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HARTFORD -- Since July, 16-year-old Japanese figure skating sensation Mao Asada has been training in Lake Arrowhead, Calif., with a new coach -- and learning a new language.
"We've got tutoring now. She has started English, and one day I hope you can interview her," coach Rafael Arutunian said Wednesday after Asada's practice session for Skate America.
In the meantime, Asada's triple-jumping performances speak volumes.
She was three months too young for the Winter Olympics in Italy. By different rules, she was old enough for last season's senior Grand Prix series. She won that in December by defeating two-time world champion Irina Slutskaya of Russia in the finals.
Skate America is the Grand Prix opener this season. Friday's short program and Saturday's free skate provide Asada's next tests.
"Experience will come. That's all she needs to compete," said Arutunian, who also has coached Michelle Kwan. "Get experience for the next four years, and at that time maybe she will become one of the faces that will show up at the Olympics."
At this year's Olympics, Shizuka Arakawa won Japan's first gold in figure skating. She has retired. Now, the spotlight is on Asada and other top Japanese women, such as Miki Ando, 18, also skating in Hartford.
The third Japanese entry in Skate America is Asada's sister, Mai, 18, fifth last season in the junior Grand Prix.
The sisters moved from Japan to Lake Arrowhead, in the mountains east of Los Angeles. Arutunian said rinks in Japan are crowded. "In Japan now ... everybody is on the ice. That's why they decided to come to the United States," he said.
Among the U.S. entrants this weekend is Kimmie Meissner, 17, of Bel Air, Md. After placing sixth at the Olympics, she won the 2006 worlds in Calgary. Asada also was too young for the 2006 worlds.
"I really like competing against Mao," Meissner said. "She is a great competitor, and I have a good time watching her, and I think we both kind of push each other a little bit."
Peggy Fleming, the 1968 Olympic champion and ABC commentator, saw Asada skate this month in helping Japan's women win the team title at the Campbell's Cup in Cincinnati.
"She's got it all, but she just needs to be consistent and have depth to the program and feeling," Fleming said. "That's exactly what Kimmie Meissner has to do, too. They haven't really found their signature look quite yet. And that comes with time."
Arutunian said Asada's free skate will include one and maybe two triple axels, the difficult 31/2-rotation jumps: "We will try it for sure."
Meissner did a triple axel at the 2005 U.S. Nationals, the first U.S. woman to land the jump since Tonya Harding in 1991. Meissner has not done the triple axel in competition since but hopes to this weekend.
"Mainly it's for personal satisfaction of doing the jump because I believe in myself, and I know that I can do it," Meissner said.
Said Fleming: "The Japanese are the people to deal with, but Kimmie Meissner knows that. ... She has the same ability to do what the Japanese are doing."
Skate America starts tonight with ice dance compulsories, plus short programs in men's and pairs.
Evan Lysacek, two-time world bronze medalist, leads the U.S. men. In pairs, Rena Inoue and John Baldwin of the USA hope to land their throw triple axel. U.S. entrants in dance include Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov, ninth at this year's worlds.
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