Mao Asada announces her retirement from competition (share your favorite memories here!)

Surprised? That's my knee jerk reaction but I knew the time was nigh. I could write about Mao for hours. I could go on and on. I'll simply say, I became a Figure skating fan in 1994 and next to Michelle Kwan, No other woman has come close. Scores aside, and Mao isn't a skater without good scores, I don't know if I have met anyone in real life that has had to triumph over and over again. Having the scoring system all of a sudden turn against her virtually. Losing her mother ( J.Rochette understands that as well). Missing her opportunity for Olympic Gold again which IMO had she skated the way she went on to skate at World's, she'd have the hardware she desired.

I could just write forever but what a champion. What a wonderful person. I am sooooo happy i went to Chicago to see her skate last year. Job well done Mao. Thank you for the memories.
 
There are not enough superlatives for Mao. The classiest skater, on and off the ice, absolutely dedicated to the sport and the art, a fighter, a gorgeous exhibition skater. I love her skating with all my heart, wish her the best, and look forward to seeing her in shows. I do not think there is a single Mao's program, competitive or show, that I would not want to rewatch, and that's saying more than any words can.Many, many thanks, Mao!
 
Loves_Shizuka said:
Funnily enough, the first thing that comes to mind when I think Mao Asada is a moment that, in a career full of awards, didn't even earn her a medal:

Sochi Olympic LP

MAO! :respec: :glamor:

All the best and thank you/Arigatou gozaimasu.
Click to expand...

That's exactly the performance that comes to my mind too. The step sequence at the end is everything.

Definitely the end of an era. :(
 
Haven't had as much time to watch skating this past season as in the past, but both her short and long program were ones I made sure to see. She's always been light across the ice while still having really good edge quality, which is a very rare combination. When she first came onto the scene as a young kid, everything she did looked effortless. She was able to maintain that for all her connecting moves and step sequences, even 15 years later. The way she always went back to drawing board after the scoring system changed or jump rotation requirements were updated goes to show how committed she was to making things work. Can't think of anyone who embodied love of skating for their entire skating career the way she did. Mao will be missed on the competitive scene, but am very glad she'll keep doing shows.

Not sure if this was already posted or not, but one of my favorite ftwk sequences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvnmTcc3e1I#t=3m59s
 
skatesindreams said:
Crying again, as I do every time I watch.
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We had just lost our beloved brother and held the funeral. I watched in an AirBnB with all of my siblings, children, nieces and nephews, and several cousins. That free skate gave me the first feeling other than grief and anguish in several weeks. Love to you always dear, dear Mao. Have a wonderful life. You will be remembered and loved always.
 
Aww, I'll miss her, but I'm not surprised. Mao's a gorgeous skater, and her willingness to push herself and try to better herself even when she was on top is just astonishing. I'm so thankful she came into my favorite sport and her grace both on and off the ice will always be remembered.
 
Oh how I love her and her skating and the moments she gifted this sport. And Oooh how I'll miss her and the excitement she brought any event she was in. I wish she didn't have to suffer through injuries during her comeback but boy oh boy, her final competitive SP and LP will remain 2 of her best programs, and reason enough for looking fondly on her comeback.

XOXOXO
 
This isn't surprising but nevertheless it's a blow. Mao was one of the first skaters I truly loved. The thing I love most about her skating is how she wore her heart on her sleeve - nothing fake, she lived it and let it all on the ice. A total legend of the sport. I will miss her dearly.
 
I am so sorry to hear this news, but pleased that Mao will continue to grace us with her beautiful exhibitions and that she is looking forward to other goals and experiences in her life. Ever since her return from her year off after the Olympic season, I have felt like we as her fans have been on borrowed time. Her gorgeous performances at 2014 Worlds seemed like such a fitting capstone to her career, and I feared I would miss out on seeing her skate live. I jumped at the opportunity to attend Worlds in Boston, and for me, her heartfelt and heartrending performance to Madama Butterfly was the absolute highlight of a very well skated competition. It was also great to see her look so happy and satisfied with her performance despite the result of finishing off the podium. She has so many memorable programs and performances and so many unique aspects to her skating that her albeit wonderful competitive results are just a pale reflection of her actual quality. I wish her complete peace of mind about her decision and every happiness that life has to bestow; she is a beautiful skater and a beautiful person, and she deserves a very wonderful life.
 
I can't help but feel that this isn't the kind of end of a career that she deserved; she would have deserved going out on top (and I'm thinking more in terms of performance than podium though I guess, top performance would have landed her on the podium)! But I'm happy for her that she was able to make peace with herself and her career and move on. I hope that the next phase of her life turns out to be everything she hopes for and more!
 
My rough translation of messages from skaters, coaches and other notable people. (1)

Machiko Yamada: I truly appreciate her continuous hard work. She did her best. I talked with her on phone prior to the announcement on her official blog. She is full of charm not only as a skater but also as a person. I wish she'll stay as she is and do well after the retirement.

Nobuo Sato: She truly did her best until today. She's such a great skater. I appreciate that I could work with her on the things that she was so serious about.

-(Mao hasn't trained with Mr Sato since beginning of this year. She visited her home rink to see him in the morning of the day when she announced her retirement.) When she told him that she wants to finish her competitive career, he just answered "Otsukaresama (= You did great and you must be tired.)" As she's supposed to be a show skater he said "I wish she'll stay forever as a skater whom everyone loves."

Tatiana Tarasova: Mao is a remarkable great skater. Her decision is right since it's difficult for her to improve herself at this point. Her new life is just started. I'm wishing everything will go well for her.
 
el henry said:
How sweet that Jason wrote his message entirely in Japanese; I know that he takes his Japanese studies seriously. Of course, since it appears handwritten and not tweeted, Google translate doesn't work and I can't read a word ;)
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I asked my Japanese friend what he wrote, and this is her translation:

Dear Mao, thank you for all your contribution to sports. Your beauty, passion and unforgettable skating will keep influence on me. Although I miss your skating at competitions, I hope to have a chance to be with you at skating shows! I wish you every happiness and success!
 
marysy said:
I asked my Japanese friend what he wrote, and this is her translation:

Dear Mao, thank you for all your contribution to sports. Your beauty, passion and unforgettable skating will keep influence on me. Although I miss your skating at competitions, I hope to have a chance to be with you at skating shows! I wish you every happiness and success!
Click to expand...

Thank you for the translation. I echo his sentiments. Although I won't be having a chance at appearing in the Ice.:D
 
My rough translation of messages from skaters, coaches and other notable people. (2)

Takahiko Kozuka: I heard from herself that she decided to retire. Her presence and memories even overwhelmed the results she left. When I hear "3A", the name of Mao Asada comes to my mind first. Thanks to her challenges figure skating became a sport which is loved by many people. Otsukaresama (=You did great and you must be tired.) We're rooting for you forever.

Takahito Mura: Since we are at the same age, we've been in great friendships encouraging to each other. She left quite a number of great performances and it resulted in that she has lots of fans who wants to see her skating up to today. Can't help feeling that I'll miss her. I just want to say this - Since she was there, we could encourage ourselves to do our best to come up here. As one of her fans I'll be waiting to see her looking cheerful again. Otsukaresama! (=You did great and you must be tired.)

Nobunari Oda: cried out loud as always :lol: (clip) Her word "I have nothing to regret as a competitive skater" sounds very Mao. She's usually very gentle and cheerful but as an athlete she's courageous spirited. In the final scene of her competitive career her decisiveness was obvious. (When he was asked about the tremendous pressures on her shoulders) Yes, they were on her shoulders both when things went well and when things didn't go well. That must be tough to her. I've seen backstage scenes where Mao worked so hard so that she can show people good performances. Those scenes showed me that she's a truly strong person. She's a skater that I adore. (When he was asked if she showed her weakness to him) No, she never whined, she always said "I'm OK" or the like, and even she was caring about me. She's been a woman who doesn't show her weakness to people around her and stayed caring about us instead.
 
ahhh, Mao. Such a special skater. I will miss her.

My favorite moment was Worlds in Gothenburg. She started with her first triple axel attempt and just slipped away before she could even start to jump. Up until then she had the reputation of sort of giving up when the triple axel did not work. But not then.
It somehow fired her up and she had a skate to remember.
 
A couple of quotes from Florentina Tone of Inside Figure Skating, who, as a skating journalist, has such a wonderful, eloquent love of skaters and skating -- of Mao, perhaps above all. As she says below, Mao turns her from a journalist into a fan.

…and Mao herself is essential for skating, allow me to add that. Because the truth is in the ladies’ event at the moment there’s no one like Mao Asada. The Japanese lady has, of course, all the advantages the experience, maturity can offer, but, above all, she’s an innate talent, a butterfly; and when it comes to skating skills, she’s second to none. No better description of Mao and her gliding than the one of choreographer Lori Nichol for a Japanese newspaper in the Olympic season: “She flies on the ice using almost no power. As smooth as cutting butter with a knife warmed in hot water”. That particular metaphor stayed in my mind for months – and in Barcelona, at 2015 Grand Prix Final, as in many other competitions Mao took part, her presence was my personal highlight. There, I’ve said it – allow me to be more of a fan than of a journalist for a couple of moments/paragraphs.
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http://www.insideskating.net/2016/01/05/features/2015-grand-prix-final-bellissima-bravissima-mao

Mao Asada: too bad the Program Components Scores couldn’t keep up with such a glorious performance. A carousel of emotions, that was to me Mao’s free skate in Boston, in the 9th Worlds of her career. That performance, that subtle, yet powerful performance, with Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” embracing Mao beautifully, taking her under its (musical) wings, was by far the most touching, heartwarming moment of this edition of the World Championships – one that will stay in my mind for many years to come. “Thank you, Mao. Just like in Sochi!”, a teary Tatiana Tarasova said at the end of the routine, as I was literally crying in front of a computer screen, a little after 4 a.m. What is there to cry about, you ask? Well, everything: her magic, aura, her dissolving into the music; but, above all, the pure joy of her comeback – and skate like that, the gratitude of having her in the competitive arena for as long as she decides to; following Worlds, Mao expressed her wish to compete towards 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang.

And now the backside: in spite of being one of the biggest moments of the ladies’ free skate, the Program Components Scores failed to express that – and Mao Asada remained, from the judges’ point of view, in the range of 8-s (8.54 for Skating Skills; 8.39 for Transition/Linking Footwork; 8.79 for Performance/Execution; 8.64 for Choreography/Composition; and 8.96 for Interpretation). With these scores in mind, rewatch Mao’s free skate – the performance will speak for itself. Blame it on Mao’s year off, on her being treated as a beginner (or like a retiree), on the so-called “corridor” of scores (she was not in the final group, but in the one before that) – but the truth is the Components Scores didn’t do justice to a magnificent skate, and that clearly takes away from an event otherwise impeccably put together.

.…and then rewind to the end of her skate in Boston – her beautiful, relieved smile, her arms and knees on the ice while catching her breath, with everyone in the arena on their feet. She’s done it again: felt the “fulfillment and joy” after a good skate in competition. And for a lady winning almost everything that is out there, this might be the biggest reward of all.
Click to expand...
http://www.insideskating.net/2016/0...nd-the-little-but-relevant-stories-among-them

And her tweet reacting to Mao's retirement:
Witnessing #MaoAsada’s performances, you could have only been that: a fan. That’s what we all were over the years. Thank you, Princess.
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http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2017/04/10/223453060
 
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