Caroline Zhang article

feraina · Oct 25, 2007

Now we know why we haven't heard much about Caroline:
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/zhang-japanese-ando-1903690-vancouver-

"Right now we want to see how she handles everything," Coach Mingzhu Li said referring to Zhang's competition schedule, training and media exposure. Zhang did not do interviews before Skate America. "The plan is to give her a little bit more, a little bit more. We don't want to throw everything at her all at once. This is a long term project."

The Japanese media sounds horrible. If she lives up to the hype in SA, I hope they don't end up staking out by her house in Orange County.

How come she has only 6 triples in the LP, if the first is a 3F/3T combo? :scratch: I guess the 3S is still not working for whatever reasons.

chuckm · Oct 25, 2007

Caroline is only 14, and it makes sense to keep her away from the media as much as possible. I, too, hope the Japanese media stays away from her.

dwiggin3 · Oct 25, 2007

Given that the Asian ladies are superstars in Japan, I wonder how much of the Japanese media's pursuit of Zhang is due to their desire to get more info on her, her training ect (b/c she is a threat as they say) or a way to try and psych her out. Perhaps it's both?

feraina · Oct 25, 2007

I don't think they're deliberately trying to psych her out. They hound their own skaters more than anyone else -- can't imagine they'd be wanting to psyche them out!

I think it's just that skating is so popular in Japan, and all the media outlets are trying to come up with an "exclusive" interview or story to attract as many readers/viewers as possible.

If skating was this popular in the US, maybe the media would hound the American skaters just as much.

Medusa · Oct 25, 2007

I also do not think that it is some kind of psychological warfare, the Japanese love Yagudin, they love Mirai Nagasu, so it is probably more about the fame and the sport and not so much about rivalry.

For Miss Zhang, I just hope that she is not under too much pressure and will enjoy her teen years. She is just a kid... Personally I think she should have stayed on the junior circuit for one more year - next year she will be 15 and would have had one senior season experience before the olympic season. I am no expert in skating but psychologically she is under enormous pressure, not just with the competitions but especially with the media. The media, and everyone else, should remember that she is a kid and should be treated with sensitivity. Honestly - I would not like to be her right now.

Andalusia · Oct 25, 2007

What's funny is that there are some who might probably feed off the attention. They lap it up, and are provided with further incentive to do better. Those with a lil showbiz in them. Others find it shrivelling.

From what I can see, she looks like a very, uh, confident young tyke. Since she's being pestered by those rabid Japanese hounds, hopefully she belongs in the former category.

Tinymavy15 · Oct 25, 2007

i wonder why the salchow gives so many skaters problems?

anyway, i can't wait to see Caroline this weekend. Ave Maria is a masterpeice. I can't wait to see it in competiton.

feraina · Oct 25, 2007

Tinymavy15 said:
i wonder why the salchow gives so many skaters problems?

Indeed. I'm thinking of Mao and Caroline. They both landed the 3S as their first triple, at 8. They must have included that jump in earlier years. Maybe as you master harder jumps, your body is used to more rotation than what 3S requires. Isn't Mao's problem over-rotation? Last I heard she was working on the 4S instead of the 3S. Maybe Caroline also has a over-rotating problem -- not that I think she's close to a 4S or anything.

Nigel · Oct 25, 2007

feraina said:
Indeed. I'm thinking of Mao and Caroline. They both landed the 3S as their first triple, at 8. They must have included that jump in earlier years. Maybe as you master harder jumps, your body is used to more rotation than what 3S requires. Isn't Mao's problem over-rotation? Last I heard she was working on the 4S instead of the 3S. Maybe Caroline also has a over-rotating problem -- not that I think she's close to a 4S or anything.

Zhang hasn't had 3S in her prgms for several years...a jump that she has consistently had problems with on and off over the last couple of years. She rarely practices it.

feraina · Oct 26, 2007

Another article:
http://readingeagle.com/Article.aspx?id=65529

She's not doing interviews until Saturday night after the SP. Very wise.

She's apparently now 5-ft tall, that's 4 inches since National's. I hope it isn't throwing off her skating!

Apparently Emily & Kimmie both skipped the first practice session (the audience was "small"), but Caroline ran through her SP.

I wonder if she had much success with the 3F/3T...

Caroline Zhang article

feraina

chuckm

dwiggin3

feraina

Medusa

Andalusia

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win

feraina

Nigel

feraina

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