Vincent Zhou cheer thread

[Sylvia]

Video posted by Vincent and ILLENIUM today: https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChFiOzFAcVF/

It’s one of the biggest honors of my career to create this video about my exhibition program to “Lonely, and then release it alongside @illenium, who personally supported me through my Olympics nightmare and beyond. Through his music and symbolism, I found it in me to fight my way to redemption at the World Championships only a few weeks after the Olympics.

To me, this program represents my personal journey through the depths of hell to the heights of victory as well as my respect and passion for Nick’s (Illenium’s) craft. Through this video, I also hope to expose different audiences to new things - I’d love to share the beauty, inspiration, nuance, and emotion in electronic music with my skating followers. On the other hand, I’m so excited for electronic music fans to be exposed to skating, which I’ve dedicated my life to, in a way that may be more easily digestible for them than it would otherwise be.

Please wear headphones for the best experience!

Many thanks to Nick and his social media team, as well as @chandlerleighton for the hauntingly beautiful vocals, the best I’ve heard in all of electronic music.

 

[Sylvia]

8-minute video that Vincent recorded for his Japanese fans (unlisted on VincentZhouJPFC YT's account):

https://twitter.com/skating_diaries/status/1557733817607024646

 

[Sylvia]

Vincent is headed back to Brown University - here's his post of gratitude for his coaches, especially Mie Hamada: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChoG_UNriC5/

There are no words to describe how instrumental my coaches have been in nurturing my love for skating, developing my competitiveness, drive, and perfectionism into something special, and shaping my understanding of what it means to be an athlete and a champion.

I have to dedicate a separate blurb to Mie, my sensei, who completely changed my skating career. A couple of weeks ago, when I stepped into her rink after The Ice concluded, I assumed myself a complete beginner again and observed/learned more about her methods, techniques, and philosophy. I felt like I was in a magical dream, leaving the rink every day having uncovered so many new things about myself and the sport that I was never able to before. I left with not only a rekindled childlike love for skating, but also a newfound sense of respect for her selfless dedication to her students and her masterful understanding of the micro and macro of what it takes to be a great skater. I promised to return next year to learn more, a commitment I fully intend on upholding.

Today I said goodbye (actually see you later, but that’s not how the saying goes) to Colorado, my home for the last 7 years, the place that awakened my Olympic spirit and inspired my love for the mountains. I hugged my coaches and parents and hit the road, eyes locked on new horizons…

#nextchapter #onwardsandupwards

 

[PinkRose]

Good luck to Vincent at Brown!

 

[Sylvia]

Article from May 2022:

Vincent Zhou enjoying Stars on Ice experience after up and down season - Figure Skaters Online

By Gina Capellazzi, Team FSO website administrator Stars on Ice photos by Melanie Heaney A life experience. That's how Vincent Zhou describes his 2021-2022 competitive season. "It was a journey with so many ups and downs, lots of expected and also lots of unexpected (things), lots of goals met...

figureskatersonline.com

Excerpt:
Though Zhou plans to focus solely on his academics in the fall, he states he hasn’t retired from competitive skating and hasn’t ruled out another competitive season. The new Skating Club of Boston facility, which opened in 2020 in the Norwood, Massachusetts, is only about a hour away from the Brown University campus.
“We’ll see,” he said of his future plans in the skating.

Vincent's latest Instagram stories show him landing a quad Lutz ("First chance to try a 4Lz in weeks") and 3A at the Skating Club of Boston: https://www.instagram.com/stories/govincentzhou/2916304296578625286/

 

[Sylvia]

Here's Vincent's New Year's Eve post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm3aNH_L-X-/

2022 was one of the most difficult, adversity-driven years of my life. It was also contained many of my greatest, most treasured moments and memories. From the searing anguish of the Olympics to the fairytale triumph at the World Championships (photo), I lived every second of it. From touring around the world with my beloved Stars On Ice family to leaving home and studying at Brown full time, I took it all in. From continent to continent, coast to coast, experience to experience, I embraced it all with an open heart and open mind. 2023 will bring forth a new set of challenges and adversity, but I’m sure in that package will also be victories I yearn for, people who will change how I see things, and experiences I can only dream of right now. Onwards, one day at a time!

#happynewyear #newyear #2022 #2023

 

[Sylvia]

RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY
Star on Ice
Clip: Season 4 Episode 9 | 8m 55s
Video has closed captioning.
Aired: 02/26/23

He’s a star on ice! Olympic men’s figure skating medalist Vincent Zhou is trading his blades for focusing on grades as an economics and business major at Brown University. Find out about what’s happened since the Winter Games a year ago and why controversy over the Russian team still swirls around the outcome for the USA. Plus, will the skating champion go for the gold at the 2026 Olympic Games?

Rhode Island PBS Weekly | Star on Ice | Season 4 | Episode 9 | Rhode Island PBS

Star on ice! Olympic medalist Vincent Zhou is skating to a degree from Brown University.

watch.ripbs.org

Also on WSBE Rhode Island PBS' YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGwMZTJ_0cg

 

[Sylvia]

This Week in Skating's podcast episode today (March 19) features one hour+ of Vincent : https://www.thisweekinskating.com/episodes/

 

[ice coverage]

Vincent has been sending love and congratulations via Instastory today to many friends who competed at 2023 Worlds.

All truly touching, but my favorite one shows throwback video (which I have never seen before) of Evan and Madi singing karaoke along with Nathan, Alysa, and Vincent.
Nathan and Evan are next to each other, and it's especially fun to see both of them really giving their all to their performance.

ETA:​

Sorry for not trying to add govincentzhou's Instastory link until now.​

Hoping it works:​

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

 

[skateboy]

All truly touching, but my favorite one shows throwback video (which I have never seen before) of Evan and Madi singing karaoke along with Nathan, Alysa, and Vincent.
Nathan and Evan are next to each other, and it's especially fun to see both of them really giving their all to their performance.

Would love to see that! Is there a link?

ETA: I just found it. Cute!

 

[VGThuy]

When Vincent first came on this scene as a smart but shy young teen with at-times awkward phrasing and stumbled over his words, I thought he was a kind of “thinker” sort of person but as he has grown throughout the years, I realized that he’s a deep feeler with the heart and soul of a poet. He’s a very abstract thinker and I think his head and heart has a million things it is saying but it’s hard for him to articulate verbally, so he ends up writing so well as he can take his time and really put down what’s inside of him. He really cherishes his personal experiences and internalizes them, both the high and the low. It’s also why he philosophizes so much.

This is all just my way of saying that Vincent has ended up being my most relatable skater I’ve ever observed.

 

[Allskate]

When Vincent first came on this scene as a smart but shy young teen with at-times awkward phrasing and stumbled over his words, I thought he was a kind of “thinker” sort of person but as he has grown throughout the years, I realized that he’s a deep feeler with the heart and soul of a poet. He’s a very abstract thinker and I think his head and heart has a million things it is saying but it’s hard for him to articulate verbally, so he ends up writing so well as he can take his time and really put down what’s inside of him. He really cherishes his personal experiences and internalizes them, both the high and the low. It’s also why he philosophizes so much.

This is all just my way of saying that Vincent has ended up being my most relatable skater I’ve ever observed.

I also think that he has grown and matured as a person since he first came on the scene as he has gotten older and been exposed to more people and experiences.

 

[Sylvia]

Vincent has been sending love and congratulations via Instastory today to many friends who competed at 2023 Worlds.

All truly touching, but my favorite one shows throwback video (which I have never seen before) of Evan and Madi singing karaoke along with Nathan, Alysa, and Vincent.
Nathan and Evan are next to each other, and it's especially fun to see both of them really giving their all to their performance.

Direct link to watch for those who have Instagram (21 hours ago) : https://www.instagram.com/stories/govincentzhou/3066441192238637163/

 

[ice coverage]

Last week Vincent spent time with Figure Skating in Harlem students, both on ice and off ice.

Today FSH published a great video capturing his visit, including audio from Vincent:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqnuRvKOip4/​

 

[Sylvia]

Vincent's post yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrFHnU_Lu-2/

Hey everyone! Wanted to share two things.
First, many of my longtime followers may remember my writing account, which used to be named @/artworkofthemind. That account is now @tears__in__rain. I’m happy to share that I will start posting writings, ruminations, and thought blurbs on there once again. I’ve left many of my old posts up, so hopefully curious eyes and minds will find plenty of food for thought there!

Link: https://www.instagram.com/tears__in__rain/

Second, my full TEDxBrownU speech is now up on YouTube!

March 12, 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h-aGwr5aaw

Vincent Zhou shares with us his riveting yet crushing journey to the 2020 Olympics and the top of the figure skating world. Through his journey, he dares us to rediscover motivation in our lowest moments. Vincent Zhou is a Team USA figure skater, 2-time Olympian, Olympic medalist, 2-time World medalist, 14-time major ISU international medalist, 9-time National medalist, and 3-time National champion. He is currently a freshman at Brown University pursuing a degree in Economics. His hometown is Palo Alto, California, but he has lived and trained all over the world and competed in 17 countries. He is currently on the US Figure Skating Singles Development and Technical Committee and is involved with building the next generation of US figure skaters. In the future, he aims to work in management consulting, investment banking, or venture capital. In his spare time, he is an aspiring mountaineer who loves bouldering, scrambling in the Colorado 14ers, and listening to music. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

TEDxBrownU

TED.com, home of TED Talks, is a global initiative about ideas worth spreading via TEDx, The Audacious Project, TED Books, TED Conferences, TED-Ed and more.

www.ted.com

 

[ice coverage]

Over the weekend, Vincent competed for Brown at the team's first intercollegiate figure skating event in four years.

(He's wearing a medal in second photo -- must have been for High Team Maneuvers, which would make sense.)

Brown Figure Skating on Instagram: "We had SO MUCH FUN at the NYU/ Violet Classic this weekend! This was everyone’s first time competing at a collegiate competition, and Brown’s first time competing in four years! We are already so proud of what we’v

152 likes, 11 comments - brownufigureskating on November 20, 2023: "We had SO MUCH FUN at the NYU/ Violet Classic this weekend! This was everyone’s first time competing at a collegiate competition, and Brown’s first time competing in four years! We are already so proud of what we’ve accomplished...

www.instagram.com

Thanks to Karen Chen (a captain for Cornell team) for her photo with Pooja Kalyan (a captain for Brown) and Vincent.

Karen Chen on Instagram: "hmm we aren’t 6000 ft above sea level in colorado springs?? 🐻"

karebearsk8 on November 20, 2023: "hmm we aren’t 6000 ft above sea level in colorado springs?? 🐻".

www.instagram.com

ETA:​

Pooja also has posted on her own account. I think her first photo (which includes Vincent) probably shows Brown's five skaters for High Team Maneuvers.
As another reunion of former training mates from Colorado Springs, Vincent and Pooja met up off ice with Camden.

Instagram

www.instagram.com

 

[YukiNieve]

So did Vince actually skate to get a medal for High Team Maneuvers?

 

[ice coverage]

So did Vince actually skate to get a medal for High Team Maneuvers?

Hi, Yuki
Not sure what your question is. Are you asking whether the rules allow some kind of "loophole" that would make it possible for someone (an alternate?) to receive a medal for Team Maneuvers without actually taking the ice for at least one of the seven required elements? If so, I don't know the answer.

U.S. Figure Skating - Collegiate Program

WHAT IS TEAM MANEUVERS? ⁉️ Team maneuvers consist of teams of three to seven athletes (any mix of male and female) from the same college or university. Each team earns one score for the execution of...

www.facebook.com

ln case I have misunderstood your question, will add (sorry if it is overkill):

It is (only) my assumption that the medal around Vincent's neck does belong to him -- was not borrowed from someone else just for photo purposes. And I believe that the group photo of Vincent and others wearing medals shows some of the High Team medalists for Team Maneuvers. The photo has students from Cornell (such as Karen) and Dartmouth (such as Sasha Fear) on either side of students from Brown (such as Vincent and Pooja); and per results page, the top four schools in High Team Maneuvers were Boston U, Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth. (Violet Ice Classic is for Northeast section, BTW.)​

Violet Ice Classic: Maneuver Team High

Per names on results pages, Vincent did not represent Brown in any of the categories for individual skaters. For Team Maneuvers events, results pages do not give names of the team members for each school. But Brown's Low Team and Intermediate Team did not medal in their Team Maneuvers events. (And it would make more sense for Vincent to be on the High Team anyway.)​

Violet Ice Classic

ETA:​

Long story short: In hindsight, I wish I had been more careful to say in my OP that Vincent "apparently" competed -- because of the absence of official documentation. But the unofficial indications on social media seem quite strong to me.​

 

[YukiNieve]

Oh, you read too much into my simple question (it may well be my wording was misleading - BTW I was/am a Vincent fan).

I just wanted to know if Vince actually skated or was just there to cheer for the fellow team members (and as a team member I am not surprised if he can still get a medal).

 

[mtnskater]

Any chance Vincent may have plans to make a run for the next Olympics?

 

[ice coverage]

Vincent is scheduled to skate in Holiday on Ice Spectacular at the BankNewport City Center in downtown Providence on Dec 16.
The show starts at 6:00 pm. (Rain date December 17.)

Brad Vigorito Skating on Instagram: "Tis’ the season for shows! Sarah and I are so excited to be producing this year’s Holiday on Ice Spectacular at the BankNewport City Center in downtown Providence! Join us on on December 16th for a wonderful night

96 likes, 0 comments - bv_skating on November 25, 2023: "Tis’ the season for shows! Sarah and I are so excited to be producing this year’s Holiday on Ice Spectacular at the BankNewport City Center in downtown Providence! Join us on on December 16th for a wonderful night of skating, featuring...

www.instagram.com

(posted Nov 25)​

FWIW: Jordan Cowan of On Ice Perspectives has filmed this show in this past.
If we're lucky, maybe he will do so again?​

Vincent himself eventually posted about "First collegiate event:"

Vincent Zhou on Instagram: "First collegiate event was so much fun! 3-2-1 GO BRUNOOO @brownufigureskating @brownu_bears @brownu"

4,047 likes, 34 comments - govincentzhou on November 25, 2023: "First collegiate event was so much fun! 3-2-1 GO BRUNOOO @brownufigureskating @brownu_bears @brownu".

www.instagram.com

(posted Nov 25)​

 

[Sylvia]

Just realized that Vincent's This Week in Skating podcast episode dated August 21, 2024 was never posted in his Cheer thread (Archives section, where I found this post, is available to subscribers only):

Excellent interview with Vincent Zhou in This Week in Figure Skating (8-21-24 episode), about the 2022 Olympic Team reallocation event and the doping situation in some countries. Very intelligent and outspoken young man.

https://redcircle.com/shows/this-week-in-skating-podcast/ep/45f1c129-7fd3-401f-bf81-548de8167452

August 8, 2024:

Vincent Zhou on Instagram: "18 years in the making. Olympic Gold. 🇺🇸🥇 @teamusa @olympics @usfigureskating"

13K likes, 237 comments - govincentzhou on August 8, 2024: "18 years in the making. Olympic Gold. 🇺🇸🥇 @teamusa @olympics @usfigureskating".

www.instagram.com

August 25:

Vincent Zhou on Instagram: "A little over 2 weeks ago, they told me backstage I’d be the first one walking out for the medal ceremony. Immediately my heart started pounding and a million questions flooded my mind. What if I stepped wrong? How would t

7,746 likes, 125 comments - govincentzhou on August 25, 2024: "A little over 2 weeks ago, they told me backstage I’d be the first one walking out for the medal ceremony. Immediately my heart started pounding and a million questions flooded my mind. What if I stepped wrong? How would the audience...

www.instagram.com

A little over 2 weeks ago, they told me backstage I’d be the first one walking out for the medal ceremony. Immediately my heart started pounding and a million questions flooded my mind. What if I stepped wrong? How would the audience receive us? Did we even belong here in Paris?

But I was suddenly reminded of what it felt like in the last two and a half years to be speaking out about justice and integrity in sports, for my voice to ring into the void with no response. Scary? Perhaps. Unsure of my place? Yes. Afraid of making a mistake? Absolutely.

And then I remembered the hundreds of times I’d stepped out into center stage alone, trembling in nervousness and acutely aware that a mistake could mean the end. I recalled the times I’d had to forge ahead alone, with nobody to guide my steps or tell me right from wrong — like when I gave up everything to do with a normal life to pursue my Olympic dream at age 9, or when despite my coach’s disapproval, I threw myself into a Quad Lutz for the first time, long before it became a “common” jump.

I thought to myself, “You’ll be just fine,” and stepped forward into the blinding sunlight.

 

[livetoskate]

Since there's not much news now about Vincent Zhou, I just wanted to mention that he was supposed to be at the AAPI skating clinic during Worlds, but he left early. My son and I were there for the 2nd half. When skaters like Alysa, Nathan & the Shibs were introduced & said some words, the announcer gave his intro. Then someone said Vincent had left already. That was disappointing since he was one of the headliners for the event. I hope he wasn't sick or something. It was nice to see on Spencer Lane's father's blog that Spencer was inspired by Nathan, Vincent and Junhwan Cha. Hope Vincent is still skating for fun & enjoying college.

 

[olympic]

Since my notifications bell was red for a post in the Vincent Zhou thread, I thought I would come here and read that he was coming back to competitive skating for the Olympic year. LOL The US men sure would need something like that right now.