Mao News - The 2010-2011 Season!

SEQs were rewarded only 80% of the jumps values. Is it still this way?

Oh, first I said 3L-2A, but it could well be 3F-2A!

Yes, SEQ are still rewarded 80% as far as I know, but I believe point wise it's still better that a 3-2 combination(except the 3-1L-3, which gets credit as a 3 jump combination)

clovera wrote:

Very valid points, Lady_in_black. At least for this season, the 3A is definitely a better investment than a 3-3. It's a good thing she's regaining the feel of that jump again.

Lady_in_black wrote:

Replacing the 2L from the first 3F with a 2A SEQ will give her more points. With this layout she would be unbeatable, especially since Yuna Kim can no longer try 3 2A, and she needs the 3L back(which is unlikely since she didn't try it for years), or she must give up to her 2A-3T combo, most likely( The best thing she can do if she does that, she can repeat the 3F instead of the 3T. Still, she will lose points because her 2A-3T usually gets tons of GOE).

Not to mention the Scale of Values for a 2A has been reduced heavily unless it is in combination/sequence with a triple, which is another reason why we are seeing so many 2A-3Ts this season.

I like the layout you posted - in addition to more points as you mentioned, the +2A SEQ is strategically very viable, since it gets rid of the pesky axel requirement in the free skate (this doesn't apply to Mao though since she has the 3A), opens up a jumping pass for another potential triple, and also maximizes possible +GoE that would have otherwise been limited as mentioned above. It's also a lot easier than the 2A-3T to pull off. I don't think I've ever seen Mao practicing them though in her entire career.

europeanfan wrote:

...b/c this season rules are changed and SEQ is counted as combination of 3 jumps. 3F-2A SEQ would be counted as:

The +2A SEQ doesn't require a half loop (1Lo in the protocols) in order to be executed, and isn't recognized as such; inserting a half loop will probably just make the sequence several times harder because of the axel's forward take-off. You're half right though, because any other jumps in sequence like the salchow, lutz, and flip will need the half loop and thus recorded as a three-jump combo in the protocols. I've yet to seen a +3Lz SEQ however, and the only +3F SEQ I know is that of Plushy's from the SLC Olys.

Now that I think about it, won't the tracings for a jump-1Lo-2A SEQ kinda look like this?

[entry]→ → → [first jump] → → → [half]
[landing]← ← [double axel] ← ← [loop]

...so a skater landing a +1Lo+2A SEQ theoretically changes direction and "winds back" to where they first started, in a sense.
I wonder if this is even possible (and more importantly, if my guess is even correct). Hmm. bibi? inskate? Anyone?

It isn't possible imo! I wouldn't know how to do it... When you do a normal 1Lo/2Lo/3Lo you could add a 1A/2A by using the landing of the loop as preparation at the same time but I don't know whether it would be count as SEQ or not
I myself don't like sequences to do. I practiced 2Lz-2F-2T (or 2Lz-1Lo-2F-2T) a few times and this is extremly
hard because you have to keep up the speed and so on... But Mao would be capable to land SEQs for sure
and it's a good possibility to collect points!

But I have a question: I thought the ISU changed some rules so that you receive a 10% bonus for jumps in combination?! Or was it just a proposal which was refused?! I didn't participate in a competition this year (because of injuries etc. ) so that didn't thought so much about the CoP this season...

There's no bonus for the combination, just the added value of the jumps

Lady_in_black wrote:

There's no bonus for the combination, just the added value of the jumps

Oh, thanks. But didn't they thought about that or am I just mixing some facts ?!

ISU was thinking about 10% bonus for combo but they didn't change it

josling wrote:

It isn't possible imo! I wouldn't know how to do it... When you do a normal 1Lo/2Lo/3Lo you could add a 1A/2A by using the landing of the loop as preparation at the same time but I don't know whether it would be count as SEQ or not
I myself don't like sequences to do. I practiced 2Lz-2F-2T (or 2Lz-1Lo-2F-2T) a few times and this is extremly
hard because you have to keep up the speed and so on... But Mao would be capable to land SEQs for sure
and it's a good possibility to collect points!

But I have a question: I thought the ISU changed some rules so that you receive a 10% bonus for jumps in combination?! Or was it just a proposal which was refused?! I didn't participate in a competition this year (because of injuries etc. ) so that didn't thought so much about the CoP this season...

Thanks so much josling!
I'm sorry to hear about your injuries though. Are you fully recovered now?

Regarding the 10% bonus proposal...yep, it was rejected.
There's a whole bunch of ladies on both the junior and senior level with a 3-3 for their SP that replace it with the 2A+3T instead for their FS layout and I can't say I'm surprised since the proposal didn't pass.

ETA: europeanfan was faster.

"There's a whole bunch of ladies on both the junior and senior level with a 3-3 for their SP that replace it with the 2A+3T instead for their FS layout and I can't say I'm surprised since the proposal didn't pass."

So true! It's easier to have a 7 triple performance with two 2A-3T and without any 3-3(Mao has the 3A, so she is not fitted in this category). The best examples are Polina Shelepen(who has planned a 3-3 in the sp, but in the Lp she has one 2A-3T and 2A-3T-2L). Julia Lipnitskaya does the same thing. The actual rules don't encourage doing a 3-3 in the Lp

clovera wrote:

josling wrote:

It isn't possible imo! I wouldn't know how to do it... When you do a normal 1Lo/2Lo/3Lo you could add a 1A/2A by using the landing of the loop as preparation at the same time but I don't know whether it would be count as SEQ or not
I myself don't like sequences to do. I practiced 2Lz-2F-2T (or 2Lz-1Lo-2F-2T) a few times and this is extremly
hard because you have to keep up the speed and so on... But Mao would be capable to land SEQs for sure
and it's a good possibility to collect points!

But I have a question: I thought the ISU changed some rules so that you receive a 10% bonus for jumps in combination?! Or was it just a proposal which was refused?! I didn't participate in a competition this year (because of injuries etc. ) so that didn't thought so much about the CoP this season...

Thanks so much josling!
I'm sorry to hear about your injuries though. Are you fully recovered now?

Regarding the 10% bonus proposal...yep, it was rejected.
There's a whole bunch of ladies on both the junior and senior level with a 3-3 for their SP that replace it with the 2A+3T instead for their FS layout and I can't say I'm surprised since the proposal didn't pass.

ETA: europeanfan was faster.

You're welcome!
Ah okay, thank you europeanfan and clovera! I think the bonus would be fair because combinations are much harder than solo jumps but I can understand why the ISU didn't accept it!

And about my injuries... I had contract the torn ligament in my right knee while practicing 2A but I will try to start in the new year again. I'm so relieved and positively surprised that Mao hadn't really bad injuries even with practicing 3A since she's 10 years old or something.

I think there should be bonus 10% for first jump in combination and 20% for the second jump. It would be the most fair, because it's easier to do for example 3lo-3t than 3t-3lo.

I don't know. Personally, I'd like to see her bring back the 3F-3T, not only for more points but I just liked seeing her do the combo. I think Mao only performed this combo three times as a senior (GP 2007, 2008 4CC, 2008 Worlds) and she got it ratified two out of three times. This was also during the season where the UR judging started to get really strict. And I loved seeing the distance she got in that combo at Worlds. Also, inskate, told me Mao's 3T has improved a lot from before, so it's unfortunate not to see her do it this season.

ETA: Kumaneko updated her blog with several articles. http://kumaneko037.blog103.fc2.com/
Some tidbits:
Mao sometime skates with little kids and an 85 yr old lady.

Taka also gives advice to Mao. She says "He is a very good partner to practice together. We encourage each
other.” Aww

On the evening of the 26th, she talked with Sato-san and Taka till midnight. Apparently, Sato taught her
the rabbit proverb and how to count rabbits. :albino: :albino: :albino:

I really love the things with the rabbits, and mao seems as determined as ever to deliver a great performance... she really is a hard worker, I am so glad to see that she could enjoy her favourite food without thinking to much about weight once in a while. I love the thing with the rabbits lol... nobuo just has such a funny way to explain everything... I couldn't help laughing when he mentioned the 3A as rabbits... :albino:

aoi88 wrote:

Taka also gives advice to Mao. She says "He is a very good partner to practice together. We encourage each
other.” Aww

Do they now?

Batsuchan wrote:

BTW, to all the Taka-Mao shippers out there, please check out the Secret Sources! I *finally* got around to writing that Christmas fanfic I promised! Enjoy!

Sorry to get off-topic here, but I got a few messages saying that people couldn't access the Secret Sources... Mods, is there something special the new posters need to do to get access to that forum? (I thought they only had to post 3 times.)

If people are having trouble reading it and want to see it, I'm happy to post my little fanfic on the non-private section of the forum (it's not too inappropriate, right?)

aoi88, thanks for the tidbits on Mao.

I'm going to go and re-read all your posts and then think hard about what I think Mao should do with her jumps, but without reading stuff carefully, my first impressions are 1) Mao needs a reliable 3-3, and 2) Mao needs to work on the flow coming out of her jumps. For many of her jumps, especially like the 3Lo, she has no speed coming out of the jump.

Anyway, will post more later!

Batsuchan wrote:

aoi88, thanks for the tidbits on Mao.

I'm going to go and re-read all your posts and then think hard about what I think Mao should do with her jumps, but without reading stuff carefully, my first impressions are 1) Mao needs a reliable 3-3, and 2) Mao needs to work on the flow coming out of her jumps. For many of her jumps, especially like the 3Lo, she has no speed coming out of the jump.

Anyway, will post more later!

I agree with 1). Frankly, I think a solid 3/3 is a better investment than the lutz. Mao can sort of make up the points she loses for edge calls with the 3A if she has a solid 3/3. Her flow out of her jumps could be better. I actually think her flow out of her flip and the one lutz she landed was better than before. But her loop and 3A does not seem to have much flow. Another thing that I have always wanted Mao to do is to hold her landings a litte longer. First, this makes the jump look prettier and second it makes it appear more impressive to the judges. I have heard people remark that Mao may be vulnerable to UR calls because of her landings rather than actual rotations.

Dani-Chan wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaguGmoq89Q

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWmo50LevsY[/url]

I was watching this program on TV. Although it's cut out from this video, a reporter said Mao and Taka-chan and two other people (total four) went to eat Yakiniku BBQ and they ate meal for 18 people.

Mao said at the rink-side interview of MOI, she went to eat BBQ after LP. But she didn't say with who. I have no clue who the other two were, but it's soooooo huge!

linglang wrote:

Dani-Chan wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaguGmoq89Q

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWmo50LevsY[/url]

I was watching this program on TV. Although it's cut out from this video, a reporter said Mao and Taka-chan and two other people (total four) went to eat Yakiniku BBQ and they ate meal for 18 people.

Mao said at the rink-side interview of MOI, she went to eat BBQ after LP. But she didn't say with who. I have no clue who the other two were, but it's soooooo huge!

The two others are Mr and Mrs Sato

well FujITV did it again ; 29% for Women free skate. HUGE. Killed basically every drama/music special that week...

Batsuchan wrote:

Sorry to get off-topic here, but I got a few messages saying that people couldn't access the Secret Sources... Mods, is there something special the new posters need to do to get access to that forum? (I thought they only had to post 3 times.)

If people are having trouble reading it and want to see it, I'm happy to post my little fanfic on the non-private section of the forum (it's not too inappropriate, right?)

I applied to the group a long time ago... I've been completely ignored My membership is still pending. I guess I am not Mao Supporter material...

I would love to read your fanfic. I am a fan! I hope it is okay for you to post it in the non-private section.

linglang wrote:

I was watching this program on TV. Although it's cut out from this video, a reporter said Mao and Taka-chan and two other people (total four) went to eat Yakiniku BBQ and they ate meal for 18 people.

Indeed!

Dani-chan thank you for the links! Aoi88 thank you for the articles! Love the kumaneko translations!

Batsuchan brought up the Japan Super Challenge a few days ago (which unfortunately won't make the telly until February), but that won't be the only thing happening next week!


A little preview of Team Japan (Mao, Dai, Miki, Tono, Kozu) participating in a table tennis match for a New Year's special that will air on Jan. 2nd.

☆Genie wrote:

well FujITV did it again ; 29% for Women free skate. HUGE. Killed basically every drama/music special that week...

Yup!

According to this article:
http://www.j-cast.com/2010/12/28084706.html?p=2

The viewership rating for the women's free skate was 29% on average, but it was 38.6% right after Mao finished skating. And in Nagoya, the average viewership was 33.5% on average, and 44.8% after Mao skated!

In comparison, the viewership for the 2010 World Championships free program was only 22.6%.

I guess everyone wanted to see whether Mao could make a comeback or not.

@ clovera OMG!!!!! That looks like soo much fun!!! I bet Mao-chan is pretty good at ping-pong!

Spacey wrote:

I would love to read your fanfic. I am a fan! I hope it is okay for you to post it in the non-private section.

Okie dokie, I posted it under the General Chat section here:
https://maoasada.forumotion.net/t951-my-christmas-present-to-you-all

Hope you enjoy it!

clovera wrote:

Batsuchan brought up the Japan Super Challenge a few days ago (which unfortunately won't make the telly until February), but that won't be the only thing happening next week!


A little preview of Team Japan (Mao, Dai, Miki, Tono, Kozu) participating in a table tennis match for a New Year's special that will air on Jan. 2nd.

OMG! Thank you! I never watch TV but I will definitely watch this! Miki and Nobu are always so funny! Mao is always so cute and eccentric! I love Dai-chan and Taka-chan too! Ahhhhhhhhhhh! I'm so excited!