Japan's former world champ, Mao Asada, has committed to the strategy of placing a triple axel in both her short program and free skate - it's her plan to defeat Yu-na Kim.
She tried one today in her Four Continents short program and it was downgraded. Unfortunately for Asada, that was the least of her troubles, as she popped her other triple, the flip. Asada also got a time violation for skating an extra second. She is just not skating well this year...I'm not even sure if a couple of clean triple axels can save her.
Meanwhile, according to the Times and Democrat, Akiko Suzuki singled her triple loop, although she still leads the competition after the short program. Thankfully, the article mentions Suzuki is reworking her short program. She really should choose a more difficult jump for her second triple.
We'll report back on the triple axel after the ladies free skate...