It'd make for a fierce competition if Mao went to Campbells

[Nathan]

It'd be real interesting to drop Mao Asada in the middle of all those great senior competitors at this years campbells to see how she'd fair. I love her so much and I'm so excited to see how she do against the older seniors.

My guess is it's the seniors who need to be looking out for Mao, and not the other way around.

all she needs is time and opportunity...

[TripleAxel]

Isn't she signed up for going to one of the grand prix (or two or some number of them)? And isn't she up against Michelle and Sasha?

I really want to see how that turns out. If Michelle skates clean and Sasha falls once or so, Michelle's ahead. If Mao skates clean I don't know HOW to place her! She isn't as fast in her overall speed, but she skates really precociously and her expression isn't half bad. I would actually hope Michelle tops Mao and Mao tops Sasha in that event, just because Sasha is waaay to overrated... Other opinions would be interesting!

[lillyfly]

I think Sasha is a lovely skater and if she ever skated cleanly she would contend. I do think that she was given a gift at worlds this year. I think Mao is also lovely skater and has a lot of potential. But in my opinion she is still juniorish. We will have to she how she has matured this year. I look forward to seeing her this year and all the up and comers.

[EigthAv]

Asada's CoPs marks were consistently high all of last season. She blew out Meissner and Hughes at World Juniors. Ummmmmmmmm........CoPs or no CoPs,it is a made for American tee vee event,so Asada would have to make it obvious for a win.I'd say a 3rd place finish if she were going.Even Cohen had to take her newbie lumps in her first ABC fluff event.

[shellyfan]

Mao has already beat most of the senior ladies in Japan's Senior Natl's including Suguri & Onda (she was second behind Miki -- Arakawa, 1st after SP, withdrew from FS due to injury). She also demolished three of the top seven senior finishers from the 2005 US Nationals.
She'll skate against Michelle, Irina and Shizuka at the China Cup and will compete against her idol Sasha in France.
I have too little faith in judging to believe she'll be judged fairly since she's ineligible for Olympics and for her to beat or to be competitive with top Olympic competitors would draw attention to another of figure skating's self destructive practices.
After all the noise last spring from Meissner's coach about the Moscow World's age restrictions, I haven't heard anything from that camp about the Olympics age rules --- perhaps with the shoe on the other foot they feel it fine that Mao watch the Olympics and the 2006 World's on TV.

[attyfan]

As I understand it, Mao competes at 2 GP events -- TEB (against Sasha and Shizuka) and in CoC (against the World gold triumverate --Irina, Michelle, and Shizuka)

[EigthAv]

I hope the judges will just judge what really happens in the events and not judge according to tv ratings or who's who ratings. Enough damage has already been done and we don't need more suspicious judging.If Mao can rise to the task and beat some of the ISU senior topcats,she deserves the credit.

[Skatekwan6]

I hope the judges will just judge what really happens in the events and not judge according to tv ratings or who's who ratings. Enough damage has already been done and we don't need more suspicious judging.If Mao can rise to the task and beat some of the ISU senior topcats,she deserves the credit.

That goes both ways. If an American deserves to win, an American should win. Mao should watch out for Michelle just like Michelle should "watch out" for Mao. Talk is cheap.

[gratefulmkfan]

Even Cohen had to take her newbie lumps in her first ABC fluff event. I remember that, Mike, and Dick Button told us the judges were telling Sasha that she was only 14 or 15 (don't remember).

I've only seen Mao skate one time, Junior Worlds last year, and she amazed me with her combination of athleticism and artistry, at such a young age. She didn't look like it was even hard work. She wasn't a Michelle Kwan yet (artistically) but she might be by now, and that's a reality we may all have to live with, so better to like it than not :) . I think she's wonderful, and I hope she does well in her first Grand Prix Season.

Surprised you, didn't I Nate? :b

[shellyfan]

That goes both ways. If an American deserves to win, an American should win. Mao should watch out for Michelle just like Michelle should "watch out" for Mao. Talk is cheap.
You're very right, it is Mao that must prove she can be competitive on the big international stage with the likes of Irena and Michelle. As Michelle well knows, it is a very different thing competing in foreign venues in front of international fans and at ISU controlled events. Mao has done great in Japanese competitions and in international junior competitions in front of a hand full of spectators. How she skates in the senior grand prix will certainly give us all clues as to where she is this fall. If she is spectacular, I doubt seriously she'll be marked fairly because the ISU wants to insure the world believes the best skaters will be in Torino. If she chokes, we'll never know.

ISU international events have been much more difficult for Michelle in recent years than USFSA run events. She just seems to skate better in the USA in front of home crowds . . . It would certainly help Michelle's confidence if she could win gold at a talent laden international event like Cup of China on foreign soil. To challenge for gold in Italy, she'll have to do just that.

[Fozzie Bear]

Mao has already beat most of the senior ladies in Japan's Senior Natl's including Suguri & Onda
(In Fumie's defense, that was probably the worst lp performance she's ever skated. She fell on two jumps, two-footed another, fell-out of a spin, and skated slowly.)

Anyway, Mao reminds me of a young Michelle in that she doesn't seem to be afraid of anything when she skates. I don't think the judges will undermark her because they want "to insure the world believes the best skaters will be in Torino," but because it'll be her first year in the senior circuit and she'll get the rookie treatment. It really depends on how well she'll handle the pressure though.

[Chrystia Mee]

MAo reminds me of Kimmie a little bit. She's good enough that she's ready to compete among the senior ladies, but she doesnn't quite have everything just yet. But they do stand out from the junior ladies. But I think it will be interesting to see how Mao will compare this season. I could see her outskating any senior lady having a bad night. And Mao appears to be quite a consistent skater so far, but then again pressure has strange effects.

[shellyfan]

Mao has already beat most of the senior ladies in Japan's Senior Natl's including Suguri & Onda
While true, I have to admit that is a bit misleading . . . . While coming in second last December, she essentially tied Fumie (less than 3 tenths of a point separated them) and Shizuka dropped out after the SP due to foot injuries, Yukina Ota didn't even skate and I've been told Yoshie Onda was ill during the free skate. With all that said and in the interest of full disclosure, she was silver medalist and she was less than 6 points total behind gold medalist Miki Ando.

I was just looking at the standings from the Japanese Natl's. Interesting that Fumie's sister, Chika Suguri finished 9th see her at 2005_JPNatl's (http://www.ne.jp/asahi/skate/soul/05JN/05Nationals6.htm)

[taf]

I have only seen Mao skate a time or two & she impressed me the way Naomi Nari Nam did at 99 Nats-still has a ways to go but head & shoulders over most Jrs. Kimmie is not in her league IMO. Mao is something special, and even if she beats Michelle at some point, I will still think so. However, if Mao were at Campbells & both she & Michelle skated well, I can't see Mao winning right now. Her stroking is not nearly as powerful or smooth, and her overall skating does not show the same power or expression.

I remember Sasha's first fluff comp & her placement did not reflect "paying her dues" IMO. She was noticebly slower than all the other skaters, and in those days, her edges were extremely poor & wobbly. She showed a lot of promise, but she was not robbed there.

[Nathan]

Grateful you actually did surprie me a little.

I expect everyone to disagree with me so often that whenever someone doesn't I don't know what to do.

It's like a fighter caught in the middle of a bought when he realizes his opponent is sitting down inviting him for tea.

[Nathan]

What's Mao missing other than speed and power, which you can only have so much of when you're less than 5 feet tall, and you probably weigh 80lb's?

She's got 1st class jumps, and combinations, and a consistent triple-axel. She's never performed a program that didn't include at least 1 or 2 3/3 combo's.

Her spins are very nice with beautiful possitions, and variations, and respectable speed.

Her FW and SPIRALS are very nice. Her FW is right up there with the other ladies, and her spirals will be come more stretched as she grows up more, but are already pretty good.

I think they're all just lucky Mao is a little to young for the Olympics.

[gratefulmkfan]

Nate, fighting isn't good for the health. Have some tea. No, really, enjoy. :)

What is Mao missing? She makes everything look easy, so nothing very obvious. Perhaps she could use a bit more presence (not to be confused with presentation). She's slight in build and looks mighty tiny and a little slow on the ice. As she makes her way through puberty, adding the pounds needed to push the blade through the ice, the presence and speed should take care of themselves. Then again, she might grow too much, and that could work against her. (That may be why Japan wants her in Senior comps. right now, instead of next year. I'm sure they have done those height calculations, and know exactly how tall she will be when she stops growing.)

None of this means she won't win everything she enters this year, or that she will win anything at all. It's a new year, a NJS, and all the Olympic eligible skaters will be pushing themselves really hard. Let's wait and see what happens. It's going to be a very exciting skating season. That's for certain. I'm anxious for it to begin, even while knowing they all still need time to prepare. (My first priority in figure skating is, as always, Michelle Kwan, but Mao is a nice additional interest.)

[taf]

For a 14 yr old she has nothing missing. As a senior skater, other than the speed & power I already mentioned, she doesn't have the maturity in her presentation in comparison to the older skaters but that will come. I am very impressed with her. Unfortunately, I really don't think she will last another Olympic cycle with all those triples but she may surprise me. I really hope she will make it to Vancouver.