Here's Mao-chan's lovely Gala programme, skating to Chopin's 'Ballade no.1 in G Minor'. Isn't she lovely?! Cue Stevie Wonder please!
I love it as the spotlight hits her and her silhouette is shown on the ice. It's just lovely everything! The lines, the aesthetics, her overall skating, her steady jumps, and most importantly that smile that's been missing until now. She just looks like a proper ballerina on ice! Doesn't she remind you of those dancing ballerinas inside a music box that starts twirling to a lullaby every time you open them? Especially in that last spin. Que bella!
 |
| Asada and Kim at Worlds 2010 |
Watch out Kim! With Mao already on her way back to top form, and Miki and Kanako rising in the ranks and waiting in the wings, I think you should make sure to bring your A-game this March. Furthermore, I think that we also have to watch USA's Mirai Nagasu, who may just snatch the title if she gives a perfect skate. I wouldn't count on Carolina Kostner, or Rachel Flatt. Apart from the fact that these two both have watered down programmes (even Alissa Czisny), I just think that they're rather bland to watch. I would put my money on Kanako and Mirai to battle it out with Yu Na and Mao for the World Title. These two are extremely talented and have very promising futures in skating. Plus you never know. Maybe since Queen (whatever!) Yu Na will be competing for the first time at Worlds after skipping the circuit, maybe she'll be a little rusty? LOL. What's that? I hear some bashing from Yu Na fans already.
Will you be tuning in?
I just hope that British Eurosport will be airing the event because for me, they are the most unbiased commentators out there. Perhaps because UK's Jenna McCorkell has no chance to place at the podium ever (as long as Yu Na and Mao are around), but I don't know. They just appreciate the pros and cons of everybody, and unlike Scott Hamilton or Dick Button, they dont kiss Yu Na's ass like Perez Hilton does with Lady GagMe.
xoxo
haha love you're comment's, and mao simply looks like her prima ballerina this ex fits her like a glove.. and I simply love her programs...and yes mao really reminds one of a ballerina dancing in a music box... and I too hope that british eurosport will be airing the event, they atleast know how to appreciate everthing about mao... quite impressive to be able to rework all you're jumps during such little time, and still be ready when it really counts...
ReplyDeleteYuna Kim IS the 2011 World Champion without doubt. No gold medal for Japinese people
ReplyDeleteahhh the long-awaited Yuna-bot. Just like clockwork eh? Last time I checked the Japanese have three World Golds. Yuna only has the one. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
ReplyDeleteAnd to Anonymous on top, its just so impressive right? I think she always does pull out the big guns when it counts!
mao is back? never heard of and never see her on TV this season. REALLY hehe
ReplyDeleteUgh...she still show no progress after her 2nd place at Olympics. Still under-rotate 3A, and no difficult 6 revolutions jump 3-3.
ReplyDeleteBalderdash. Mao Asada is nowhere near top form. Her jump technique has barely changed, except for the noticeable change to the mule kick (kudos for that, though). She still (1) slows down in her entry (2) flutzes (3) has a poor free leg. What's even worse is that her tinkering with technique has led to new problems (conspicuous UR, plummet in consistency, even smaller jumps, confusement over timing). Mao Asada cannot beat the likes of Yu-na Kim or Adelina Sotnikova (maybe not even Miki Ando), unless she accomplishes every jump change she's pledged to make for years (more walk, less talk girl). I wish her the best, since she was one of my favorite skaters circa 2005~2008 (she had this irresistable charm back then), but Sochi is out of her reach. This coming from a skating fan/actual skater for 15+ years.
ReplyDeleteI actually have my money on Miki Ando for 2011 Worlds gold (I'm about 80% right with my guesses)
Ok, well new fan or not, I think all I'm saying is that I'm looking at her with my glass half full. Sochi is still 4 years away and to say that within that huge amount of time Mao can't improve one tiny bit is just undermining her a little too much. Perhaps Miki will win the gold, and there is a big chance that she will but that remaining 20% uncertainty is still there.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course her jump technique has barely changed, she's only been at it less than a year. I'm no expert but i think as common sense dictates, it takes a long time to change bad habits or relearn stuff alike.
Thank you for your fair comment (which is a civilised one! not by a YuNa-bot! ), to which I agree with some points (her speed, and smaller jumps), but give the girl a break. And contrary to popular belief, I think Mao can still beat Yu Na and not by some miracle. The count is 7-6 to Yu Na is it not? But that's just me ^^
As always, I am a amused but not surprised by the negativity of comments whenever there's a post on Mao. There have been improvements in her skating. Her flip has improved. And there's less strain on her jumps compared to last season. Also, her basics have improved as she skates much more smoothly now. Sochi is such a long way from now so I don't get how some people are already predeterming things as of now. And for the poster who said Mao should do more "walking and less talking", if you skated for so many years, I am sure you should know that even small changes in technique will take some time to become stabilized.
ReplyDeleteYES! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteto that idiot anonymous who say miki win gold. You make me want to vomit right now LOL LOL. Yes, miki will win gold if japanese kidnap Yuna and don't let her compete haha. Queen Yuna will show all the japanese people and on their home ice how to skate to balletic music. OMG, look at mao program. Tango? Does she really know what it mean to be "TANGO" Balletic FS Program??? Skating balletic program does not mean skating real slow mao. My guess is always right. Mao will place 11th in the SP at world. Miki will fell on the triple lutz again. So match my word. Yuna will earn 79points for her new SP and a new word record.
ReplyDeleteYuna will earn 79p points, the day balletic becomes a word. By then the world would have ended.
ReplyDeleteQueen Yuna Kim:
ReplyDeleteOlympic & World Champion
Sportswoman of the year
UNICEF Ambassador
Time's 100 Most Influential
People in the World
Yuna Kim best SP: 78.50, FS: 150.06, combine: 228.56 SO HIGH. Yuna is no 1.
ReplyDeleteOH EM GEE what the fuck do you not get from THIS IS MY OPINION and my blog! Sure, they are the number, but it doesn't mean she's the best for me. FUCK OFF. Love you guys really!
ReplyDeleteEffortlessly flawless, Kim Yu-Na ripped up the record books and earned herself a one million dollar bonus - every penny deserved - with a sensational gold in Vancouver, replacing forever in my affections Katarina Witt's Carmen of Sarajevo with George Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F.
ReplyDeleteShe kept ice cool while back home in Korea millions were losing their heads - delivering performances for which there was no available superlative.
Yuna Kim is the performer while Mao Asada is just another skater.
ReplyDeleteSee to that I would agree because I think she'd make a great actress. Mao on the other hand is a dancer on ice, and there's nothing wrong with that. Only the blind can say there is no ballet in Mao's skating. It's Anna Pavlova versus Meryl Streep
ReplyDeleteWhen you see it LIVE, you can't possibly believe that the two skaters are rivals. It's probably because of all the press and the media commercialising. I would like to add that, to me, there is barely any difference between Yu-Na's double axel and Mao's triple axel.
ReplyDelete