News about Caroline | Golden Skate

News about Caroline

feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Caroline was spotted in the audience at Broadmoor Open, where Rachael Flatt unveiled her new programs (she nailed a 3Z/3T in the short, gaining + GOE's; but her jumps were a bit MIA in the long). It's in post #11 in this FSU thread:
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=50864
She's apparently working nearby with Tom Dickson on her new program(s), who has choreographed in the past for Chen Lu, Matt Savoie, Yukina Ota, Jeremy Abbott, Yu-na Kim... Some of my favorite artistic skaters, so I'd say she's in good hands. :)

She was also spotted at an ordinary freestyle session by a coach (from Broadmoor), who wrote that Caroline was "polite and gracious", and signed autographs while she practiced and waited in line to play her music. The coach said it was thrilling for the young skaters to see Caroline trying out her new programs -- I'm totally envious! I want to know what music she's skating to! :love:
http://figureskating.about.com/b/a/000237.htm
 

flying camel

Medalist
Joined
Nov 16, 2005
That's interesting, I can't wait to see them. I wonder if this is a new choreographer for her? Well maybe the fact that she skates seven days a week is why she has gotten so good at such a young age. :agree:
 

feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
I think it is a new choreographer. Certainly the Broadmoor coach (who wrote the blog) was surprised to see her around. Not a big surprise (to choose Dickson) since she really likes Chen Lu ("not just athletic, but also artistic", or something such, in her own words), and has Chen Lu's old coach.

She skates "all the time" and more on weekends than during the week. This girl lives on ice! -- and looks like it too. She looks more comfortable in her skates than most of us in our shoes on solid ground. :)
 
Last edited:

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
ohhhh i can't wait until she announces the music!!! By the way, what does MIA mean? is that good or bad?
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Has there ever been more to-do on this forum about someone just starting their senior career? :biggrin:
 

feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
MIA = "missing in action"

I think the only reason that we never had such hoopla about a skater's embarking on her/his senior career is because Michelle and Sasha and other legendary skaters started theirs before Golden Skate Forum existed. :biggrin:
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Thanks for the link, feraina. The posters at FSU had a nice civilized discussion in describing the events at Broadmore. It was all about corrective criticism.with no apparent bashing or saying it was pressure. Just about how they skated. Nice.

Joe
 

Nigel

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
I think it is a new choreographer. Certainly the Broadmoor coach was surprised to see her around. Not a big surprise since she really likes Chen Lu ("not just athletic, but also artistic", or something such, in her own words), and has Chen Lu's old coach.

She skates "all the time" and more on weekends than during the week. This girl lives on ice! -- and looks like it too. She looks more comfortable in her skates than most of us in our shoes on solid ground. :)

Actually, no, the Broadmoor crowd was not surprised to see Zhang. She had been in town all week, and participated in the USFS Champs Camp over at the OTC over the weekend....and had been working on choreo with Dickson. Feraina... you seem to be "surprised" more than anyone else here, when you already seem to know so much about Zhang.

Zhang's SP, which Dickson choreographed, is classical spanish guitar.

And, Flatt's jumps in the freeskate at Broadmoor (she did edge jumps and only one triple toe pic jump...3F )....she had sprained her ankle on Saturday morning according to a local volunteer at the competition... Nothing more than that. According to the same volunteer, Flatt had skated at the BSC Fire and Ice Exhibition the previous friday evening and did a clean freeskate. So, I wouldn't read too much into the MIA comment above.

Here is the link to FSU discussion on the Broadmoor competition
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=50864
 
Last edited:

feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Actually, no, the Broadmoor crowd was not surprised to see Zhang.

I did not say that the Broadmoor crowd was surprised to see her, and I certainly did not say that I was surprised -- but even if I was, what's wrong with being interested in the music and coaching choices of your favorite skater?

Anyway, what I said, or at least meant to say, was that the Broadmoor coach, who wrote on her blog that Caroline came to an ordinary FS session, was surprsied to see her (at the FS session). She may not have said so explicitly, but it must be a relatively unusual event if she thought it worthwhile to devote a blog to this sighting!

Anyway, thanks for the tip on her SP music choice. I'm happy to hear that she plans on using Spanish guitar music, which is by default more percussive, compare to the violin + soft piano music she used in both SP & LP last year. And depending on the exact piece, maybe it'll be more dramatic too. I think most of us think she would benefit by diversifying from the soft, lyrical music that she's been skating with in previous seasons.
 
Last edited:

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think the only reason that we never had such hoopla about a skater's embarking on her/his senior career is because Michelle and Sasha and other legendary skaters started theirs before Golden Skate Forum existed. :biggrin:

Right...but I don't even think the hype on Mao and Yuna was near this level that we're seeing for Caroline.
 

feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Maybe there is a combination of factors. Caroline is also an American skater, unlike Mao & Yu-na. I'm guessing that most forum members (though by no means all) are Americans, and most of us got to see her skate on TV at some point in the past year on either ESPN or NBC (and a lucky few of us saw her at Nationals, Marshalls, or one of the COI shows). I would also venture to guess that most users of YouTube, which hosts a large number of Caro's videos (large for a 13-year-old not yet on the senior circuit!), are also Americans. And here we are, typing in English. :)

How many of us got to see Yu-na or Mao on TV before they joined the GP series? Likewise, how many Youtube videos had there been?

Or maybe it's because I joined GS forum. Haha. :laugh:
Just kidding!
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
We saw videos of Mao long before she even competed in the JGP, and she ws a frequent subject of discussion even during the years Miki Ando was dominating the JGP.

And we saw plenty of videos of both Mao and Yu-Na when they competed in the JGP.
 

Zuranthium

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
Right...but I don't even think the hype on Mao and Yuna was near this level that we're seeing for Caroline.

Seriously? For MAO the hype was much higher. Certainly deserved as well, with her record-setting dual 3 Axel programs. Pretty much everyone agreed she would have won the Olympics if she actually would have been able to go. Nobody is talking like THAT about Caroline. Not yet anyway.

~Z
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Seriously? For MAO the hype was much higher. Certainly deserved as well, with her record-setting dual 3 Axel programs. Pretty much everyone agreed she would have won the Olympics if she actually would have been able to go. Nobody is talking like THAT about Caroline. Not yet anyway.

~Z

I meant before she actually debuted in seniors. After she appeared she made a HUUUUUUUUGE splash, upsetting the incumbents Cohen and Slutskaya in separate competitions. But before then, I don't remember multi-page threads on her incredible junior talent...but I can for this Caroline Zhang. Remember, she hasn't even shown up to 2007 SA and we're talking about her as if she's the next Olympic Champ. Does she deserve this kind of hype (or buzz, or whatever you wish to call it)? Umm, depends on who you ask.
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Does she deserve this kind of hype (or buzz, or whatever you wish to call it)?
Is it about her based on what people have seen from her "thus" far? ? ?

So of course she does, it is because of her it is there.
 

Zuranthium

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
I meant before she actually debuted in seniors. After she appeared she made a HUUUUUUUUGE splash, upsetting the incumbents Cohen and Slutskaya in separate competitions. But before then, I don't remember multi-page threads on her incredible junior talent...but I can for this Caroline Zhang. Remember, she hasn't even shown up to 2007 SA and we're talking about her as if she's the next Olympic Champ. Does she deserve this kind of hype (or buzz, or whatever you wish to call it)? Umm, depends on who you ask.

Well even before Mao debuted in Seniors she won the Junior Worlds with a 3Axel in the program (first Junior girl to ever do it). I don't know what the buzz was like at that point, however, because it was during my break from the figure skating World.

~Z
 

Kypma

Final Flight
Joined
May 12, 2007
Well even before Mao debuted in Seniors she won the Junior Worlds with a 3Axel in the program (first Junior girl to ever do it). I don't know what the buzz was like at that point, however, because it was during my break from the figure skating World.

~Z

Was that Junior worlds 2005 or 2006 (sorry, my interest in figure skating began after the Olympics and before Worlds 2006)? If it was 2006, she'd already entered the Senior circuit through the Grand Prix series.

Kypma
 
Top