Shiyue Wang and Xinyu Liu are in a comfortable lead after the Rhythm Dance took place at 2020 Shiseido Cup of China in Chongqing on Friday. Teammates Hong Chen/Zhuoming Sun and Wanqi Ning/Chao Wang are currently in second and third, respectively.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events are primarily domestically run events with domestic skaters and skaters who train in the host country or respective geographical region. As a result, all competitors in this event represent China.
Four-time and current national champions Wang and Liu earned many positive grades of execution (GOE) for their entertaining “Chaplin” routine which featured level 4 twizzles, rotational lift, and Finnsteps (all key points were met). The partial steps were graded a level 4 for him and 3 for her, and the diagonal steps were graded a level 3. They scored 84.23 points.
“It was quite good considering this is our first competition after eight months,” Liu said. “We were a little nervous. Technically, we have not changed that much in our program, but we felt we are more in control of the program and we know where to express more and where to adjust.”
Chen and Sun met three out of of four of their key points in their level 3 Finnsteps. The two-time national silver medalists also delivered level 4 twizzles and good level 3 diagonal and partial steps to earn 76.57 points in their performance to music from The Greatest Showman soundtrack.
“We are satisfied with today’s performance,” Sun said. “I did a little mistake in the first element (the twizzles), but the rest was good.”
Ning and Wang put out level 4 twizzles and stationary lift in their routine to music from Mary Poppins, which also featured level 3 partial steps. The three-time and current national bronze medalists scored 69.07 points.
“This is also our first competition after eight months and we are really excited,” Zhao told the post-event press conference. “We have trained really hard coming here.”
Yuzhu Guo and Pengkun Zhao, who finished ninth at this event last year, sits in fourth (65.01) followed by newcomers Yufei Lin and Zijian Gao (56.80).
