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

[clairecloutier]

Yeah, I checked a couple of the other pairs who skated at both Nebelhorn and Nice, and 5 out of 6 of their PCS scores were lower at Nice. Could mean something--could not. Let's see how Yu/Zhang get scored on the GP.

 

[Dobre]

Team China's pairs and men getting the job done in Europe. (Plus Xiangning Li won the FS at Coupe de Nice). Wang & Liu did not do badly for themselves against the more local dance teams either. I'm glad. Hope this means China will continue to send out its athletes during the early season.

 

[Marco]

XN Li's win at Coupe de Nice means ZJ Li is in trouble.

 

[Sylvia]

I don't think Wang and Wang are coming back to competitions. Isn't she still recovering from injury?

@Jun Y, @feraina or anyone else: are there any Chinese articles about Wang/Wang's status?

Wang/Wang (WD from Rostelecom Cup last month) have been crossed out of France : http://www.isu.org/docman-documents...-6/series-files-10/entries/7517-gp-pairs/file

ETA - Mingyang ZHANG / Bowen SONG were named as the Cup of China TBA in pairs last month:

Wang Xuehan has been injured since the summer I guess she is not fully healed yet for Wang/Wang to take the pairs |TBD spot.

 

[Japanfan]

I'm pleasantly surprised that Jin Boyang is making significant progress every season in the quality of his skating. Not too many skaters with his level of success (already) would continue to push himself.

ITA. Boyang (Boing-Boing, as Kurt Browning calls him ) is one of the skaters I'm really looking forward to seeing this season (haven't seen any early season comps).

He said in an interview either last season or the season before that he knew he needed to grow artistically, and appears to be taking that seriously. And more power to him for it.

 

[Jun Y]

Sorry I have seen nothing about Wang/Wang on Chinese media. I can't even be sure whether they are still training.

 

[Sylvia]

What about Zijun Li who was a late withdrawal from Cup of China?

 

[jlai]

there seems to be articles speculating stuff
http://sports.dbw.cn/system/2017/11/01/057822832.shtml

The article seems to mention that selection criteria take into account both results/ behavior(or ethics?).

 

[Jun Y]

What about Zijun Li who was a late withdrawal from Cup of China?

No official reason has been given by either Li or the team. There were rumors of hip injury back in August but no further news since then.

 

[clairecloutier]

Translation of a Sui/Han interview for Chinese TV. They discuss how they chose Turandot for their LP:

http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com/post/167035078167/interview-with-suihan-for-netease

 

[Marco]

Love S&H's short to Hallelujah but still just lukewarm to the free to Turandot. Not trying to compare it to S&Z's iconic 2003 Worlds performance but S&H's version has no place to explode. They received huge PCS at China GP but to me the program didn't quite touch me.

 

[Sylvia]

Li Xiangning hopeful to grab Chinese women's sole Olympic figure skating spot (article published after the CoC SP): http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-11/03/c_136726675.htm

As the host of the Cup of China, Chinese figure skating team is allowed to send at most three skaters/pairs in each category. Li Zijun was scheduled to participate in together with her teammates Li Xiangning and Zhao Ziquan. However she quit unexpectedly before the start of the circuit. Chinese head coach Zhao Hongbo said she was injured without providing specific information.

Chinese team had a series of selection rules within the team for the sole women's Olympic spot, considering skaters' performances in competition both nationwide and worldwide.
Li Zijun picked a silver medal at this year's Asian Winter Games [February 2017]. However in the new season, she was absent from the ISU Challenger series in Nice last month, where Li Xiangning grabbed the silver medal with the top score in free skate.

 

[Sylvia]

Update - not unexpectedly, Zijun Li's name has been crossed out of her second GP in France : http://www.isu.org/docman-documents...series-files-10/entries/7515-gp-ladies-1/file

 

[Marco]

http://sports.sina.com.cn/others/figureskating/2017-11-06/doc-ifynmzrs7377540.shtml

This Chinese article says she has a groin injury.

 

[Jeschke]

Zijun - always one of mine 'what could have been's

 

[clairecloutier]

Nice photo of Team China at the GPF banquet. Xue Shen is pictured, along with Hongbo Zhao and the Chinese pairs teams.

 

[Marco]

I am nervous about Sui & Han. I hope the GPF defeat does not prompt them to rush into trying the throw 4sal at the Olympics.

 

[skatingguy]

I am nervous about Sui & Han. I hope the GPF defeat does not prompt them to rush into trying the throw 4sal at the Olympics.

They lost by six points, and Cong fell on the SBS 3T in the short program (~5 points lost) and they had difficulty on the SBS 3S (~2 points lost) so just by cleaning up those two elements they would have won. Also, Savchenko/Massot skated very well with only a minor mistake on the 3STh that maybe cost them 0.75 or so. Bruno has struggled with the jumps this season, and yes he landed everything here but I'm sure you can count on that happening again. Sui/Han still look to have a very good shot at the Olympic Gold Medal and trying to add something at this point because they lost one competition would not be a good strategy. I think they're coaches will keep on track with their current programs and elements.

 

[Marco]

@skatingguy That's right. I just hope they feel the same way too.

 

[Japanfan]

I am nervous about Sui & Han. I hope the GPF defeat does not prompt them to rush into trying the throw 4sal at the Olympics.

I'm nervous, too - so want them to get the Gold.

I console myself by remembering that this is not their last Olympics Games. If they don't win the Gold this time, they'll have another shot at home in China in 2022.

Bruno has struggled with the jumps this season, and yes he landed everything here but I'm sure you can count on that happening again. Sui/Han still look to have a very good shot at the Olympic Gold Medal and trying to add something at this point because they lost one competition would not be a good strategy. I think they're coaches will keep on track with their current programs and elements.

I hope you are right.

 

[Sylvia]

Thanks to the Chinese pairs tumblr for this video - Interview with Sui/Han at 2017 Shanghai Trophy [in late November], where they answered fans’ questions. Click on “CC” for English captions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-65ES_-_Q00

 

[Japanfan]

Thanks to the Chinese pairs tumblr for this video - Interview with Sui/Han at 2017 Shanghai Trophy [in late November], where they answered fans’ questions. Click on “CC” for English captions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-65ES_-_Q00

I love the faces she makes when Han is asked if he watches her diet and 'lets' her eat.

She sure is feisty. I don't think she is compliant unless she darn well wants to be, or is easy to boss around. IIRC, Han said in a previous interview that Sui is the "boss".

 

[Quadjump]

They lost by six points, and Cong fell on the SBS 3T in the short program (~5 points lost) and they had difficulty on the SBS 3S (~2 points lost) so just by cleaning up those two elements they would have won. Also, Savchenko/Massot skated very well with only a minor mistake on the 3STh that maybe cost them 0.75 or so. Bruno has struggled with the jumps this season, and yes he landed everything here but I'm sure you can count on that happening again. Sui/Han still look to have a very good shot at the Olympic Gold Medal and trying to add something at this point because they lost one competition would not be a good strategy. I think they're coaches will keep on track with their current programs and elements.

Well I think the situation is not that clear. S/M missed 0.8 points with the level 3 twist. In addition the lift (and DS and Spin) in the SP was not as good as always. With a crystal clean 3STh in the Free they missed around 2.5 points overall. To me the SP-PCS will have a little boost now.

The Chinese judge were really biased at GPF but the German judge only did a small favour to S/M. I think the situation is totally open.

I will see. I hope to watch a good competition without any discussion at the very end.

 

[Japanfan]

I think the situation is totally open.

Although I am rooting for S/H, I think S/M may have the slight edge because this is Aliona's third Olympics, and she's got both experience and hunger on her side. The cards were stacked against her in the last two Olympics because S/Z were by far the favorites in 2010, and the 2014 games were in Russia, which considers itself the "rightful home of Pairs" gold. So, this games may be Aliona's best shot at Gold, and she's stayed in the game precisely for that.

OTOH, S/H have likely been groomed to win this Gold for some years.

It could be an epic battle driven by two of skating's fierce female pairs skaters. Clean to clean, I've no idea which pair would have the edge if technical content is equal.

 

[hanca]

Although I am rooting for S/H, I think S/M may have the slight edge because this is Aliona's third Olympics, and she's got both experience and hunger on her side. The cards were stacked against her in the last two Olympics because S/Z were by far the favorites in 2010, and the 2014 games were in Russia, which considers itself the "rightful home of Pairs" gold. So, this games may be Aliona's best shot at Gold, and she's stayed in the game precisely for that.

OTOH, S/H have likely been groomed to win this Gold for some years.

It could be an epic battle driven by two of skating's fierce female pairs skaters. Clean to clean, I've no idea which pair would have the edge if technical content is equal.

That can be argued both ways. You can say that Aliona is more experienced (implying that she may not be as affected by the atmosphere and be as nervous, and that she will be more focussed), but at the same time one can say that she has much more to lose because it is her last chance, whereas S/H are probably going to have another opportunity at the next Olympics and quite possibly not just one opportunity. Unless something unexpected happends, they could attend two or three more Olympics.
Also, does it really matter that Aliona is more experienced, considering that it is the result of her and Massot’s skating that will count, not only Aliona’s skating. So even if she managed to keep calm, this is first (and very likely last)chance for Massot to get Olympic medal. Will he stay calm and deliver under pressure?

 

[Japanfan]

Also, does it really matter that Aliona is more experienced, considering that it is the result of her and Massot’s skating that will count, not only Aliona’s skating. So even if she managed to keep calm, this is first (and very likely last)chance for Massot to get Olympic medal. Will he stay calm and deliver under pressure?

That I don't know, I haven't paid detailed attention to his skating, not to the point that I remember any of his strengths or errors that he has made. I've been much more focused on S/H, because they are my favorite pair at the moment, along with J/C.

What do you think?

 

[hanca]

That I don't know, I haven't paid detailed attention to his skating, not to the point that I remember any of his strengths or errors that he has made. I've been much more focused on S/H, because they are my favorite pair at the moment, along with J/C.

What do you think?

What I think? That her experience doesn’t matter because he will be under a huge pressure- his only chance to get Olympic medal. So it all comes down to who is better at holding their nerves and deliver on that particular day. S/H or S/M? And I feel S/M has more to lose (unlikely that they will skate at the next Olympics, whereas S/H is likely to have more chances at future Olympics). Add to it that Massot had to change countries, learn German, take exam which he already failed at least once, so there will be also pressure from himself. Considering how close pointwise the top teams are, one mistake could even take them out of podium and they all know it! That’s a huge pressure.

 

[Quadjump]

Although I am rooting for S/H, I think S/M may have the slight edge because this is Aliona's third Olympics,

It is Aljona's fifth Olympics.

But the third with a shot at the Gold. Sure.

 

[Sylvia]

For those who may have missed reading @clairecloutier's in-depth pairs review of the Grand Prix Final, the link to her blog article is posted in the Pairs discussion thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...wo-skating-as-one.101317/page-10#post-5214216

Short clip of Boyang Jin saying he is recovering well and thanking his fans (Dec. 16): https://twitter.com/BoyangFanpage/status/942062304086159361

ETA the link to a May 28, 2017 CCTV5 special interview (captioned with English and Japanese subtitles & uploaded on Dec. 4) of Boyang Jin after he won the award for Chinese national best male athlete of winter sports (2016-2017 season): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHrmL3D4X-8

 

[Sylvia]

Chinese Nationals were held on Dec. 23-24 (results/protocols don't seem to be up yet on http://chnfs.org ) - photos of the 4 podiums can be viewed here: http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com...icaleggplant-2017-chinese-nationals-medalists

Sui/Han & Boyang Jin did not compete.

Pairs
1) Xiaoyu Yu/Hao Zhang 227.32 (77.56 + 149.76)
2) Cheng Peng/Yang Jin 223.30 (76.62 + 146.68)
3) Xuehan Wang/Lei Wang 177.68 (59.20 + 118.48)

Men
1) Han Yan 247.17 (72.32 + 174.85)
2) He Zhang 219.10 (62.81 + 156.29)
3) Yan Hao 201.49 (64.14 + 137.35)

Ladies
1) Xiangning Li 193.97 (65.31 + 128.66)
2) Ziquan Zhao 183.02 (65.27 + 117.75)
3) Hongyi Chen 176.59 (60.97 + 115.62)

Ice dance
1) Shiyue Wang/Xinyu Liu 169.74 (60.06 + 109.68)
2) Linshu Song/Zhuoming Sun 138.86 (49.98 + 88.88)
3) Wanqi Ning/Chao Wang 130.36 (47.54 + 82.82)

Pairs top 4 overall + FS videos on weibo & photos of the protocols: http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com/post/168930082772/2017-chinese-nationals-final-results

Pairs SP top 4 - videos on weibo (except for Gao/Xie in 3rd) & photos of the protocols: http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com/post/168862726727/2017-chinese-nationals-sp-results

Zijun Li posted a Merry Christmas photo yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/BdFHxMhlTRn/?hl=en&taken-by=lizijunn