Trophée Eric Bompard Cachemire 2008

Can anyone find youtube vids of caroline's LP?

And anyone know why Mao got 0 GOE for her 2A in the long? Didn't look 2 footed...

Oh, polosatik you means that Mao plan to do the 3A3T as her secound jump in the LP!? That is crazy, it is such a difficulut mission!

Mao had problems with her jumps but I saw her wonderful spins and steps!!! Her choreo looks soooooooooooooooo difficult and I hope she can get used to it as the season goes.
I heard Mao and TAT will re-work for her progams in Russia untill NHK Trophy.
Mao, ganbatte!!!!

plantclean wrote:

Oh, polosatik you means that Mao plan to do the 3A3T as her secound jump in the LP!? That is crazy, it is such a difficulut mission!

Yes, what TAT said "mostly I feel very dissapointed about the loop because later there would be 3 axel-3 toeloop", but may be she means 3axel-2 toeloop not sure. And I think that salchow would be taken out of the program, this jump is trouble for Mao

So her second competition is NHK? When it will be held? I am very busy with the Master now, I think I will just ignore all the -other competitions except Mao-chan's!

plantclean wrote:

So her second competition is NHK? When it will be held? I am very busy with the Master now, I think I will just ignore all the -other competitions except Mao-chan's!

yep, it would be NHK, I suppose it'll begin at the 27th of November,not sure though.

Thanks Polo, I hope she will have a better performance at that time!Go, Mao-chan.

inskate wrote:

Gala live now!!!
http://www.tvchannelsfree.com/watch/4572/France-3-Auvergne.html

Thank you, I saw Mao!

She doubled the loop TT
Mao's speed looks much much better to me this year!

MissAero wrote:

She doubled the loop TT

Aww, I didn't notice. I have a slow internet connection, so at times the video got a bit "jittery". Maybe she wanted to try Lutz again and changed her mind a bit too late..?

Quote :

Mao's speed looks much much better to me this year!

Yes, I noticed that, too! She's definitely much faster and her edges are deeper.

Mao's EX:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieyeAIOnwYQ
And now I'm off to watch it!

ETA: That was fabulous! I just love this program.

FS and Podium photos:
http://www.timewarp.jp/pages/guest/article/article_detail.jsf?articleId=4928&cid=1064985

She was great!!!!!! But oh, what's with the loop? I'm really afraid for Mao now.
Edit: Thanks for the photos Nanae!

floskate wrote:

FSU have been very positive about the program and I think, the changes she has made. Of course there's always some hysteria but no ones been bashing her.

I can't even bring myself to read GS or MKF however.

Actually the forum at GS was not bad - the tone was a little more critical than FSU but not much.

There was quite a lot of discussion about Mao's LP costume - it stirred quite some controversy and sparked comments like "Who's that sexy skater who kidnapped Mao and skated in her place?" / "Isn't she like 16?? She's too young to wear that! It's inappropriate!" / "No, she's 18."

I was amused, and I continue to luuurve the costume. The more I watch the LP, the more I like it. I hope she doesn't change it too much. I agree that 'Masquerade Waltz' may be a bit monotonous, but I always liked it, even before I knew Mao was skating to it.

As for the EX, love it love it, always loved it. I like that she changed that last spin to a Biellman. She has such a nice one so she should show it off.

It's hard for me to say this, but I find Mao's programs (SP & LP)for this season to be like an acquired taste. I wasn't too thrilled with them the first time I watched it, but as I did so a few times, they really began to grow on me.

TEB might have disappointed me a little, but I believe Mao is like the Comeback Queen! When she doesn't do the best that she can, she returns with a vengence, and wows us all like she always does!

Regarding her costumes, I love the LP dress; it's elegant and mature for Mao But the SP dress has to grow on me first XD

Mirai wrote:

It's hard for me to say this, but I find Mao's programs (SP & LP)for this season to be like an acquired taste. I wasn't too thrilled with them the first time I watched it, but as I did so a few times, they really began to grow on me.

Regarding her costumes, I love the LP dress; it's elegant and mature for Mao But the SP dress has to grow on me first XD

I agree with you, Mirai! I love the LP dress, but I would be happy if she changed the SP costume. (Wear the costume from 2007 JPN Nat'ls SP! )

I think I was more disappointed with 'Clair de Lune,' on first watch. I thought it would be PERFECT for Mao, just like 'Nocturne,' but it didn't (yet) reach those sublime levels, so I was a little disappointed.
(I also thought 'Danse Macabre,' which I love, would be perfect for Yu-Na, but it was underwhelming for me...)

As for all those people (not on this board) who were questioning TAT-Mao's relationship, there was a great quote from this article at the end (it's in Japanese):
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2008/11/17/04.html

TAT said something like, "If Mao performed as planned, then you people (journalists) would have nothing to write about. From now on things will get interesting." Yay, TAT!

[BTW, did anyone else notice how she kept holding Mao's arm in the K&C. That reminded me of the fluff piece after Skate America where they showed TAT giving Mao some clothes as gifts. They're so cute together. ]

Well, to me one thing is pretty obvious: right now we've got the best Mao in the history of Mao. Should I add that yet I don't see any reasons for being worried even in the slightest manner? -P
All Mao has to do now is to adjust herself to the rhythm of new season, to TAT and her working methods, to the pound weights attached to her legs (which she has acquired right with the last Worlds gold) and to EVEN GREATER level of pressure which mostly comes from EVEN GREATER technical difficulty she has to deal with from now on.

Having said all this, I want to wish Yu-na Kim good luck. When the time comes, she'll most certainly need it.

Mirai wrote:

It's hard for me to say this, but I find Mao's programs (SP & LP)for this season to be like an acquired taste. I wasn't too thrilled with them the first time I watched it, but as I did so a few times, they really began to grow on me.

That's exactly the case with me for Masquerade! I've read a few complaints of the lack of change in tempo, but I've found it to be very appealing that there are no slow parts with the forced posing we see from the typical ladies program. A poster at GS mentioned how Mao's choreography and jumps were always on beat with the 1-2-3 of the waltz, and after watching it a few times, that was definitely what she was doing!

Interestingly there were a few Japanese skating "fans" who found no potential in Mao's long program just like a few trolls at you-know-where. I think Tat was spot on when

Batsuchan wrote:

TAT said something like, "If Mao performed as planned, then you people (journalists) would have nothing to write about. From now on things will get interesting." Yay, TAT!

The media and the population expects perfection out of Mao every single competition, and they fail to see the improvements and bigger picture. I can't help but feel sorry for them.

The article batshuchan showed us mentions Team Mao planning an "emergency camp" in the near future, which I'm sure will place emphasis on program run-throughs and jumps. I can't wait until its time for NHK!

kawaiiiiiiiiiii

Photos

FS:
http://image.sports.livedoor.com/photo/c/6/c6df112e7dd341ff84640fd8973bf5e5-o.JPG
http://image.sports.livedoor.com/photo/2/5/25e93bcfc2e2eba47b284506fbfad33f-o.JPG
http://photos.nikkansports.com/sports/figure/07-08/fg081117007.jpg
http://photos.nikkansports.com/sports/figure/07-08/fg081117005.jpg
http://photos.nikkansports.com/sports/figure/07-08/fg081117001.jpg

Podium:
http://image.sports.livedoor.com/photo/5/4/547f804d5e8ba21ba91514996e338b71-o.JPG
http://image.sports.livedoor.com/photo/a/9/a981c38841c694b9782cac62b755ba07-o.JPG

EX:
http://image.sports.livedoor.com/photo/3/5/35e1409ccefe3cbee19fd4b8c59ead4a-o.JPG
http://image.sports.livedoor.com/photo/a/a/aac76487fee660757016d9287c058320-o.JPG
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/024La6A4VbbEN/340x.jpg
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05lVfUC6BBdPw/340x.jpg
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/02TGgr37FC9OB/340x.jpg
http://photos.nikkansports.com/sports/figure/07-08/mao2008111701.jpg
http://photos.nikkansports.com/sports/figure/07-08/mao2008111702.jpg

Thanks for the pictures!
Gosh, Caroline's grown so much! And Mao just looks as cute as she always does <3

Thank you so much Nanae!
I feel like I'm in hysteria, why a lot people think that new programs are awful and terrible? They said"TAT don't know what is good for Mao" and something like that. TAT is perfect for Mao, when skater makes mistakes ,everyone became so mean to him/her I can't stand this anymore....

polosatik wrote:

I feel like I'm in hysteria, why a lot people think that new programs are awful and terrible? They said"TAT don't know what is good for Mao" and something like that. TAT is perfect for Mao, when skater makes mistakes ,everyone became so mean to him/her I can't stand this anymore....

Don't worry about it too much, polosatik! Those who complain just prove that they lack understanding of figure skating and respect for hard work.

I've read many unpleasant messages, too. Some said that it was stupid of Mao to try Lutz when she can't land it, some implied that she'll never correct it, some said that she should not attempt 3S if it gives her troubles, some said that she was the best when she won GPF and declined after that.

I say it's nosense. Mao was brilliant when she won GPF, but that program, with two Flutzes, no 3-3, no 3T or 3S, wouldn't score all that much when compared to what Mao is capable now. She improved everything; jumps, spins, footwork, spirals, expression...

Some might say that Mao and TAT overdo things and try to attempt too many difficult things at the same time. Sure, if all Mao cared about was victory, she could try a different approach. She could cease to learn new things, to do old spins and spirals, to do easier footwork. She could concentrate just on landing jumps cleanly, give up on doing two 3-3s (one would suffice to have a 7-triples program). She could have a simple program choreographed to some popular music that would make audience clap along, ignore transitions, just have fun and beam at the audience. The experience has shown that a simple program skated witn power and difficult jumps can earn more PCS than more artistic, but understated program (Brian vs. Jeff at Worlds, Plushenko vs. everyone else at Olympics).

Instead she chose to work on every single weakness - and more than that, to improve everything to perfection even if it is not necessary or will not give her any points under CoP.

It's not an easy task. Many skaters struggle for months and seasons with fixing "just" their edges or positions, or trying to learn a new jump. Mao does everything all at once.

Many might say it's pointless, but I believe it will pay off one day. I have no doubts that she has the ability to eventually handle the pressure and nervousness - and skate the program as perfectly as she does in practice. She might pay for this with a few worse showings in the GP series - but years will pass and people will forget what happened during the GP events. However, outstanding skaters who are pushing the sport forward won't be forgotten.

Skaters like Midori Ito, Lucinda Ruh, Natalie Krieg, Nicole Bobek are still remembered and appreciated, even though they have never won a gold medal at Worlds (except for Midori). Midori's jumps, Lucinda's and Natalie's spins and Nicole's spirals have set new standards and pushed the sport forward.

I believe that Mao will be remembered as a skater who had pushed figure skating to new limits - not just when it comes to jumps, but also when it comes to spins, spirals, steps and choreography. And this is what makes a true champion.

AMEN!