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

[Jeschke]

Latest IG story of Aliona is with Yu/Zhang and Wang/Wang in Beijing.
Is she there for some assistant work or is she just checking out the venue for 2022?

 

[seabm7]

Li Zijun uploaded the retirement announcement on her weibo:

https://www.weibo.com/1911237367/H2vIr4hp7

 

[Jeschke]

Byebye Zijun!
Classy announcement!

 

[Sylvia]

Zijun LI also has posted her retirement announcement on her IG (in English): https://www.instagram.com/p/BqIAVxRBFeO/

 

[Seerek]

If I'm not mistaken, Yudong Chen was still age ineligible for the Junior Grand Prix this season? He was in the Junior category at Alpen Trophy last week.

 

[alj5]

If I'm not mistaken, Yudong Chen was still age ineligible for the Junior Grand Prix this season? He was in the Junior category at Alpen Trophy last week.

ISU has him as born August of 2004.

Maybe there’s two Yudong Chens? Or China is doing some age shenanigans?

 

[feraina]

If I'm not mistaken, Yudong Chen was still age ineligible for the Junior Grand Prix this season? He was in the Junior category at Alpen Trophy last week.

Where did you hear he was ineligible?

 

[binbinwinwin]

Wenjing posted a small snippet of her and Han Cong's practice. They are unveiling their short program and exhibition for the season next month at a Beijing ice show

https://m.weibo.cn/status/H3IMrBRgT?l=&jumpfrom=weibocom

 

[Japanfan]

Wenjing posted a small snippet of her and Han Cong's practice. They are unveiling their short program and exhibition for the season next month at a Beijing ice show

https://m.weibo.cn/status/H3IMrBRgT?l=&jumpfrom=weibocom

Got my wish - when I saw there was a new post in this thread, I immediately thought please please some good news about Sui.

 

[binbinwinwin]

New English interview with Boyang Jin

https://skatingchina.com/2018/11/boyang-jin-i-want-to-start-it-all-over-again-english/

 

[Tavi]

New English interview with Boyang Jin

https://skatingchina.com/2018/11/boyang-jin-i-want-to-start-it-all-over-again-english/

This is a great article, thank you.

 

[casken]

New English interview with Boyang Jin

https://skatingchina.com/2018/11/boyang-jin-i-want-to-start-it-all-over-again-english/

Really good interview, but also a bit distressing... the stuff about skipping meals in the run up to the Olympics, the increased stress and anxiety from his success, and the uneasy answers about the aborted move to Canada...

After returning from Canada, I don't feel like communicating with anyone. I lack energy to do a lot of things at home, and sometimes even find it annoying to talk with my mom. I keep everything to myself...

Q. Do you have a sports psychologist to turn to?

A. I don't know much about this… My mom said I'd become another person since my return from Canada.

 

[Sylvia]

Jean-Christophe Berlot also spoke (through a translator - eta it's the same person who conducted the Chinese interview translated into English for the Skating China website, linked above) with Boyang Jin in Grenoble: https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/11/29/jin-boyang-explains-this-seasons-setbacks/

 

[barbarafan]

Really good interview, but also a bit distressing... the stuff about skipping meals in the run up to the Olympics, the increased stress and anxiety from his success, and the uneasy answers about the aborted move to Canada...

ITA..that is really scarey..skipping meals. No wonder he has no energy.It seems like he has ice time problems there. I don't think he ever said why he decided not to go to Orser but it was said to be his decision. I am now wondering if he made the wrong decision.

 

[binbinwinwin]

Yu/Zhang's new program

Music is Leave a Light On by Tom Walker, it's their new SP judging by the elements, choreographer is Benoit Richaud

 

[Japanfan]

Yu/Zhang's new program

Nicely done, and I immediately liked this pairing - nice matching lines. I like Peng/Jin as well, having just seen them at GPF.

Looks like the Chinese fed finally got it right.

 

[Sylvia]

Chinese Nationals will be held in Harbin, Dec. 29-30, 2018 - 2 translated articles: http://drag0ness.tumblr.com/post/181414921277/chinese-national-figure-skating-championships-sui
Excerpt:

During this competition, Sui Wenjing/Han Cong, Peng Cheng/Jin Yang, Jin Boyang, Wang Shiyue/Liu Xinyu, An Xiangyi, Zhu Yi (Beverly Zhu) will be making appearances.
Sui Wenjing/Han Cong who won the Pairs Silver at the Pyeongchang Olympics have been in recovery for their injuries for the first half of the season. As they recover, they have gotten their programs choreographed and have been easing back into training. The National Championships will be their first competition since the Olympics.
“Originally, we had intended on Four Continents in February 2019 being Sui/Han’s return to competition but by having them participate in the National Championships, they can gradually get a feel for the ice again,” said Shen Xue, the president of the Chinese Figure Skating Association. Sui Wenjing/Han Cong are reported to only perform their Short Program here.

 

[Sylvia]

ETA that I've started a thread for Chinese Nationals in the Kiss & Cry section: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...hampionships-in-harbin-dec-29-30-2018.105031/

Sui/Han's new SP to "No One Like You" by Red Electrick & Joseph Calleja (choreo. by Lori Nichol) as skated at Nationals on Dec. 29: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TV38nXn6iQ

https://twitter.com/pandaatlarge/status/1078970092312907776

Sui/Han made their first appearance this season at Chinese Nationals. Skating to 'No One Like You' they scored 78.27 (40.61+37.66) in SP, not their best but certainly a solid comeback. They will skip FS as planned because they need more time to recover.
It seems they [Sui/Han] will continue to train tomorrow and do the FS! Yu/Zhang, who also made their first appearance this season, scored 62.93 and will take the rest. Peng /Jin scored 75.07. The result of the Nationals will not determine the 2 spots for World Championships.

 

[Vash01]

New English interview with Boyang Jin

https://skatingchina.com/2018/11/boyang-jin-i-want-to-start-it-all-over-again-english/

I have missed seeing Boyang this season. I was hoping to see him compete at the GPF.

 

[feraina]

There are a whole bunch of videos from the competitions here:
https://sports.qq.com/kbsweb/game.htm?mid=100002:20204390
The index is on the right -- the first few are compilations of seemingly random snippets from different skaters/teams for each discipline. What then follow are the top competitors from each discipline.

There is a commercial at the start of each video. You can't skip them, so don't even try.

The live stream should also be here, for the LP/FD to come.

 

[Sylvia]

Looks like Boyang Jin's confidence is back! He dominated Nationals, earning a total score of 302.59 (98.01 SP, 204.58 FS).

Jin's SP to "While My Guitar Gently Weeps": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB15s4WuVqU
Photo of his protocol: https://twitter.com/BoyangFanpage/status/1079009626316627968

His FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikKWcmp8NXQ
Photo of his FS protocol: https://twitter.com/BoyangFanpage/status/1079383538946822146
110.22 TES (incl. Bonus 1.5) / 94.36 PCS = 204.58 FS

 

[clairecloutier]

Is Yi Christy Leung now competing for CHN or HKG? Or can she do Chinese Nationals while still representing HKG?

 

[Deleted member 40371]

Is Yi Christy Leung now competing for CHN or HKG? Or can she do Chinese Nationals while still representing HKG?

As far as China is concerned it is one nation, also anyone can be invited to any nationals as it is a domestic competition. We have also seen many countries combine their nationals like the four national that Czech, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary compete.

 

[Seerek]

FYI, Beverly Zhu (discussed earlier) also competed at Nationals.

 

[Sylvia]

2018-19 Chinese Nationals medalists:

Men:
Boyang JIN 302.59 (204.58 FS)
He ZHANG 211.51 (138.05) http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00012835.htm (has 4CC minimums)
Runqi LIU 165.67 http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014313.htm (lacks ISU minimums for 4CC)

Pairs:
Peng/Jin 211.51 (136.44 FS)
Wang/Wang 186.81 (124.02 FS) - lacks current ISU minimums
Tang/Yang 165.74 http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103493.htm (lacks current ISU senior minimums)
(Sui/Han & Yu/Zhang only skated the SP.)

Ladies:
Yi Christy Leung HKG 190.17 2 1 (124.24 FS) - scheduled to make her debut at 4CC/Worlds
Xiangyi AN 180.61 1 2 (113.69 FS) - talented 12-year-old who will be too young for the 2022 Beijing Olympics; reportedly skated with an ankle ligament injury here
Hongyi CHEN 160.21 3 3 (105.59 FS) - may be only CHN lady going to 4CC? (only one competing this season with minimums for Worlds)
4th Beverly Zhu 146.07 4 4 (90.71 FS) - has been dealing with a foot injury this season (Lu CHEN & Ivan Dinev were with her in Harbin)

Ice Dance:
Shiyue WANG/Xinyu LIU 185.87 (113.22 FD)
Hong CHEN/Zhuoming SUN 169.95 (105.25 FD) - has 4CC/Worlds minimums
Wanqi NING/Chao WANG 142.30 (89.22 FD)

ETA:

Podium photos of the medalists: http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com/post/181556142537/2018-chinese-national-championships-medalists

Video of Sui/Han's FS in practice is linked from the Pairs general discussion thread: https://m.weibo.cn/status/H9ADoxwO4?fid=1034:4322856998495310

Both of Sui/Han’s programs (the little of what I saw from the FP practice) have some cool and interesting choreography [FS music is Rain in Your Black Eyes by Ezio Bosso].

 

[hanca]

Where is Yu/Zhang?

 

[binbinwinwin]

Is Yi Christy Leung now competing for CHN or HKG? Or can she do Chinese Nationals while still representing HKG?

She's here as a guest, she still represents HKG, Hong Kong and Taiwanese skaters are allowed to attend domestic competitions (Chinese Grand Prix, Nationals, Chinese Winter Games etc) as a guest. in the past Tzu-Han Ting (TPE) has competed in Chinese domestic competitions too.

Where is Yu/Zhang?

They're test skaters here and choose not to do the LP because they do not feel ready yet.

 

[Tinami Amori]

watched Sui/Han's SP. they are still high quality skaters, but that SP needs work if they plan to skate at Worlds.

 

[Sylvia]

Here are some more Nationals videos that have been converted to YouTube (re-posting here from the Nationals thread in Kiss & Cry):

Peng/Jin 211.51 2 1 [SP Video] [FS Video]
Wang/Wang 186.81 3 3 [SP Video] [FS Video]
Yu/Zhang [SP Video] (test skate, not counted for placement)

(I've posted a link to Yi Christy Leung's 1st place FS in the OAS News thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-oas-skater-updates.98605/page-5#post-5495309
Xiangyi AN 180.61 1 2 [SP Video] [FS Video] - one or both programs are choreographed by Benoit Richaud

Shiyue WANG/Xinyu LIU 185.87 [RD Video] [FD Video]

 

[Sylvia]

Boyang Jin article after the SP: https://sports.qq.com/a/20181229/010351.htm

Men/Pairs FS article: https://sports.qq.com/a/20181230/006998.htm

Editorial after Boyang's FS: https://sports.qq.com/a/20181230/007311.htm