China - The new force in singles?

[Hedwig]

We had Chinese pair power for quite a while now but most of their single skaters (with notable exceptions) were not among the absolute favourites up to now.

I wonder if that is about to change with a mind-blowing force.

First in ladies there is Zijun Li, arguably the best thing to come out of China since Lu Chen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uTkzMdvNuU
Wonderful skater, beautiful positions and not as headcasey as she could be

Then the Men:
He Zhang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RojXBlzQKHI
at only 14 he is as expressive and dynamic as some of the best skaters only at the end of their respective careers

Han Yan
Only slightly older and IMO even more musical than He Zhang but in a more classical sense
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF-EY...el_video_title

and Jiaxing Liu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RceDahcw70
who is not as successful as the other two yet but also very talented and maybe a bit of a wild tomboy in his skating

I am really very impressed with the new Chinese generation!!
I only wish they would have come slightly sooner so that Chengjiang Li could have rested his poor hips a couple of years sooner.

[MikiAndoFan#1]

First in ladies there is Zijun Li, arguably the best thing to come out of China since Lu Chen

Absolutely! I adore her and am looking forward to seeing her improve.

Bingwa Geng is quite lovely, as well.

I only wish they would have come slightly sooner so that Chengjiang Li could have rested his poor hips a couple of years sooner.

[poths]

Holy shit, Cheers Hedwig. The Chinese girl is SUPER jumps. Shame about the edge on the lutz, but the rotation is epic. I think she reminds me of Lipinski, but with elevation

[poths]

http://www.youtube.com/user/ISUJGP20...41/7rKSGBUR0dU

^^The Free

[peibeck]

He Zhang is amazing, especially for his age, and I think he will be able to improve in both his technical and artistic ability over the next few season.

I'm not as sold on Li, great jumps, but I don't feel like she is connecting any emotion with the choreography or music yet, which would make a huge improvement in her skating. (Wasn't she one of the skaters who briefly worked in Artesia a few years ago with Chen Lu's former coach?)

And outside of singles, I have been impressed with the Chinese dance teams major improvements in the last few seasons.

I guess the question will be, can these young great talents stay healthy and focused enough to break through when they reach the senior ranks?

[Eislauffan]

There is also Boyang Jin (13). I was really impressed by him at the Asian Trophy. Musical, expressive and has big jumps including a triple Axel. Too bad that he wasn't selected for the JGP this season (although is is age-eligible according to himself).

[periperi]

I'm not completely sold on Li either, but it'll be exciting to see how she improves. The speed of her rotations are quite something.

I'm more impressed with the Chinese men. All three of them have great basics to build on, and Han Yan and Jiaxing Liu have fantastic elevation to their jumps. He Zhang probably has the most mature look on the ice out of the three, but I'm a little worried about that hammer toe he's got going into his flip and lutz. Overall, I think Yan and Liu are stronger technically.

[kwanatic]

I adore Zijun Li. I saw her for the first time on the JGP last year and she's definitely improved since then. She has more speed, bigger jumps and she's relating to the music more. Her SP from last week was wonderful!

I do think she makes a connection with the music; a lot more than some of the other girls who are winning on the JGP this season. There's a good balance to her skating that's refreshing to see in a junior: solid jumps, wonderful spins, great flow, good speed...I really like her! She rotates so fast! I also love the use of her arms throughout her programs. I'm excited to see how she develops in the next two years.

And yes, she trains with Mingzhu Li who left Artesia last year to work with the Chinese ladies' team.

Bingwa Geng is another lovely skater. I honestly did a double take last year at one competition; I didn't get a look at her face and for a second there I thought she was Caroline Zhang (2009 Caroline, not last year's Caroline). Her style even reminds me of Caroline--lovely and graceful--but with much better basics.

[sequinsgalore]

The interpretive programs of Zijun Li, Han Yan, He Zhang and Boyang Jin from "Chinese Nationals" two weeks ago. It is indeed weird that Jin didn't get a JGP when he has the 3A and 3-3 combo.

I would love it, if these talented youngster made a splash as seniors as well. China could place well at the Team Event at the Olympics.

[luenatic]

I have never seen any of them before this thread. After watching the Youtube clips from the original thread, I have high hope for Han Yan. He is the one to watch. His edge control is probably better than most of the senior men. If he keeps working on his edges, he'll give Jeremy and Patrick a run for the money.

I'm worried about He Zhang's landing technique. Jiaxing Liu needs to work on basic skills and edges.

[luenatic]

It is indeed weird that Jin didn't get a JGP when he has the 3A and 3-3 combo.

I just watched Jin's video for the first time here. (so many first time for me today!

He needs to fix the sit spin. A very good example is the last sit change sit. After he changed foot into the 'mushroom' position, he never got down enough into the 'basic sit position'. GOE wise, he'll get -. Level wise, it'll be level 1.

He also needs to work on basic skill. The MJ music was quite loud. If I can hear toe scratch from a home video with MJ blasting in the background, you know he has room to improve.

[miki88]

Zijun impressed me so much last season. This year, not so much. Maybe it's her programs I'm not liking but I don't find her skating as fluid as it was before.

[shine]

I'm indeed excited about the new generation of Chinese skaters! Surprisingly, unlike their predecessors, they all have great skating skills and expression! They all have some wonderful strengths and also some flaws that they each needs to fix. The junior men are the most exciting of the bunch IMO. Of course, Han Yan is at the fore front with his newly acquired 4T and 3A this season, and already wonderful skating skills. I just love watching him fly across the ice with such ferocity and HUGE!!! jumps. And I think as he matures and gets better choreography he'll be a great interpreter of classical music.

But I'm aboslutely in love with little He Zhang, who always showed incredible musicality and showmanship since he was a itty bitty 11 yr old and is now starting to blossom on the international scene. Of course, his jumps are still inconsistent and some technique questionable, and he needs to fix that. I love his LP this season - such maturity and subtlety and great use of edges in that program. I think he's going to be something once he fixes his jumps - fingers crossed for that!
12-yr-old He Zhang http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNSrtTRBRJI
LP to anime Naruto from a few years ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftiOTGhOVPM

[pinky166]

Zijun impressed me so much last season. This year, not so much. Maybe it's her programs I'm not liking but I don't find her skating as fluid as it was before.

Well she looks as if she's shot up recently, in the pictures from Austria, you can see she towers over Vanessa Lam, and in podium shots from Latvia, she wasn't that much smaller than Polina Shelepen, who appears to be quite tall. So I think this probably explains most of why she seems a little less fluid this season, because I have noticed that too, and I think it's mostly that her body and skating are both a bit coltish and all limbs right now. That will likely change in a year or two and we will see her once again be very fluid and lyrical.

That being said, I really like her and think she is a great talent! A nice blend of technique and artistry, she reminds me a lot of Mao Asada in her junior days (although obviously not quite as impressive technically as Mao at the same age). I really hope she makes the JGPF!

[IceAlisa]

Zijun Li is a bit juniorish but a good jumper. I remember Bingwa Geng from last season--she really is quite lovely even though she needs to point her toes.

Have yet to look at the men's videos.

ETA: Love the men! All three have great potential although Liu needs to work on his spins. Yan is great, interruption non-withstanding, so expressive. All three are expressive!

[olifaunt]

I looooove Han Yan. I'm rooting for him to win his next JGP.

[miki88]

Well she looks as if she's shot up recently, in the pictures from Austria, you can see she towers over Vanessa Lam, and in podium shots from Latvia, she wasn't that much smaller than Polina Shelepen, who appears to be quite tall. So I think this probably explains most of why she seems a little less fluid this season, because I have noticed that too, and I think it's mostly that her body and skating are both a bit coltish and all limbs right now. That will likely change in a year or two and we will see her once again be very fluid and lyrical.

Yea, I think maybe it's the growth spurt. Also, I'm not too fond of her programs this year. Hopefully she'll be like her predecessor Chen Lu, who just got better with age.

[IceAlisa]

How very exciting! I expect to see them in Sochi and do well too!

[Jeschke]

First in ladies there is Zijun Li, arguably the best thing to come out of China since Lu Chen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uTkzMdvNuU
Wonderful skater, beautiful positions and not as headcasey as she could be

i agree in everything what is said about zijun li; i saw her first at last years´junior grand prix and was excited.

but we have to be honest, there were any ladies between lu chen and zijun li, at least one.
yan liu enlightend the ladies field in torino and had a great future to come; unfortunately she was not able to do any step further and had those ups and downs, but i always crossed my fingers for her, beautiful skater.

[MikiAndoFan#1]

Han Yan just scored 147.30 points in the free skate at the JGP Italy!