Li Zijun | Page 34 | Golden Skate

Li Zijun

yyyskate

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Zijun' SP from Chinese domestic competition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayIja8xgJhg
from first view, I think zijun has great speed, improved in body control as well. Program is filled with transitions and patterns are nice too. I think zijun's ability in PCS aspect improved from before. Maybe not in leaps and bounds but it is certain there is some improvement.
I dont like the music edit. At 0:53 during her camel spin, this is an awkward music editing moment. the previous phrasing is cut in half abruptly. Eastern of Eden is a very familiar song that everyone can recognize, so a cut in the middle of a phrasing is really obvious and disrupting.
Disappointed at Lori's music editing once again. I remembered that when Mao Asada reused Nocturne at 2014 season, Lori used similar cut in wrong place and repeat scheme. and annoyed many fans that has a taste in music.

As for tech, Zijun did tano-2T, it should be planned, it could be a strategy by Chinese fed, since last domestic competition, all lady skaters did -2t not -3T. or it maybe that Zijun is experiencing tech difficulty.
She also resorted back to 3loop as single jump. instead of lutz, in her previous weibo, she showed her correct lutz technique and seems very confidence that finally she mastered the true lutz tech. Maybe she is indeed experiencing some tech difficulty at the moment, or her lutz tech is still unstable.
she did change-of-edge bellmann 2A entry which she used a couple of seasons before instead of inna bauer, it maybe a little bit more difficult as an 2A entry, but a bauer into 2A will definitely entice crowd sentiment, since the 2018 OG is in Korea, majority of audience will be koreans... but this is trivia. her 2A jumping pass is fab nonetheless. Although, take crowd into account is always a great strategy for a OG season

the song eastern of eden for this SP, is the first song she used since she started skating, it is meant to be go back to your origin/root/initiative. Zijun is clear about this as well.
She indeed incorporated many of her signature moves from previous programs into this program choreo as well. This is also purposely, since zijun has stated that in OG season, she wanna present a SP, she is best at instead of exploring entirely new genre, so that she can present to the world-wide audience her best quality in figure skating. I think this is legit, considering so many skaters are reusing old programs, as least Zijun has 2 brand new programs.
 

yyyskate

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
a bit more about music editing, I think lori and her music team break apart eastern of eden and write a couple of piano intro etc. that is about it.

I now watched Boyang and SUI/HAN's SP, apparently Boyang has similar music editing issue. S/H's SP is a integral piece but I guess it may due to it is from a complete song no music cut and editing involved.
From previous repo. seems like awkward music cut is a common issue among all Chinese programs get from Lori.... they mentioned about P/J's program, I now know it is also appeared in Zijun and Boyang's program as well...
 

yyyskate

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
I think the creative part of Zijun's SP is its stsq. it seems unusually long and broken into 3 parts by 2 non-jumping element jumps. a half-flip and a walley. I am not very clear where the stsq starts, if it is indeed from after 2A. then this really a creative design, I have never seen from other skaters.
a half-flip seems a must for Eastern of eden. homage to Michelle Kwan's falling leaf jump.:luv17:
 

yyyskate

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
I just watched Zijun's East of Eden at 12 year old. the catch food bellmann position spiral is actually a part of that program. I guess it is actually purposely placed there as 2A entry for a sense os nostalgia.
 

Eclair

Medalist
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
At first sight I wasn't madly in love with this new SP, but after re-watching it a few times I love it! I think it's just that I expected a different music cut, that I wasn't able to enjoy it at first, but if you don't know the music is going to be east of eden, then it's a beautiful skate to watch and could become one of her best and most emotional programs ever, especially seen from a nearer camera perspective.

I wish her dress would be different though - she looks like she's fading out with that white dress on white ice...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayIja8xgJhg
 

OS

Sedated by Modonium
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
These are good safe but uninspiring choices that compliment her style well but umm...

I wish the two programs contrasts better instead of similar pretty music type for a pretty sweet skater. It need some spice to make everything nice. I am practically on the verge of suggesting she might as well do Carmen or El Tango de Roxanne :laugh: I can't believe they gave her Somewhere over the rainbow, Lori, you are so predictable it is getting old. :palmf:

I like her SP better and thought she looked decent early in the season but need more Ummph (fire in her belly) like Mirai were able to beat her own drum to hyper boost nitro inject her Olympic campaign. Hope to see you at the Olympics Zijun, you can totally do it!!!!
 

hippomoomin

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 30, 2012
Agree. Zijun's programs year after year are so similar in style, and all of them are forgettable. Well, maybe not last year's LP, for it being terrible for skating. I really want see some passion or fierceness from her skating.

These are good safe but uninspiring choices that compliment her style well but umm...

I wish the two programs contrasts better instead of similar pretty music type for a pretty sweet skater. It need some spice to make everything nice. I am practically on the verge of suggesting she might as well do Carmen or El Tango de Roxanne :laugh: I can't believe they gave her Somewhere over the rainbow, Lori, you are so predictable it is getting old. :palmf:

I like her SP better and thought she looked decent early in the season but need more Ummph (fire in her belly) like Mirai were able to beat her own drum to hyper boost nitro inject her Olympic campaign. Hope to see you at the Olympics Zijun, you can totally do it!!!!
 

Eclair

Medalist
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Agree. Zijun's programs year after year are so similar in style, and all of them are forgettable. Well, maybe not last year's LP, for it being terrible for skating. I really want see some passion or fierceness from her skating.

her programs are a lot less similar than many other ladies skater's programs. Just comparing last season and this season, she had more variety than e.g. medvedeva, Wagner, Rika, and many others.

Also I don't think all of them are forgettable. Her SP this season has potential if polished. Her LP last season, I'll probably re-watch for years. And the season before it was her sp that's still memorable and got a standing ovation.
 

breadstal

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
I actually love how serene her programs always are and I love how simple yet elegant skater she is. People think about artists have to be expressive and dramatic but I think Zijun is an artisti in her own way :luv17:
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Where is Zijun? :sad4::sad4::sad4: I was looking forward to see her skate this season!

I looked for her. Her latest Weibo was on Oct 8. Very impressive art work. She asked for generous applause and said her eyes were almost ruined when she finished the picture.

Why is she absent from the COC entry list?

Her next latest posting was on Aug 7, claiming she was in much pain and couldn't do anything about it. Any info, anyone?

eta. Sigh. I guess I only have access to her old messages.
 

YesWay

四年もかけて&#
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Why is she absent from the COC entry list?

Her next latest posting was on Aug 7, claiming she was in much pain and couldn't do anything about it. Any info, anyone?
Oh no :-/

Will her withdrawal from CoC affect her chances of being chosen for the Olympic team, in any way?
 

OS

Sedated by Modonium
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
I looked for her. Her latest Weibo was on Oct 8. Very impressive art work. She asked for generous applause and said her eyes were almost ruined when she finished the picture.

Why is she absent from the COC entry list?

Her next latest posting was on Aug 7, claiming she was in much pain and couldn't do anything about it. Any info, anyone?

eta. Sigh. I guess I only have access to her old messages.

Wow amazed she painted that! It is very Zijun isn't it :D Pink house, sky, clouds and candy trees - Simply lovely, like her skating. ... but it does not appear to be a happy painting, in the shapes, the angle, and the shading, similar to her skating?

I can't see any updates from Baidu or weibo. I hope she is not still injured :(
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Wow amazed she painted that! It is very Zijun isn't it :D Pink house, sky, clouds and candy trees - Simply lovely, like her skating. ... but it does not appear to be a happy painting, in the shapes, the angle, and the shading, similar to her skating?

I can't see any updates from Baidu or weibo. I hope she is not still injured :(

Yes, I'm really impressed with her art work. It's actually very small, yet so detailed, no wonder her eyes were strained. It shows a perfectionist detail oriented mind at work. Very nice composition. Yes, lovely, sweet, yet sophisticated, like her skating.

Bravo, Zijun. My applause :clap: Now earn some on ice.

eta. I took a more careful look and realized the picture is not so small as it seemed at first glance due to the perspective. Still, wonderful detail and composition.
 

skatefan22

Medalist
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Oh no :-/

Will her withdrawal from CoC affect her chances of being chosen for the Olympic team, in any way?

No, in fact, the Chinese federation has their own scoring system in which she can use her last year's COC placement if she WD from this year's COC. She got 8th last year. Not bad. If she participates this year, she probably wouldn't get a higher placement.
 

Eclair

Medalist
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Zijun has withdrawn from GP France. :(

I hope the rumours of her possibly retiring aren't true, but I wouldn't be surprised. The Chinese Fed hasn't been the best to her in the least.

I just saw that she withdrew, too :sad21::sad4:

There has been an article in which she talks about her injury and that she has to rest for 3 straight weeks. I hope it's just that. I really hope she's not retiring. I don't understand how there can be so little information about her.

Does anybody know how her withdrawal of her second GP will be calculated in the points system? will she get points for it, too just like Cup of China?

Zijun get well soon! You still have so much potential and so much to achieve! Now is the chance, because you're slowly getting out of puberty and stopped growing, so you now can finally stabilize everything! Always remember you're the best! Always trust yourself! And never forget, that you can do it!
 
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