Vincent Zhou

[Zenchio63]

And do not miss the Phil Hersh tweet re Vincent's media call:

https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1082790055280824320 (Jan 8)​

Coming from Phil, who over many years has covered many sports in addition to figure skating, "I cannot think of any athlete ..." is quite a compliment.

His exact words were:

I cannot think of any athlete who expresses him/herself better, more thoughtfully, with such rich word choices. Hard to believe he is barely18. So impressive.

Very nice of Phil to mention Vincent's maturity, thoughtfulness & eloquence.

Figure Skaters Online also added their input to the pre-U.S. Championships media call with Vincent:

Vincent says he has been working hard in training and is excited for people to see the differences in his skating at #USChamps19

@govincentzhou says his back injury that plagued him this summer and left him "unprepared" for his first Challenger at U.S. International Classic in Salt Lake City is no longer a problem.

After Tallinn Trophy: @govincentzhou says he was able to go to Toronto to work with Lori Nichol and Jeff Buttle (@J_Butt) on his programs. He made "some significant changes to both programs" and says "the programs has significantly improved." #USChamps19

Can't wait to see the changes & improvements!

 

[Zenchio63]

regarding the 2 dapper photos, my honest opinion is that none of it captured Vincent's unique charm and personality.

Couldn't agree more! Don't want to gripe too much since the photographer was nice enough to upload the pics & seem to be able to make Vincent relax & feel comfortable, even making him smile for the "50-year old" pic (despite what Camden & Tomoki claim ). But those clothes (and sorry to repeat this, the hair) just ruined the whole photo shoot. Yes, he didn't have to wear an ugly sweater (cough, cough) but Vincent deserves so much better! Getting off my gripe box.

 

[Zenchio63]

Our "nerd" boy working out his muscles on Instagram. His customary witty remark:

The only place you find success before work is in the dictionary.
Also, you shouldn't take quotes from the internet because you never know if they are genuine. -Abraham Lincoln

For some reason, "Yung V" works out bare feet.

 

[Zenchio63]

Our "nerd" boy working out his muscles on Instagram. His customary witty remark:

The only place you find success before work is in the dictionary.
Also, you shouldn't take quotes from the internet because you never know if they are genuine. -Abraham Lincoln

For some reason, "Yung V" works out bare feet.

Okay, everybody needs to get over there and give Alex_kambam's comment a like:

alex_kambam: My poor bro can't even afford shoes can we hit 50 likes ?

govincentzhou: @alex_kambam this is so sad can we t pose on dogs under the age of 3

alex_kambam: @govincentzhou this is so sad can we hit the elderly?



Alex, you da man! We can always count on his witty sense of humor! :gclap:

 

[yyyskate]

^^
I LIKE Alex KAMBAM :luv17:

 

[Zenchio63]

IFS magazine has also tweeted about Vincent:

Vincent Zhou will not include multiple quads in his programs but has opted to focus on the artistic side of his skating in preparation for 2019 U.S. nationals.

VINCENT ZHOU READY FOR U.S. NATIONALS

Zhou was asked about the issue of under-rotation calls at Skate America and the reactions and opinions of fans on social media. “I was aware of it. The only thing that it’s really done for me is to push me to make my jumps cleaner,” he said. “One of my number one focuses since then has been making the rotations clearer and that is one of the things people will see in Detroit because I have been training better in that aspect.


“As for all the chatter and stuff … The skating community has people from all different walks of life with different levels of experience in the sport, so I try to stay out of it because you never know if someone is educated or uneducated. And 2019 social media people can get pretty toxic so it is definitely good to keep my head out of that. The more I read how people judge me the more I lose my sense of self, so it is important to not let that affect me.”

 

[yyyskate]

IFS magazine has also tweeted about Vincent:

Vincent Zhou will not include multiple quads in his programs but has opted to focus on the artistic side of his skating in preparation for 2019 U.S. nationals.

VINCENT ZHOU READY FOR U.S. NATIONALS

Zhou was asked about the issue of under-rotation calls at Skate America and the reactions and opinions of fans on social media. “I was aware of it. The only thing that it’s really done for me is to push me to make my jumps cleaner,” he said. “One of my number one focuses since then has been making the rotations clearer and that is one of the things people will see in Detroit because I have been training better in that aspect.


“As for all the chatter and stuff … The skating community has people from all different walks of life with different levels of experience in the sport, so I try to stay out of it because you never know if someone is educated or uneducated. And 2019 social media people can get pretty toxic so it is definitely good to keep my head out of that. The more I read how people judge me the more I lose my sense of self, so it is important to not let that affect me.”

Really mature attitude of Vincent, but I hope Vincent can still take feedbacks from all parties and keep the communication channel open (instead of hiding from social media), however, despite doing so, he can still manage to identify and choose his own path and not be affected by all the noises and distractions.

 

[Zenchio63]

New article from Mercury News

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/01/09/are-the-jumps-clean-its-a-figure-skating-debate/

Are the jumps clean? It’s a figure-skating debate
Palo Alto’s Vincent Zhou has been docked this season for failing to land clean quadruple jumps

 

[yyyskate]

always pleasant to read hometown media Mercury News' article.
the recent articles/tweets about Vincent I assume are all based on the same USFS telecom on this Tuesday regarding preparation for 2019 Nationals. so the info are similar.

from which, two things strikes me and made me chuckle again, because they remind me of something I wrote before. about the irony of ISU.

1: “It hasn’t been easy redefining my standard of what a rotation is or is not.”
2: "because your components simply don’t skyrocket in your first year as a senior."

literally the same skating, one’s score can plummet 20 points overnight, because of "rule change" (Vincent this season, he will need to redefine his standard for what is considered a clean jump, the standard that skaters/coaches/judges have been used for years at least last couple of OG cycles and Vincent's entire skating career to this day).
yet another’s score can skyrocket 20 points overnight as a first year senior in a Olympic season (Vincent, not for your though, this is only reserved for certain group of skaters of certain Nationality)



As Vincent said before, "he never had it the easy way."
As Vincent's Chinese fan said "但很神奇的是，他总是能坚持到扬眉吐气的一天" (but what is amazing is that , he somehow can always stick to the day of triumph)

Wish Vincent the best of luck at 2019 US Nationals, put on a performance he is proud of and we fans are always behind you.:luv17:

 

[yyyskate]

ETA, about the different roles of Vincent's three main coaches in the interview.
I think I have posted something very similar to Vincent's description before in Nathan's FF.
when I saw that, it felt so sweet and happy in my heart. that as a figure skating fan, I am connected with Vincent in matters of figure skating :luv17:

 

[yyyskate]

i did a little research about KungFu related to Vincent's free program.
I think the martial art branch that is practiced in the movie (CTHD) is of Wudang Sect (武当派) and tai-chi(太极) is actually a derivative of this branch of Chinese Kungfu
which is one school of internal marital art as opposed to external martial art. One character of which is "以静制动，以柔克刚" (arrest the dynamic with the static, conquer the unyielding with the yielding)

More to come...

 

[Zenchio63]

The audio version of Vincent's teleconference call with the reporters has been uploaded on SoundCloud by LansingHerald.com.

So Vincent dodged a couple of questions from Phil, who hasn't written or elaborated more on him, other than the initial tweet:

"Just was on media teleconference with 2018 figure skating Olympian @govincentzhou in advance of #USChamps19. I cannot think of any athlete who expresses him/herself better, more thoughtfully, with such rich word choices. Hard to believe he is barely18. So impressive."

Mercury News' Elliott Almond, was also impressed with Vincent on his tweet:
"He's only 18, but Olympic skater @govincentzhou answers reporters' questions with depth and intelligence."

Thank goodness IFS article did a comprehensive article, because I had trouble understanding the lady from SkatingChina. It's always nice to listen to Vincent's mature & poised answers.

 

[georgia]

“Emphasis has been placed in multiple spots and the hard work will hopefully manifest itself in results," Zhou said. "Tom Dickson has been helping me be more confident and free with my movement on and across the ice. In addition, watching Kurt Browning skate here in Toronto and having the opportunity to work with him a little has shown me what true love for the sport looks “
Working with Tom Dickson will make the world of difference.

 

[Zenchio63]

“Emphasis has been placed in multiple spots and the hard work will hopefully manifest itself in results," Zhou said. "Tom Dickson has been helping me be more confident and free with my movement on and across the ice. In addition, watching Kurt Browning skate here in Toronto and having the opportunity to work with him a little has shown me what true love for the sport looks “
Working with Tom Dickson will make the world of difference.

Yes, and us fans cannot wait to see the improvements! Kudos to Vincent's commitment in becoming a more mature & well-rounded skater.
Thank you, Tom!

 

[livetoskate]

I enjoyedseeing Vincent live today. At least to my spectator eyes, his jumps looked solid and amazing! Here's a little footage of Vincent and the guys warming up. Alysa Liu is in the corner left at the beginning, watching in the row in front of me.

https://youtu.be/YSzhu0PhF9w

 

[Zenchio63]

Thank you for that clip of the warm up, livetoskate! Glad you enjoyed seeing Vincent skate live.

So proud of Vincent for delivering his season's best, despite the 4Lz being called under. Hope the good scores will give him the confidence boost to deliver a kick a## performance in the FS. You can tell how nervous & anxious he was waiting for the scores.

Here is a short TV piece from Detroit Local 4, where Vincent said all the quads are equally hard.

From Rockerskating:
Jackie tweeted: VINCENT ZHOU KILLING ITTTTTT

Men's SP Conference - pic & some quotes
Men's FS Draw group pic from IG
Men's FS Order - Vincent will skate last tomorrow. Hope it will turn out the same as in 2017, ending the competition with a triumphant celebration.

GS tweets:
Photo: Top three men after the short program: Chen, Brown and Zhou.
Vincent quote: Vincent Zhou (100.25 pts and 3rd after SP): "Thinking about other people takes me out of the zone athletes need to be in."
Vincent in SP Conference: "I don't think I've done better in a competition." Wish they would have taken another photo of him where doesn't look so worn out or sleepy, lol.

Hope he gets a really good night's sleep & wake up rejuvenated and ready to attack the FS tomorrow! Good luck, Vincent! You can do it!

 

[Jaana]

USA has 3 slots for the Worlds, I think? I wish that Zhou and his team would be smart and select only one or two quad jumps for the freeskate and only such quads which he has learned to rotate fully. Quantity does not compensate quality, IMO.

 

[Fool]

I'm back after a hellish week of moving and sickness and more, and I just saw V. Zhou do that. He's so amazing:luv17:. Best of luck in the Free! (My time zone sense is way out of whack, is it already happening?)

 

[formersk8ter]

USA has 3 slots for the Worlds, I think? I wish that Zhou and his team would be smart and select only one or two quad jumps for the freeskate and only such quads which he has learned to rotate fully. Quantity does not compensate quality, IMO.

I may be mistaken, but I believe that's the plan. (Maybe 3?)

 

[Zenchio63]

I'm back after a hellish week of moving and sickness and more, and I just saw V. Zhou do that. He's so amazing:luv17:. Best of luck in the Free! (My time zone sense is way out of whack, is it already happening?)

Hi Fool, hope you're doing better. NBC Sports Gold is going to start the men's FP at 12:10 MST, which is 17 minutes from now. Vincent will be the last to skate, so we have time to do some housework, lol.