2012 Japan Open, Oct. 6th, 2012

[Lanie]

I'm normally not a big Mao fan, but I love that LP!

[DimaToe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8AjG4VKyTA
Mao's Swan Lake
And according to Japanese new report, Mao got 0 on one of her spins. That explains the low TES

Seems like Mao is getting her groove back, as well as Tarasova choreography wise!!

[Madmarch]

Love Daisuke's LP, does anyone know what the music is?

[jenny12]

Really glad to get to see these programs this early. Can't wait to see others including Patrick Chan, even if it sounded like he had a pretty horrid skate.

[flipforsynchro]

Are there protocols for JO anywhere?

[FSfan107]

Mao's program is lovely! I love ending with the spread eagle into the spiral part.

[emma1227]

Great way to start the season for Ash and Mao!! But Agnes...what happened? Has high hopes for her after US Classic...was hoping her inconsistencies in the free might be a thing of the past!!

[emma1227]

Mao's dress is just stunning!!

[ratatouille]

I am sure Chan will be back on the right track. It's just the first competition.

Well done to Daisuke! and nice quads although the second one was 2 footed. I don't mind not seeing any transitions in the first few minutes. Quads need a lot of speed and preparation.

So proud of Jeff. He's been competing 2 days in a row and look at him! he's surely missed. I love his skating.

Mao's FS is simply gorgeous in every way: the costume, the music cut, the choreo and her skating. It will get better and better. But what's so good to see is Mao in good shape. She's gained more weight and muscle after so many years being worried about her late mother. Well done to TAT too!

This will be an exiting season ! although I must admit that with all the rule changes, I don't understand them any longer.

[Cloudy_Gumdrops]

Mao's Swan Lake is gorgeous.

Ashley needs to ditch that dress. And go back to brunette.

Much as I love Dai, I'm just not feeling the program, yet. Maybe I just loved last year's LP too much.

[smarts1]

Still no video up for Akiko or Ashley?

[DimaToe]

Much as I love Dai, I'm just not feeling the program, yet. Maybe I just loved last year's LP too much.

I couldn't get into it either. After how well packaged Dai was last season I just can't get as excited as I did about him back then, but it seems that because of the formatting of his programs he will have a better success rate with the quads though, so that's the good part..

[babayaga]

Still no video up for Akiko or Ashley?

Akiko's program was uploaded: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91ROf...ature=youtu.be
And Kozuka too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONepy...hannel&list=UL

[chipso1]

Mao's FS is lovely.

Her jumps look more solid overall as well, except for the Salchow. She did it fine here, but it appears as though she's still not really kicking up in to it enough, thus the lack of height.

Still, a fab effort for her!

[aftershocks]

Ashleys new dress:

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/channel/live/photo/5173


and Mao

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/channel/live/photo/5172

I love Ashley and I hope she rocks it to the hilt this season, but WOW, I don't like that color on her, AT ALL! I think Ashley's hair color is beautiful on her, but that dress in that color?!!! Why? It reeks too much of the color dress Rachael wore a couple of seasons ago, which did NOT suit Rachael either.

Mao looks very lovely.

[chipso1]

Ashley's dress would look better in a deep purple. I like the overall design, but the color is a little bright.

[all_empty]

Nice program from Mao.

I love the footwork, the jump placement, and that she seems happy. I too assume the 2A+2T will be a 2A+3T later in the season. Glad to see two 3Lo as well...it's always been solid for her.

There's still some work needed on the 3Lz edge and the back ends of her combinations may have been downgraded. I suspect her second combination spin got 0 points because it's the same classification as the first -- both CCoSpin. If she puts a flying entrance on one of them she will be fine. Either that or the last position in her flying camel was considered upright, leaving her without a spin in a single position in her program (fixable by doing a donut position instead).

[all_empty]

Re: Ashley's dress.

I'm not a fan but those embroidered designs are really hot right now in fashion ... I see tons of celebs in them.

Will need a closer look.

[aftershocks]

Ashley's dress would look better in a deep purple. I like the overall design, but the color is a little bright.

Yes, you're probably right a deeper shade such as purple or blue (even red), but certainly less startling than the bright intense yellow color which doesn't look great against her skin, IMO. The design would likely not seem so bad to me either, if the color was more enhancing for her.

Loved Mao's program. I'm glad she seems so happy, and it shows in her skating.

Re: Ashley's dress.

I'm not a fan but those embroidered designs are really hot right now in fashion ... I see tons of celebs in them.

Will need a closer look.

I love embroidery. It's not the embroidery on Ashley's dress that I'm talking about. It's the intense yellow color of the dress which IMO doesn't look good against her skin. Even perhaps breaking it up with another color added to the yellow, or a different overall color entirely in the same dress design would help. Yes, perhaps a closer up look might help, or it just might be blinding. Anyway, she's wearing it and it's her skating that counts and matters the most. Good luck to Ashley!

[smarts1]

Eh Akiko's new program is okay. I'm not a fan of the music in the beginning.