Mao news - 2009-10 Olympic season!!

sapphiresky wrote:

aoi88 wrote:

Recently, I heard a lot of people criticizing Mao because of her lack of 3-3 and that she always get them downgraded. Some even say she can't do a 3-3 anymore so she does the 3A. I don't believe this is true. Do you guys think Mao will bring back the 3-3 soon?

It's hard to ignore those people all the time. I think it's unfair to criticize any skater for not being able to do something, not that Mao can't do a 3-3. Every skater trains so hard and a competition is really only a glimpse of all that effort.

I think that because Mao does the 3A so much that people no longer appreciate the difficulty of it. Everyone makes it sound like the 3A is the "easy way out", well it's not- look at how much she practices for that jump. No one is in awe of it anymore (except us fans) so they criticize her (I remember in the beginning when everyone-especially commentators talked so much about them). But we shouldn't let those people get us down, afterall that's their goal, is to put down their non-favorites and get into our heads- but we shouldn't let them

I respect Mao's decision, and we can see that she still does 3-3's in practice even though not in competition. I would love to see them too, and I think that one day, she'll want to bring them back- maybe that's her goal for the next season

Thanks Sapphiresky . I was really annoyed at these comments because I know Mao can do 3-3. People seem to forget that Mao picks the hardest 3-3 combo to do 3F-3Lo, and she tried to do it with 2 3A in 2008. So it's really difficult for Mao to perfect such a tough program. I would also love to see Mao's 3-3 back. Actually, I think Mao can put back 3F-3T again. She was quite consistent with that jump, even though she didn't do it as often as 3Flo-3Lo. I think it is easier to get ratified and may be easier for her to do with her axels.

sapphiresky- I love your respectful, warm post.
People have forgotten how 3A is difficult. Even male skaters have difficulties with 3A. But yes, we shouldn't let those people get us down. I think Mao will do 3-3 again next season. But what we can do now is just to believe Mao and cheer her up!

MikiAndoFan#1 wrote:

See if you guys recognize the beginning of this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVDvrzCWuzM!

Por una Cabeza

bibi wrote:

MikiAndoFan#1 wrote:

See if you guys recognize the beginning of this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVDvrzCWuzM!

Por una Cabeza

Wait a minute, isn't it the beginning of "Czardas"?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIAGyfw_S0g

***
Here's a cute/funny article on Mao that I found!

http://www.sanspo.com/vancouver2010/news/100206/oaq1002061107000-n1.htm

[Winter heroes/heroines] Mao, researching her role model "Hasejun"
February 6, 2010

This series examines the unusual skills and hobbies that are the secret to the strength of athletes we care about, and the last issue is about figure skater Mao Asada (19) = Chuukyou University. For Mao, who became a college student last April, her role model is sexy beauty model Jun Hasegawa (23). Although Mao has an innocent image, she's an expert at using makeup and ordering things by mail. She has added maturity to her artless/innocent character, and she aims to win the gold medal carrying heavy hopes on her back.

She's a 19-year old girl whom we still want to call "Mao-chan," but she is steadily climbing the "stairs of adulthood."

In her free time, she reads up on what's popular in fashion magazines. Her sister, figure skater Mai, who is two years older, is "more fashionable than me. She has lots of clothes, and I hate to lose, so I want to beat my sister in fashion too," she says, laughing. Her role model is Jun Hasegawa, a model from Hawaii who attracts people with her healthy sexiness. Mao says she is doing research on makeup and hairstyles.

After her slump at the Cup of Russia in October, she decided once again to take a break from her 24-hour skating life once a week. She does go out into town to shop, but since she enjoys nationwide popularity, she can't walk around leisurely. While reading magazines at home, she naturally became well-versed in fashion. She has become hooked on ordering things via the internet, and she says she enjoys ordering things like preservative-free gelato, sweet potato sweets, and Korean kimchi; it's a change of pace for her.

At the Four Continents Championship in January (Korea, Jeonju) she landed the triple axel twice in her free program and won. She gained the confidence for a full recovery, and she said with a smile, "The fact that I was able to accomplish my goal of landing two triple axels and win will carry over to the Olympics. I've become 80% close (to the gold medal)." She aims for the gold medal with the difficult triple axel jump as a weapon. Mao has climbed over a wall and continues to grow into an adult, and in Vancouver she will show us the brightest brilliance.

(Haruka Sato)

************
Hahaha, I think it's so funny that Mao wants to beat Mai at being fashionable.... So cute.

I didn't know who Jun Hasegawa was, so I looked her up on Wikipedia. I guess she's half-Japanese/half-American (of Irish-French origin). According to Wiki, she's 164cm and 50kg, which makes her pretty much exactly the same size as Mao. Which means they could totally share clothes if they every became friends. And also that Mao could probably model...there was that fashion designer who said last year that she really wanted Mao to model for her...surely there are other designers who think the same thing!

OMG, that girl Jun is very lucky, if Mao would call me her role model I could die, I know .

Thanks for the link, Batsuchan!
For Mao, seems like Mai is the rival in all areas all the time
Jun Hasegawa is popular model in Japan. I like her too!

chapis wrote:

OMG, that girl Jun is very lucky, if Mao would call me her role model I could die, I know.

haha, it's so exciting to imagine it!

bibi wrote:

Por una Cabeza

It's Czardas!

http://www.kawaii-joyuu.com/?p=4784

Actress Maki Horikita is cheering for Mao in Vancouver!
For those of you who watch Japanese dramas, she is a popular actress and has starred in many dramas.

Batsuchan wrote:

She has become hooked on ordering things via the internet, and she says she enjoys ordering things like preservative-free gelato, sweet potato sweets, and Korean kimchi; it's a change of pace for her.

Mao and food go hand-in-hand!!

I have to say, if Mao is aiming to be fashionable, she's already there! She's quite the fashion plate...every time I see off-ice (and on-ice) pictures of her, she's always wearing something really cute and pretty.
My dream would be to have Mao do my nails

Custom Mao Asada design nails.... huuuu~~~

Quote :

They are the same generation after all, but is there really anybody who doesn’t love Asada?

How sweet this is

MikiAndoFan#1 wrote:

bibi wrote:

Por una Cabeza

It's Czardas!

oops! You're right

Yesterday's clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuPmah5Uifs
In the clip, they(the man is Takeshi Honda, 4th place at SALT LAKE Olympics)are talking about Mao's spiral in SP.
In this season, Mao hadn't gotten level4 because of incomplete change edge.
In the first half of this season, the course of spiral sequence was straight. In the straight line, changing edge was too hard. Since Japan Nats, to make change edge easy, she changed it into curve.
Mao says,"Before it was difficult to change inside into outside. But after changing into gentle curve, it's not problem."

I finally understood why Mao couldn't get level4. Nice change

http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/confidence/73195/full/

cm pics
http://contents.oricon.co.jp/upimg/news/20100208/73195_201002080256309001265603111c.jpg
http://contents.oricon.co.jp/upimg/news/20100208/73195_201002080269287001265603111c.jpg
http://contents.oricon.co.jp/upimg/news/20100208/73195_201002080289268001265603111c.jpg
http://contents.oricon.co.jp/upimg/news/20100208/73195_201002080297145001265603111c.jpg

mingming wrote:

Yesterday's clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuPmah5Uifs
In the clip, they(the man is Takeshi Honda, 4th place at SALT LAKE Olympics)are talking about Mao's spiral in SP.
In this season, Mao hadn't gotten level4 because of incomplete change edge.
In the first half of this season, the course of spiral sequence was straight. In the straight line, changing edge was too hard. Since Japan Nats, to make change edge easy, she changed it into curve.
Mao says,"Before it was difficult to change inside into outside. But after changing into gentle curve, it's not problem."

I finally understood why Mao couldn't get level4. Nice change

wow, I didnt understand why she never got level 4, because people tell me it was about she didnt hold the positions, I checked it and the time was ok, then I suposed that it was the edge change and seems it was correct, I am not so ignorant like before!! .

However the 2 ways of her spiral are beautiful, but if the second way get more points I am glad she corrected .

eta. I am thinking now the people is really prejuding to Mao very often, I read a lot of times things like "Mao must learn to count first, because of that she get low levels" , may be in the spins is like that sometimes, I didnt checked still, but not her spiral. Or like in 4cc she get lows pcs some people said "I guess Mao is sacrificing the artistic in her program for focus in her jumps", what!!!, for me artistically it was her best performance, when the judges give a score they assume that its ok and has logical, but its not correct always.


sorry my english

chapis wrote:

Or like in 4cc she get lows pcs some people said "I guess Mao is sacrificing the artistic in her program for focus in her jumps", what!!!, for me artistically it was her best performance, when the judges give a score they assume that its ok and has logical, but its not correct always.

It's pretty clear at this point that Mao's steely determination with the 3A turned quite a few skating fans off, which I find to be a total pity. Her entry to the 3A is much shorter than it used to be, and while the tweaked Bells FS may not be the most transition-filled program, it is in no way devoid of it either (e.g., snake pattern into the 2A, the delayed 3T). She's one of the few ladies to still have amazing ice coverage near the end of their program - and Mao is unique in this aspect because she does not have the *rest-and-pose* moments the other ladies have. Then there's the wonderful footwork, the spirals, the spins...

I still can't believe the Olys are this close!

clovera wrote:

I still can't believe the Olys are this close!

I know! I'm so excited, yet so nervous!

I personally don't think there's anything wrong with Mao's interpretation of "Bells". I think the problem lies actually in the arrangement of the piece, because I know Mao is going for the dramatic impact but the arrangement really doesn't aid her because it's gets a bit repetitive and the intended effect somehow is not that strong. Therefore, although Mao's performance is great, the music just leaves some viewers and I guess judges cold, which is a pity . I was watching Daisuke's cyberswan SP (which is the best SP from a man ever! ) and I felt it would have been really cool if there was a Cyberversion of "Bells". It would have the dramatic effect of the original Bells plus the cool and hip factor that would make the program have a wider appeal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW0SfH4wibY&feature=sub

the fans are cute. news clip

☆Genie wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW0SfH4wibY&feature=sub

the fans are cute. news clip

Thanks for the link, ☆Genie! The kids are definitely cute! And I remember the Mao roll from last year at 4CC! Glad to see they are still serving it!

Here's a clip I found that has been edited by a fan to be a little silly, but I'm too lazy to find the original clip, and anyway, the quote from Shizuka is clear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_jYfAxgCFg

She's talking about her favorite Olympic moments, and one of them was when TAT looked so excited and happy when Yagudin won the 2002 Olympics. She says, "I want to see that in Vancouver! She's Mao Asada's coach now [after all]."
I totally agree!

[BTW, I added a new post to my blog; see link below! ]

Shii-chan looks honest to cheer up Mao! LOL for what she said "I don't want to
pressure her, she can win the games from time to time"

Hi guys:

Mao is in the Vancouver Sun!!! (For those of you who aren't from Vancouver, it's one of the biggest newspapers here). They talk about the Mao-Dog and the Mao Roll lol...

I found it hilarious that the Korean consul tried to find "Yu-Na Equivalents"...but couldn't find any hehehe!
I'm always annoyed when they bring in other skaters to everything about Mao, but not surprised since the reporter's korean.

It seems like I won't get a Mao dog unless I go there super early- they only have 20 a day because they're hard to make, and there are tiny Maple leafs in them (a Canadian symbol) and sausage that's cut in 3 times to symbolize the triple axel

Here's the link:

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Street+vendor+puts+popular+Japanese+figure+skater/2536235/story.html

Wow...2 days until the Olympics, Vancouver is already getting super busy!

Thanks for the info, sapphiresky! Oh,you live in Vancouver! Do you have any ticket for Olympics?
It's so exciting to hear the state of there! Please keep telling us atmosphere of Vancouver! Thank you

Batsuchan wrote:

Here's a clip I found that has been edited by a fan to be a little silly, but I'm too lazy to find the original clip, and anyway, the quote from Shizuka is clear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_jYfAxgCFg

She's talking about her favorite Olympic moments, and one of them was when TAT looked so excited and happy when Yagudin won the 2002 Olympics. She says, "I want to see that in Vancouver! She's Mao Asada's coach now [after all]."
I totally agree!

Thanks Batsuchan for the link!
Shizuka is so sweet I laughed so much because the user of YT made it to repeat the phrase of her- "I want to see that in Vancouver!"
Batsuchan, your blog is really nice! It has objectivity but is filled with love for Mao at the same time
I appreciate your devotion for it! お疲れ様です！

New article on Mao!

http://www.examiner.com/x-16352-Japan-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m2d10-Japans-favorite-Vancouver-Olympic-Athletes

Mao Asada ranks first in all of the polls

But this also means she has huge expectations to fulfill, hope Mao won't feel too pressured

NBCOlympics.com got a taste of the Mao hot dog, and scored it in terms of the COP, and found that "the Mao Asada hot dog has just received a 77.06, the highest short program score for any human or hot dog under figure skating's current scoring system. The Mao dog scored particuarly well in Overall Deliciousness, Presentation of Meal, Quality of Bun, Appropriate Condiment Application and Recommendability."

http://www.nbcolympics.com/olympicpulse/blogs/blog=theringer/postid=410657.html#the+mao+asada+kim+yu+na

bellarina, that link is AWESOME! Thanks so much for sharing.

aoi88 - thanks for the link on the polls about Mao. I'm glad that everyone is rooting for Mao.

mingming wrote:

Batsuchan, your blog is really nice! It has objectivity but is filled with love for Mao at the same time
I appreciate your devotion for it! お疲れ様です！

ありがとう！！ And I just added another post... I figure Mao's working hard for the Olympics, so I'm going to work hard too.

aoi88-thanks for your kind comments on my blog too (maybe that was in a different thread...?). At any rate, I feel kinda guilty taking up space on the Mao forum...please feel free to leave comments or ask questions on my blog itself!