The Mao cheer thread #3 - "For the love of skating"

[kittyjake5]

Very nice collection. Mao looks fit and fabulous!

 

[rosewood]

It's announced BS Asahi will broadcast recorded highlights of Finlandia Trophy for two hours (highlights from Autumn Classic might be included) on October 15th. So we need to find out live streaming out of Japan.

My note: Sato pharmaceutical's new commercial will be launched in two days.

 

[tamms]

MaoMao collection looks fabulous. I love all the designs! Hmmm, I wonder if my wardrobe is missing a parka.

Can't wait for Finlandia!

 

[rosewood]

Here came a new commercial for Sumitomo Life Insurance. It's profound.

I don't know the word to describe this face. It's striking.
http://www.sumitomolife.co.jp/asada/sukimuteki/
http://www.sumitomolife.co.jp/asada/sukimuteki/images/og_image.jpg

Here is the video of the commercial. It seems the first half of her skating is from her new LP and the second half is from SP which we've already seen. LP's st-seq looks awesome! And the speed of spins looks OK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__j2-Hvo5bs

Narration from the commercial
(my rough translation)

Love is invincible.
"Enough already."
"How longer will you continue?"
There're times when she's given such words.
"I don't have any swings inside of myself any more."
She smiles.
Since she loves it, she gets out on the ice today too.
When she noticed herself as she is, something changed inside of her.
"Since I love it"
The love is the only thing that you need to go forward.
Maybe it's not only her.

Ahhhhhh I'll do my best in my life too!!!! Mao-chaaaannnnn!!!

bonus

 

[Alilou]

Beautiful. And powerful. And a feeling of sell-knowledge now, and contentment with who she is.

 

[rosewood]

And Sato Pharmaceutical launched Stona's commercial too. I believe this is the shortest version (15sec) and we'll see longer version(s) later. This season their cold medicine (Stona) progressed. It works faster than last year's. So the theme of this year's commercial is speed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxTyq0UfqFM

A 2 min long making-video is here. (click on the video on the right)
http://www.stona.jp/cm/

 

[Spun Silver]

And Sato Pharmaceutical launched Stona's commercial too. I believe this is the shortest version (15sec) and we'll see longer version(s) later. This season their cold medicine (Stona) progressed. It works faster than last year's. So the theme of this year's commercial is speed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxTyq0UfqFM

I want to see the movie!

 

[wanderlust]

As always, thank you rosewood for providing news/updates as well as translations. I don't post on this board much, but I do visit often and try to read updates on my favorite skaters. Mao looks lovely in both ads. I especially love the Sumitomo commercial. It's beautiful and well done.

 

[Karpenko]

striking is the perfect word to describe her face in that pic @rosewood and I love the footage in the commercials. Super cool, I love the fight she's showing in a lot of her endorsements these days. Can't wait for the JO to see her new LP

 

[rosewood]

striking is the perfect word to describe her face in that pic @rosewood and I love the footage in the commercials. Super cool, I love the fight she's showing in a lot of her endorsements these days. Can't wait for the JO to see her new LP

Nahhhhhhh Finlandia Trophy this season. We have one more week ahead of us.

Anyways we can see two programs at once this season. That's a treat.

 

[Karpenko]

Oh right yeah we get to see both programs this time. The other ladies can have JO this year

 

[gotoschool]

Thanks to urara for this report on Mao along with a link.

I hope Mao has a great competition and more than anything else that she gets great joy and satisfaction from her performances.

Mao left for Finland.
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20...-dal-spo&pos=1
According to this article, she won't do 3A this time. I think it's good to gear up gradually.


Go Mao!

http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?38067-Mao-Asada/page238 number 3566

 

[DDNatalia]

These are some select opportunities for fans to see Mao in action. Bet Japanese fandom is helping boost Finnish tourism! Good luck to Mao-chan!

 

[rosewood]

Here is a link to a video of an interview at airport for Finlandia Trophy. Sorry I don't have time to translate, but maybe you can see she was relaxed and confortable. Her catch phrase here was "Mao-pace" coughmypacecough She will not rush this season she meant.
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/783248870193016832/pu/vid/1280x720/fCTAPM4d0ISVcQTg.mp4

 

[rosewood]

https://twitter.com/helsinki_2017/status/783319961854967809?lang=ja

#maoasada and her 19 fellow competitors will bring it on in #fintrophy16, Thu & Fri this week! Welcome

#figureskate

They also retweeted Yoshida-san's message&a photo.

 

[kittyjake5]

Fingers crossed that we can get a live feed. Go Mao!!!!!

 

[rosewood]

@gotoschool (and other Mao fans who go to Finlandia Trophy), you should meet her!
https://twitter.com/3flip3loop/status/783317009073311744

If any fans of Mao Asada come and say hi to me at #FinTrophy2016, I have prints of some photos from #GPFBarcelona. So come say hi! #浅田真央

While the prints last, obviously. And those are real photo prints I'll be giving away if you simply say you're a Mao fan. <3

Have fun @gotoschool! You should not lose yourself again even if you might be lucky enough to come across her in person at FT.

 

[rosewood]

Here is one of fan-made banners for this season. It's designed by a (semi) pro illustrator / graphic designer. It will be hang at competitions by another big Mao fan, though.
https://twitter.com/donmai_tsuna/status/783149515528208384

It's not a banner but I love these pieces from a famous pro illustrator. These are for her birthday. I've loved this illustrator's works for years so I'm happy I came across to see she's one of big Mao fans.
https://twitter.com/nachicco_info/status/780219267924885504
https://twitter.com/nachicco_info/status/780422432578416641
And this is for supporting her overall this season.
https://twitter.com/nachicco_info/status/782937478135029760

 

[gotoschool]

@gotoschool (and other Mao fans who go to Finlandia Trophy), you should meet her!
https://twitter.com/3flip3loop/status/783317009073311744



Have fun @gotoschool! You should not lose yourself again even if you might be lucky enough to come across her in person at FT.

Thanks for telling me. I will do my best, rosewood. I won't get there till the day of the free program and will have to to rush to the arena to catch the practices without somehow getting lost in Helinski which I have never been to with jet lag, so I don't know if I will get a photo of Mao from the Grand Prix Final or not. I'll try to fulfill the assignment without getting tongue-tied.

 

[rosewood]

Thanks for telling me. I will do my best, rosewood. I won't get there till the day of the free program and will have to to rush to the arena to catch the practices without somehow getting lost in Helinski which I have never been to with jet lag, so I don't know if I will get a photo of Mao from the Grand Prix Final or not.

Never mind. I suggested it as one of the options for having fun. The main menue is of course to see her long program! I'm so much jealous since it seems it's pretty much difficult for me to see Finlandia Trophy on live streaming because of geo block. I may have to wait till someone post fan-cam on YT or DM. You have to tell me (us) how she skated there! Wish all the best for you at Helsinki!

 

[kittyjake5]

Have fun gotoschool and give a shout out and cheer to Mao from her fans here at FSU!

 

[rosewood]

Mao Asada, at "Mao-pace", won't do 3A at her debut competition of this season.
(my rough translation)

On October 4th the former figure skating world champion Mao Asada left Narita airport for Finland. She's already announced to aim at making a 2018 PyeonChang Olys team. This is the pre season of the Olys. She revealed this season's preparation is at slower pace than usual. She plans to go at "Mao-pace" which means at her own pace this season.

She looked gentle and cheerful when she talked about her thoughts about this season. "I feel it's finally coming." In October the serious season of the sport is starting. Her domestic and international rivals are showing solid performances. However, she dares to prepare at a slower pace with having breathing room. "My preparation is a bit slower comparing to the point of my first competitions of usual seasons. I won't include 3A this time. I'll include it at the point when the consistency goes up." She revealed she won't include her signature big trick.

After one year break she made a comeback last season and she nailed a 3A at her comeback competition Japan Open where she received high score which was close to her personal best in free skating. She won the following GP event Cup of China as well. Then, however, she felt fatigues and fell into a slump a little. This season's main goal is nothing but peaking at Worlds in Helsinki scheduled in next March, where the spots for next Olys are to be decided.

”It's the most important that I go in the same way as usual. I'll go at my own pace, Mao-pace," she said with smiles. Her eyes were on the long season ahead.

She chose Finlandia Trophy by considering the long season as well. "Since I can receive (ISU) points. This competition is a compact one which has both SP and FS. This competition doesn't have a gala and I thought it's easier for my body. I took various things into my considerations." Both of her SP and LP are Ritual Dance by Falla. "SP and LP together with each other makes one content." "Both of my programs are to the same music but they have totally different tones to each other. I love them both," she looked excited about the debut of her ambitious programs.

"I want to see where I am placed at this point and let it lead me to the next." Finally her season is starting. She leaves a solid step forward.

_____
"Mao-pace" made a head line on sports newspapers this evening.
(1) (2)

She was icing her knee as early stage of the season as at her last season's first GP event CoC. So I think it's a good move for her. Seems she got finally flexible.

 

[rosewood]

TV Asahi just aired a glimpse of her LP runthrough. Luuuuurve it!

 

[inskate]

Is "Mao-pace" going to become another catchphrase like "half-half"?

I'm relieved that Mao will go easy on herself this time. I was re-watching her performances & practices recently; she was in such a fabulous form at JO 2015! It was the best she's ever been in terms of speed and power. Her jumps were just huge. Unfortunately, I think she become overconfident because of that, and tried to keep a training schedule that was no longer fitting for a mature skater who has to deal with injuries suffered through the years.

TV Asahi just aired a glimpse of her LP runthrough. Luuuuurve it!

Wow! The facial expression, steps, arm movement and transitions out of 2A are amazing
Can't wait to see the whole program! (...Although I'll probably spend the competition hidden under my desk; my experience this summer dictates that any skater I watch live will immediately pop/fall/stumble )

 

[rosewood]

Now I found out another reason why her preparation is slower than usual. She changed her blades from pattern 99 to Kozuka's one-plate blades. Wish this move is OK but who knows.

Pattern99 Revolution http://www.johnwilsonskates.com/products/pattern-99-rev
Mao's current blades http://www.jiji.com/news/photos/photo_news/images/658/0022479066.jpg

Until THE ICE 2016 she used Revolution blades. So it's a recent change. Mao never let us stay relaxed! Very Mao-pace.

 

[Sylvia]

Mao drew last to skate in the SP - her start time is 22:11 (Thursday night local time in Finland): http://www.figureskatingresults.fi/results/1617/CSFIN2016/CSFIN2016_Ladies_SP_TimeSchedule.pdf

 

[kittyjake5]

Mao-pace how cute! Mao's SP looks like a stunner. She also seems to be in great shape! GO Mao! Thanks rosewood for the updates.

 

[rosewood]

This person tweeted a nice photo of Mao from the practice. Thanx!

There is no place like ice rink. Let's start a new season! #MaoAsada #Mao #FT2016 #FinlandiaTrophy #fintrophy2016 @SkatingFinland

Another news clip from Wednesday's official practice. (It includes a portion of LP runthrough - orchestral version of the same music as SP's.) Her edge on the luz looks OK-ish.
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/783808809051361280/pu/vid/1280x720/1i8whVfqhssLNd3X.mp4

ETA:
BTW, the announcer in the news clip said Mao practiced 3A during an unofficial practice.

 

[Karpenko]

it looks really good. I love the glimpses of the choreo #slay

 

[Spun Silver]

She looks FABULOUS. Go, Mao! (But don't do your best skate of the fall just yet!)