Yu/Jin & Peng/Zhang switch partners

[Giselle]

V/T were 2nd best in the World their first season together. How is that an example of how long it takes for a pair to gel?

What I meant is that V/T are the best case scenario. They both had experience (4th at Worlds with their previous partners), had similar skating styles, a lot of support from their federation (Russia's only hope for a gold in Pairs), could do 2 triples already. Their goal was Gold at Worlds, not silver and it took them 3 Worlds together to reach that goal.

Let's also not forget that they, (like Aliona and Bruno) had to sit out of international competiton because of a country switch, which means that the judges only saw them after a full year of training at least. It was a blessing is disguise imo.

Yu/Zhang would not have that if they show up at GPs. They would have 1 Worlds together before the Olympic season to set them up as medal contenders.

 

[fjn219]

Maybe I missed it, but what exactly is the basis of this rumor? Did an insider in the skating camp post on the Chinese forums, or what?

This rumor first came out on Baidu Tieba - a forum just like here. Normally the admins (some of them do work in the skating camp) look very closely at those rumors and will delete anything unfounded immediately.

However this one has been stuck on there for more than 4 days...

 

[SarahSynchro]

Povilas Vanagas (with his partner Margarita Drobiazko) went to 5.

Wow, I didn't know that! I stand corrected. I guess Zhang is trying to tie his record then.

 

[caitie]

Thank you to all of our Chinese and/or bilingual members for keeping us posted, BTW. I keep obsessively checking this thread for more news. Y/J are a favorite of mine, and I just can't bring myself to believe this might actually happen....

 

[Hanmgse]

Thank you to all of our Chinese and/or bilingual members for keeping us posted, BTW. I keep obsessively checking this thread for more news. Y/J are a favorite of mine, and I just can't bring myself to believe this might actually happen....

I feel you, I adore this pair, so I got a mini heart attack when I saw this thread.

 

[silverlake22]

Poor Yu, the Fed finally realizes she's good and now they just want her to skate with some 35 year old man whose 2 years away from the end of his career! :noshake:

I hope this isn't true. Yu/Jin have a nice connection. When I said Peng should get a partner that's closer to her age, I didn't mean with someone who is already part of a successful partnership. Ugh.

 

[Violet Bliss]

This rumour was started with no cited source, nor supporting suggestive indicators. If anything, it should have been started in Canada where all the Pairs are getting their new programs choreographed.

It's also very incongruent with traditional training and development of Chinese Pairs, who have always stayed together for very long time, usually for the life of their careers. Pang and Tong fought with each other through their early years of coming last in every competition but when they decided to stay in the sport, there was no entertaining the idea of ending their partnership. Sui and Han were not split apart when there was a lot of criticism against his stature and doubts about their future unless she had a bigger partner. The pioneering top Pairs of S/Z, Z/Z, and P/T all stuck together for close to two decades through inequitable abilities, injuries, as well as many disappointments. When Zhang Dan left the sport and her partner, it was due to something nobody could do anything about - her outgrowing Pairs' stature. At the time, with S/Z's retirement, and P/T sidelined with injury, with no new stars emerging, Zhang Hao was ready to continue for the Chinese Pairs program, thus the search for his new partner. At the time, Coach Yao necessarily explained that changing partners was quite common in the West. Zhang Hao really missed the connection he had with Dan but he has trained diligently and patiently with young Cheng.

Currently, Sui/Han are the stars and anchor for the Chinese Pairs with real Worlds medals. Y/J, W/W, and even P/Z have invested years in the partnerships with world class potential. The fed is not desperate. Switching partners and breaking up two Pairs seems to be at odds with both pragmatic strategy and convention.

Unless it's confirmed as a fact, I see no point in getting all worked up over this rumour.

 

[corynna]

I think it might be more then a rumor. Otherwise why would the Chinese federation send Wang/Wang to worlds instead of Yu/Jin?
I can only hope that I am wrong and that this is not true. I really like Yu/Jin, they have a great connection and I can see a bright future for them as a pair.

 

[Violet Bliss]

I think it might be more then a rumor. Otherwise why would the Chinese federation send Wang/Wang to worlds instead of Yu/Jin?

We just have to wait for an announcement. I don't see why they would not announce it if there is such a decision. The rumour is getting so much attention as if it's real or at least probable, it would likely get imprinted as a fact such that if there is an official denial or if nothing comes out of it, people would just say the Chinese fed leaked it to test reactions and rescinded it because of the negative responses, as if that's how they have ever managed their Pairs program.

The fact will surly show itself very soon, one way or another. Somebody where they are doing the choreo should be able to let us know.

I can only hope that I am wrong and that this is not true. I really like Yu/Jin, they have a great connection and I can see a bright future for them as a pair.

I think the Chinese fed could see their potential and popularity too.

 

[Krunchii]

I'm reading the posts on Baidu and it seems like Chinese FS fans don't support splitting up Yu/Jin either. Somebody even suggested that they leave and go to skate for Hong Kong or Taiwan but since the Fed controls everything I doubt they could even do that. Someone said that Zhang Hao is being selfish and that he should be a real man and not split up other partnerships but I'm not sure how much of this is in his hands.

The Chinese Federation should be ecstatic that they have a young pair like Yu/Jin who are well matched and young. They could groom them to be huge medal threats one day but they've held them back twice already from going to Worlds. How are they going to grow and get better? How are you going to judge their potential without sending them to the biggest stage possible at this point in their careers?

 

[Skater Boy]

I don't know if you're trolling or not :shocked: Sui/Han, Yu/Zhang, and Wang/Wang a better Olympic team than Sui/Han, Yu/Jin, and Peng/Zhang? It takes time for a Pair team to gel, even if both are great and experienced (ie Volosozhar/Trankov).



Zhang is aiming for 2022 as well so we are stuck with these puzzling decisions from the Chinese fed until then at least

Well Zhang can aim for 2026 and 2030 along with plushy but that doesn't mean it is going or even likely to happen. I suppose if we use logic Zhang has had more than his share of the limelight. He may even has some unfair share of the limelight lol. He is no Henjie or Irina Rodina. In fact, he arguably got an oly silver in 2006 where in some ways good argument can be made that he and his partner should not have been given such along injury break especially since the injury was "her own fault" it wasn't like someone, thankfully, shot her or thrwe something - she made an error on a throw. They were given a very long time to reset. Anyways he has more than his fair share ; I hope he moves on. I know an argument can be made then the young skaters better start pushing themselves. he just seems to be around forever like a bad cold.

 

[Blades of Passion]

Zhang has been lighting up the world by finishing 4th & 3rd on the GP, 6th at GPF behind Yu/Jin and a 12th place finish at Worlds

Why are you trying to blame Zhang for Peng's mistakes and for wanting a better partner.

It's like trying to blame Trankov in his previous pairing and say he was "ruining Ukranian figure skating" by taking Tatiana away.

Sorry but no.

He just seems to be around forever like a bad cold.

This is a very bad representation of Zhang's talent.

 

[uhh]

Leaving aside the obvious atmosphere between them which can't have helped her, listen to any commentator and they will tell you that the man is responsible for the throws. He chucked Peng into throws no one had any hope of landing, and then neither he or the coaches showed any concern, even when she hit her head at TEB.

And even if we accept it was only Peng's mistakes, not a team problem, what right does that give him to break up another successful & happy partnership?

 

[andromache]

Wow, lots of hate for older skaters in this thread.

If Zhang is healthy and wants to be competing, I don't blame the Chinese fed for supporting him...to a certain extent. I don't mind that they want him to keep competing and with a good partner, although I disagree that they have promoted P/Z over a better pair. I understand their desire to pair him up with a lady who is more consistent than Peng, though I do feel bad for Peng. He's consistent on SBS jumps, great lifter, and pretty decent at everything else. US pairs would kill to have a guy like Zhang.

Even so, it's incredibly shortsighted for Chinese fed to break up Y/J. Big mistake in the long term, I believe. Still, there's no need to hurl insults at him for wanting to continue to show his talent in competition.

 

[yqs100]

this rumor is getting closer and closer to truth, based on some fans' reaction and social platform update who are close to the skaters..............

 

[4everchan]

well... let's say the rumor gets real...

WHAT IF? one of the new teams reached new standards of excellence... how would you react?

 

[karne]

Zhang Hao really missed the connection he had with Dan but he has trained diligently and patiently with young Cheng.

Really?! Is that what you call it? I wasn't aware that tossing her into the boards and skating off without so much as a sideways look was considered "diligent". I wasn't aware that openly displaying anger and coldness to a girl who is much smaller, younger and less experienced than you was "patience".

When he threw her into the boards in Boston - almost right in front of me - and skated off again, I was so shocked and horrified. I wanted her to get up and just step over into the camera area that was near her so I could give her a hug and rush her away from the jerk she was skating with. His body language and face all said quite clearly that he did not give a toss if she was hurt or even that she'd fallen, and it was quite clear that he was angry at her. She looked so scared.

Wow, lots of hate for older skaters in this thread.

If Zhang is healthy and wants to be competing, I don't blame the Chinese fed for supporting him...to a certain extent. I don't mind that they want him to keep competing and with a good partner, although I disagree that they have promoted P/Z over a better pair. I understand their desire to pair him up with a lady who is more consistent than Peng, though I do feel bad for Peng. He's consistent on SBS jumps, great lifter, and pretty decent at everything else. US pairs would kill to have a guy like Zhang.

Even so, it's incredibly shortsighted for Chinese fed to break up Y/J. Big mistake in the long term, I believe. Still, there's no need to hurl insults at him for wanting to continue to show his talent in competition.

It's not "hate for older skaters". It's "hate for a guy who has clearly shown that he is cold and cruel to a partner half his age". In a Western country, if a 30+ year old man had treated a 17 year old girl half as badly as he's treated Peng the child protection authorities would have been brought in months ago.

Whatever his talent, Zhang did himself no favours with his behaviour towards Peng. She is young, vulnerable, and every line of her body language screamed fear. And it wasn't just competition nerves.

I was reminded, actually, watching them, of part of Katia Gordeeva's book, where she talks about the dangers of the Soviet training regime. How men who were displeased with their partners for whatever reason would just throw them wrong, or harder than expected, in order to hurt them or frighten them away, so that they'd get a new partner...

 

[Giselle]

Saw this picture of the Chinese team in Canada on instagram. So all of them are getting choreo from Lori? I thought Yu/Jin were working with David Wilson...

I keep checking this thread hoping that the rumor is denied by one of the skaters :hopelessness:

 

[sylvie]

Saw this picture of the Chinese team in Canada on instagram. So all of them are getting choreo from Lori? I thought Yu/Jin were working with David Wilson...

I keep checking this thread hoping that the rumor is denied by one of the skaters :hopelessness:

No, but they all train together at Lori's rink (convenience, I guess). It's only when they're working with/getting choreography from David that they go to David's rink.

 

[Crossover]

Honestly, I'm quite uncomfortable with the situation and thread title because all this speculations are based on "a rumor" leaked by allegedly close fans to the skaters...Could we redact the thread title to "Speculation..."?