An amazing future star - Caroline Zhang !!

dizzydi7 · Sep 18, 2006

Caroline Zhang

Yes, she is young which likely explains her extreme flexibility. And yes, she is tiny at this point which probably makes rotation in the air easier. However, what I see is a very musical, graceful and poised skater. I don't believe that can be taught but is a natural ability that she likely won't lose in the future. It's the latter that gives me hope that if she can survive the next few years without injury, she has real potential as a top senior skater.

Dizzy

MKFSfan · Sep 18, 2006

Caroline's LP practice from this competition in on youtube. Wow, she really is something else! Especially considering she is only 13. After watching that, she reminds me more of NNN than Sasha when they first debuted. But man, her spins are out of this world!

nymkfan51 · Sep 18, 2006

Here's the link to that practice video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmTEBhfE8AA

I do think she is quite amazing, but I agree that it probably would not be in her best interest to have the hype go so overboard. There are enough pressures on these young skaters already ... let's just wait and see what happens.

soogar · Sep 19, 2006

nymkfan51 said:
Here's the link to that practice video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmTEBhfE8AA

I do think she is quite amazing, but I agree that it probably would not be in her best interest to have the hype go so overboard. There are enough pressures on these young skaters already ... let's just wait and see what happens.

She really has a long way to go. There isn't a lot of power in her stroking and her jumps are still developing. Her flexibility is great but she's still young and small. I don't see her remaining extremely flexible as she develops more muscle on her body.

brinababy87 · Sep 19, 2006

soogar said:
She really has a long way to go. There isn't a lot of power in her stroking and her jumps are still developing. Her flexibility is great but she's still young and small. I don't see her remaining extremely flexible as she develops more muscle on her body.

Well, it looked a lot worse for Mao, the beanpole jumping underrotated triple axels a few years ago. She seems to have handled growing well, so I guess we'll see how Caroline will do..

Nigel · Sep 19, 2006

nymkfan51 said:
Here's the link to that practice video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmTEBhfE8AA

I do think she is quite amazing, but I agree that it probably would not be in her best interest to have the hype go so overboard. There are enough pressures on these young skaters already ... let's just wait and see what happens.

So how does Caroline compare to some of the other US Jr Ladies, particularly some of the stronger skaters that were at Liberty or Detroit? What do we expect to see in January? Ashlely Wagner also has all her jumps, is a very athletic skater with great speed and high jumps and very musical in her programs. Caroline is more lyrical perhaps. What other Jr ladies are out there and what are they going to bring to the ice in January? SHould be quite the event to watch with very different styles of skating!

SeaniBu · Sep 19, 2006

What is the spin that starts out as a Bielmann and she brings her leg and skate in to the side of her face called? I have seen a few doing this - Mao for one - and I wondered if that is still even called a Bielmann. It doesn't appear to be the same position to me, so I would imagine it would have a different name.

OADN, I would love to see them take down the glass for the skaters!!!! :biggrin:

Dare to dream.

Sylvia · Sep 19, 2006

Nigel said:
So how does Caroline compare to some of the other US Jr Ladies, particularly some of the stronger skaters that were at Liberty or Detroit? What do we expect to see in January? Ashlely Wagner also has all her jumps, is a very athletic skater with great speed and high jumps and very musical in her programs.

As far as I know, Ashley Wagner may be the only other junior lady besides Caroline Zhang to have scored over 100 points (102.50) in a Junior FS at a club competition so far this season -- Wagner landed 7 triples to win the Liberty Final in mid-July. Mirai Nagasu (from southern California) scored over 90 points in both her Junior qualifying and final FS to place 2nd behind Zhang at the Golden West club competition earlier this month. Wagner and Zhang are the only two juniors from 2006 Nationals who are staying junior this season.

MKFSfan · Sep 19, 2006

SeaniBu said:
What is the spin that starts out as a Bielmann and she brings her leg and skate in to the side of her face called? I have seen a few doing this - Mao for one - and I wondered if that is still even called a Bielmann. It doesn't appear to be the same position to me, so I would imagine it would have a different name.

I would venture a guess that it is a variation of a catchfoot. AP had an amazing one, and I remember it being called something like a "sideways variation of a layback." I think many fans associate anything that a skater does when grabbing their skate and yanking it above their heads a beillmann. But a beillmann is one position, a variation of a layback, meaning, I don't think there are variation of beillmanns...??? But I don't know! I think the following link is a chinese spiral and not a beillmann position, yet many fans called it a beillmann spiral:

http://nyquil.org/uploads/sasha_cohen.jpg

Dee4707 · Sep 19, 2006

A new person to tug at your heart strings.

Dee

Spun Silver · Sep 19, 2006

Dee4707 said:
A new person to tug at your heart strings.

Dee

Yes! She's so tiny, young, and perfect - you can't help having a little anxiety mixed with the admiration.

riverflows · Sep 19, 2006

So... dumb question, but in what season will Caroline be able to compete in a senior competition?

Eeyora · Sep 19, 2006

WoW This girl is simply stunning!

Skye · Sep 19, 2006

Dee4707 said:
A new person to tug at your heart strings.

Dee

So true. With Michelle and Sasha (temporarly) out of the scene, fans have been admiring Kimmie's strong competitive spirit and solid technics, but a lot have found it difficult to "warm up" to her performances - and here comes the perfect little blessing. :love:

dancindiva03 · Sep 19, 2006

inloveagain said:
So true. With Michelle and Sasha (temporarly) out of the scene, fans have been admiring Kimmie's strong competitive spirit and solid technics, but a lot have found it difficult to "warm up" to her performances - and here comes the perfect little blessing.

I'd rather watch and cheer for Kimmie.

chuckm · Sep 19, 2006

riverflows said:
So... dumb question, but in what season will Caroline be able to compete in a senior competition?

Caroline will be eligible to compete in Senior ISU Championships (4CC and Worlds) in the 2008-2009 season. Next season, when she is 14, she could also do "B" Senior internationals and the senior Grand Prix.

soogar · Sep 19, 2006

brinababy87 said:
Well, it looked a lot worse for Mao, the beanpole jumping underrotated triple axels a few years ago. She seems to have handled growing well, so I guess we'll see how Caroline will do..

You mean Mao improved? She was still underrotating jumps in her GP events. Also she's not done growing yet.

brinababy87 · Sep 20, 2006

soogar said:
You mean Mao improved? She was still underrotating jumps in her GP events. Also she's not done growing yet.

Did you see her program at the Japan Open? She looked much taller there and her triple axel and her other jumps looked easier than ever for her.

MKFSfan · Sep 20, 2006

^^^I agree-I thought Mao's jumps looked stronger, as if when she got taller she also got more strength to rotate her jumps better, especially the 3axle. Maybe that was just a matter of dealing with her growth spurt and her jumps are the same, I don't know, but I was really impressed with how she skated at Japan Open.

jsteam4501s · Sep 22, 2006

My sense is that Caroline will be one of the elite ladies coming up into Senior competition over the next few years, but that she will not be the only one. Sounds to me like American skating fans have a lot to look forward to in ladies skating.

An amazing future star - Caroline Zhang !!

dizzydi7

MKFSfan

nymkfan51

soogar

brinababy87

Nigel

SeaniBu

Sylvia

MKFSfan

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin

Spun Silver

riverflows

Eeyora

Skye

dancindiva03

Match Penalty

chuckm

soogar

brinababy87

MKFSfan

jsteam4501s

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