Caroline Zhang's 2009-10 season | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Caroline Zhang's 2009-10 season

Sylvia

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 25, 2003
Caroline may still be growing - but she needs atleast another year to catch Caro K who is 5'7.
Alexe Gilles, who will make her Senior GP debut at TEB, supposedly stands 5'7" without her skates.

Yes, she was at TEB last year. And she skated two clean programs (well, except both 3-3 downgraded).
Didn't Caroline pop the 2A in her SP at TEB?
 
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feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Didn't Caroline pop the 2A in her SP at TEB?

Oh, you're right, she did. But Mao popped the loop in the combo, and also popped the solo lutz, and still beat Caroline in the SP. Joannie also fell on her 3F and had no combo (and won the SP). So both made worse mistakes than Caroline, since they popped more valuable jumps.

Anyway, the point was that Caroline attempted and landed more triples than Mao and ended up losing both the SP and LP.
 

ehdtkqorl123

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 6, 2009
Re: Sasha: Doubtful. Sasha seems to have grown up and matured, and anyways--were those allegations even true? I assumed they were sort of like SBS' ridiculous accusations of Japanese skaters disturbing Yu-Na's warm-ups.

As for Caroline, I can't help but be a bit pessimistic and say that her difficult GP events will probably leave her off the Olympic team as I doubt she will be able to make the GPF. BUT I hope Caroline will make me eat my words and prove me wrong. In any case, Caroline will definitely be the skater to watch in 2014.

Just wondering, why were SBS' accusations ridiculous?
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Just wondering, why were SBS' accusations ridiculous?


Yuna felt she was being disrupted during twarmups at two events in a row. She mentioned it to Orser and he noticed it too and filed a complaint. That part is all on the record. However, Yuna never mentioned who was causing her problems. Not a name let alone a nationality of a skater(s).
SBS went with this and basically ran wild. They were not only naive bit negligent in their reporting. A little research would have shown SBS (and other Korean media) that warm up harrassments are nothing new to figure skating. SBS was not looking to cover this honestly - they were only out for ratings.
By assuming that it was Japanese skaters trying to disrupt Yuna's warmups they created a firestorm between Japan and Korea.
I have no idea how much harrasment Yuna may have experienced or felt. I do know Yuna never mentioned "Japanese skaters" or any skater by name.
SBS acted very unprofessionaly in this matter, and made it worse than it should have been. Most Yuna fans agree and were angry at SBS over their faulty coverage,
 
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Joined
Jul 11, 2003
It's the battle of the Penchet Spiral (that's 180 degree) between Caroline and Sasha at TEB. If it's flexibility that is the high scoring presence, then who has the most? Watch out Mao and YuNa. One of you may be off the podium,:scratch:
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
If she's still growing, we'll have to wait and see what her training has brought. All the young ladies have had to struggle to varying degrees with growth spurts between ages 15-17. Depending on placements, some struggle more in the spotlight vs others. 5'7" is certainly tall for a ladies skater - some of the men aren't even that tall.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Here is a link to USA Today article about Sasha's misadventures during 98 Nationals.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/comment/brennan/2002-01-14-brennan.htm

I don't know, the picture looks like Michelle is about to elbow Sasha in the back. ;)

We have to take into account that Christine Brennan is a big Michelle fan from w-a-a-y back.

About the incident invloving Yu-na, the outrageous part was all the phony videos that were spliced together to make it seem like Miki Ando (especially) and other Japanese skaters were getting too close to Yuna. In one part they deliberately blurred the skater out, saying look how awful these Japanese skaters are -- when the skater in the clip was actually Cynthia Phaneuf.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I don't know, the picture looks like Michelle is about to elbow Sasha in the back. ;)

We have to take into account that Christine Brennan is a big Michelle fan from w-a-a-y back.

About the incident invloving Yu-na, the outrageous part was all the phony videos that were spliced together to make it seem like Miki Ando (especially) and other Japanese skaters were getting too close to Yuna. In one part they deliberately blurred the skater out, saying look how awful these Japanese skaters are -- when the skater in the clip was actually Cynthia Phaneuf.


Yes how ridiculous those vidoe clips were - and they were fueled by the faulty reporting and coverage by SBS and other Korean media. Then the Japanese media responded in full.
Considering how many new fans Yuna has - many with very limited knowledge of figure skating made this seem little incident much worse than it was.
 

evangeline

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
There was a clip around of Sasha buzzing Michelle at 98 Nats. Also an article with Michelle and a few of the other skaters talking about Sasha's warmup harrassments. I believe it is true coz I saw the clip and Sasha did not ewven try to hide it. Naturally, Michelle skated well and won and Sasha messed up, fell, etc. Usually the skater concentrating on her program wins and the one concentrating on disrupting other skaters loses. Ask Surya ;).

Are you sure you didn't mistake someone else for Sasha? Sasha couldn't have been buzzing Michelle at 98 Nats, Sasha's senior Nats debut was in 2000.

As for the Brennan article...well, after reading her books, I wouldn't exactly call her the voice of objectivity.
 
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janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
There was a clip around of Sasha buzzing Michelle at 98 Nats. Also an article with Michelle and a few of the other skaters talking about Sasha's warmup harrassments. I believe it is true coz I saw the clip and Sasha did not ewven try to hide it. Naturally, Michelle skated well and won and Sasha messed up, fell, etc. Usually the skater concentrating on her program wins and the one concentrating on disrupting other skaters loses. Ask Surya ;).
Are you sure you didn't mistake someone else for Sasha? Sasha couldn't have been buzzing Michelle at 98 Nats, Sasha's senior Nats debut was in 2000.

As for the Brennan article...well, after reading her books, I wouldn't exactly call her the voice of objectivity.


Got me on that one - it was 2000 Natls. As to the story - I don't think this alleged - or well documented - take your pick - incident was a "one and done" type of thing with Sasha. Personally I think it is kind of funny picturing an angelic looking, petite girl like Sasha as the rink bully. And I am sure you are right that Sasha has moved past this sort of behavior. In case you are wondering - I am a Sasha fan and happy about her return.
 
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janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
It's the battle of the Penchet Spiral (that's 180 degree) between Caroline and Sasha at TEB. If it's flexibility that is the high scoring presence, then who has the most? Watch out Mao and YuNa. One of you may be off the podium,:scratch:


It flexibilty alright. But it is also about height. I hear a rumor that Sweet Caroline is almost 6 '0 tall now and still growing. They expect her to hang up her skates and go to UCLA on a basketball scholarship if she doesn't win the OGM next season. :p
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Caroline had a bad start to last season but really was on a roll by march. If she can continue where she left off, and there is not great much improvement by the other american ladies, she will have a pretty good case for the Olympic team. I see her at least getting a medal at Nationals.

Caroline exhibited such improved speed and flow at 4CC and that lat event of last year. She made steps in the irght direction and got her 3/3 ratified. She needs to keep doing whatever she was doing to make those improvements grow over the summer.

I don't really see her making the GP final due to the tough assignments she has been given.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
It flexibilty alright. But it is also about height. I hear a rumor that Sweet Caroline is almost 6 '0 tall now and still growing. They expect her to hang up her skates and go to UCLA on a basketball scholarship if she doesn't win the OGM next season. :p
Wow, pack it in Caroline. There is no common sense for you. Janetfan has spoken and we all know about her one and only interest in figure skating. You've got to stay tiny and not grow is the common sense thing to do. :p
 

MKFSfan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
It's the battle of the Penchet Spiral (that's 180 degree) between Caroline and Sasha at TEB. If it's flexibility that is the high scoring presence, then who has the most? Watch out Mao and YuNa. One of you may be off the podium,:scratch:

Hey...what about Mao???

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Mao_Asada_Spiral_Grand_Prix_Final_2008.jpg
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/b8E0_djBbML/ISU+World+Team+Trophy+2009+Day+3/9bGXBAggO9E/Mao+Asada
http://www.scratchspin.com/2008/worlds08/08010869.jpg
http://www.patinandosobrehielo.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/1-ladies-mao-asada.jpg


And psst, Janetfan...the year was 2002...Sasha was far from a skaters' favorite back in the day and there was many rumors from different skaters/sources that Sasha played the shadowing game. However, there were also rumors that because TAT did not deal with such antics, and Sasha matured, she has stopped doing such things. The close call folks blew out of proportion at 2006 Olympics was much more obvious a mistake, and close accident. I think one that rattled Sasha as much as Shizuka.
 
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feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Mao is very flexible, and glides beautifully across the ice like no one else, but she should remember to point her toes in the spirals!

As for Caroline, I had a peek over at sashafans forum, and they are excited and happy about the opportunity that Sasha has to compete with the world's best at her first competition, and show them all how it's done! :laugh:

Wow, what a great attitude. Maybe I shouldn't be so pessimistic (realistic?) about Caroline's GP propsects, just to cushion the disappointment later on. Maybe I should feel excited about *her* chance to beat the big guns, too. You know research says that happy people tend to be overly optimistic, whereas depressed people tend to be more accurate in their predictions of the future? (see what realism gets you? nothing but depression!)

Go Caroline, show them all how it's done! :rock:
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Mao has lovely spirals, but she does not have a 180 degree split. she gets close when she holds her freeleg with her arm. Sasha and Caroline have a perfect split with no assistance from the arms.

A side note on the spiral queens: Caroline has improved her back position last season in that she hardy drops it at all in her spiral, where as from what I have seen Sasha has gotten into a bad habit of not arching her back in her classic spiral.
 

Sasha'sSpins

Medalist
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Country
United-States
There was a clip around of Sasha buzzing Michelle at 98 Nats. Also an article with Michelle and a few of the other skaters talking about Sasha's warmup harrassments. I believe it is true coz I saw the clip and Sasha did not ewven try to hide it. Naturally, Michelle skated well and won and Sasha messed up, fell, etc. Usually the skater concentrating on her program wins and the one concentrating on disrupting other skaters loses. Ask Surya ;).
Are you sure you didn't mistake someone else for Sasha? Sasha couldn't have been buzzing Michelle at 98 Nats, Sasha's senior Nats debut was in 2000.

As for the Brennan article...well, after reading her books, I wouldn't exactly call her the voice of objectivity.

Brennan can barely hide her Michelle-worship from articles of hers that I have read-and her books that I've borrowed to read from the library.

I also would not judge from a photograph who is 'at fault' if anyone in a collision. Accidents happen and I prefer giving skaters the benefit of the doubt unless they are clearly aiming at a specific skater in warmups and it can be backed up by video. I recall during Salt Lake Jamie Sale all but accused Anton Sikuralidze of crashing into her-and when you view the footage imo one can see it was not the man's fault. It happens-I hardly think anyone would intentionally risk injury just to trip up another competitor. Blades are involved for pete's sake. It makes no sense to me.
 

MKFSfan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
Mao has lovely spirals, but she does not have a 180 degree split. she gets close when she holds her freeleg with her arm. Sasha and Caroline have a perfect split with no assistance from the arms.

A side note on the spiral queens: Caroline has improved her back position last season in that she hardy drops it at all in her spiral, where as from what I have seen Sasha has gotten into a bad habit of not arching her back in her classic spiral.

All I meant is Mao is much better than it seems people give her credit for. She doesn't have the same amplitude, and I agree, needs more pointed toes. I do think this is one area she has improved in leaps since 2005.
http://www.ifsmagazine.com/archive/2007/jan/Asada-opening-pic-cover.jpg
 
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