World Championships 2011 - Pre-competition thread

maowataiyo wrote:

Dai and Taka departed Japan to Moscow. Taka went with Coach Sato. So maybe Kumiko-sensei might depart with Mao? Don't cut it too close, Mao! Ganba!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5X9cdnT-2M

Amano is the tech specialist.

Thanks maowataiyo for the clip!

If Amano is the tech specialist for the ladies, I think it has ignited Mao's passion even more for landing gorgeous 3As, rather than being intimidated or de-motivated. I suppose his judgments were one of the reasons why Mao decided to rework jumps from the basics. She is not a skater who choose to complain about judges, but she chooses to work even harder and improve her techniques to get her jumps ratified and her performances rated highly by judges. She is a true athlete, which you all know very well!

I believe in Mao's fortified heart when it comes to 3As. I'm not sure how much she is confident with lutz now though ... But, I think Amano is not a threat to her at all.

klarification wrote:

Edit: It seems like the assistant of Amano-san is Myriam Loriol-Oberwiler. Hmm.. Not sure if Worlds will let us see a season best.

Is this the same lady that caused a stir among Yuna fans because she dared to downgrade her 3F-3T? I believe it was what led her to change to a 3lutz-3toe the following season. But then I also remember she was in the tech panel for the Olympics and the scores were through the roof but I guess that's a special event. I don't expect a team with her and Amano to be that lenient. I think we might see scoring similar to 2008 Worlds. I still can't get over how Mao was so egregiously underscored in the SP at that event.

aoi88 wrote:

klarification wrote:

Okay guys, do we need to make an Anti-Amano petition now?

Kidding, kidding. Well, I guess that's his job. But he never seems to accept Mao's triple axels and downgrades them everytime. Hopefully the new rules would at least serve as a cushion if Amano is the tech specialist.

Maybe he's just jealous? Well, I hope now some fans won't accuse the judges of favoring the Japanese skaters.

Haha, actually there are many people in Japan who think he's jealous of Mao's 3As because he couldn't land that jump.

The thing with a strict team is that they have to live up to their reputation of 'being strict'!
And this might not be a very good thing for Mao at worlds!

I mean the fact that she might land her jumps cleanly might not be enough for her to win gold!

Imagine Yuna skating - (we have no freaking idea what she'll be doing!) - One awesome 3-3 added with her 'end-of-the-world-kind-of-expressions' - They all go WOOOOW - "Gold medalist - Olympic Star" (her mistakes just don't seem to matter) and 'High' marks for her!!

...Then comes Mao (who has been experiencing jumps issues all season long) - Even if she goes on to nail her SP and FP! It'll be like "ah she skated well..." - 'Okay' marks will do for her!

This is what I don't like!! And yes - The 3A Mao did at worlds 2010 (SP) was clean!...

Guys, we'll just have to believe in Mao and her capabilities. She came this far after going through one of her roughest seasons. And we all know how hard she worked just to come to Worlds.

The tech team should be at the bottom of her priority list!

I just came across this article about future of Russian skating. http://mysouth.su/2011/04/moscow-puts-quot-ice-curtain-quot/

This quote caught my attention.
"Elena Buyanova, which has now trained two-time champion of Russia among adults, the winner of the finals of the Grand Prix and the Junior World Championships Adelina Sotnikova, once said that an important role in the tremendous progress it has played a student the opportunity to skate on the ice with a Japanese woman Mao Asada."

The English translation is a bit rough but I think Adelina's coach is saying that Adelina had the opportunity to skate with Mao before and it lead to great progress for her. Since TAT is the choreographer for both skaters, this is very likely. It could also explain why Adelina listed Mao as one of the skaters she admires in her profile.

linglang wrote:

Haha, actually there are many people in Japan who think he's jealous of Mao's 3As because he couldn't land that jump.

That and his idol was Brian Orser.

But you're right linglang, I hope if Amano is the tech specialist it'll motivate Mao even more to jump bridges with her 3A. I remember the look on her face in the k&c for her lp at worlds. There's a fire in her that's brewing inside.

Thanks aoi! It's great to hear that Adelina and her coach respect Mao's skating. Adelina is a great skater as well and probably will be a fierce competitor for Mao when she competes on the senior circuit.

I made a banner for Japanese team , if everything goes well(i mean printing etc). You guys will see it on Tv!(I hope)

That's awesome polosatik! We might have another clip of seeing you on YT again.

Team Sato banner will appear in Moscow

Podium predictions! (I love doing these!..):

Ladies:
I'm almost positive the top 3 will be Mao, Miki, and Yuna. But in what order?... It's really anyone's best guess. So I'm going to go with what I hope the order will be:
1. Mao!
2. Miki
3. Yuna

Mens: Looks like to me either Patric or Daisuke will take gold. I don't really have a preference to which it will be. Buuuuut I'm kinda leaning slightly towards Patric this time. Just cause he's due. Really it could be either though. I predict third will be one of the other two Japanese guys... Here's my final answer...

1. Patrick
2. Daisuke
3. Taka

Pairs: I'm quite sure gold will go to either Pang/Tong or Savchenko/ Szolkowy. I'll just make my best guess. Third I'm guessing will most likely go to a Russian pair. Which one? Uh....

1. Savchenko/ Szolkowy
2. Pang/ Tong
3. Bazarova/ Larionov

Star85 wrote:

Mens: Looks like to me either Patric or Daisuke will take gold. I don't really have a preference to which it will be. Buuuuut I'm kinda leaning slightly towards Patric this time. Just cause he's due. Really it could be either though. I predict third will be one of the other two Japanese guys... Here's my final answer...

1. Patrick
2. Daisuke
3. Taka

I'm sure Asya would love to know the reason why he's number one in your list.

klarification wrote:

Star85 wrote:

Mens: Looks like to me either Patric or Daisuke will take gold. I don't really have a preference to which it will be. Buuuuut I'm kinda leaning slightly towards Patric this time. Just cause he's due. Really it could be either though. I predict third will be one of the other two Japanese guys... Here's my final answer...

1. Patrick
2. Daisuke
3. Taka

I'm sure Asya would love to know the reason why he's number one in your list.

Just cause he's due.

I think having a strict tech specialist is a good thing. I'm sure Mao knows about why her jumps were downgraded by Amano all the time, so her reworking of the jumps will probably gear towards those downgrades from the perception of Amano and not from some other random technician.

Besides, since Amano always downgrade Mao for probably consistent reasons, he's also the one who will most likely to be able to spot Mao's improvement in her jumps as well. So let's all be positive abt this

Amano!? Really!? Then again, if Mao has improved her axel and it's ratified by Amano, I think it'll give her and judges in the future more confidence in her ability to rotate them. One thing that gets annoying is that some judges expect certain skaters to underrotate, and will give them negative GOE because they assume the jump is underrotated even if it isn't. If Mao does 3As like the one in her FP at 4CC and they're ratified with no DGs at all, it might encourage her, and make the judges less prone to DGing her - after all, even Amano ratified her axels! And if they're downgraded, she'll be that much more encouraged to get them unquestionably rotated in the future like ericacsy said.

Nice predictions, Star85! Mine would be similar, although I'd say my dream podium for Worlds this year would be 1. Mao, 2. Miki, 3. Alissa Czisny. It'll most likely be a combination of Mao, Miki, and Yu-Na like you said, though. No idea what order they'll be in because the ice is slippery..anything can happen!

hmm welll I can't wait to see mao, hope mao doesn't wait until the last minute before she leaves.

tianrushui wrote:

Team Sato banner will appear in Moscow

I love that banner!! Hope that it will be broadcast on TV and Team Sato notices it!!

And polosatik, hope to see yours as well. Me wanna watch Mao live as well...

Worlds promo tv programmes are surfacing for the last few days but I guess they are saving Mao for last.

Here's one on Miki and Kanako; programme called "Reasons why the Japanese Figure Skating (team) is formidable" - pardon my rough translation...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_HZoEXoXTw&feature=youtu.be

And then, there's another special programme on Nobu and Daisuke. There had not been much TV footage on Mao and Taka so far.

Lynn Rutherford is tweeting practice reports from Moscow.

http://twitter.com/#!/LynnRutherford

As for Amano...I second the opinion that Mao, if she knew, would be be fired up even more. As a fan, could only hope that his strict judging is applied to every skater to be 'fair'.

Nice segment! I hope they do a Mao one later! She's the crème de la crème!

Thank you for the link snowdrops! Don't overthink it Taka!

http://www.isuresults.com/results/wc2011/SEG006OF.HTM
http://www.isuresults.com/results/wc2011/SEG007OF.HTM

It is now official.

Mao, you can do it!

i'm almost finished my Mao banner Worlds is so close!!! Can't wait!!!

LynnRutherford Lynn Rutherford
Practice: Kozuka trouble with quad, two hard falls. Rest of his jumps and overall free skate look good. He says quad has been fine at home. (http://twitter.com/#!/LynnRutherford)


I hope he'll do fine!!
Usually his routine is quite Mao-ish - He stumps his SP and then stuns with a fantastic FP - But then his marks are backslashed and even if he is 1st/2nd in FP - He ends down the podium!
I really wish he gets gold at worlds!!!

Polasatik - Can you please take a snap of the banner for us?
I'd really love to see it! (and am sure everybody here wishes the same )

There are three banners from Chinese fans:
the "mao smile" banner from GPF, the "love from China" banner from Artistry on Ice, and the team sato banner:)

I have an old pic, but I'm still working on inscription and also I need to iron it
https://2img.net/h/i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee266/ask130/random/IMG_2244.jpg
It's more colourful in reality.

polosatik wrote:

I have an old pic, but I'm still working on inscription and also I need to iron it
https://2img.net/h/i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee266/ask130/random/IMG_2244.jpg
It's more colourful in reality.

This is beautiful!
You drawn in yourself right? ?
Its very good!
Mao looks stunning - I believe it will look real look at the compet - I'll try to spot you with it!
(Mao would be real glad to see this banner - am sure! )
I hope many fans will be there to support Mao!!

polosatik wrote:

I have an old pic, but I'm still working on inscription and also I need to iron it
https://2img.net/h/i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee266/ask130/random/IMG_2244.jpg
It's more colourful in reality.

It looks beautiful!

MikiAndoFan#1 wrote:

polosatik wrote:

I have an old pic, but I'm still working on inscription and also I need to iron it
https://2img.net/h/i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee266/ask130/random/IMG_2244.jpg
It's more colourful in reality.

It looks beautiful!

the banner is AWESOMEEEEE . add more glittery stuff to her dress if u can~ it reflects well w/ the light <3