Mao News !

[Strawberry301]

From several articles I read:

Mao will look for a new coach who can train with her in Japan. She may be looking for a coach who specializes in techniques.

Mao will try to add more varieties of jumps next season, and will train for 3-3 combos.

Mao would like to skate to a softer music next season.

TT may remain as an "advisor" for the team Mao until Sochi as TT has great connections in Russia.

Japanese Federation will submit a request to revise the SP requirements to include a 3A as an option (2A or 3A as men's SP requirements), which would broaden Mao's options.

Japanese Federation will also submit a request for Mao to be listed in the Guinness World Records as the first female skater to complete three 3As in one competition.

ETA:
Mao's home town, Nagoya, is considering having a parade to honor her accomplishment.

New pairs team from Japan. This is so cute!
Mao & Dai tris a SBS 2A and a throw jump and learns pair spins from the Chinese team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NsTXQTt5nc

[MikiAndoFan#1]

All good news! Thank you for sharing!

[nubka]

Sounds good!

Hey, this isn't April Fool's is it....??

[MikiAndoFan#1]

Hey, this isn't April Fool's is it....??

I hope not!

[jeniez]

Mao is also going to take up ballet.

I'm liking the direction she's heading for next season. Hopefully she can find a coach that's suitable for her and will bring out all her best potentials.

[aymkjb88]

Good news indeed, there're many talented coaches in Japan, she'll be in good hand!

[IceAlisa]

Mao has obviously taken ballet before, especially when she trained in Moscow with TAT. But more ballet never hurt anyone. Hope all of the above is true.

The video is cute!

[sarah009]

Mao will be doing the following shows.

3 April - Nagoya Figure Skating Festival

Mao Asada, Daisuke Takahashi, Miki Ando, Nobunari Oda, Akiko Suzuki, Takahiko Kozuka, Kanako Murakami, Yuzuru Hanyu, etc.

4-5 April - Diamond Ice

Stephane Lambiel, Tomas Verner, Yuko Kavaguci and Alexander Smirnov, Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat, Mao Asada, Daisuke Takahashi, Miki Ando, Akiko Suzuki, Takahiko Kozuka, Nobunari Oda, Kanako Murakami, Haruka Imai, Yuzuru Hanyu, Cathy Reed and Chris Reed, etc.

9-11, 17-18 April - Stars on Ice Japan Tour

Kurt Browning, Jeffrey Buttle, Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Joannie Rochette, Cynthia Phaneuf, Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao, Mao Asada, Daisuke Takahashi, Miki Ando, Nobunari Oda, Takahiko Kozuka, Shizuka Arakawa, Akiko Suzuki, etc.

[DinDonShamu]

New pairs team from Japan. This is so cute!
Mao & Dai tris a SBS 2A and a throw jump and learns pair spins from the Chinese team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NsTXQTt5nc

Wow, pair spins are very hard :popcorn:

[Loves_Shizuka]

Brilliant news, thanks!

[IceKween]

I wonder why Mao wasn't working on the 3/3 for the Olympic season? Chasing the 3axel might get her in the Guinness Book of Records, but so is the guy who can put 100 hot dogs in his mouth at the same time. Hopefully she's realized that landing 3 3axels still won't get her close to Yuna if she's lacking the lutz, and a 3/3.

[ibreakhearts66]

I wonder why Mao wasn't working on the 3/3 for the Olympic season? Chasing the 3axel might get her in the Guinness Book of Records, but so is the guy who can put 100 hot dogs in his mouth at the same time. Hopefully she's realized that landing 3 3axels still won't get her close to Yuna if she's lacking the lutz, and a 3/3.

I'm figuring it's because she couldn't perform a 3/3 with the same degree of success as she could the 3axel. The 3axels were her only chance of getting close to Yuna if she didn't have a 3/3.

[ssminnow]

New pairs team from Japan. This is so cute!
Mao & Dai tris a SBS 2A and a throw jump and learns pair spins from the Chinese team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NsTXQTt5nc

I love the Chinese pairs, but perhaps it's not the best idea to learn pairs spins from them?

[Japanfan]

I wonder why Mao wasn't working on the 3/3 for the Olympic season? Chasing the 3axel might get her in the Guinness Book of Records, but so is the guy who can put 100 hot dogs in his mouth at the same time. Hopefully she's realized that landing 3 3axels still won't get her close to Yuna if she's lacking the lutz, and a 3/3.

Hasn't she said she is going to bring back the 3/3?

I would think it was virtually impossible to train the 3/3 while focusing on the 3 triple axels.

And she deserves to be acknowledges as the first women to have 3 3As in competition ratified. When men have accomplished similar feats (i.e. Browning with the quad, Stoijko with the quad/triple) it's been considered significant and commentators have mentioned it forever after.

However it seems like little attention has been given to Mao's 'first' in the sport. The Canadian commentators didn't even mention it and it was a significant and notable achievement.

[julesgotheblues]

The news sounds good-- thank you for sharing! I'm glad that she's planning to improve artistically as well, that will be very helpful.

[hanca]

I wonder why Mao wasn't working on the 3/3 for the Olympic season? Chasing the 3axel might get her in the Guinness Book of Records, but so is the guy who can put 100 hot dogs in his mouth at the same time. Hopefully she's realized that landing 3 3axels still won't get her close to Yuna if she's lacking the lutz, and a 3/3.

To stand out of the crowd? Quite a few ladies can do 3-3 now, perhaps 10 ladies, but she is currently the only one having triple Axel. And the only one lady ever having 3 at the Olympics. It may not be the Guinness Book of Records, but to have "the first one ever" feeling.

[briancoogaert]

This is all good news !

I wonder why Mao wasn't working on the 3/3 for the Olympic season? Chasing the 3axel might get her in the Guinness Book of Records, but so is the guy who can put 100 hot dogs in his mouth at the same time. Hopefully she's realized that landing 3 3axels still won't get her close to Yuna if she's lacking the lutz, and a 3/3.

She doesn't need a 3/3 if she doesn't have a Lutz or a Salchow.
She has 4 different types of triples. Her 3/3 were often underrotated.
If she repeats the 3A and the 3F (to get more points), she is more likely to have +Goe on a solo 3Loop, than a 3F/3L. And with such a program, she would have had four Axel type jump. For someone who wants more variety, it's not a good idea !

3A
3A/2T
3F/3L
3F/2L/2L
2A
3T
2A

[missflick]

I wish I could attend the Japan SOI.

[wonderlen]

Mao has obviously taken ballet before, especially when she trained in Moscow with TAT. But more ballet never hurt anyone. Hope all of the above is true.

The video is cute!

Wouldn't having more flexible hip hurt Mao?? Most of the skaters who have ballet background or flexibilily, always struggle with jumps because of the unstable hip.

[wonderlen]

This is all good news !


She doesn't need a 3/3 if she doesn't have a Lutz or a Salchow.
She has 4 different types of triples. Her 3/3 were often underrotated.
If she repeats the 3A and the 3F (to get more points), she is more likely to have +Goe on a solo 3Loop, than a 3F/3L. And with such a program, she would have had four Axel type jump. For someone who wants more variety, it's not a good idea !

3A
3A/2T
3F/3L
3F/2L/2L
2A
3T
2A

At this point, Mao deosn't really need the salcow. But she needs the Lutz and 3+3 back if she wants to challenge to break Yuna score. Salcow is only 0.5 more than toeloop.

If Mao does:
3A
3F+3T
2A+3T
x3Lo
x3F+2Lo+2Lo
x3Lz
x2A

It will be pretty competitive. She was able to do 2A+3T and 3F+3T back in two seasons ago. I don't know why she doesn't keep using it.