Lindsey Vonn in Control

Lindsey Vonn of the United States won another gold and her second downhill in two days despite poor visibility in Haurs im Ennstal, Austria for her 4th consecutive World Cup downhill and 26th career WC overall to pad her lead in the overall standing over Germany’s Maria Riesch.

“I am very surprised to win the downhill today,” said Vonn, who started 21st. “I knew I had to make a perfect run. First, I thought I had to be aggressive, but then I realized that the weather was getting worse.”

Vonn, the first American woman to win the Super G, who is considered to be one of the best Alpine skiers in the history of the sport, is peaking at the right time in her quest for gold in the upcoming Vancouver Olympics in February.

She failed to land a medal at the 2006 Games in Torino due to an accident she suffered during practice that resulted in an overnight stay at the hospital. Nevertheless, even with a bruised hip, she elected to compete the following day (a move that also earned her the US Olympic Spirit Award) wherein she managed a respectable eight place finish among 45 entries.

The Queen is Back!

2008 World Champion Mao Asada was triumphant in her return to ice competition as she won her 4th consecutive Japan Figure Skating Championship in Osaka to book a berth in the coming Vancouver Olympics in February 2010.

Asada who was in danger of missing the Olympics because of poor performances in the Grand Prix competitions that she was in earlier in the season opened her program with her patented triple axel and committed no major mistakes and was solid the rest of the way in the Free Skate to finish with a personal best of 204.62 points.

Her gold medal winning performance served notice that she is back in the thick of things and is determined to give her Korean archrival Kim Yu-Na a run for her money in Vancouver.

The Ice Queen melts in Moscow

Mao Asada’s continued decline in stature as a force to reckon with in figure skating hit rock bottom at the recently concluded Rostelecom Cup (Cup of Russia Grand Prix) wherein she placed a forgettable fifth in a field lacking in star power and participated in by up- and- coming figure skaters. The only other notable participant was her compatriot and 2007 World Champion Miki Ando who won the gold.

Once again, she failed to live up to expectations as she once again faltered both in her Short Program and Free Skate in a field devoid of elite competition to finish and record the worst result of her career.

What I saw in the rink was not the same Mao Asada that once dazzled the figure skating world and captured the hearts of fans worldwide but a mere shadow of her old self.

Gone are the smile and the cool demeanor on ice. Gone are the smooth and graceful moves. Gone are the care- free attitude and the spirit that endeared her to us. She simply looks tired, exhausted and lost out there.

There’s no question about her skills and talent but she needs to re-examine the events of the past year as it is obvious she is not her old self. She needs to regain her confidence and lift her morale to get back on track. She needs a new perspective and outlook regarding the direction of her career if she wants to be in contention for the Vancouver Winter Olympics next year.

Her teaming up with Tatiana Tarasova was a big mistake. They were never in sync at the beginning and there is no proof that their tandem will improve in the near future. Their partnership has produced nothing but frustrations and heartaches for the both of them.

Mao Asada really needs change; a coaching change, if you ask me. If Mao Asada wants to regain the Ice Queen title from Yu- Na Kim, then the time to start is NOW.

Now is the time to start with a clean slate. Now is the time to move on. Now is the time to let Ms. Tarasova go.

Little Miss Sunshine

Although I prefer the grace of Beijing Olympics all- around champion Nastia Liukin’s than runner- up Shawn Johnson’s powerful routines in gymnastics, I love the perkiness and happy disposition of the latter in and out of the floor.



And was I glad that she finally won a gold medal on the balance beam on the last day of competition after coming very close in three previous tries in other elements. She had shown great composure against the odds and gave due respect to her co- competitors and maintained a winsome smile all throughout even if the results did not go her way though no fault of her won.



In the end, nobody deserves the gold medal more than this cute little gymnast from West Des Moines, Iowa.

Mao Asada @ the 2008 4 Continents Championships

Japanese Figure Skating sensation, Mao Asada recently ruled the 2008 Four Continents Championships held on February 11-17 in Goyang, South Korea. She captured the gold on her first try against the best figure skaters in the world (sans the Europeans, of course) which is an omen of things to come for the pretty 17- year old ice marvel.

Her effortless and silky moves on the ice are a joy to watch. Her beautiful face belies the tenacity and determination not seen in many people her age. Her achievements at such a young age mirrors her awesome talent that will make her a force to reckon with in the ice skating rink for years to come. Her skills and techniques are impeccable and her beauty and grace immense.

She is to my mind not only the best but also the loveliest figure skater around. She is the complete package and the personification of what a figure skater should be--

A Ballerina.


Once again, I will be rooting for her as she vies for the Ladies’ Singles gold and face her equally talented nemesis Yu- Na Kim of Korea this coming March 17- 23 in Gothenburg, Sweden.