losing points on 2-footing, underrotations, flutz and getting low levels because of not holding positions long enough and not being able to do 4lvl layback.

In some of those areas Mao improved already - she does not 2-foot anymore and her jumps have gotten bigger. I think the only reason her second 3-3 was downgraded in LP at Worlds was because she was in pain and lost stamina because of the hard fall. Otherwise her 3-3s were best I've seen from her! She got the best PCS and GoEs. If she keeps this high level up, other skaters will have to do their best.

YuNa - obviously she has the potential to skate great and score very high! But her injuries are worrying. I think that back pain and stamina problems might make improving her spirals and steps difficult. Plus, if Mao gets Sal and fixes Lutz, YuNa will definitely need at least to get 3L back in her programs. Good luck!

Carolina - It's difficult to tell how well she will do. Worlds were the first time she came close to challenging the top skaters, and that was when Mao and YuNa made mistakes. Also, a lot of people were outraged that stumbles and step-outs were punished so lightly, so the judges and ISU might pay more attention to it now. However, if she overcomes her nerves and skates clean, she might become a challenger! Thumbs up!

Yukari - I love her, but she'll probably need other skaters to make mistakes to be able to challenge them. Her jump technique holds her back. Sad

Which is too bad, because she is such a talented skater. She used to attempt 3axel combos and difficult 3-3s (3Lz3L, 3F3T)... If it wasn't for the leg wrap and URs, she would definitely belong to the top ladies! Love

Mai - Oh how I wish she had more confidence. There were times when she and Mao warmed up together and I couldn't tell them apart (similar costumes). But whereas Mao is a fierce fighter, Mai seems more fragile and doesn't really believe that she can challenge the top skaters, and sort of steps aside to make place for Mao. Plus, she seems to be quite injury-prone. Sad

Such a shame, because she is a beautiful, lyrical skater, and has the body type similar to Mao, so technically they should be able to do similar things... Perhaps the fact that Mai started skating later than Mao is at fault here; her basics are not as good and this causes more injuries... Sad

Sarah - I think she would need a full set of tripes and 3-3. I don't know if this will be possible at her age... I wish she would change choreographers, she's a very lyrical skater but her choreo doesn't do much to show her strenghts. Good luck!

The American ladies - I think they are the biggest question mark! Everything will depend on how well they will go through the puberty. They can do great, but they can also struggle like Kimmie and Ashley. Good luck to them all! Good luck!

In the future, I think that also Yuki Nishino has the potential to challenge the top ladies. She reminds me of Mao and Shizuka. Smile

Triple Loop Posts : 592 Join date : 2007-09-18

MaoNinja wrote:: I hope Mai

Daisuke Takahashi, if they happen to have the same coach (well, who knows). Smile

In more traditional way, Yu Na Kim. Miki and Yukari are a "danger", but not a "challenge", in my opinion. The American girls are probably still too young (even for LA Worlds). The others? Hardly.

Triple Flip Posts : 263 Join date : 2008-03-11

summervie wrote:: The American girls are probably still too young (even for LA Worlds).

I checked their birth dates; they should be eligible for the 2009 Worlds. And if I'm not wrong they'd (Mirai & Rachael) be joining the senior ranks for the next season, so there's a high chance they'd be going against Mao next season.

Triple Loop Posts : 592 Join date : 2007-09-18

Mirai wrote:

summervie wrote:: The American girls are probably still too young (even for LA Worlds).

I checked their birth dates; they should be eligible for the 2009 Worlds. And if I'm not wrong they'd (Mirai & Rachael) be joining the senior ranks for the next season, so there's a high chance they'd be going against Mao next season.

Oh, sorry for confusion. I meant that they are just too young to be a challenge for Mao-chan. Some of them obviously still have some room to grow in many directions, while judges maybe not ready yet to treat most of them 100% "seriously" (in terms of PCS, and overall). And none of these girls competed under the real pressure yet. So, I don't see any of them like a real challenger. Maybe the next season, but not this. Maybe I'm mistaken. Smile

Double Axel Posts : 179 Join date : 2008-06-11

I think Miki Ando will come back really strong...

Dedicated Mao Fan Posts : 1298 Join date : 2007-10-29

SoMiTripleAxel wrote:: I think Miki Ando will come back really strong...

I hope so, but I'm worried how long her shoulder will hold up. Sad

I watched a documentary on Morozov which featured Miki training before Worlds and she looked great, but as soon as the injury kicked in, she fell apart, And even then, in her best condition, her spins still weren't as good as when she was completely injury-free. Depressed Crying

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