China - The new force in singles?

[Marco]

So we'll see Han Yan at Nice worlds next year? or he'll just wait one more year?

I think they will send Nan Song to Worlds instead and try to fight for a 2nd spot. Han Yan wil likely return to Jr Worlds.

[Eislauffan]

Sorry, I don't believe this story of punishing Wenjing Sui by not letting her on the ice for two months during the summer. No coach would be so unprofessional and Federation officials wouldn't allow this to happen either. Maybe Wenjing Sui was not allowed on the ice for two days if there is something to this story.
They started doing the quad twist again and this time it was working for them, they must have trained it over the summer.

[xy3026rosa]

Sorry, I don't believe this story of punishing Wenjing Sui by not letting her on the ice for two months during the summer. No coach would be so unprofessional and Federation officials wouldn't allow this to happen either. Maybe Wenjing Sui was not allowed on the ice for two days if there is something to this story.
They started doing the quad twist again and this time it was working for them, they must have trained it over the summer.

This is true,some Chinese ice fan said LuanBo in order to punish Sui so she didn't let her on the ice ,go home and write checks add up for 5 months.

[Eislauffan]

This is true,some Chinese ice fan said LuanBo in order to punish Sui so she didn't let her on the ice ,go home and write checks add up for 5 months.

You report what "some Chinese fan" said, but this is not a reliable source to me. Is there any proof for these claims other than hearsay?

[Hedwig]

You report what "some Chinese fan" said, but this is not a reliable source to me. Is there any proof for these claims other than hearsay?

It would be really interesting to get reliable information about this.
Now that China is so much on the rise, do you think that there will be any travel journeys done across the trainings centers like you do for the US and Russia?

[johndockley92]

Sorry, I don't believe this story of punishing Wenjing Sui by not letting her on the ice for two months during the summer. No coach would be so unprofessional and Federation officials wouldn't allow this to happen either. Maybe Wenjing Sui was not allowed on the ice for two days if there is something to this story.
They started doing the quad twist again and this time it was working for them, they must have trained it over the summer.

Twist is one of the easiest elements to train off the ice

[Ziggy]

And among chinese choreographers, Zhang Wei is really outstanding, but others seem not wiser than their predecessors.

Elvin Wong's work for He Zhang is very good. Hopefully he'll get more work now.

So we'll see Han Yan at Nice worlds next year? or he'll just wait one more year?

He can compete at 2012 Worlds. But there is only one spot and I am pretty sure that Nan Song will get it, while Han Yan gets one of the Junior Worlds spots, as Marco said.

Sorry, I don't believe this story of punishing Wenjing Sui by not letting her on the ice for two months during the summer. No coach would be so unprofessional and Federation officials wouldn't allow this to happen either. Maybe Wenjing Sui was not allowed on the ice for two days if there is something to this story.

I know of a Polish coach that often punishes their skaters by keeping them off the ice but even they wouldn't be that stupid to keep their best skaters off ice for two months. It does sound rather unbelievable.

[Seerek]

It is interesting 30 years later having Bin Yao and Luan Bo having "rival" training centres.

[sharonz]

It's really nice to see someone bring this topic up again Thanks to Song's brilliant performance.

However, I'm still more impressive with the juniors. Most excited news to me is that Jin Boyang attemped 4T at gala. Even he failed, it is still unbelievable for a young boy at his age to give a try. He actually landed one at the practice. It's a pity that he was not sent to JGP this season, but I kind of understand it. China have 1 spot per competation, totally 7 spots. And they skip 3 competations due to NC. They also failed to get the visa for Estonia. That left no spot for Jin, since Yan and Zhang get 2 spots and Liu for 1. Jin is unbelievably talented for jumps but still a lot to work on SS. Next season's JGP will be very exciting

As for Sui's punishment, it was posted by a fan who knows them in person. She also posted some inside information before. Whatever the cause, Sui has been off-ice for about 2 months. SH re-started the training right before ArOI this summer.

There are always some interesting news/information of skaters on Chinese board. Yan seems to be quite different off-ice, having a strong personality. There is no athletes in his family. His parents didn't want to him do FS, the only supported member was his grandfather. Zijun is coming from a comparatively wealthy family, and her parents have spent a great number on her skating before she entered the national team. Her mother also quit job and move to Beijing to take care of her.

some interesting pics from weibo.
Yan and Yuzuru
Yan and Zhang
quite cool pic of Yan at COC gala
Jin Boyang surrongded by Russian ladies
Zijun's dog Is this the same kinds as mao's?
Zijun in Canada

[Ziggy]

And they skip 3 competations due to NC.

NC?

They also failed to get the visa for Estonia.

How could that happen? Sounds like a big mess up on the Chinese federation's part.

As for Sui's punishment, it was posted by a fan who knows them in person. She also posted some inside information before. Whatever the cause, Sui has been off-ice for about 2 months. SH re-started the training right before ArOI this summer.

If true, that's absolutely shocking.

There are always some interesting news/information of skaters on Chinese board.

Thank you very much for the information you've shared so far. We'd really appreciate more inside info in the future.

[Yukari Lepisto]

I think they will send Nan Song to Worlds instead and try to fight for a 2nd spot. Han Yan wil likely return to Jr Worlds.

He can compete at 2012 Worlds. But there is only one spot and I am pretty sure that Nan Song will get it, while Han Yan gets one of the Junior Worlds spots, as Marco said.

This is most likely what they're going to do. But if they want to fight for a 2nd spot for 2013 worlds, it'd make more sense for them to send Han Yan though. While Nan Song did awesome at cup of china, but i just think that's just one perfect skate for him, not something he can do consistently. And the chance for him to get to top 10 at worlds is very slim.

[Yukari Lepisto]

This is true,some Chinese ice fan said LuanBo in order to punish Sui so she didn't let her on the ice ,go home and write checks add up for 5 months.

Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying here. Who went home and wrote checks? and what you mean by writing checks? as in money checks? and is it two months or five months?

[Ziggy]

Yukari - Let's see how Nan Song can do at his second GP event.

His last season was very dissapointing but the season before that he managed 2nd at JGPF and Junior Worlds.

If he remains consistent, top 10 at Worlds definitely is possible.

And yes, I also didn't get the checks part. What did you mean xy3026rosa?

[xy3026rosa]

Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying here. Who went home and wrote checks? and what you mean by writing checks? as in money checks? and is it two months or five months?

I mean Sui wrote autocriticism at home.But this is true...A close ice fan to SH said...

[Yukari Lepisto]

I mean Sui wrote autocriticism at home.But this is true...A close ice fan to SH said...

ohh, you meant.. self-criticism letter kinda stuff? ok, i know that's very common in China.

[feraina]

Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying here. Who went home and wrote checks? and what you mean by writing checks? as in money checks? and is it two months or five months?

Well, what I read was two months this year, but altogether five months over the last two years. And yes, supposedly she was sent home to write self-criticism letters.

I also read that where Luan Bo is, there aren't other pairs coaches, so anyone with an interest in pairs skating gets sent to her, hence she has so many couples (11.5). And also that because pairs skating is the most popular discipline in China, kids start with pairs instead of switching from singles, so her kids tend to not have good singles skating skills when they join her group -- unlike, say, the pairs that go to Bin Yao. Among S/Z, P/T, Z/Z, all of them switched from singles, except T, who switched from ice dancing. This might possibly, partly explain the poor skating skills and solo jumps among Luan Bo's students.

But even if there aren't good singles coaches around, why can't her students at least get some help with skating skills from the local ice dance coaches? They might not be top ice dance coaches but at least they should know a little more about edge work and technique.

[feraina]

This is most likely what they're going to do. But if they want to fight for a 2nd spot for 2013 worlds, it'd make more sense for them to send Han Yan though. While Nan Song did awesome at cup of china, but i just think that's just one perfect skate for him, not something he can do consistently. And the chance for him to get to top 10 at worlds is very slim.

In the CoC Exhibition, Nan Song landed a 4T and 3A (falling on a second 3A); and afterwards he did another 4T. His jumps are obviously very consistent right now. Han Yan (also performing in the EX), in contrast, had a lot of trouble with his (simpler) jumps in his program. I think right now maybe Nan Song is a little more consistent than Han Yan. Han Yan always makes me nervous in his competitive programs. I feel like he's always on the edge of making errors, and if he does clean program than it's a huge relief.

[feraina]

NC?

National Championship

How could that happen? Sounds like a big mess up on the Chinese federation's part.

I don't know how much diplomatic power the skating federation has. Usually visa problems are due to delays at the foreign country's embassy/consulate. I mean, Chinese skaters have always had to deal with visa issues since the beginning. I imagine that by now the federation must have well-used procedures in place to deal with it.

[feraina]

It would be really interesting to get reliable information about this.
Now that China is so much on the rise, do you think that there will be any travel journeys done across the trainings centers like you do for the US and Russia?

There is very little money in Chinese skating, and the skaters' families cannot afford to send their kids abroad. I read that Nobuo Sato gave some seminars in China last summer (sounded like just a few days, if that many). Maybe sending Chinese skaters to Sato for a month in the off season is more realistic than sending them to Europe/NA.

Although surprisingly, the Chinese federation sent Zijun Li, Bingwa Geng, and Kexin Zhang to LA to train with Mingzhu Li a few years ago before any of these girls had any competitive success. Maybe Mingzhu Li did it for a discount. Maybe it's also a language/culture thing. If there were good Chinese coaches working abroad in other disciplines, maybe the federation would also be willing to invest in sending young skaters abroad in those disciplines too. Lu Chen and Denis Petrov have a rink in the south of China and do coaching there. I'm a little surprised that none of the top Chinese skaters ever go to them to help. That seems like such an obvious resource. Maybe Lu Chen and the Chinese federation never got over their bitter spat.

[sharonz]

feraina, many thanks for answering the questions about NC for me.

In the CoC Exhibition, Nan Song landed a 4T and 3A (falling on a second 3A); and afterwards he did another 4T. His jumps are obviously very consistent right now. Han Yan (also performing in the EX), in contrast, had a lot of trouble with his (simpler) jumps in his program. I think right now maybe Nan Song is a little more consistent than Han Yan. Han Yan always makes me nervous in his competitive programs. I feel like he's always on the edge of making errors, and if he does clean program than it's a huge relief.

I have to clear one thing. Yan's skate boot had a big cut just before the gala, that he had no time to fix it. He even said that he might only attemp single jumps in the show. So, I'm not surprised at the jump problems there. He just began to include 4T and 3A in his program from this season. The inconsistent issue is expected. Skaters like him, who have great SS and spead, seem to always have landing issues, ex. Patrick C.. Maybe it is harder to control the landing with more speed? And Yes, at this moment, Song looks more consistent with his jumps, but his SS is much worse than Yan's. I still wanna wait to see his second GP and Yan's performance at JGPF to determine who is a more reasonable choice. But I think whatever the result is, Chinese federation has already decided to send Song to WC, and Yan to JW.