Chinese Skating News, Pt. 3: A long & winding road to Beijing 2022

[clairecloutier]

I'm just going to say right now that if they break up Yu/Zhang or Peng/Jin, it will only validate all the criticism originally leveled at that partner swap. And would call into question if their current judgment is any better than it was then ....

 

[levineismine]

Let's wait to see what the news actually are, but if I were the chn fed I would stop messing with the pairs and concentrate more on developing the other disciplines and take better care of their skaters e.g. Han Yan
Sui/Han and the other two pairs teams will do just fine. Wang/Liu have progressed nicely the last couple of seasons so I wouldn't see the reason to split them?

 

[binbinwinwin]

Nothing is happening to Sui/Han if that's your main worry. They are simply focused on recovery right now.

And if anything happens to Peng/Jin and Yu/Zhang it confirms nothing for you. We all have relationships that sour eventually. What you think you see may not be the full story. We will see what happens.

 

[Bellanca]

Lots of news from @pandaatlarge on twitter
https://twitter.com/pandaatlarge

Copying tweets here:

A few breaking news regarding Chinese figure skating from Hongbo Zhao's interview by Xinhua News today.

Here's what I heard at the moment, there WILL be some heart-breaking partnership changes I really hate to see, but let's pray till it's official. The boys' next stop is pretty much decided. At least 2 overseas Chinese girls in US were approached, not decided yet as far as I know.

News 1: The Fed is considering sending Boyang Jin to Canada to work with Brian Orser and (as always) Lori Nichol.
News 2: Another two boys with potential will be sent to US. (Rumor has it that it will be Rafael. )
News 3: Xiangning Li, the only ladies' single skater from China in Pyeongchang, will have a try in pairs skating, but will continue single skating for now
News 4: The Fed is in contact with a few ladies' skaters overseas whose parents hold a Chinese citizenship. Meanwhile, the Fed is also planning to send some girls to work with Russian coaches.
News 5: For ice dance, the Fed will start to work with Team Montreal, and there may be some switches. They are also looking for potential ice dancers in dance schools.

Good for them! Not the heartbreaking pairs stuff, of course, but for the fact that they're on the move and have plans for building up and rounding out their programs! I’m thrilled to hear they have ideas for introducing and producing viable ice dance teams.

Also keep in mind not all of these decisions are Hongbo Zhao's, he has to answer certain people and deal with a lot of bureaucracy. He will simply get the brunt of it because people know his name.

Good point re Hongbo. Wishing him the best going into the new quad.

 

[GreatLakesGal]

So Boyang may be training with Yuzu in Toronto? Still not confirmed but I could see Yu being okay with that as he seems to genuinely like Boyang.

ETA: Looks like Boyang would probably just train in the summer with Brian. Hope it happens!

 

[aftershocks]

For me, Yu/Jin were meh. I like the re-pairings far better.

Sure, but for me Peng/Jin have more actual chemistry together than Yu/Zhang. Y/Z often can manage the tricks and get high scores but they do not match well in terms of chemistry. Yu goes through the motions, but her heart never seems to be in it, IMO. Yu has been prone to mistakes too.

Both teams have the potential to score high, but have so far had middling success overall with a few good results in some comps. Still, yes it's true that Peng seems happier and better matched with Jin than she was with Zhang.

 

[Marco]

Jin Boyang may have all the big jumps but he still skates like a kid. Having Orser to work on his packaging and finesse can be helpful.

Li Xiangning is not charismatic enough to be in singles, she is not going to be chrismatic enough to be in pairs.

I hope nothing stupid happens with the pairs. That said, China has had a devastating Olympics and Worlds all things considered so shuffling is to be expected.

Getting dancers to join ice dance is concerning. They are basically just focusing on danceability and not caring about skating skills at all.

 

[Japanfan]

Jin Boyang may have all the big jumps but he still skates like a kid. Having Orser to work on his packaging and finesse can be helpful.

He still is a kid, especially in spirit.

I really look forward to seeing what Orser will do with him, but hope that he never loses the joy he exudes on the ice. He did a totally bizarre exhibition number, IIRC it was Spiderman. He had such a blast skating to it that the pleasure was found in watching his pleasure, not in the program itself, which made no sense.

Boyang has indicated that he wants to grow and I do so hope he has a team around him who helps him to do so in the best possible way.

I can't see to help comparing Boyang to Nam Nguyin, who also capitalized on 'cute' as a young skater. Nam seems to have lost his way a bit the past few seasons after having had a growth spurt, although he may be working his back again. Next year's Nationals sans Chan will be interesting.

 

[RoseRed]

I think Nam would have done better if he didn't change coaches so often. He's on, what, his third since Brian?

 

[shine]

Yan Hao is confirmed retired, he has moved to Shenzhen. Fang Shuai could be one but he wouldn't go right now because he is reported to be injured and off ice for a while. The last one is Chen Yudong who has his triples up to 3Lz, other than that China doesn't really have many young men who can really advance.

Wait what? Last time I heard Hao Yan was still a very promising up and comer. Do you know why he decided to retire this early?

 

[Mad for Skating]

I really love Peng and Jin. I know Yu and Zhang are better at technical tricks, but Peng and Jin just give me the feels. They somehow remind me of a young Sui and Han (which is a huge compliment from me haha). I do like the way they're both paired, so it would be a shame if they split, but they need to do what's best for them.

 

[binbinwinwin]

Wait what? Last time I heard Hao Yan was still a very promising up and comer. Do you know why he decided to retire this early?

Grew too tall, he is now coaching at a commercial rink in Shenzhen (I think it might be the same one Lu Chen coaches at with Denis Petrov, can't remember right now). A fan said they met him there and asked him if he really retired and he confirmed it.

 

[binbinwinwin]

https://twitter.com/Beijing2022/status/989099277891682305?s=19

Chinese Pairs training camp kicked off in Sanya today, it includes Li Xiangning with all the pairs. There's about 30 athletes total and they have brought in young promising ladies to participate in the camp (not necessarily as pairs). They have to pass China's tests up to a certain skating level and then apply to get chosen. All top senior pairs skaters are there except for Sui/Han who are resting.

Chinese Federation has brought in Ekaterina Gordeeva, Li Mingzhu and another article says Canadian choreographer Shae Zukiwsky is there, they are all acting as advisory coaches here in addition to all of the top pairs coaches in China. Zhang Tianci (Peng Cheng's very first pairs partner) has joined the National team as a coach.

They are doing a variety of training exercises and tests. There might be some shuffling between teams at this end of this camp after all the assessments. At the end of the day at camp, Zhao Hongbo splits them into 2 teams and they play basketball to unwind.

 

[DobrinFan]

It's now OFFICIAL! Boyang to Brian Orser, no, not for summer, it's permanent

China's Boyang Jin will join Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson's team at the Toronto Cricket Club in mid-June. Orser said this will be a permanent arrangement.

"Technically he is very sound, so we will be giving him the direction and the guidance that we gave to Javi. We want to go through the same kind of process with him," Orser said. "I think he is mature enough to handle it. Also with the 2022 Olympics being in Beijing, it is important to get him prepared to medal at those Games."

Jin is already in Toronto working with choreographer Lori Nicholl on new programs for the upcoming season.

Source: https://twitter.com/ifsmagazine/status/1001280753366458369, https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10157372988562538&id=278550292537

 

[BittyBug]

I think this will be great for Jin.

 

[aemeraldrainc]

!!!
So exciting. Cannot wait to see his new programs!

 

[barbarafan]

I think this will be great for Jin.

Totally agree. A great bunch train there and he has so much talent. Needless to say that he will be
hardworking and so will flourish and grow in the setup there.

 

[binbinwinwin]

In Sanya members of the Chinese National Team did a special performance. No new pairings to be seen so far. Certain skaters are absent.

Clips available here:
Group Number
Li Xiangning
Peng/Jin
Group Photo

 

[DobrinFan]

Excerpt from Icenetwork article:
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2018/05/31/279137174

Brian Orser sees a little of a young Javier Fernández in 20-year-old Boyang Jin.

"He is super talented but a bit of a loose cannon, like Javi was when he came to me (also at age 20)," Orser said. "I have to give him direction and purpose. That will come with maturity."

The new president of the Chinese Skating Association, Xue Shen, the 2010 Olympic pairs champion with husband Hongbo Zhao, approached Orser at worlds in March to discuss the possibility of his coaching Jin. The skater staggered into 19th place at worlds after winning bronze the previous two years.

"With the next Winter Olympics in Beijing, she (Shen) is shaking things up a little," Orser said. "I know it's about medals, medals, medals in Beijing."

Orser said Wednesday he has had no extended conversation with Jin since the deal was struck. They chatted briefly at a show in South Korea last month, when Orser also had the meeting with Medvedeva that led to her upcoming training move to Canada.

Although Jin is in Toronto doing choreography with Lori Nichol, Orser does not expect to work with him until mid-June. The coach is going on vacation next week and then to Japan for a Hanyu ice show.

When the Japanese Skating Federation approached Orser about having Hanyu work with him in 2012, the coach asked Fernández to sign off on the idea. Orser approached the Jin situation differently with Hanyu when they met in April at the Japanese superstar's apartment in Toronto.

"I didn't really ask [Hanyu] for permission," Orser said. "I just threw it out there to get his reaction, and I didn't really get one. I'm sure if there was an issue, I would have heard about it by now."
***
Orser said he will arrange schedules to avoid having daily "star wars" at the Cricket Club in the upcoming season.
"I don't expect to have them all on the ice at the same time, except when they are just doing stroking," he said. "And we have ice time at another rink, so it will be manageable."

 

[Sylvia]

Photos published on this Chinese news site: http://slide.sports.sina.com.cn/o_winter/slide_2_72682_186536.html/d/8#p=1

Captioned "Li Xiangning skating with Xie Zhong at a show in Tianjin to promote the Beijing Olympics": http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com...2018-li-xiangning-skating-with-xie-zhong-at-a
Yumeng GAO/Zhong XIE were 4th at both 2018 Junior Worlds and the JGP Final last season (won the bronze at 2017 Junior Worlds) - their ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00055107.htm
Gao/Xie are #22 in the ISU World Standings and #37 on the 2017-18 ISU Season Best total scores list.
Xiangning LI's ISU singles bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014328.htm

The other photos from the Tianjin show are of Peng/Jin.

 

[Taso]

Photos published on this Chinese news site: http://slide.sports.sina.com.cn/o_winter/slide_2_72682_186536.html/d/8#p=1

Captioned "Li Xiangning skating with Xie Zhong at a show in Tianjin to promote the Beijing Olympics": http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com...2018-li-xiangning-skating-with-xie-zhong-at-a
Yumeng GAO/Zhong XIE were 4th at both 2018 Junior Worlds and the JGP Final last season (won the bronze at 2017 Junior Worlds) - their ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00055107.htm
Gao/Xie are #22 in the ISU World Standings and #37 on the 2017-18 ISU Season Best total scores list.
Xiangning LI's ISU singles bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014328.htm

The other photos from the Tianjin show are of Peng/Jin.

Woooooah, wait are Li & Xie a team now?

 

[rosewood]

(((Chinese ladies field)))

 

[Taso]

(((Chinese ladies field)))

I guess they figured they need side by side triple lutzes?

 

[Marco]

I wonder how "recruiting American-based Chinese girls" went?

 

[aemeraldrainc]

Excerpt from Icenetwork article:
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2018/05/31/279137174

I love reading tidbits about behind the scenes at the Cricket Club. Orser is so straightforward and forthcoming when talking about the skater's relationships and the way they do things.
Star Wars...lol

 

[binbinwinwin]

Peng/Jin arrived in Canada June 11th and are getting 2 new programs from Lori Nichol source

Yu/Zhang, Wang/Wang and Chen Hongyi attended a training course for anti-doping specifically geared towards winter athletes that is organized by the Beijing Sports Bureau source

 

[nimi]

Han Yan news from twitter:

In today's livestream, Han Yan announces that he has joined in Pang/Tong's skating club. He will do the coaching job and train at same time. He will work for 2022 Olympic, if he has the chance.

So... Sounds like we might see him competing again?

 

[livetoskate]

That would be nice if Han Yan can remain competitive. He had some pretty bad falls in competitions this past season, so I just don't want him to get injured if he continues. There don't seem to be any other better Chinese male skaters compared to him and Boyang.

 

[kwanfan1818]

He'll be in the right place to teach and emphasize skating skills among his students. Tong, having been an ice dancer, never neglected his, and Yan could teach ice dancers a thing or two about edges and glide.

 

[Marco]

I think it is somewhat nice that the focus / pressure will be completely off Yan Han now (China is down to 1 men's spot for Worlds 2019 anyways), and Yan Han will be allowed to heal and train at his own pace.

And this will be the best thing to happen to the level of basic skating of Chinese skaters that he gives lessons.