Caroline Zhang: How does she feel about missing Worlds? | Golden Skate

Caroline Zhang: How does she feel about missing Worlds?

krenseby

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
I was wondering whether you guys think Caroline Zhang is disappointed about not getting to go to Worlds. At 4CC, she was so upbeat after her LP, I thought missing Worlds was no big deal to her. Or is she sad about it, but perhaps not showing it?
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
I was wondering whether you guys think Caroline Zhang is disappointed about not getting to go to Worlds. At 4CC, she was so upbeat after her LP, I thought missing Worlds was no big deal to her. Or is she sad about it, but perhaps not showing it?

No need to be sad, she is competing at Worlds as we speak:):rofl:
 

luvsasha

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 26, 2005
I don't know about Caroline, but if i missed competiting at Worlds in my home state/country i'd be pretty bummed.
 

Andalusia

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Perhaps we can get feraina to ask her. :)

I'm sure she's disappointed by it. After all, this would've been her first senior Worlds, and it's being held in her hometown! Even Michelle said 2002 Nats was extra special to her because of the homespun atmosphere. You could see the resignation in Caroline's face when receiving the scores after her Nats LP - it was almost like she knew there would be no beating Alissa no matter how Alissa bombed. :laugh:

I know I sure am disappointed Caroline won't be at Worlds. I'm wondering how she would perform with the hometown crowd there to buoy her, and how the judges would react if she skated clean. This is why I'm partly hopeful that Alissa and Rachael can salvage 3 spots - I think they might get a points boost since the event is being held in the U.S. And I'm sure Caroline fans would miss potential fluff pieces, and there would probably be at least one because of Caroline's L.A. connection and good P.R. Don't forget the Michelle/Caroline fluff piece from last year. Who knows, Michelle might even be at the boards advising Caroline, that is if she could free herself temporarily from her commentating duties. :biggrin:

There could be a silver lining, though. I'm sure Caroline wouldn't want to feel responsible if the U.S. fails to gain 3 spots for the Olympics. As Caroline's season ends a little earlier, there'll be plenty of time for her to recuperate and come back strong for next year. Mostly I'm worried that Caroline won't be at a Worlds before the Olympics - I know she's been to other senior ISU events, but Worlds is the most prestigious, and it would be interesting to see how she would fare against all the top ladies. I know her finish at 4CC is an indicator of how she would do, but I heard that scoring at this event is always more generous than at other competitions.

Either way, I'm sure Caroline will be at Worlds in some capacity, whether it be as a spectator or something else. ;)
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
...This is why I'm partly hopeful that Alissa and Rachael can salvage 3 spots - I think they might get a points boost since the event is being held in the U.S...

I even think it is possible that the ISU judges might inflate Alissa's and Rachael's scores just so the U.S. will get an extra spot. After all, it doesn't matter to Switzerland whether Sarah Meier finishes seventh or eight. But it might mean more television revenue in the United States if they have more skaters to hype.

By the way, am I right in thinking that an extra spot for U.S.A. does not come at the expense of anyone else? No skater from another country has to stay home if the U.S. gets three, right? So it's win-win for the ISU if Alissa and Rachael somehpw manage to do well?
 

bekalc

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
By the way, am I right in thinking that an extra spot for U.S.A. does not come at the expense of anyone else? No skater from another country has to stay home if the U.S. gets three, right? So it's win-win for the ISU if Alissa and Rachael somehpw manage to do well?

Well it depends on if the skater behind the US skater what her team needs for 2/3 spots...
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
*shrugs* that's sport... what was it that Jim McKay always said? The agony of defeat?



Why compete if everyone's the winner... ;)
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
How does Caroline feel about missing Worlds? I don't know for sure, but I'll take a wild shot at it -- she feels crumby about it. ;)

I feel sorry for the other American ladies next year. Caroline is going to come out loaded for bear! :rock:
 
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feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Perhaps we can get feraina to ask her.

Well, she said she was annoyed with herself after the SP at National's, and then said she was disappointed after the LP. But I think by nature she's upbeat and optimistic. In any case, she didn't have any time to brood over National's, because she was home for less than 48 hours (due to travel woes) before setting off again for 4CC! It was amazing how well she did considering the lack of preparation and amount of traveling (the advantage of being 15, I guess). I think she was very happy with how she skated at 4CC, it was sort of a consolation prize for not being able to go to World's. I think there's no way to describe it (missing world's) except as disappointment, if we are all going to be honest about it. I think she has the kind of personality where she would have loved the challenge of going to World's and being in the position of taking on the responsibility of earning the 3 spots. I don't think she ever said to herself: oh, maybe it's good I'm not going, because then I wouldn't have to shoulder the blame in case I don't skate well enough.

I think no serious competitor worth her salt does/should think like that.

But anyway, Caroline's still young, and maybe this disappointment will spur her on to make some really significant improvements over the off-season. Maybe it will make her train smarter instead of harder (she already spends more time in the ice rink per day than most of her competitors).

Either way, I'm sure Caroline will be at Worlds in some capacity, whether it be as a spectator or something else. ;)

I agree. Caroline seems to like to really like watching other people skate, including her competitors. I wouldn't be surprised if she turns up in the stands.
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
I even think it is possible that the ISU judges might inflate Alissa's and Rachael's scores just so the U.S. will get an extra spot. After all, it doesn't matter to Switzerland whether Sarah Meier finishes seventh or eight. But it might mean more television revenue in the United States if they have more skaters to hype.

By the way, am I right in thinking that an extra spot for U.S.A. does not come at the expense of anyone else? No skater from another country has to stay home if the U.S. gets three, right? So it's win-win for the ISU if Alissa and Rachael somehpw manage to do well?

Or more importantly if another country wins a second or third spot whether that country would even use the spot. GB is notorious for not filling alloted slots (prime example as the host country of the JGP they didn't fill their three spots in each category because of some arbitrary criteria they have now waived in favour of pushing those skaters they wanted to worlds!). Worse still is the fact that the British Olympic Association sets its own criteria for skaters wishing to go to the Olympics - not only do they have to qualify a spot through worlds they have to meet the more stringent BOA criteria too.

Ant
 

pohatta

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 15, 2005
I even think it is possible that the ISU judges might inflate Alissa's and Rachael's scores just so the U.S. will get an extra spot. After all, it doesn't matter to Switzerland whether Sarah Meier finishes seventh or eight. But it might mean more television revenue in the United States if they have more skaters to hype.

By the way, am I right in thinking that an extra spot for U.S.A. does not come at the expense of anyone else? No skater from another country has to stay home if the U.S. gets three, right? So it's win-win for the ISU if Alissa and Rachael somehpw manage to do well?

The only occasions I can think of where the 3rd spot for U.S. comes at the expense of someone else are
1. If the U.S. ladies finish 3rd and 10th and the country finishing 11th has only one representative and is deprived of an extra spot
2. If a skater from a country with two representatives misses the 31 point mark (is it 31?) by one point because a U.S. skater finished one spot ahead of her

However, if U.S. and Finland are aiming for the 3rd spot and for example Lepistö is 5th and Flatt 6th (or the other way round), it's just a one way battle between Czisny and Pöykiö. The other one needs the 7th place and 8th is enough for the other. Let's hope it goes the right way, because both countries deserve the 3rd spot.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
I think she was very sportswoman-like about it, but I can only imagine that she is very dissipointed. Last year she had a less-than perfect nationals, but no doubt she was a favorite coming into the 2008-09 season. She was too young last year anyway, that itself was a controversy. It is every young skater's dream to make it to worlds, never mind when it is right in your homwtown with all your training mates and coaches from your rink cheering you on.
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
The only occasions I can think of where the 3rd spot for U.S. comes at the expense of someone else are
1. If the U.S. ladies finish 3rd and 10th and the country finishing 11th has only one representative and is deprived of an extra spot
2. If a skater from a country with two representatives misses the 31 point mark (is it 31?) by one point because a U.S. skater finished one spot ahead of her

However, if U.S. and Finland are aiming for the 3rd spot and for example Lepistö is 5th and Flatt 6th (or the other way round), it's just a one way battle between Czisny and Pöykiö. The other one needs the 7th place and 8th is enough for the other. Let's hope it goes the right way, because both countries deserve the 3rd spot.
Canada could come into the mix as well, if Phaneuf is skating as well as she did at 4CC.
 

LeCygne

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
I think she was very sportswoman-like about it, but I can only imagine that she is very dissipointed.

Yeah, she definitely did look disapointed at Nationals (in fact, her Facebook status said "Caroline Zhang is disappointed..." for many days afterwards) but in the article following her 4CC success, she said she is just going to use it as motivation for next year. As a fan, I certainly was pretty upset for her, but I think that if she can just skate great this weekend and win Junior Worlds again, I'll be satisfied and will just hope everything goes smoothly for her next season.
 

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Why do I have the feeling that another federation, let's say the Russian one, would be merciless, tell one of the other two to stay at home and take Caroline to Worlds.

I don't like the pretty-princess-bleh-bleh-image she has or tries to portray, but I do enjoy a good work ethic, lots of ambition - she is a fighter. She belongs in the last freeskating group in L.A. in a month and not Saturday evening in Sofia.
 

Particle Man

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
1. If the U.S. ladies finish 3rd and 10th

I think we can rule that one out. :rofl:

if U.S. and Finland are aiming for the 3rd spot and for example Lepistö is 5th and Flatt 6th (or the other way round), it's just a one way battle between Czisny and Pöykiö... The other one needs the 7th place and 8th is enough for the other. Let's hope it goes the right way, because both countries deserve the 3rd spot.

No offense, and maybe I am overlooking someone really important, but who is really important for Finland to send as a 3rd competitor nowadays?
 

Particle Man

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
I suppose... I get the feeling this could degrade into another discussion about medal chances vs. "Olympic experience"...

Anyway, I wonder if they would ever consider loosening the 13 point rule, maybe in the next Olympic cycle. Not for US but just cause more countries (Finland for instance) have more high-level skaters nowadays.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I suppose... I get the feeling this could degrade into another discussion about medal chances vs. "Olympic experience"...

Actually, that is quite an interesting question. What is the purpose of the Olympic games?

It cannot be, "to find out who the best skaters are," because if that were the purpose there would be no need for extravagant opening ceremonies or parading about with flags. Nor would there be any reason to have the figure skating championships at the same time and place as people competing in curling and shooting a rifle while snow-shoeing.

So...to let some kids have the "Olympic experience" is as good a reason as any, in my humble opinion. (I hope Caroline makes the team. :yes: )
 
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