Chinese skating updates and reports

[euterpe]

Han Yan is on the substitute list, so yes, he could get the nod instead of Song.

[jjane45]

Han Yan is on the substitute list, so yes, he could get the nod instead of Song.

Especially since YAN is 1) actively training and healthy; 2) not on JW entries.
I am just curious what will decide who goes.

[jlai]

A skateoff or monitoring session?

[Sylvia]

A skateoff or monitoring session?

if anyone hears or reads about any online reports/rumors in the Chinese forums, please share!

[jjane45]

Recent JW article in Chinese: http://sports.sina.com.cn/o/2013-02-...26436556.shtml

The first paragraph paraphrased:

As 2012 JW pairs champions SUI Wenjing / HAN Cong and men's singles champion HAN Yan moved into senior ranks, this year's Chinese JW team is a combination of old and new skaters. Although continuing last year's brilliant results is more difficult, the team still has medal contenders in pairs and men's singles.

ETA: I often do not consider sports journalists without a direct quote "official" sources though. It may as well be speculation on the writer's part.

[jjane45]

http://news.eastday.com/gd2008/s/201...365931782.html

The national team rearranged training schedule to adapt to the local time (in London). YAO Bin said pairs ice time moved from 3pm to 1pm. They also tried to simulate the narrower NHL rink size, adjusting program layout at some places.

TONG Jian’s knee injury plagued him all season, especially after GPF. His jumps and gliding are greatly affected. After various treatments, at least he was jumping on the day of interview. “Just guarantee one (jump?) per day.” YAO Bin smiled helplessly. TONG Jian said basically he’ll jump if he feels OK, else he can only give up. For this team of 30+, the ability to compete alone merits respect.

S/H returned from injury but on the day of interview did not complete difficult moves like throw jumps, also only doubles for SBS jumps. "SUI was diagnosed with (insert bone injury difficult to translate) last year. She resumed training but has not got some of the elements back yet, and the pair may reduce the difficulty level at worlds." YAO Bin said.

For P/Z, YAO Bin said “their main problem is lack of experience, poor foundation, lack of consistency, plus not training together long enough." ZHANG Hao also has injuries from fingers, arms to knees and ankles. They do not affect normal competition and training, but still cannot be taken lightly.

"I hope each pairs team can perform at their real level!" YAO Bin said. He believes for figure skating, only programs with absolutely no mistakes can achieve the “perfect state”. He mentions S/Z at 2004 worlds and P/T in Vancouver as examples, where the judges and audience all responded with passion. “For a program with mistakes, sometimes even if it receives high scores, people still feel it's not an elegant win."

[jjane45]

if anyone hears or reads about any online reports/rumors in the Chinese forums, please share!

YAN Han's weibo reply to a fan (2/27/2013 8:56am local time): 我短期没比赛 or I have no competitions in the immediate future. Combined with other recent posts showing disappointment... Still don't know but maybe his chances got very slim ：(

[waltzNo1]

YAN Han's weibo reply to a fan (2/27/2013 8:56am local time): 我短期没比赛 or I have no competitions in the immediate future. Combined with other recent posts showing disappointment... Still don't know but maybe his chances got very slim ：(

What a disappointment!

[robinhood]

Yan Han should go to worlds! What is the Federation thinking?

[Marco]

Yan Han should go to worlds! What is the Federation thinking?

It isn't.

[os168]

Yan Han should go to worlds! What is the Federation thinking?

I wonder if it is to do with politics. Hmmm....

By the way why is this thread in the Trashcan, while other nationalities updates are in the GSD?

[Sylvia]

By the way why is this thread in the Trashcan, while other nationalities updates are in the GSD?

I asked this question in the first page of this thread and this was the reply by the thread starter:

GSD seems to be more strict about the source of news updates, while for Chinese skating there is rarely anything official.

If there are notable news articles in Chinese that have been translated or summarized here, I have posted them as separate threads in GSD.

ETA: Thanks for adding your translation in post #126 - I've re-posted in this thread in GSD: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...=1#post3850411

[jlai]

Yan Han should go to worlds! What is the Federation thinking?

It's not as if Yan Han has been stellar all season. He was great at one competition. If he had been skating like Kovtun has been for Russia perhaps China might have skipped an older guy for him, despite the higher finish at nationals for Song.

Whether one agrees with the national championship results or not, skipping the national champion for someone else does not seem like a good precedent. While I'm sure politics may be involved, I'm not sure if there's more politics there than Russian federation or the French federation or USFSA...

eta: On another note, I also see Yan Han as a competitor who needs to peak for events, and I suspect he's already peaked at 4cc. I don't see him skating great at back-to-back competitions, though I could say that about Song too (who skated fairly well at 4cc)

[robinhood]

Dunno, jlai...I don't think Han peaked at 4cc. He had few mistakes there and was visibly and understandably tense in his first senior event. He needs to be put in these sorts of event, with the best skaters. I won't comment on the national results since I didnt watch the competition, but the scoring potential of Han is much greater than Song, and that was evident with a few mistakes and Song landed his quads and 3 axels. It's for the benefit of Nan Song, too. If there's any possibility that China gets 2 spots for next season it lies in the hands of Han Yan
Besides...if they are not gonna take him to worlds, why didn't they enter him at Junior Worlds? Doesn't have much sense to me

[jlai]

Han Yan hasn't had back-to-back great competitions for a while (or this season), that's all I'm saying.

If you want to pick someone based on scoring potential, well, all federations might as well skip their national championships. USFSA should send Mirai every year to worlds and Flatt should have stayed at home (according to the scoring potential believers )

Not sending Yan to jr world is a great idea imho; the chinese fed needs to spread out their assignments to maximize seasons best opportunities for skaters like Zhang He. I'm disappointed for Yan Han re: worlds, but he got his one senior championship counted towards his ranking and will get gps next year. Speaking of, USFS is really the only one who keeps sending senior ready skaters back...just saying.

[Ziggy]

Besides...if they are not gonna take him to worlds, why didn't they enter him at Junior Worlds? Doesn't have much sense to me

This is what makes me .

What the hell are they doing?!!

[whispering]

Not sending Yan to jr world is a great idea imho; the chinese fed needs to spread out their assignments to maximize seasons best opportunities for skaters like Zhang He.

This maybe a dumb question but I ask anyway:How does Yan not going to JWC would benifit Zhang? China has 3 spots for JWC and also only 3 men have reached the MTS.

[jlai]

Ah, I kept thinking China has two. Sorry.

In that case I'd send Yan Han to jr world if I were Team China (but he's won it already, so to me it's not as big a deal as not going to worlds). I would have loved to see him at worlds but perhaps a consistently stellar season next year will change China's mind ala Kovtun (for Russia)

[jjane45]

I wonder if it is to do with politics. Hmmm....

By the way why is this thread in the Trashcan, while other nationalities updates are in the GSD?

Just sent PM to forum moderator. Guess there are some articles in this thread after all

politics!!

[Ziggy]

Ah, I kept thinking China has two. Sorry.

They have three! And they didn't even bother to name any alternates.

So even though there are 34320943849023840928 skaters competing at the national level, nobody got sent.

I just want to personally murder each every single Chinese Figure Skating Federation official.