World Figure Skating Championships 2014

Thank you for the wonderful practice clips!

Also, it seems that none of our favorite technical specialists are at the ladies' event.     
http://www.isuresults.com/results/wc2014/SEG003OF.HTM

A few pictures:

anylive stream link yet? thank you so much

l-spiralmao wrote:

And here's a video of Mao's 3f+3lo and 3a: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyG7Sgzi9y0&feature=youtu.be

       

Holy... have you guys seen the height and distance on 3-3?! Amazing!!! And that 3A...     Now please Mao, bring this to competition! You can do it!

I hope there will be streaming available from wednesday on.

BounceAround wrote:

Thank you for the wonderful practice clips!

Also, it seems that none of our favorite technical specialists are at the ladies' event.     
http://www.isuresults.com/results/wc2014/SEG003OF.HTM

Heck yessss!!!  

Does anyone know who Rehorick and Unger are? Are they fair, or like Amano?

I'm not saying that they should treat Mao with favours, if she'll UR than she deserves an UR, but if there is benefit of the doubt, then they should give it to her. And most importantly, if they'll be overlooking UR's on others, then they must do the same for Mao. Only IMO.

l-spiralmao wrote:

And here's a video of Mao's 3f+3lo and 3a: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyG7Sgzi9y0&feature=youtu.be

Thanks for the clip!  The 3F-3L and 3A were both gorgeous, among the best I've seen!  

Mao looks perfect, this worlds will be awsome, I am sure   

Mao had a fabulous practice this morning. She did all jumps she tried, with 3f3lo combos and beautiful 3As. She challenged 3lo3lo but in SP run through she did it with double loop as second jump. She looks strong and refine. Probaly LP in Sochi boosted her confidence. I here from early morning but I will wait till evening practice before to go back home to get some sleep. You go, girl.

let`s talk wrote:

Mao had a fabulous practice this morning. She did all jumps she tried, with 3f3lo combos and beautiful 3As. She challenged 3lo3lo but in SP run through she did it with double loop as second jump. She looks strong and refine. Probaly LP in Sochi boosted her confidence. I here from early morning but I will wait till evening practice before to go back home to get some sleep. You go, girl.

Thanks for the report let's talk   

news clip of the morning practice, with SP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKvsxHR5AGI

let`s talk wrote:

Mao had a fabulous practice this morning. She did all jumps she tried, with 3f3lo combos and beautiful 3As. She challenged 3lo3lo but in SP run through she did it with double loop as second jump. She looks strong and refine. Probaly LP in Sochi boosted her confidence. I here from early morning but I will wait till evening practice before to go back home to get some sleep. You go, girl.

Thank you!  

Go mao! Now just bring this to competition.   

I'm sorry, I don't want to be a party pooper (sp?), but after seeing her having amazing practices only to mess up in competition so many times, I must admit I do worry just a tiny bit.  But considering what hapneded in Sochi's LP, I hope her confidence level is at all time high, and she'll show everyone why she's considered as one of the best female skaters ever.   

I've just realized that denis Ten isn't competing. I was so looking forward to a Yuzu-Javi-Denis showdown.   

@COHK, thanx for the clip! She looks great. I do wonder though, what will it take for japanese media to stop obsessing with Mao's 3A.  

let`s talk wrote:

Mao had a fabulous practice this morning. She did all jumps she tried, with 3f3lo combos and beautiful 3As. She challenged 3lo3lo but in SP run through she did it with double loop as second jump. She looks strong and refine. Probaly LP in Sochi boosted her confidence. I here from early morning but I will wait till evening practice before to go back home to get some sleep. You go, girl.

Thank you very much!

Wow...3l-3l? I know she may not try it in competition this time but this sounds exciting   

Thank you for the video   ,

Can someone translate the interview? How does she feel ?

why don't the media stop harrasing her and let her focus and enjoy her skate ? ...

I can't wait to see her in worlds, ...

In the evening practice Mao did again everything clean. But in LP run through she popped her trixel and then made mistake on 2A that ended up in aborting the combo. She recovered, did cool trixel and other jumps. People adore her.

let`s talk wrote:

In the evening practice Mao did again everything clean. But in LP run through she popped her trixel and then made mistake on 2A that ended up in aborting the combo. She recovered, did cool trixel and other jumps. People adore her.

Thanx! I might seem weird to some of you, but I'm happy that she made the mistakes today. It's never a good omen (IMO) when she has perfect run throughs, so to me, it's better that she leaves mistakes on practice ice, than to have amazing practices, only to mess up when it matters the most. just my weird logic, I guess.   

It really makes my heart melt when I see how adored she is in Japan. In an earlier clip, she got an applause for just appearing in the arena, she hasn't even stepped on the ice.     

I hope so much, she'll realize her dream for this season and will skate two perfect programs. What a way to finish a season (career?) if she were to achieve this infront of the home audience.   

Does anyone know if there will be streams available? the pairs SP starts in a few hours and I'd really like to watch it live. I guess I won't be getting much sleep this week.   

Press release of the press conference
http://c.blog.sina.com.cn/profile.php?blogid=6b519ebb89001djk
(Disclaimer: I am translating it from a translation of Chinese so wording might be a bit off)

Q: What is the goal of this competition?
Mao: This competition is the last of this season. I want to perform my best in the short and long program, to make up for the regret in Sochi.
Akiko: This is the last competition of my career. I want to bring all of my experiences and all the feelings that had brought me this far into this competition. I want to skate in my own way to end my competitive career.
Kanako: I was too nervous in Sochi. It’s regrettable that I was not able to perform well. The feeling of wanting to revenge that is strong. I want to perform my best in both the short and long program, to end this competitive season with good vibes.

Q: The Sochi Olympics only recently concluded, maintaining that level is difficult. What did you do after? Are you ready for this competition?
Mao: The week after Sochi was hard physically due to the strain of competition and problem of jet lag. But I was able to gradually look towards this championship and train like I always have.
Akiko: Due to my leg injury, I went to the hospital after I returned. We discussed with doctors on how treatment should go since I want to participate in this competition.  I rested for a week and the injury has gotten better. I feel that the thing I had to give my all to had ended so it feels like a restart. After the Olympics 4 years ago, I was not able to raise my spirits. However, this is my last competition; I don’t want to have any regrets. I can’t say the number of practices is high but I feel I was training well.
Kanako: My energy was drained after the Olympics but to me that’s resting enough. The day after I returned, we reflected on what happened in Sochi. Numerous practices were needed to correct those mistakes. So the feeling is “oh, there is another competition in two more days.” (Smiles)

Q:  I want to ask Mao and Kanako, with this competition and the Sochi games, it feels like you want to kill in the short program? Is that how you feel?
Mao: The irreversible thing that happened in Sochi is very regrettable; therefore, this competition is very important to me. I hope to give everything I have.
Kanako: The short program is more nerve wrecking than the long. I hope to be more like I am during the long program so it won’t be like what happened in Sochi. I want to be able to perform well.

Q: Surely you all have had thorough discussions with your coaches after the games. Are there any memorable ones?
Akiko: From the team competition to the singles, there were times when I was weak due to my injury. During those times my coach was very stern in motivating me. But after we returned, he told me “you were already giving your all in your condition.” Because he was so stern, I thought he didn’t understand how much I am hurting, but he actually knew. He said “I wanted so much to compete for you that it hurts.” I didn’t know he thought that way. That left a deep impression with me.
Mao: The conversation between us after the competition was over was that we both felt “thank you for the hard work.” After returning to Japan, we did not discuss the games. We just talked about regrouping and restarting again after resting well.  
Kanko: After the competition in Sochi, I told my coaches “I have been so fortune to be able to come here with you.” They also told me “Being able to come here means a lot, even though there were some regrets but you worked hard” That conversation was very memorable for me. After we return, we head straight into preparation for Worlds.

Q: For Mao, I heard that before the short program in Sochi you were feeling uneasy about your skating blades. For this competition, besides physically, how are the other factors?
Mao: I skated a bit yesterday and today, feeling is not bad. My condition now is the same as in Chukyo Uni. There is practice tomorrow. I hope to maintain my condition so I feel fit during the short program.

Q: If there was a theme of this competition, what would it be?
Mao: There isn’t one as of now, but I was able to perform with the feeling of having the performance of my life in Sochi, which I haven’t had in a long time. I hope to have that feeling in both the short and long program.
Akiko: I hope to be able to execute everything I can do in my performances.
Kanako: I want to erase those regrets I had in the Sochi games.

Q: There are always nerves before the competition, what are some things you do to maintain your focus?
Mao: Yes, I always get nervous before I compete, but if you want to calm down then you can calm down. But being too calm isn’t good either. Maintaining as I am like always and focusing after that.
Akiko: For the 22 years I have competed, there isn’t one competition where I am not nervous. I used to feel that my body would not be able to move when I am nervous, but my coach told me that I can turn in great performances even when I am nervous. So I started to think positively now, “the nervousness has started, that’s not bad.”
Kanako: I am not the type to over-think so I just let my coach hug me so she can take my nervousness away.  I always want to remain totally calm because usually bad performances stems from being too nervous.

Q: For Akiko, this competition is your last, are there thoughts that don’t usually come up in previous competition?
Akiko: When I was training, I thought “today is the last that I will be training with my company” so we took pictures. All these moments are precious; there won’t be others like it. Because of that, I want to be able to feel and take in all the moments every day.

Q:  What were you thinking during the afternoon practice?
Mao: It was shorter that regular practices so I checked my jumping conditions and my body movements. There won’t be ice time in the competitive arena before the short program so I was focusing on those things.
Akiko: Yesterday was the first day at the arena; I felt I couldn’t be one with the ice.  So today I focused on connecting with the ice.
Kanako: My condition has been great since I have been here so I hope to maintain that. I checked my jumps and thought about how to cover the rink.

Thank's for all the reports!

Hm.... so she could do 3lo+3lo, 3a, and 3f in her SP?

emory903 thank you so much for tranlation!   

l-spiralmao wrote:

Thank's for all the reports!

Hm.... so she could do 3lo+3lo, 3a, and 3f in her SP?

Yes, but I don't think she'll do it at this competition. However, if she does decide to stay on, this is something she could focus on, and break yet another record. Be the first lady who did 3A, 3-3, 3 in SP.

let`s talk wrote:

In the evening practice Mao did again everything clean. But in LP run through she popped her trixel and then made mistake on 2A that ended up in aborting the combo. She recovered, did cool trixel and other jumps. People adore her.

   let's talk for all of the updates on Mao.

zarinaballerina wrote:

emory903 thank you so much for tranlation!   

l-spiralmao wrote:

Thank's for all the reports!

Hm.... so she could do 3lo+3lo, 3a, and 3f in her SP?

Yes, but I don't think she'll do it at this competition. However, if she does decide to stay on, this is something she could focus on, and break yet another record. Be the first lady who did 3A, 3-3, 3 in SP.

I really want Mao to successfully attempt this layout at Worlds, along with doing her Sochi inspired LP, so she can end her FS career on a high note. Because I really, really want her to retire after this season. While I will miss her skating something terrible, I don't think ISU and the judges truly appreciate the phenomenon that is Mao and what she brought to ladies FS. By pushing every boundaries, and successfully attempting what many didn't think was even possible in ladies figure skating competitions (8 triple layout LP   ).

I don't care if she was in group 1 or group 5, there's no way in hell Mao deserved that piece of s#!t score of 142+ for that fantastic, out of this world LP. And yet Yuna with her 6? triple layout (her 3t in her combo was ur, and her 3lz was choppy) dull program was 2 points higher, and Adelina was 7 points higher with her 7? triple layout (do I even need to point out her mistakes) program. Nope, Mao do the very best and leave these fools (judges/ISU) with judging carbon copies of the same jumps attempts and generic performances (with everyone doing a 3lz-3t, 3t-3t, and no one else is doing 3a or 3f-3lo).

shar wrote:

zarinaballerina wrote:

emory903 thank you so much for tranlation!   

l-spiralmao wrote:

Thank's for all the reports!

Hm.... so she could do 3lo+3lo, 3a, and 3f in her SP?

Yes, but I don't think she'll do it at this competition. However, if she does decide to stay on, this is something she could focus on, and break yet another record. Be the first lady who did 3A, 3-3, 3 in SP.

I really want Mao to successfully attempt this layout at Worlds, along with doing her Sochi inspired LP, so she can end her FS career on a high note. Because I really, really want her to retire after this season. While I will miss her skating something terrible, I don't think ISU and the judges truly appreciate the phenomenon that is Mao and what she brought to ladies FS. By pushing every boundaries, and successfully attempting what many didn't think was even possible in ladies figure skating competitions (8 triple layout LP   ).

I don't care if she was in group 1 or group 5, there's no way in hell Mao deserved that piece of s#!t  score of 142+ for that fantastic, out of this world LP. And yet Yuna with her 6? triple layout (her 3t in her combo was ur, and her 3lz was choppy) dull program was 2 points higher, and Adelina was 7 points higher with her 7? triple layout (do I even need to point out her mistakes) program. Nope, Mao do the very best and leave these fools (judges/ISU) with judging carbon copies of the same jumps attempts and generic performances (with everyone doing a 3lz-3t, 3t-3t, and no one else is doing 3a or 3f-3lo).

6 triples of 4 kinds only easily beat 8 triples of 6 kinds and never got caught on < when she should.
Mao's attempt for the sport has never been appreciated by the stupid system, the foolish judges, and the figure skating joke union.

zarinaballerina wrote:

let`s talk wrote:

In the evening practice Mao did again everything clean. But in LP run through she popped her trixel and then made mistake on 2A that ended up in aborting the combo. She recovered, did cool trixel and other jumps. People adore her.

Thanx! I might seem weird to some of you, but I'm happy that she made the mistakes today. It's never a good omen (IMO) when she has perfect run throughs, so to me, it's better that she leaves mistakes on practice ice, than to have amazing practices, only to mess up when it matters the most. just my weird logic, I guess.   

It really makes my heart melt when I see how adored she is in Japan. In an earlier clip, she got an applause for just appearing in the arena, she hasn't even stepped on the ice.     

I hope so much, she'll realize her dream for this season and will skate two perfect programs. What a way to finish a season (career?) if she were to achieve this infront of the home audience.   

Does anyone know if there will be streams available? the pairs SP starts in a few hours and I'd really like to watch it live. I guess I won't be getting much sleep this week.   

i actually found one but its almost over now...sry!
http://www.fengyunzhibo.com/tv/155551_1351307902960.htm

Aaaaand now the ISU president wants to do away with the SP, among other changes in FS:

Article by Evil Hersh:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/international/chi-figure-skating-boss-proposes-radical-changes-to-sport-20140325,0,3069833.story

Letter:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-ottavio-cinquanta-letter-20140325,0,7309130,full.story

shar wrote:

Aaaaand now the ISU president wants to do away with the SP, among other changes in FS:

Article by Evil Hersh:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/international/chi-figure-skating-boss-proposes-radical-changes-to-sport-20140325,0,3069833.story

Letter:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-ottavio-cinquanta-letter-20140325,0,7309130,full.story

I agree with the comments on the two segments part, honestly I also don't understand why we need SP...

I TOTALLY DISAGREE with Cinquanta.

The comments on the article explain everything.

Figure skating is already a tough sport. Skaters need to showcase years and years of hard work, training, practice.. not to mention thousands and thousands of dollars, under immense, adrenaline-pumping pressure, in just 7 minutes (SP + LP). We don't need anybody to take away the SP and reduce that time to just 4 minutes.

Plus, the SP adds variety. Imagine how short every skating competition would be if we took away the SP: it would effectively cut the competition by half the days.

If we need to get rid of anything in the sport, it would be anonymous judging. You take away anonymous judging, you take away biased and corrupt judging... it's as simple as that.

These comments were made by a man who admits that he knows nothing about figure skating, so I would pay no attention to them.