Sochi 2014: Opining on the Ladies Event- The Good, The Bad, and Mao Asada

What an emotionally draining two weeks this has been! I don't know about you, but the Sochi Winter Games has taken me to all different emotional highs and lows- especially the last 48 hours. Let's just get to it okay? There's so much to talk about and I'm on an Asada-induced nirvana that I just want to plough through this crap. And believe me, there is a ton and a half of bullshit to get through, and this is going to be a LONG post.

Let's begin with, OBVIOUSLY, the ultimate Champion of the Games (yes, with a capital C)- Japan's Mao Asada. On Wednesday night, Mao Asada went into the short program as a major gold medal contender. However, the next two and a half minutes were to be the worst  of her skating career. She fell on a downgraded triple axel, underrotated a triple flip, and nulled a planned triple loop combination. It was just *BAM*. Silence fell, not only in the Iceberg Palace, but also in the Ventura household. Four years after losing to Kim, Asada found herself in 16th place. 

All of the sudden, all that hard work- all the pain of relearning her jumps, losing her mother, the success since Vancouver- it all came to nothing. She held it all in at the Kiss and Cry, and when the night finished, Asada lost any hope of ever medalling at Sochi. 

Today however, was a different story. 

Skating to Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto 2, Mao went into the free skate with no pressure, no tension, no nothing- and boy did it pay off. She landed EIGHT triples (and yes, ALL the triple jumps) including her signature triple axel and a triple flip-triple loop! She breezed through her programme with grace, maturity, and performed like the CHAMPION that she is. She got a couple of URs, but even so- she received a personal best of 142.71, and realised her dream of skating the perfect performance at the Olympics. The breakdown of emotion after her final element was just so moving, that nothing else mattered. We'll get to the scores in a minute, but for now- let's all pay our respects to the great Mao Asada, who performed with incredible grace under pressure and did her country proud, despite what any Japanese ex-PM thinks (shame on you Yoshiro Mori!.) There are moments in life when all the method, all the scores, the numbers, the politicking, the stakes, and all rationalisation go out the window- and this was one of those moments. Those four minutes will stand as a momentous event in the history of figure skating. 

Moving forward....here are my thoughts on the rest of the competition (I know... had to sit through two more groups!)

THE GOOD

CAROLINA KOSTER (ITA) finally medalled at an Olympic Games! Third time really was the charm for this statuesque Italian. She broke her unlucky streak by skating two clean programs, and just exuded so much artistry and grace- she really should have won the Gold medal. In fact, I am baffled at how the judges stomached giving her an 8.71 in Transitions? Yes, she is technically inferior to the rest of the field but if there was one thing she could rely on, it was her second mark, which remained in the mid- to low-9s! What the hell? In any case, apart from Mao- Carolina was the only other skater who skated like a star tonight- full of personality, gumption and pure joy. If she was to retire today, her performance at Sochi was nothing short of a spectacular swan song. 

Sochi 2014: Ladies Team Event- Long Program (Live)

Well, that was interesting. How the judges stomached rewarding that bizarre program by Plushenko I will never know. This calls for a shot of something hard and bitter! We'll be seeing the Olympic debuts of Kaetlyn Osmond, Gracie Gold and Valentina Marchei- how will they fare? Two have proven to be prone to meltdowns, so we shall see. 

Here's the starting order for the ladies!

1.) CAN Kaetlyn Osmond- 3F-2T, 2A-3T, 3Lz (fall), 3S, 2F, 3T-2T-2T, 2A. Not her best program. It's a pretty generic 'Cleopatra' routine, and not inspiring at all. She should go back to Carmen. Total= 110.73 (TES 54.53 PCS 57.20)

2.) USA Gracie Gold- 3Lz-3T (hangs on), 2A-3T, 3L, 3F, 3Lz, 3S-2T-2T, 2A. Toddler and Tiara Gracie showed up and showed out on the ice. Seven triples, and clean. Still not the best music fit, but she made it work and it paid off. Total= 129.38 (TES 67.49 PCS 61.89)

3.) JPN Akiko Suzuki- 3F-2T-2L, 2A-2T, 3Lz, 3F, 3L (UR? hangs on), 3S-2T, 3S. FANTASTIC. A little tense today, but still sublime. Total= 112.33 (TES 49.32 PCS 63.01)

4.) ITA Valentina Marchei- 2A-2T, 3Lz, 3F, 2A, 3S, 3Lz-2T, 3S-2T-2T. Vale had a moment, not just on camera but also at her first Olympics! And all that whilst skating like a full-grown woman. Shame about that triple toe, but good job! Should be a good tune up for the ladies event. Total= 112.51 (TES 54.00 PCS 58.51) 

5.) RUS Julia Lipnitskaya- 3Lz-3T (e), 2A-3T-2T, 3F, 2A, 3L, 3S, 3Lz-2T (e). Another clean skate from Julia. A few bobbles here and there, but nothing major. Total= 141.51 (TES 71.69 PCS 69.82)

Source: ESPN

Thoughts?

Frank Caroll clearly has done it again, with Gracie skating superbly. Shame about Akiko's errors, but my God is Julia on a roll! However...the score (esp her PCS) a little too high? Also, if I don't see edge-calls in that protocol... Hmm.  

Somewhere out there, I hope that Kim is adding fuel to that engine, Mao landing those triple axels, and Carolina lighting a whole room full of candles to rival the Olympic flame. 

***

EDIT: 

Click HERE for the protocol! 

Just wanted to point out a few things:
-Julia got one 'e' call on her second lutz. Pretty sure there should be two, as the first lutz was also a flutz. Also, her 2a-2t-2t got +2s across the board, when Gracie Gold's only got +1 with a 2a with great height and distance. A tad generous there. 
-The judges gave Julia high 8s in components, including Interpretation, Choreography and Performance, while they gave Akiko and Valentina, who were superior in the said points, mid-7s. 

I have nothing more to say. The candles are lit. 

Sochi 2014: Men's Team Event- Long Program (Live Blogging)

Hello dear readers and figure skating fans! 

(Source: Cadillac News, Sochi)

I shall be blogging live this afternoon! Armed with a cozy fluffy robe, a cup of spiked coffee (I think it'll a necessity to have some booze especially with these *ahem* scores.) and my laptop- I shall be giving a play-by-play of the Men's Long Program. After a rather disappointing showing from Patrick Chan and a not-surprising meltdown from Jeremy Abbott, what will the Games have in store for us? Apart from Italy and Russia, all the remaining teams will be sending out different members for the free skate- which is obviously the wisest choice, so they don't burn out their star players for the individual event this week (except for Plushenko and Parkinson who are the lone men in their respective teams.)

The short program results:

1.) JPN Yuzuru Hanyu (97.98)

2.) RUS Evgeni Plushenko (91.39)

3.) CAN Patrick Chan (89.71)

4.) CHN Yan Han (85.52)

5.) FRA Florent Amodio (79.93)

...and in the starting order for the free program is... (the current team ranking goes RUS, CAN, USA, JPN, ITA respectively)

1.) ITA Paul Bonifacio Parkinson- 4S(fall), 3A-2T, 3A(Fall), 3Lz (unsteady)-2T, 2A-half loop-2S, 3F (solid), 3L, 2Lz. Not much choreography in this program. Total= 121.23 (TES 66.97 PCS 56.26)

2.) USA Jason Brown- 2A, 3A-3T (solid), 3A, shimmy step stequence (!), 3Lz-half loop-3S (two-foot,fall), 3F-2T, 2A, Tano 3Lz, 3L. Captivating. Total=  153.67 (TES 75.45 PCS 79.22)

3.) CAN Kevin Reynolds- 4S (easy), 4T-3T, 4T, 3A (turnout, hand- overcooked), 2A, 3F-2L, 3Lz, 3S-2T. Good choreography, loved the music, and detailed step sequence. Spins were a little on the slow side. Total= 167.92 (TES 89.00 PCS 78.92) 

4.) RUS Evgeni Plushenko- 4T, 3Lz, 3A (beauty), 3A-2T-2L (wonky landing), 3Lz-3T, 2S, 2L, 2A. Lost stamina halfway through, bizarre music cut, lots of cringe-worthy 'choreography'. This score should be interesting. Total= 168.20 (TES 81.48 PCS 86.72)

5.) JPN Tatsuki Machida- 4T (beauty!), 3T (two foot), 3A-2T, 3A, 3L, 3Lz, 3F-2T-1L, 3S. Not flawless, but my god was he one fierce bird! Beautiful arms, and great choreography. Total= 165.85 (TES 83.13 PCS 82.72)

Final standings: 
RUS
CAN
JPN
USA
ITA

Click HERE for the protocol.

Thoughts?

Sochi 2014: Ladies Figure Skating Team Event- Short Program (Thoughts?)

What's an Olympic event without a few raised brows and a stream of questions on one's Twitter feed? Today's event got tongues wagging as we watched some of the most-anticipated ladies in the field, compete for the first time in the Winter Games roster for their national teams the Figure Skating Team Event. Headliners included Julia Lipnitskaia (RUS), Mao Asada (JPN), Carolina Kostner (ITA) and Ashley Wagner (USA). 

There were a lot of questions afterwards, so instead of writing a preamble, let's just get to it!

RANKINGS after the short program:

(Source: Yahoo)

1. (RUS) Julia Lipnitskaya, 72.90 (TES 39.39 PCS 33.51)- Julia skated a clean program. It was surprisingly excellent- but for me, that was mainly due to the crowd. The Russian audience were outstanding in their support for the fifteen year-old as they cheered her on, complete with a standing ovation before she even finished her final spin. Taking the crowd with you and skating a clean program will get you far in the Games, and this performance took Julia to the top. However, was she overscored? In my opinion- yes. Even before looking at the protocol, it was obvious that there were a few kinks in her otherwise fine program. Julia had a very obvious flutz which was 'overlooked' today, and a terrible double axel that warranted a side-comment from Robin Cousins and +2s in GOE from three judges. Considering the entry and the height and distance that her 2A covers- it's generous to give it a +1. Her components score also kept rising, with 2 points higher than her European Championships score. It's not a surprise that such 'inflation' is seen at the Games but when you have the world watching not just the athletes but also Russia itself- one does wonder who's in charge. I also don't understand how the judges could give her a mid-8 score in Interpretation and Choreography when she's hardly an aesthetic performer. There's no fire, no artistry, no choreography. Unlike her free program, this SP is quite bland. Whatever. All I can say is, if the technical panel proves to be lenient on edge calls all the way to next week, Mao better get +GOEs and no calls on her lutz. After all, the Olympics are all about equality, right technical panel?

2. (ITA) Carolina Kostner, 70.84 (TES 35.92 PCS 34.92)- Surprise, surprise! Carolina skated CLEAN. Complete with a triple toe-triple toe, Caro was fabulous on the ice. She skated to her new short program looking inspired and took on her final Olympic bid head on. She's not as flexible as Julia nor as technically competitive, but her crisp landings and considerable ice coverage earned her enough positive GOEs. I'm fine with her being behind Julia in the TES, although really not by four points, but to have them almost neck in neck in components was a joke. Kostner's lines are much more superior, her musicality and interpretation sublime, and her transitions and skating skills greater than Yuna Kim. I just don't get the mark. I would have given somewhere within the region of 36 and Julia around 31. I'm beginning to sense a pattern here. 

3. (JPN) Mao Asada, 64.07 (TES 31.25 PCS 33.82)- Yes, Asada fell. Not only did she fall, her triple Axel was also downgraded and with the deduction- it was basically a null element. HOWEVER, the rest of Mao's program was absolutely fantastic. Her lines were great as always, her spins were also good- overall, it wasn't a bad performance. All season Asada has been undefeated, and that's with a season of no 'clean' programs (except for GPF, that axel was round.) and her components scores have been steadily around the 34 area. All of the sudden today- what's with the drop? Okay fine, the fall caused a dilemma- but it didn't really affect her overall performance. Her spins, which all season has been awarded a Lv.4 has now dropped. A judge even had the audacity to give her 7s in components (!)- and this is a skater who exudes Chopin's musicality to the tips of her fingers! Her program was well-structured, it has enough transitions and her interpretation and skating skills were otherwise on point. DO NOT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT STEP SEQUENCE. Mao is the QUEEN of the StSq- and hers today was not in way shape or form a Level 3. WHAT IS GOING ON?! She's in the right position but should be a point higher in her second mark IMO. 

4. (USA) Ashley Wagner, 63.10 (TES 32.16 PCS 30.94)- Another skater hammered down on PCS was Ashley Wagner. Unfortunately for Diva Wagner, despite landing the triple flip-triple toe which she missed during the warm-up, she landed her backend toe on two feet and her flip was called underrotated. Ouch. She was very cautious and nervous heading in, but in the end she pulled off a good program that would have done her great service at Nationals. However, we're in Russia. Of course it wasn't going to be good enough- and the judges were saving marks for a certain *ahem* favourite. Her skating style fitted the music perfectly, and despite not having the best lines or skating skills (or transitions- while we're at it), her PCS shouldn't have been that low. A 31-2 at the most maybe, and that's with Olympic inflation- but the disgust on her face when she was given her scores said it all. 

5. (CAN) Kaetlyn Osmond, 62.54 (TES 33.86 PCS 28.68)- I really am not a fan of Osmond's and I couldn't care less about her performance- however, she skated cleanly after coming back from the injuries that plagued her all season! Well done. She showed flashes of the Kaetlyn that caught everyone's attention last year, full of fire and personality on the ice. I thought it was funny that the judges gave her a mid-6 for linking footwork and transitions. HER WHOLE PROGRAM IS LIKE RAPUNZEL'S HAIR WHEN ITS BRAIDED! In fact, one would argue that there's too much. Whatever. I don't see her medalling, but I would have been generous and given her a somewhere between a 29-30 in components. 

At this point, I don't know if the judges are trying to prop up Julia as THE medal contender, or if they're sending Kim a message, or they're just being terribly inconsistent or if they're being pressured (yes, I went there.) The good thing is, this is only a team event. I see this more as a good tune-up for the athletes to test out the Sochi ice before their upcoming individual events. After all, one would hate to see one's favourite peak at the most unimportant event in the roster. On a positive note, putting the over/underscoring aside, it's surprisingly fun to watch the teams interact with each other. It's not quite as fabulous as the World Team Trophy, but at least it's giving enough good vibes for all the athletes, having their teammates' support at the Kiss and Cry. 

Click here to see the protocols.

Watch out for tomorrow's free skate event. It's set a 19:00hrs local Sochi time. For us in the UK, we can enjoy Robin Cousin's enlightened commentary on BBC Sports at 3pm. 

Sochi 2014: The Ladies Roster- Who Will Win Gold?

The Games at Sochi is just days away from commencement, and sure enough- the ladies' figure skating event remains the jewel in the crown of the Winter Olympics. The fact that it is slotted in the later half of the event raises more tension and excitement in the air. Who's going to take the gold? We have a very deep field of seasoned veterans and fresh young talent, waiting to take their place on the ice and leap their way to victory. Take a look at the ten ladies you should watch out for: (The ranking is how I predict the top ten will finish)

Yu Na Kim (Getty Images)

1.) Yu Na Kim (KOR)- The reigning World and Olympic Champion comes back to defend her title after a rather light, yet still impressive, couple of seasons. Kim managed to prove her critics wrong when she sashayed in at London, Ontario last year, beating the competition to a pulp despite being away from the circuit all season. In the run up to the Winter Games in Sochi this month, Kim showed little signs of wear and tear, failing to skate clean programs at the Golden Spin Trophy and South Korean National Championships. It's not costly as was shown by her victories, but every little counts when she has young and hungry skaters breathing down her neck. Due to her low ISU ranking, she is set to skate in the earlier groups. This can be a good thing in that there will be no pressure as she should stay ahead of the pack going into the final group. However, as history can often repeat itself- the judges may want to save marks for later and leave Kim a few points behind like they did at Worlds, despite a perfect skate. It will prove vital that she lands her triple lutz-triple toe combination in both her programs, and skate with the fire that has been lacking since her win at Vancouver, to win gold again and the chance to add her name to a rather short and exclusive list of repeat Olympic Champions. 

Mao Asada (Getty Images)

2.) Mao Asada (JPN)- She remains unbeaten in the circuit this season, as she was last season in the run up to the World Championships. However, come the showdown between Asada and Kim last March, she made a couple of costly errors that ultimately cost her the gold. Since her silver medal at Vancouver, she seeked out revered Japanese coach Nobuo Sato to help her restructure and relearn her jumps from scratch to regain full use of her arsenal. Asada remains to be the only woman who is capable of landing all six jumps, however, it all depends of whether she does land them. She has matured greatly in artistry in the last four years, and so in the run up to Sochi, Asada once again looks as a heavy favourite for gold. I put her behind Kim because unless she had changed her mind, she enters the free skate with a hope of landing two triple axels again, therefore removing her lutz (which apart from the change of edge, has been looking solid thus far) and her triple-triple combination. This poses as a problem because she had only managed to land her triple axel cleanly, once this season. Nevertheless, she goes into the Games with the strongest short program, a renewed reputation with the judges, and a gutsy fighting spirit that may serve her well and land her on top of the podium. 

(EDIT: Mao has just announced she's ditching the second 3A in the free program for a more balanced layout. Phew! Good girl! Read it here.)

Julia Lipnitskaya (Getty Images)

3.) Julia Lipnitskaya (RUS)- This young Russian prodigy has proven that she is a main threat. She doesn't yet have the artistry of Kim and Asada but she has the technical goods to blow the competition away. Despite her tendency to flutz and her relatively small jumps, she is capable of landing a solid triple lutz-triple toe. Puberty is also on her side, being small still and so flexible- so if she hasn't gone through the ugly shift just yet, then now will be the time to strike! Clean will have to be Julia's agenda heading into the Games, and the fact that she will be competing on home turf and skating to Schindler's List- the stars may very well align for this young talent and get her a medal at her first Olympics. Her recent victory at the European Championships will also help with the judges to cement her status as a serious contender. Yes, her scores have seen a rather dramatic rising from the Grand Prix Series to the Euros, but will we see the same 'inflation' at Sochi? The Russians are notorious when it comes to politicking, but at the end of the day, ice is slippery. She showed cracks when she competed at the Cup of Russia earlier this season, and she heads into the Games as Russia's number two. Anything can happen. 

Skate America 2013: Notable Butts and Guilty Pleasures

Okay, so I had my butt-cam goggles on this weekend. Continuing on from this post, I have decided to follow all the Grand Prix events and make note of the most outstanding derrieres amongst the men. At Skate America, three cutie pies caught my eye, and here they are! Why not? It's winter and we all need warming up ^^

So shall we begin? 

MAX AARON (USA)- His quad jumps may have failed him at this competition, but his form was on point. Rest a drink on THAT. 

Skate America: Top 3 Ladies Performances

MAO ASADA (JAP): SP- CHOPIN'S NOCTURNE; FP- RACHMANINOV'S PIANO CONCERTO NO.2

ASHLEY WAGNER (USA): SP- SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND by PINK FLOYD; FP- PROKOFIEV'S ROMEO & JULIET

ELENA RADIONOVA (RUS): SP- ANNA KARENINA, TWO STEPS FROM HELL; FP- FRIDA (SOUNDTRACK)

Enjoy!

Kim's Olympic Campaign Begins!

Hold the presses! Queen Yu Na has just announced her music!

The fact that Team Yu Na finally decided to release the reigning Olympic champion's music programs signals the countdown to the Olympic trail to Sochi. It's nearly September which means we only have another month an a half until the commencement of the Grand Prix Series, in which Kim is slated to compete twice (or rather, just give her the medals and book her in for the final already!) She will be competing in Paris at the Trophee Eric Bompard and at Skate Canada, both competitions being the usual slots Kim skates in.



Earlier today, the team finally announced the music choices for this season and not surprisingly, Kim and longtime choreographer David Wilson has opted for two figure skating warhorses. For her short programme, Kim will be skating to Stephen Sondheim's melancholic 'Send in the Clowns' and for her free programme, she will be looking to tango to Astor Piazzolla's signature 'Adios Nonino'.

Asada's Olympic Trail Begins: Music Choices Revealed!

Photo credit: Universal Sports

2013 World Bronze Medalist and my favourite skater Mao Asada has finally revealed her music choices for the upcoming Olympic season. The 2014 Winter Games which will be hosted by Sochi is less than a year away, and as the world head into the summer season, so has Asada with her busy schedule- juggling upcoming ice shows and mastering new programs for her 'seemingly' final competitive season.

The announcement of programs usually start around this time of the year but the big skaters tend to save it nearer the fall for a much more big reveal. Tumblr blogger tokitama posted today what Mao officially confirmed at a recent press conference, that she has in fact chosen musical pieces for the season. For her short program, Mao will be skating to Chopin's iconic Nocturne No.2 in E-Flat Major Op.9-2. Now many of you will be aware that this is a program that she has skated in the past therefore making it a repeat. It was Asada's short program in the 2006-2007 season, also choreographed by Lori Nichol, and so what will this mean?

Many skating fans are currently on the fence with this choice. How do you top what was an amazing original program? How will this play out in the new code of points? Many elements have changed since Asada's debut, and her original program mastered the music to the final note. Is it possible to out do what was already one of the best short programs in the last ten years?

TheSkatingLesson: Alissa Czisny's Resilience

It really was heartbreaking watching USA 2011 National Champion Alissa Czisny meltdown during the 2012 season after the comparatively fabulous season prior (her best to date). She's a beautiful skater, perhaps America's answer to Finland's Kira Korpii, and when in good shape, I think she's got the whole package. She's an amalgamation of the best things Wagner and Gold are made off and unfortunately, a serious hip and foot injury had cost her a whole season in the run up to the 2014 Winter Olympics. Now, after spending time rehabilitating and getting back in synch to prepare for the Olympic season, she opens up to TheSkatingLesson's Jenny Kirk (former World Junior and Four Continents Champion) on recovery, refocusing and the future. I can't help but admire her resilience when I watched this interview, as if I couldn't love her even more. With a new long program to Gone With The Wind, here's hoping she can be fierce on the ice when she comes back in full force. Be fierce baby, Scarlett O'Hara fierce!

Thoughts on Four Continents 2013: Ladies' Event

Hello darlings!

Apologies to those who read my blog, for the lack of recent posts. I have recently started at a new job and finishing up the other contract has really drained me. The free time I had in between was spent catching Zs and watching a backlog of American TV, in hopes of just switching my brain off and recharging. Also, I seem to be going through an uninspired lull- going through the motions with nothing greatly exciting to rouse my spirits. I have a BIG holiday coming up real soon and the momentum for that has been steadily rising, so I am foreseeing a slew of posts running up to my departure for The Philippines. Also, any excuse to write a post on skincare essentials for an Asian summer- SPF 15 won't cut it. And although I'm only going to be gone for two weeks, I need to readjust my routine to fit what I am assuming to be excruciating 40-degree weather. Anyhow, let's move on!

Mao Asada, skating to Tchaikovsky's seminal 'Swan Lake' (Getty Images)

What a weekend it has been in Osaka! The ladies' event at the Four Continents Championships was crammed to the top with fantastic skates, and equally sloppy showings that it really did highlight who wants to go for Sochi. Without the likes of Kim Yu Na, Ashley Wagner and the Europeans, the field was open for Mao Asada and Akiko Suzuki to dominate- and THAT THEY DID, resulting to a Japan 1-2-3 finish.

The undefeated Asada finally incorporated her signature triple axel in her programs and successfully landed a blinder in her FANTASTIC short program. Skating to Gershwin's 'I Got Rhythm', the two-time World champion swapped her 2A for her signature element and scored an astounding 74.49 points, just a few marks away from her all-time best. Team Sato had timed her season well enough to start her upgrade in the run-up to the World Championships in March. Mao is already showing early signs of Olympic fire and her win at the 4CC is a great booster for her- not only in ranking, but also mentally and emotionally. Her second attempt at the 3A was unsuccessful in her free programme, but despite three UR calls and only four clean triples, she still garnered 130.96 and a cumulative score of 205.45- just .05 shy of her Olympic score. I really do wish she would either work on her salchow or swap with with a solo 3T instead because she either strains to land it or she doubles. That said, she later commented that her free programme performance was actually on par with her practice run-through and so she was satisfied with the result. To be fair, barring the stellar performances from her teammates, she actually didn't need much to win the title, especially with her comfortable lead in the short. She seems to be coming back on a better form, and we can only hope that Team Asada goes from strength to strength from here on end.

***

Asada glides on to win third Grand Prix Title

Mao Asada (Getty Images)

Who's back in the game? MAO ASADA! The lady just put away her NHK disaster and displayed what can only be described as a champion's performance by skating into the lead in both the short and free programme. Skating to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Asada is the first lady this season to break into the 120s by earning a 129.86, and an overall 196.80 points- way clear of USA's Ashley Wagner (181.93) and compatriot Akiko Suzuki (180.77) who won silver and bronze respectively. This marks her return into the circuit and the final since 2009. While the ice at the Sochi arena seemed to have jinxed all the ladies, only a doubling of a planned triple salchow and a possible two-foot on a 2A-3T flawed Asada's otherwise pristine programme. Perhaps it's early days, but it is a good thing that Mao won her title here in Sochi, where the upcoming 2014 Winter Games will be held. Though she has yet to fully compete consistently, her victory in Sochi should help her get in full stride in her campaign to win an Olympic Gold. With the Japanese Nationals, Four Continents and the World Championships looming in the background, Asada's season looks brighter than it has been for a while. Well done girl! 

Winter Guilty Pleasure: I Like Big Butts and I Cannot Lie

If you've read my blog, you would know that I watch and post about Figure Skating to stan for Mao Asada. And how could I not? She's sublime. However, don't mistake that as the only reason why I watch the sport- that being the only sport I enjoy watching. I do have other favourites and I support great talent, but one of the main reasons I watch the Men's Division is definitely to do some unabashed, unadulterated butt-spotting.

I like big butts, and I cannot lie. You other fellas can't deny.

Make of it what you will, but you can't deny that apart from watching the guys land their quads with bated breath, the rest of the world looks at who has the best behind in the field. It is as impossible to ignore as Patrick Chan's (dubiously) inflated scores, so you sit there and appreciate all that hard work they've put in. Positively steely from the looks of it! From the juicy curves to sheer muscle mass, here's a roster of my favourites. Check out who tops my list! 

Maxim Trankov (RUS): All I can say is spasibo Maxim! Da. Da. 

Scott Moir (CAN): During the winter games season, Canada's pride isn't only maple syrup. 

Brian Joubert (FRA): A gay pin-up for sure, France's Joubert has always mesmerised with his beautiful quad jumps, boyish good looks, and THAT derrière. 

Robin Szolkowy (GER): Absolutely hypnotic. Aliona's clearly intimidated by it...

Javier Fernandez (SPA): Muy calienté! The first ever Spaniard to win a Grand Prix Medal does his country proud.

Patrick Chan (CAN): He has divided the skating world with his last two seasons. Say what you will about his scores, but it is undeniable that this guy can fill out a pair of pants.

                                                           

........and my absolute favourite and top ass is...!

The Return of Mao Asada: No Swan Song Here!

After a tumultuous couple of seasons, Olympic silver medallist and two-time World Champion Mao Asada opens her season by competing at today's Japan Open 2012. She teamed up with her long-time choreographer of choice (apart from Lori Nichol of course) and ex-coach Tatiana Tarasova and together they have produced what looks like a promising free programme. Actually, scratch that- it was fuckin' fantastic! Of course I am saying this in relation to the fact that Asada has not been able to skate a free programme cleanly like today since coming off of Vancouver. If you had been hiding under a rock for the last two years, let me remind you that the Japanese champion has made a painstaking yet necessary decision to correct and improve her jumping technique, hence the fruitful relationship between her and her current coach, the zen-like Nobuo Sato. Indeed, this necessary evil has finally shown its rewards, for despite a few minor flaws, Asada finished second in the ladies' competition with a score of 122.04, a mere 1.53 points behind reigning USA National Champ, Ashley Wagner. 

This season, Asada skates to Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' for her free programme and as you can see from video, the skater's classical dance training and balletic influences go perfectly together. Her costume is also very much attuned with the classic Odette motif. No high lace collars or rose-bras from Tat this season (thank the Lord!). Unlike Wagner's take on last season's 'Black Swan', Asada's choreography echoes the ballet moreso that the feel of the Clint Mansell film derivative. Tarasova's music cut made sure to include not only Odette, for which Mao is a dead ringer for- with her pure and ethereal quality, but also Odile with her spindly, seductive fouettés (check out that crazy good step sequence!). No signs of her signature triple Axel just yet, but just as well, it may be better off for the time being. She did double a planned 2A-3T, and got a couple of < and an edge call on the lutz, but getting 68 points of presentation shows that the judges were jumping in on the comeback trail. She skated cleanly, and with room for improvement, Mao's season looks like it may be the exact push she needs in her bid to win gold at Sochi. Team Japan won the tournament with 569.25 points collectively, ahead of North America and Europe, respectively. 

Enjoy the clip! I know I haven't been able to stop. She's just so mesmerizing! 

Asada Watch: Thoughts on the Rostelecom Cup 2011

Mao-chan won, and this means she's in the Grand Prix Final! This is her first time in two seasons, and the GPF sure has missed her long enough. What a comeback! In any case, I'm going to try and rationalise this all so my emotions won't cloud my opinions on the event this weekend. Yesterday at the short programme, Mao skated just before RUS Alena Leonova, and instead of attempting a triple axel she opted for a double and it was a good call. She skated cleanly landing an additional triple flip-double loop combination and a triple loop, with the only nitpicking flaw being her slow camel spin. She finished with 64.29 with just a slim lead ahead of Leonova. She was spirited and her programme was sensational. It was fun, light and at times alluring with that smile that she has kept on since leaving Tarasova. Being in the lead was the first step into her second chance at winning her first Grand Prix title in three years.

Today at the ladies' free event, everybody brought their A-game. I was already sort of not feeling RUS Adelina Sotnikova because she was also skating to Liebestraume but Mao's was superior. Tarasova's choreography for Adelina was disjointed and the musical arrangement was not good. Maybe Adelina is just too young to skate to a musical piece that is too emotionally mature? Even so, she has not performed as expected this reason, lagging behind her compatriot and rival Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, whose dynamic debut earned her two titles and is currently the favourite to win. She's young though, so she has such a great future ahead of her, and perhaps it was that pressure of being the face of Russian skating that got to her. In a recent interview, Tatiana said that when Mao first looked at skating to Liebestraume, she also offered to create the piece for her. Mao-chan said no, and looking at Adelina's programme, I'm very happy that she did. It's not Tarasova's thing and if Sotnikova's piece is any indication of what could have been Mao's, it would not be as good as it is now with Lori Nichol's touch. Just a thought. Plus, I was not a fan of her Tango SP last season. Scheherazade is beautiful, but in the future I think it would be great for Mao-chan to stop with Tarasova and go with Lori like she did back in the day. 

Style Notes: Mao Asada (Costume Hall of Fame and Lame)

Being the 'fashion' blog that this is, I'm surprised when I realised I've never written a post on Mao-chan's costumes, especially since it is currently the Grand Prix Season, the height of style in the skating world. As we all know, figure skating is all about the costumes as much as it is about the jumps and musical choices. Skaters normally sync their costumes to their musical piece, often trying to keep it attuned to the interpretation and theme of the programme. Looking at the current field of ladies in the senior event, it is quite a random mix; you have the 'expressive' Russians who often look a bit caricaturish (ahem! Alena..), the transitioning juniors who suffer through puberty (both physically and aesthetically), the Nancy Kerrigan-types who look naked without pearls or bridal lace, and then there's the risktakers who sometimes gets it fabulously right but when they get it wrong, it's still fierce but avante-garde would be too nice of a compliment. Mao fits in the last group, for sure, along the likes of Mirai Nagasu, Yu-Na Kim and Carolina Kostner. She's had her most beautiful highlights and unfortunate moments, so here's my top picks for YAY and NAY outfits throughout Mao Asada's Senior Career. Hope you enjoy them!

The Cream of the Crop

1. 2010-2011 Free Programme (Liebestraum); to date, this lilac dress is easily my most favourite costume she's ever worn. It's light, and pretty, very much like the type of skater that Mao is- or rather when Mao skates best. It's perfect for her lyrical programme, and after a tough season last year, such lightness is just what she needs to keep herself positive. Plus, she looks glowy and she always looks dreamy and happy when she skates to Liebestraum. 

Asada Watch: NHK Trophy 2011 (Finale; Mao-chan Wins The Silver!)

After a very unfortunate season last year that left a lot to be desired, Mao Asada skated for redemption yesterday at the NHK Trophy where she won the silver medal. While it's a far cry from the Mao we all got used to and loved, the progress that has taken place within her training was showcased well and it has reinvigorated a career that people have started questioning. Asada skated to 'Liebestraum', her free programme piece from last season but modified and varied with the choreography, and it was a strong skate albeit not without flaws. First she doubled her planned opening triple axel-her calling card- and two-footed a final triple loop jump towards the end of the programme. That being said, she still won the free skate, finishing with 184.19 points overall. NHK gold medallist and fellow compatriot, Akiko Suzuki botched two of her own jumps but still managed to edge out Asada for the title with a 1.79 point margin, thanks to her great lead from the short programme the day before. 

Asada Watch: NHK Trophy 2011 (Part Two; Short Programme)

What a turnout! Most of the ladies brought their game despite a few errors and two-footed jumps. My heart was palpitating whilst waiting for Mao's turn on the ice as she skated 7th in the line-up. Her short programme to Rimski-Korsakov's nominal classic Scheherazade debuted at the NHK, and it was sublime. Dressed in an intricately bejewelled costume, she danced to a much lighter and contemporary arrangement of the music based on the 'Arabian Nights'. While Mao popped her opening, signature Triple Axel, she rounded off her performance with a beautifully lyrical interpretation and beautiful spins, and overall all landing a 3Fl-2L and a 3L. The choreography was light and coquettish at the same time, and it was hard not to smile with Mao as she skated because it was just great quality skating. Her speed is very much improved and she was light and fluid. She looked quite happy with her performance and currently she sits at 3rd place behind Russia's Alena Leonova and current leader and fellow Japanese compatriot, Akiko Suzuki with 58.42 points. As I watched and listened to the British Eurosport commentary, I agreed with them in that the final four ladies skated well in terms of their quality. Finland's Kira Korpii's errors were unfortunate and so was Canada's Cynthia Phaneuf's dismal skate but hopefully both ladies will at least hold on to their jumps and just relax at tomorrow's free skate. 

While I am all over Mao as you know, I think it would be very unfair of me not to scream and shout for both Leonova and most of all Suzuki. Suzuki's performance was spectacular and she deserved all 66.55 points that she garnered for her flawless programme. She landed all of her jumps (opening with a 3TL-3TL combination) with panache and received high levels on all of her spins and step sequences, while skating to 'Hungarian Rhapsody'. It was so cute watching her and her coach jump for joy to the sound of the home turf's cheers.  And to think that she was thinking of retiring! Absolutely not! This may just be her year if she keeps on going as she does. Leonova's programme to the 'Pirates of The Caribbean' soundtrack was also great. Not as polished as Suzuki's but there was high energy, a beautiful albeit quite busy step sequence and again, her jumps were there. I'd say that everything is set up quite well for tomorrow's free skate. Hopefully, Mao will land her opening 3A and the rest of her jumps to at least cinch the silver from Leonova. The competition is quite intense! 

xoxo

(Long Overdue) Mao Post!: Asada Update

It's been AGES since I last posted about my darling Mao-chan, and as much as I would love to put the blame on tardiness thanks to the new term, it's all due to the fact that there really isn't much going on. At the moment, Miss Asada is still training and practicing her new programmes for the upcoming Grand Prix Series this Winter (for which there are still whispers of her sitting this one out! but that is so not a Mao thing to pull...). It was only the other day that I learned that her Short Programme will be to the music of Rimsky-Korsakov's nominal classic, Scheherazade. Choreographed by ex-coach Tatiana Tarasova, the videos that have surfaced show Asada practicing her new step sequence, a triple loop and a couple of spins. Her technique seems to be pretty much like it used to be; steady and strong, though I would have liked to have seen a jump combo or perhaps more speed. She has been working hard though. Remember that STUNNING showing at the 4CCs? The only way she could go is up. God knows her 2010-11 season was abysmal. In any case, I am sure that come the GPF, our favourite skater will be back in tip top shape, though not without her usual slow start (typical Mao :P). She has said before that she's keeping Liebestraume for her Free Skate Programme, which I am very happy with, especially since it's one of her best (music, lyricism, choreography, vibes, everything!) and a Mao-and-Lori-Nichol combo is a sure winner. For the Exhibitions, she has her Ex Libera (Ode to my Country) programme which is very lovely and soft, but it seems she has another one prepared to the music of Chopin's Waltz op.64 No. 2, as seen in a couple of her Ice Show videos from over the summer. For that one, I'm not to sure...but my issues are mainly towards the deconstruction of the music itself and not the choreography. Hopefully it'll be better in competition.

Asada Pays Tribute To Japan With New Programme

Finally! I have been waiting for weeks to see the whole programme! Mao-chan's new Gala Programme is to the tune 'Jupiter' by Libera and once again, choreographed by her longtime collaborator Lori Nichol. The programme goes back to Asada's lyrical roots while also paying tribute to Japan and the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami. While her jumps are looking solid and improved (that triple flip was fabulous!), it's her display of emotion through her body that deserves the applause. I guess because this is an emotional programme for her and the nation that she wants to convey as much passion and love and comfort as possible, and you know what? it was nothing short of spectacular. She may as well scratch that horrid transitional season behind her. Can't wait to see her new short programme!

xoxo

P.S. Rumours are swirling around that Mao also has another EX Programme chreographed by her ex-coach Tatiana Tarasova. No words on whether Mao plans on using one or the other, but I'd like for her to stick with this one. As much as I loved Tatiana's pieces for Mao, I think she needs to take a more softer and lyrical approach for now. She's at her best when she does this, although to be fair, her performance at the Olympics was a credit to Tatiana as well.