Grand Prix Final, 8 - 11 Dec 2011, Quebec City, Canada

hsuhs wrote:

ostile17 wrote:

Sorry, I couldn't find a thread for Japan Nationals 2011...
Are we poor foreigners going to be able to watch it somewhere online?
It's less than 10 days away, and I'm growing restless to see our boy again!

Maybe come weekend someone will start such a thread?
I could do it too, I guess, just think knowledgeable forum members will do it much better.

ostile17, fans outside Japan can watch KeyHole (because I think Japanese TV will air Nationals), but that feed is usually of a very poor quality. On the other hand, youtube videos will be posted shortly after, and they are very nice, but we need to be fast, because they will be removed from yt quickly (due to copyright violation).

Thank you, hsuhs!

Here's that Macho Men part of the GPF Ex group number (from a different camera angle):

https://youtu.be/Ch59ZPcCwfA?t=6m15s

Hello hsuhs

Thank you ever so much for the link to this video!

I hadn't got around to watch it yet so it was really a treat today :-))) How very funny! Finally I understand why you talked about "macho men" :-)))

A very cute shot for me was seeing Dai-chan sitting on the edge of the board, enjoying himself :-)) Just lovely!

Cheers
Gudrun.

A statement by Mao was issued by her Agency.

Quote :

Dear persons who have rooted and supported me
Dear members of skating community
Dear members of the press

I would like to apologize for causing so much worries, and also for pulling out of a competition immediately prior to actual start of skating.
At first, when I received the news at Quebec, part of me wanted to return immediately, and another part of me was wondering "Is it alright to withdraw at such inopportune timing?" I was torn, but I soon realized that I made the right decision.
All during the flight back, many things passed through my mind. Mostly, I was praying, believing that my mother would be waiting for me.
However, when I arrived at Narita Airport in Tokyo, I received a mail from my father which said "Your mother could not pull through." I could not stop crying. Even then I held on to a slim hope and rushed back to the hospital in Nagoya. I called to my mother many times, "It's Mao, I'm back." However, my mother who was sleeping peacefully never opened her eyes.
I am proud of my mother who fought the disease for so long and so hard. There is also a part of me who is relieved that she is now beyond her suffering.
For past six month, her condition was such that every time I left Nagoya, I had to contend with the fact that this may be the last time to see her. I may be still in disbelief, but for some reason, now I sense that she is looking after me and close to me than ever before.
There is simply not enough words of gratitude that Mai and I could express to thank our mother for all her love which has been showered on us.
To honor her, I would like to keep a promise I made to her and to my family. I promised to strive the best I can to achieve my dream. I think this would satisfy her wishes. Therefore, I will continue to train intensely, just like before.

It would be highly appreciated if you would continue to cheer and support my endeavor.

Mao Asada

Comments from Daisuke Takahashi
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20...6-spnannex-spo

Quote :

"I really want her to come back and compete. Her mother loved skating and I'm sure she's hoping that, too. I want to see Asada senshu's skate. "

He also added:
"I'm not sure what I should do when I see her next time. Maybe we(I think he means fellow skaters) should gather around and help forget the sadness."

Mao's father commented:

Quote :

Mai and Mao look at their mother's face showing RIP, and they understand her long battle against the illness ended. They stay strong for now.

Thank you for links.
Gudrun I was afraid, that bordof rink can fall of skaters` weight.

This is lovely interview from Dai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ghSJ3LNwiM

hsuhs wrote:

Here's ISU document that lists those rules:

http://www.isu.org/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,4844-197593-214816-125742-0-file,00.pdf

Quote :

«In SP Solo jumps must be different from the jumps included in the combination».

Silly question from me.
For example, Dai is attempted do 4t in SP & say it was downgraded & earned points like 3T.
Usually he jumps 3F-3T but may be he `s trying to learn 3Lutz+3Loop (Last year NHK he tried to)
Should he do 3Lutz+3Loop, instead of 3Lz+3T (you know 3 loop is not easy for him as second jump) because he cannot repeat 3T?

3T
3Lz-3L
3A

In FS I see all skaters repeat 2T multiple times as second or third jump in combination, so no problem here.
But Salchow or Loop scores a litlle higher as second jump in comb.

Ostile17, thank you very much!
It must be very hard on the family to go on on the one hand. However, on the other hand there might also be relieve (as Mao said) that it's over for her mother and finally also for them to fear everytime they go somewhere that when they come back the mother might have died - quite tedious, I think.

Lovely to read Dai-chan's honest words, since it is surely difficult to see Mao for the first time after all what happened. I'd say: Let your intuition/your heart speak! :-)

Lil, I had to laugh when I read your comment about your worry that the board could collapse :-))) (not in a bad way!) You are sweet :-)) Dai-chan is surely not heavy and those boards should hold something like his weight. Remember, when P. Chan jumped into the boards? Nothing happened. They are quite strong it seems ... :-) And Dai-chan didn't even think about that, he seemed to be only enjoying himself :-)))

And Lil, thank you for the link to the interview!!! Sweet indeed, the way he looks, reacts, waits ... :-)))

Cheers
Gudrun.

PS I had sent if off to the "wrong" thread before - sorry!! :-)

Lil wrote:

For example, Dai is attempted do 4t in SP & say it was downgraded & earned points like 3T.
Usually he jumps 3F-3T but may be he `s trying to learn 3Lutz+3Loop (Last year NHK he tried to)
Should he do 3Lutz+3Loop, instead of 3Lz+3T (you know 3 loop is not easy for him as second jump) because he cannot repeat 3T?

Lil, in real time Daisuke can only guess but can't possibly know whether his quad is called fully rotated / under rotated / downgraded.

Even in a worst case scenario, when a quad is called downgraded (misses more than a 1/2 rotation), it is marked as 4<<, not a triple (toeloop) in the protocols. So no repeat there.

Lil wrote:

In FS I see all skaters repeat 2T multiple times as second or third jump in combination, so no problem here.
But Salchow or Loop scores a litlle higher as second jump in comb.

As opposed to quads, triple jumps and double axels, all other double jumps can be repeated more than twice.

The reason toeloops and loops are used as second (and third) jumps in combinations, is that a combination requires the second jump to immediately follow the first one without any additional moves or change of edge.

As a second (third) jump in combination, a salchow take off would require a change of edge (after the landing on the first jump), which would turn a resulting combo into a jump sequence (the latter is worth less points).

Here's more info on jumps in fs:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figure_skating_jumps

did you see this?

https://youtu.be/lWTyPDt1b_g

Hello edvigelacivetta, what a funny idea, hm? Thank you for the link!!

hsuhs, thank you for explanations.

Gudrun
I meant - when all skaters seat on board.

Hello Lil

Oh I see, you didn't only think about Dai-chan but many more skaters :-))) Wishful thinking? Like seeing many nice skaters the way Dai-chan positioned himself? :-))) Would be a nice picture, right? :-))

Cheers
Gudrun.

A home video showing Daisuke in K&C during PChan's SP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWv9IhtsHik

His reaction at 0:45 - priceless!

he's really cute

Hi there

hsuhs, thank you for the link!! :-))

It's quite shocking to see the reactions! They really must have missed a heart beat ... but it's also very nice to see Dai-chan observing P. Chan and seeing him give P. Chan credit for what he's doing. That's a really good sportsman in my eyes ...

Cheers
Gudrun.

Gudrun wrote:

That's a really good sportsman in my eyes ...

In mine too.

You know I started to feel more sympathy to Patrick after seeing his attitude to Dai.
They respect each other, indeed it`s a sign of good sportsmanship.
It was aired before GPF.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YggGXOwRubc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5so8l1vX2Z0&feature=related

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzMxOTU5NTk2.html
Isn`t it so lovely?

[quote="Lil"]
They respect each other, indeed it`s a sign of good sportsmanship.

Yes!
And I think if Patrick wasnot conquered men's field last year, Daisuke might be rest throughout this season.
Daisuke knew if he wasnot regrouped his skating skills as fast as possible, he would be never catch Patrick.

Their ravalry must be improved not only Dai & Patrick but also whole men's field.

Hello Lil

Thank you so much for the links! I saw the links at work while sneaking into the portal and couldn't wait to go home :-) Very lovely indeed! Just Dai-chan's voice - even without knowing what he's saying - wow :-))))

Whereas I always have the feeling that P. Chan doesn't convey any feelings. If he smiles, the smile is usually as fast gone as it came ... his voice is not really showing his feelings, either. It's a pity really and I hope he'll be able to show his feelings one day, in skating as well as off the ice ...

I don't really like the word rival, I know they are competing against each other but rival sounds so hard somehow. I'd prefer the word opponent if I had to choose a word ... I'd rather describe the situation, I think ... I hope you see my point :-)))

Cheers
Gudrun.