Vincent Zhou

[Zenchio63]

Vincent in Toronto - looking good in black:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjk7EeZBQVP/?taken-by=govincentzhou

He looks like he needs some sunshine and some warm beer, LOL

 

[Zenchio63]

Just looked up who Alex_kambam is. So he is the Korean pair skater who wore those funny glasses at OWG. He posted this under Vincent's pic: "Bruh you so cute i just wanna put you in my shirt pocket and feed you tic tacs." Not sure what to think of that but the guys has a wicked sense of humor

 

[ice coverage]

Just looked up who Alex_kambam is. So he is the Korean pair skater who wore those funny glasses at OWG. He posted this under Vincent's pic: "Bruh you so cute i just wanna put you in my shirt pocket and feed you tic tacs." Not sure what to think of that but the guys has a wicked sense of humor

The irrepressible Alex :luv17: used to train in Colorado Springs. Vincent and he were rink-mates in 2015-16 (when Vincent completely left Gambill for a year to train with Tom Z, Drew Meekins, and Becky Calvin).

My guess is that Alex and Vincent are accustomed to lots of friendly joking around with each other.

And yes, Alex is nothing if not a class clown.

---

deleted second half of this post … tired of going around in circles on a matter of disagreement

 

[oatmella]

I'm confused - but sounds like Vincent pronounces his name 'joe' here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK9fIIEa5FE

 

[Zenchio63]

Thanks for the info on the funny guy Alex, ice coverage. It makes sense now.

Sorry, oatmella, what were you wondering about? I just watched the video again. To my Chinese ears (I grew up speaking Chinese at home and went to Chinese school in Taiwan for several years), Vincent always pronounced his last name in the Americanized version "Joe". Now, you could argue that it's more like "jou" with emphasis on the "u", but I think that it only applies if the listener is trying really hard to listen for the sound. To me, it's akin to the Rorschach test, where the seer sees what they focus on, if you know what I mean. I know yyyskate hears it differently, but I am very keen with Chinese sounds/pronunciation and do not myself hear it pronounced the Chinese way. But YMMV.

Anyways, I came back to post links to 2 new pics of Vincent at the Canadian Ice Academy. Looks like he had a perm? Vincent, you need to find a professional barber

From Kimmie_skate: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjiaLrdns6L/?hl=en
From Coach Andrew Evans: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjiYSB6l4_a/
Team pic with #teamparkinsonevans!

Can't find out who this kimmie is, maybe ice coverage can enlighten us with her vast knowledge of figure skaters, LOL

 

[ice coverage]

… Sorry, oatmella, what were you wondering about? I just watched the video again. To my Chinese ears (I grew up speaking Chinese at home and went to Chinese school in Taiwan for several years), Vincent always pronounced his last name in the Americanized version "Joe". Now, you could argue that it's more like "jou" with emphasis on the "u", but I think that it only applies if the listener is trying really hard to listen for the sound. To me, it's akin to the Rorschach test, where the seer sees what they focus on, if you know what I mean. I know yyyskate hears it differently, but I am very keen with Chinese sounds/pronunciation and do not myself hear it pronounced the Chinese way. But YMMV. ...

It's my fault, Zenchio.

The deleted half of my post above was about how Vincent pronounces "Zhou." (I was replying to yyyskate's post re Trump's pronunciation of Zhou.)
And I am in agreement with you, Zenchio, that Vincent pronounces "Zhou" as "joe."
(My bkgd is that I grew up hearing Chinese spoken at home.)

oatmella must have seen what I wrote about "joe" before I deleted it.

---

… Anyways, I came back to post links to 2 new pics of Vincent at the Canadian Ice Academy. Looks like he had a perm? Vincent, you need to find a professional barber

From Kimmie_skate: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjiaLrdns6L/?hl=en
From Coach Andrew Evans: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjiYSB6l4_a/
Team pic with #teamparkinsonevans!

Can't find out who this kimmie is, maybe ice coverage can enlighten us with her vast knowledge of figure skaters, LOL

kimmie is Kim Deguise Léveillée.

(My not-so-vast :hopelessness: knowledge did not include her … I had to look back through her Instagram account. Once I figured out her identity, her name rang a faint bell, but only faint.

But I will redeem myself by mentioning this bit: Paul Parkinson -- who now is a coach at the Canadian Ice Academy and is seen at my link to Kimmie's Instagram -- was a Sochi Olympian [representing Italy] who was coached by Tom Z and Becky Calvin.)

 

[oatmella]

Thanks for the info on the funny guy Alex, ice coverage. It makes sense now.

Sorry, oatmella, what were you wondering about? I just watched the video again. To my Chinese ears (I grew up speaking Chinese at home and went to Chinese school in Taiwan for several years), Vincent always pronounced his last name in the Americanized version "Joe". Now, you could argue that it's more like "jou" with emphasis on the "u", but I think that it only applies if the listener is trying really hard to listen for the sound. To me, it's akin to the Rorschach test, where the seer sees what they focus on, if you know what I mean. I know yyyskate hears it differently, but I am very keen with Chinese sounds/pronunciation and do not myself hear it pronounced the Chinese way. But YMMV.

Anyways, I came back to post links to 2 new pics of Vincent at the Canadian Ice Academy. Looks like he had a perm? Vincent, you need to find a professional barber

From Kimmie_skate: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjiaLrdns6L/?hl=en
From Coach Andrew Evans: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjiYSB6l4_a/
Team pic with #teamparkinsonevans!

Can't find out who this kimmie is, maybe ice coverage can enlighten us with her vast knowledge of figure skaters, LOL

yes, I also think Vincent pronounces his name 'Joe' in the Americanized way.

I think Chinese pronunciation sounds a little different with the first tone

 

[NanaPat]

I think it's the Canadian skater Kim DeGuise Léveillée. There is another Canadian Kim, Kim Decelles, but from the pictures I think it's D-G L.

 

[Zenchio63]

I think it's the Canadian skater Kim DeGuise Léveillée. There is another Canadian Kim, Kim Decelles, but from the pictures I think it's D-G L.

Thanks for confirming ice coverage's post (2 posts before yours), NanaPat. :thumbsup:

 

[Zenchio63]

kimmie is Kim Deguise Léveillée.

(My not-so-vast :hopelessness: knowledge did not include her … I had to look back through her Instagram account. Once I figured out her identity, her name rang a faint bell, but only faint.

But I will redeem myself by mentioning this bit: Paul Parkinson -- who now is a coach at the Canadian Ice Academy and is seen at my link to Kimmie's Instagram -- was a Sochi Olympian [representing Italy] who was coached by Tom Z and Becky Calvin.)

Wow, ice coverage, great sleuthing there! I knew I could rely on you to find out who Kimmie is

Thanks so much for doing the digging and finding the connection with Vincent through her coach.

 

[Zenchio63]

yes, I also think Vincent pronounces his name 'Joe' in the Americanized way.

I think Chinese pronunciation sounds a little different with the first tone

Actually, it's not the tone that makes that much of a difference to my ear, but the sound of the consonant. "Joe" is definitely not second, third nor fourth tone (one could argue that there is a slight downward intonation depending on how one says the word, but it is softer and not as intense as Chinese fourth tone sounds). It's the difference between the sound of "j" and "zh" that makes the Americanized/Anglicized pronunciation. The "ZH" sound has a slight tongue curling at the end (of course, I am going by the standard Mandarin pronunciation, so one would have to disregard accents).

The announcer and interviewer at the 2017 JWC in Taiwan, clearly pronounced Zhou the standard Mandarin way:

Announcing name before Vincent's FS, https://youtu.be/WJUGq7sPY_E 21:44 (don't know why YT took out the time stamp option)
Pronouncing name during the winner interview 1:10:20 and 1:10:42

The lady in this video does a pretty good job pronouncing the Zhou sound, but she thinks it's like a J or G sound, while there is a slight tongue curling part at the end.

Anyways, poor Vincent, having to put up with his surname being butchered all the time, such as this Finnish lady at Finlandia:

SP: https://youtu.be/Kn2shnCfk08 (Zoo)

FP: https://youtu.be/19ItKclHGbM - 5:28 You can actually see Vincent laughing when the lady said "Zoo"

 

[ice coverage]

… Thanks so much for doing the digging and finding the connection with Vincent through her coach.

Occurs to me that perhaps a false sense of "vast" knowledge is coming across to you because my all-time favorite Max :luv17: :sad4: trained in Colorado Springs (with Tom Z et al), so for the past few years I have paid disproportionate attention to that particular microcosm.

Thus the Paul Parkinson connection to Colorado Springs and Team Tom Z was easy to recall.
Inside baseball: I do not remember why, but Becky Calvin officially was credentialed at 2014 OWG as Paul's coach -- and Tom Z was not. At Paul's request, Tom did go to Sochi to be available on site (to whatever extent possible) in an unofficial capacity, so that Paul would have at least some access to TZ's coaching (in addition to Becky's). So … I'm sure that Tom was extra-thrilled to be at 2018 OWG as official coach for Vincent and Mirai (as he was at 2010 OWG for Rachael Flatt).

(I try to keep at least one eye on other microcosms, but I have not given them nearly as much attention.)

 

[yyyskate]

here is a compilation of Chinese American skaters Karen, Vincent and Nathan speak Chinese
and here is how Vincent himself pronounce his Chinese name Zhou Zhi Fang 周知方 in Chinese
https://www.bilibili.com/video/av19712337?spm_id_from=333.338.__bofqi.15 around 3:12

Not only can Vincent pronounce his Chinese family name "Zhou" the Chinese way "Zh" instead of the Americanized "Joe", he can also differentiates the difference between "Zh" and "Z" in Chinese pronunciation which even not all Chinese native speakers can do that.

 

[Zenchio63]

here is a compilation of Chinese American skaters Karen, Vincent and Nathan speak Chinese
and here is how Vincent himself pronounce his Chinese name Zhou Zhi Fang 周知方 in Chinese
https://www.bilibili.com/video/av19712337?spm_id_from=333.338.__bofqi.15 around 3:12

Not only can Vincent pronounce his Chinese family name "Zhou" the Chinese way "Zh" instead of the Americanized "Joe", he can also differentiates the difference between "Zh" and "Z" in Chinese pronunciation which even not all Chinese native speakers can do that.

Hi, yyyskate, it sounds as if you misunderstood my post completely, LOL. I was in NO WAY saying that Vincent doesn’t know how to pronounce his own last name in Chinese! I have watched the videos where he spoke in Chinese, such as the CoC Gala interview, and was really impressed with his Chinese. His parents taught him well and I am really proud of him as another overseas Chinese who was born and raised in the West.

To prevent further misunderstanding, please allow me to break my answer down in 2 parts:

1 – Based on ice coverage and oatmella’s responses, they both agree with me in hearing Vincent pronounce his last name the Anglicized way, when he introduces himself in English, saying his English name Vincent Zhou.

And I am in agreement with you, Zenchio, that Vincent pronounces "Zhou" as "joe."

yes, I also think Vincent pronounces his name 'Joe' in the Americanized way.

When Vincent pronounces his last name the Westernized way, the sound is closest to “Joe” or “Jou”. I am sure when he says his name in Chinese, he pronounces Zhou the correct way. Maybe you don’t hear it that way because you are used to listening to the Chinese sound and many Chinese do not “Anglicize” the pronunciation of their last name. But Zhou is one of those Chinese surnames in which the consonant has no equivalent in English, so it is more convenient to spell and pronounce in the Westernized/Anglicized way. Other examples are Zhu (Chu or Ju) and Zhao (Jao). FYI, my last name is pronounced drastically different in Chinese (Mandarin) than the Westernized version. Again, I was in no way criticizing Vincent and giving him a lecture on how to correctly pronounce his last name, LOL! I was simply confirming the fact that all 3 of us hear the Westernized/Anglicized version of his last name when he introduces himself in English, saying his full English name. And the NBC Bay Area video where he spoke about Trump, I clearly heard him say "Joe/Jou". Now, your ear may vary , but so far you are outnumbered.

2 – My post was a general guideline for any non-Chinese speakers since poor Vincent is used to having his surname butchered by most people. As I have seen inquiries on the pronunciation of other Chinese surnames around the board, I took the opportunity to go into detail and provide examples on how to best pronounce his surname. It was not meant to argue with another Chinese speaker nor criticize Vincent’s pronunciation. The only 2 instances when I noticed a slight variation of Vincent's pronunciation was probably due to nervousness, when he pronounced the “sh” sound more like “s”.
* Short Interview by Tencent (he pronounced “new” more like “sing” than “shing”
* 2017 JWC interview at the end, 1:10:26 .He said sheh-sheh more like sieh-sieh. But then again, he was probably still in shock from having just won the competition so I don’t blame him, LOL

Hope that settles the misunderstanding. Thanks for letting me explain.

 

[Zenchio63]

Photos from the San Jose SAP Centre SOI

The Absolute Skating site has many good photos of the San Jose SOI show taken by Tina Tyan. There are 9 photos of Take On Me.

 

[Zenchio63]

The Quad Repetition Limit was just passed, with the following rule:
"Of all triple and quad jumps, only two can be executed twice. Of the two possibilities for a repetition, a maximum of one quad jump can be repeated." This shouldn't affect Vincent since he has 4 quads in his repertoire. The jumps from his program content were:

Chasing Cars SP: 4Lz+3T, 4F, 3A
Moulin Rouge FP: 4Lz+3T, 4F, 4S, 4Lz, 4T, 3A+2T, 3A, 3Lz+1Lo+3F

With the reduction of 30 seconds in the free program, it would make sense to take out the extra quad and focus on simpler jumps executed with higher GOE. Let's hope Jeffrey can choreograph a suitable program for Vincent to help showcase his new artistic focus.

Fans who are well informed of jump BVs and the new rules, please feel free to share your thoughts.

 

[Zenchio63]

Moving this post here, in case anyone is brave enough to continue the discussion . Seems people love to criticize and talk about Vincent outside the FF, but everybody turns a blind eye when someone speaks up on his behalf.

Getting back to the topic of US Men, I do wish Vincent would cut down on the quads and focus more on the other aspect of skating. I understand what he had to do last season to get himself a shoot for the Olympic spot but his multi-quad program really took away everything else in his performance. He's young and passionate about the sport, I hope his coaching team can guide him to the direction towards a well balanced skater, instead of relying on USFS to promote that on paper through media. The new system might encourage him to focus on quality instead of quantity, I don't like how he is being hyped by having all the 'quads' when he doesn't rotate them most of the time. But I believe if he's given more time to work on finetuning one or two quads at a time he can improve on the overall quality of his jumps.

Absolutely agree 100% and more :agree:. I am Vincent's biggest fan and have expressed the same sentiment many times. I did wish that he would talk with Borser when Ice Fantasia was first announced at the beginning of April and secretly hoped that he would switch teams. This was before all the other skater moves were announced. I am going to give his team the benefit of the doubt for now since Tammy is relocating to Colorado. But it was clear that TomZ pushed him way too much and wasn't able to gauge the realistic expectations of a first year International senior, having to perform under the shadow of Nathan and the other artistic veteran skaters. He had way too much pressure and expectations to handle.

In a recent NBC Bay Area interview around the time of the San Jose SOI show, Vincent said: “It’s just hard when you focus that much on the quads. So this season, I’m trying to make a huge change artistically." It sounds clear to me that he realizes the pitfalls of the quad-heavy and artistically-lacking programs. Vincent is a very smart kid and he is very grounded. Now that the Olympics is over, he should be able to take his time to work on his SS and presentation skills to improve his PCS, and hopefully TomZ and Christy Krall can focus on fine tuning his quad rotations. I am hoping Tammy's presence will help balance out TomZ's intense quad-focused training regimen. He's even having Camden try 4A's when he should be working on establishing a good solid SS and jump technique for all his skaters, first and foremost.

I have high hopes for Vincent and that Lori and Jeffrey will choreograph suitable programs for him, where he can showcase and focus on his expressive musicality, instead of just doing one jump to another.

 

[Zenchio63]

An Evening With Champions Benefit Exhibition

Yay, Vincent was just announced on the 2018 Cast Sneak Peek list of An Evening with Champions.

2018 CAST SNEAK PEEK​
Hosts: Paul Wylie & Emily Hughes
Courtney Hicks
Vincent Zhou
Kevin Shum
Haydenettes
​Molly Malone
​Sharita Taylor

SEPTEMBER 14 & 15, 2018 @ 7:30PM
BRIGHT-LANDRY HOCKEY CENTER at HARVARD UNIVERSITY

An Evening with Champions is a public charity non-profit committee dedicated to fighting cancer by raising money for The Jimmy Fund, the fundraising arm of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Founded at Harvard University in 1970, An Evening with Champions presents an annual world-class figure skating exhibition at the Bright Hockey Center in Allston, Massachusetts. The exhibition features national and Olympic figure skaters, and has seen the talents of champions such as Yuna Kim, Michelle Kwan, Evan Lysacek, and more.

 

[formersk8ter]

I have high hopes for Vincent and that Lori and Jeffrey will choreograph suitable programs for him, where he can showcase and focus on his expressive musicality, instead of just doing one jump to another.

One of the things I like most about Vincent is his musicality... I've never felt he was ever just going from one jump to another.

That said, I think Vincent and his team played things just right this past year. He went for the quads and it paid off when it counted... not too different from what Nathan Chen did the year before. Vincent would not have gotten that US Olympic team spot without going for those quads, and it definitely paid off when he ended up 6th at the Olympics (over Patrick Chan, Kolyada and a lot more respectable skaters). They also got him into 3rd after the SP at Worlds. The strategy worked very well for Vincent, from where I sit.

I think we are going to see an even more polished Vincent this season. The new jump rules are going to be really strict now... no more allowing that 1/4 turn cheat. Vincent has shown that he can land clean quads, but it's a work in progress. I would bet he will be more determined than ever to nail those clean landings and bring fresh artistry to the table. Exciting!

 

[Zenchio63]

Vincent just posted on his Instagram a picture with Jeffrey Buttle in Toronto and the following message:

What a week. I am ever so thankful for your hard work and I can't wait to perform my new programs! I'm now one step closer to materializing my goal of maturing into a complete skater. @j_butt

Yay, cannot wait to see the new programs! :hap85: