Mao news - 2009-10 Olympic season!!

Ok, well you guys already started discussing one of the articles I'm going to post, but I figure 44 pages is enough, and it's time to start a news thread for the OLYMPIC SEASON!!

1) Here's a full translation of that article about Mao and the two triple axels:

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/psp-tp0-20091005-551817.html

Mao will keep her triple axels x 2

Figure skater Mao Asada (19=Chuukyou University) vowed to maintain the two triple-axels in her free program. At the first competition of the season, the Japan Open on the 3rd, she failed on both triple axels at the beginning of her program. Even so, "the only thing I won't give up is the 2 triple axels. I even told that to Tatiana (Tarasova)-sensei," she said, revealing that she had strongly demanded this earlier.

Up to now, she has been completely following Coach Tarasova's opinions, but despite her coach's view that she should lower the difficulty of her program, she insisted. Her free program music, "Bells of Moscow" is quiet from start to finish, and Asada said, "The beginning is not difficult, per se, but I felt vaguely dissatisfied. But if I can do the jumps perfectly, then it will be a good program."

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Another related comment:

http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/news/20091004spn00m050012000c.html

Mao said, "It was the first competition, so the thought, 'I wonder how this will go,' was very strong. I was not able to do everything I practiced.'
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This is why I'm not very worried about the jumps...I think Mao just psyched herself out because she knows she always does badly at the first competition of the season.

However, I *WAS* disappointed that she kept the same jump layout as last year. I really would prefer to have her do the 3F-3Lo and 3Lz instead of 3F-2Lo and 3S. But perhaps Mao 'dumbed-down' her layout for JO. We'll have to see.

If Mao wants to keep the two 3A's, if she believes she can do it, then I definitely think she should!!

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2) This is interesting, because it's about the Korean fans' reaction to Mao's program.

http://news.searchina.ne.jp/disp.cgi?y=2009&d=1005f=national_1005_002.shtml

[Korea Blog] Figure skating's Japan Open 2009 is an "Entertainment Failure"

On the 3rd, at Figure skating's "Japan Open 2009" held in the Saitama Super Arena, Mao Asada gave her first performance of her free program for the season. Team Japan's mistakes stood out, and they missed their fourth consecutive win.

In Korea, where interest in figure skating has increased dramatically thanks to Yu-Na Kim's efforts, the results of the Japan Open were widely reported. On the 4th, on the website daum, the keywords "Mao Asada mistakes" surged in popularity and attracted attention, and several net users raised the topic on their blogs.

Blogger maddux26 reviewed Laura Lepisto, Joannie Rochette, Mao Asada and Yukari Nakano in order, and among them, about Mao Asada, he/she wrote, "It's the worst costume which does not have one bit of the elegance/grace that Mao Asada naturally has. The music is also completely
heavy, and it seems like it doesn't match Mao at all. The step sequence did not seem to match the music, and compared to the song, the movement of her body seemed light, as a result only the music stood out." He/she continued, "Before the Olympics, she should change her free program," and also severely criticized Yukari Nakano's costume.

Another blogger, Kimai, expressed doubts about the music choice and said "I feel that her upper body movement and overall performance improved from last year. But because the music is too heavy or somehow, it feels like she is weighed down…Light music matches Mao Asada better.." She added, "No matter how I look at it, Mao Asada and Coach Tarasova don't seem to match."

Furthermore, blogger CraZy said, "It seemed like the announcers were disappointed by Mao Asada's poor condition. In the end, from Japan's point of view, this was a competition that was a complete 'entertainment failure.' They wanted to raise the morale of their team of skaters, but they were completely defeated by 30 points by the Europe and American teams.”

In addition to this, several bloggers touched upon Mao Asada's jump mistakes, costume, choreography, and song choice, giving an altogether harsh critique, "The choreography does not show Mao's flexibility"; "The song is too heavy, it's endlessly the same rhythm."

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Well, it is a very strange day when I agree with the Korean fans!

I do not agree that Mao/TAT do not match, but oh how I wish they picked something like "Fantasy for Violin & Orchestra" or "Por Una Cabeza," which I absolutely adored. Those songs were not light, fluffy, pretty Chopin (I agree with polosatik that perhaps she's outgrown those)--but they were beautiful, elegant, lyrical, and I think they showcased Mao's talents and maturity.

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3) Here's a quote from the Grand Prix press conference that the Japan team members attended on the 4th.

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/f-sp-tp0-20091004-551679.html

According to this article, Mao said "Yoyogi is a stadium where I can hear lots of cheering voices, so it's a good rink. I wonder if it matches me. But, first, I will do my best for the France Trophy [Trophee Eric Bompard]."

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Mao-chan, ganbare!