Mao News !

[tianrushui]

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.

Mao said that she still trains 33 this season but since she can't do 2 3As and 33 in one program, she takes 33 out. I always think that Mao's original plan for this season is 2 3As and one 33 because in JO she did solo salcow instead of loop. If she didn't plan to add 33 in her program, it's meaningless for her to use salcow instead of loop. But things didn't go well at the beginning of this season, she then became focusing on 3A.

[AxelAnnie]

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.

I think that is pretty much a leap. If trained properly, one doesn't (or shouldn't) have an adverse affect on the other.


I don't understand why the Japanese federation is asking what they are asking. Why do they want it to be a "requirement" option? I would think they would want it to have a base value (and maybe their request accomplishes that), but I just don't understand.They are certainly not going to make it a requirement in the short program.

Could someone please explain? Thanks.

[loulou]

I don't understand why the Japanese federation is asking what they are asking. Why do they want it to be a "requirement" option? I would think they would want it to have a base value (and maybe their request accomplishes that), but I just don't understand.They are certainly not going to make it a requirement in the short program.

Could someone please explain? Thanks.

Uhm. I hope I'm understing correctly what you asking and not answering something obvious you already know.
Anyway.

Right now 2A is a requirement in the ladies SP. But you cannot do a 3A instead. So, in order to jump a 3A, you have to move it to either the triple jump out of steps, or to the combination, which is what Asada does.

Being able to perform a 3A in the SP instead of a 2A would allow Asada to: either increase her base value if she decides to go for a 3-3 too, or simply mantain the current base value (more or less) putting in another combination, but at the same time cutting risks (as she won't have to add a jump after the 3A).

-- Apparently, 3A out of steps is hard for Asada. She tried that with Arutunian, and (well, she was also growing) that's when she started to struggle with it.

[Polymer Bob]

I don't understand why the Japanese federation is asking what they are asking. Why do they want it to be a "requirement" option? I would think they would want it to have a base value (and maybe their request accomplishes that), but I just don't understand.They are certainly not going to make it a requirement in the short program.

Could someone please explain? Thanks.

It would be a pleasure. Currently, ladies are required to perform 3 jumping passes in a short program - a double axel, a triple by itself, and another triple in combination.

Mao can do a triple axel, but to satisfy the requirement, she must also do a double axel. Mao doesn't want to do 2 axels. She wants to be able to do a triple axel, another type of triple, and a combination. The Japanese federation is asking that the axel requirement be satisfied by either a double or triple.

[cazzer]

Also, if she does a triple axel to fulfill the axel requirement, and gets downgrded to a double, she still meets the requirement and doesn't lose an element.

[Indra486]

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.

Cohen and Arakawa didn't really have hip problems, despite having back injuries.

[AxelAnnie]

Thanks y'all. Now I understand. Interesting. Now I can cross off one bit of confusion from my foggy mind.

[bookworm]

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

The video has been removed due to copyright issues. Are they any good as a pairs team?

[DinDonShamu]

The video has been removed due to copyright issues. Are they any good as a pairs team?

My no-technik summary:

Practiced pair spin with Jian Tong and neither could spin for dear life. Mao fell out of the camel position right away twice, and Dai actually did a few revolutions of shaky pair camel spin with Jian.
A failed attempt at a throw during practice but a beautiful throw waltz jump with nice height and flow in exhibition.
SBS 2 axel Mao took off a little after Daisuke, but since Dai jumped higher they landed about the same time.

[robinhood]

The video has been removed due to copyright issues. Are they any good as a pairs team?

No, but it was hilarious and really funny
daisuke doesn't have any height to be a pair skater. Jian Tong could probably twist and lift him as easy as Pang

[DinDonShamu]

No, but it was hilarious and really funny
daisuke doesn't have any height to be a pair skater. Jian Tong could probably twist and lift him as easy as Pang

Which reminds me ... in the clip Jian Tong actually carried Daisuke and span him around and around with Mao laughing on the side .

[bookworm]

Thanks you guys. Too bad I missed it, sounds hilarious.

[eyh201]

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.

Until the 2007~2008 season, Mao's 3T was a Toe Axel. 3T was not the easiest jump to Mao.

[Fallcolor]

I wish her LP would be:

3A (prob get higher GOE if she did it solo because the 2t as a combo is quite stiff)
3T
3F+3r
x3r
x3F+2r
x3S
x2A+2r+2r

I would LOVE this layout. 7 triples and 5 different ones, too.

instead of including a lutz i hope she will re-work her other triples equally enough, to make them look as effortless as they were once before.

[hanca]

I wish her LP would be:

3A (prob get higher GOE if she did it solo because the 2t as a combo is quite stiff)
3T
3F+3r
x3r
x3F+2r
x3S
x2A+2r+2r

I would LOVE this layout. 7 triples and 5 different ones, too.

instead of including a lutz i hope she will re-work her other triples equally enough, to make them look as effortless as they were once before.

combo 3F+3r? I don't think the judges like 3r as a second jump, considering how frequently that gets downgraded. I think no one except of Miky Ando is doing that and she gets it sometimes downgraded. Too risky for Mao in my opinion.

[MikiAndoFan#1]

combo 3F+3r? I don't think the judges like 3r as a second jump, considering how frequently that gets downgraded. I think no one except of Miky Ando is doing that and she gets it sometimes downgraded. Too risky for Mao in my opinion.

Mao has been doing the 3F+3Lo since forever, except last season, and it was ratified plenty of times. In the 2008/2009 season, rules got stricter and Miki's 3Lz+3Lo and Mao's 3F+3Lo were ratified only once in competition (Miki's at COC and Mao's at Worlds).

[hanca]

Mao has been doing the 3F+3Lo since forever, except last season, and it was ratified plenty of times. In the 2008/2009 season, rules got stricter and Miki's 3Lz+3Lo and Mao's 3F+3Lo were ratified only once in competition (Miki's at COC and Mao's at Worlds).

That's exactly my point. In the past both Mao and Miki had it ratified most of the times, but since the rules got stricter (approx the last 2 seasons) both had it often downgraded. It is not worth the risk to do combo with 3r as second jump any more I think.

[eyh201]

That's exactly my point. In the past both Mao and Miki had it ratified most of the times, but since the rules got stricter (approx the last 2 seasons) both had it often downgraded. It is not worth the risk to do combo with 3r as second jump any more I think.

I think Mao had better work on the speed into and out of a jump. If you lose speed after the first jump, it would be hard to get a momentum for the second jump. If she does not work on that, 3F+3Lo is not worth taking a risk, IMO.

[pinky166]

Dream Layout:

3lz-3lo
3f-3t
3a
x 3s or 4s
x 2a-3t-2lo
x 3lz
x 2a

8 triples or 7 triples and a quad! I don't care if it's Mao or Miki or Yuna or some Russian wunderkid who does this layout, I just think if anyone ever pulled that off it would be AMAZING.=

[MikiAndoFan#1]

That's exactly my point. In the past both Mao and Miki had it ratified most of the times, but since the rules got stricter (approx the last 2 seasons) both had it often downgraded. It is not worth the risk to do combo with 3r as second jump any more I think.

Yeah, unfortunately the rules became very strict towards underrotations. But I think if Miki and Mao have consistent 3+3 combinations, which I hope they do next season, it is worth the risk.