Cup of China 2015

In news: Mao showed up at Haneda airport (at Tokyo) this morning and is ready to leave for COC
Mao says she doesn't know yet what's going to happen, but (taking it) normal. She looks relaxed with smile.

http://www.daily.co.jp/newsflash/general/2015/11/04/0008537258.shtml

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/winter/20151104-OHT1T50038.html

She looks cute. I hope she'll have an awesome competition and totally kick butt. Go Mao!

Mao Asada, Javier Fernandez headline Cup of China



http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2015/11/04/mao-asada-javier-fernandez-cup-of-china-figure-skating-preview-winter-olympics/

Good luck Mao!

Also, I restarted my blog, even though the only COC thing on there involves a random tarot card generator...

Mao skates first in the 2nd group in the SP:
https://twitter.com/ifsmagazine/status/662124612218654720

From practice reports: 2x 3A clean, 2x 3A 2ft, 3Lz, 3F+3Lo...
Mao SP run-through: 3A2ft, 3f3l / 3lutz
I'll need something to calm my nerves tmr...

sneak peek of Mao's new SP:
http://video.weibo.com/show?fid=1034:9a51cb120af2bfdb8b4bb604b9796a47

3A, 3f-3l, 3lutz
One word: LEGEND Holly cow if she pulls it off...

I'm sooooo nervous for tomorrow...go, go, go Mao!!!

I'm loving the SP. Can't wait to see it with a costume and performed fully.
Please, let her land 3A cleanly.

zarinaballerina wrote:

3A, 3f-3l, 3lutz
One word: LEGEND  Holly cow if she pulls it off...

I'm sooooo nervous for tomorrow...go, go, go Mao!!!

I'm loving the SP. Can't wait to see it with a costume and performed fully.
Please, let her land 3A cleanly.

I'm sooo excited and nervous like you, Mao isn't planning to hold back
Many fans have been wanting her to do this layout for quite some time, it seems like their prayer was finally heard

Well, my personal favourite layout for her would be: 3a, 3f-3t and 3 loop. I'm paranoid about combos with 3 loop in them, since the tech panel loves to downgrade them, and she has edge issues with her lutz. But she's clearly more comfortable with loop combos, so go for it Mao. I hope she'll manage to do a clean SP with a beautiful lutz. We saw her do it in training at JO. Now, she just has to do it under pressure.
So excited and nervous for tomorrow. If she'll be able to pull it off, it'll be another history. The hardest SP ever done by a woman. Liza had a four triple SP at worlds, but she had a 3t-3t combo, so Mao's SP is harder.

I like what I've seen of her SP. I hope she'll perform it well!

Yes, go for it, Mao, there's nothing to lose for you now....

That's how a spiral should look like, love how she can hold this position for soo long without supporting her leg, that's takes great flexibility, strength and great balance, this is my favourite spiral position

she looks fierce, and look at the amazing edge work

now how cool is it to hold that position

Mao used to do 2A, 3F-3Lo, 3Lz in the SP (till 2009) before they got so strict on the Lz and she had to go for 3A-2T. It's only natural she'd go back to it but upgrade the 2A to a 3A. I just didn't expect it to happen so soon.

I just want her to have a good time there tomorrow. It's been 10 years since her senior debut in the same rink and same competition. Last time she was the youngest. Now she's the oldest but has improved so so much. I can't wait! :-)

ballerinamao wrote:

That's how a spiral should look like, love how she can hold this position for soo long without supporting her leg, that's takes great flexibility, strength and great balance, this is my favourite spiral position

Absolutely. And the sad thing, she got the same or even less goe on her gorgeous spiral positions, than some others for their avarage ones.
As I've said, I really hope the judges have come to their senses and will start being fair towards Mao. Or as generous as they are toward certain skaters...

Can't wait to see Mao competing again! Loved Mao's short program from the clips I saw so far. Go Mao!!!
Unfortunately Lena will be competing without her coach, Inna Goncharenko is in Moscow hospital now

Please read my post below

WowMao wrote:

Coverage for the SP starts at 4:00 am eastern time in the US tomorrow. Mao skates first in the second group. Here is the ISU's official website with a live feed where you may be able to watch the SP:

http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/isu/index.html

However, the content is unavailable in the following countries:

(USA, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Republic of Korea, Central & South America)

Argh!!!
Pretty sure it's going to be a really delayed telecast again! I better find some good streams later.

This looks like the best possibility for seeing Mao's and the other womens' freeskate that I could find. But, I don't know if I am right.:

Coverage for the short program starts at 4:00 am eastern time in the US tomorrow. Mao skates first in the second group. Thanks to cocovica

http://www.zoptv.com/live/british-eurosport-2:



Thanks to KIG who provided this link for viewing the Ladies LP It says on the site that the free program begins at 11:35 Moscow time on November 7th.

http://news.sportbox.ru/Vidy_sporta/Figurnoe_katanie/spbvideo_NI569448_Gran_pri_Kitaja_Zhenshhiny_Proizvolnaja_programma

I love her pose.

Mao's clean 3A in practice on Friday (China time):

http://video.weibo.com/show?fid=1034:337e06405dc9076b054a6c0fee56c4ca

Is Mao the only female skater who does this spin with her legs completely outstretched with her hands holding the blades? Every skater I've seen attempting this spin has their knees bent while holding onto their ankle.