Bingwa Geng: China's new hope for the Olympics??

[carolinefan177]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp3Zf0vxYNo

She has amazing spins (even does Caroline's trademark "pearl"), great jumps, and I think I see lots of potential in her

 

[netnuts]

Too early to tell. She's only 12 year old, and can't even do JGP events yet.
Growth spurt can do horrific things to these little girls, and her body type is not petite. Binshu Xu recently lost most of her jumps almost overnight due to growth spurt.

Bingwa Geng is a talent, that's for sure. I read somewhere she mastered 5 triples in practice within one year at age of 11.

The jump content of her SP is 3lutz+2t, 3flip(e) and 2A.
Here's another clip of this girl one year ago in Jan, 2007. She has really made a stride over the past year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tENIsCZYPPw&feature=related

CCTV5 will broadcast this event on Jan 10th, 8:35 to 9:30 AM and Jan 11th, 8:35 to 9:30 AM. You can watch it online.

Another 12-year-old girl Kexing Zhang won the bronze medal at this event. She was able to land 3lutz, 3S, 3T and 3loop. She is not as good as Bingwa Geng though.

 

[oleada]

Time will tell, but she was very nice to watch.
Will she be eligible for JGP next season?

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

There is a lot of potential there for a 12 year old. What she needs is some exceptional coach to bring that potential to fruition. Does she skate internationally? I hope not. Much too soon for the big comps.

Joe

 

[netnuts]

There is a lot of potential there for a 12 year old. What she needs is some exceptional coach to bring that potential to fruition. Does she skate internationally? I hope not. Much too soon for the big comps.

Joe

I agree coaching is key for her future success. The lousy coaching really killed Binshu Xu's chance in the past. Remember she's also a prodigy while first bursting into Jr. scene.

No. This girl has not started skating internationally. She will only be age eligible in 2008 even for the Jr. events.

The other concern I have is that she is NOT your typical petite asian female skater. It's reported her parents are not 'small'. But there's hope she can overcome this.
Arakawa and Irina were not small.

 

[feraina]

I think Bingwa is great! Her dancing/performing and spins really remind me of Caroline Zhang, but her jumps (especially toe-jumps) are actually higher and stronger, and she skates in general with more speed/energy. What an amazing little talent!

Arakawa and Miki are both pretty big Asian girls, and they're both world champions (and Arakawa of course has the OGM).

Anyway, how tall is Bingwa now? She looks pretty thin/petite. Caroline was 4'6, or 137cm, when she was 12 and competing at National Junior's, and she's the tiniest senior lady around.

Her Chinese name is so cute! Bing-wa means "ice baby" or "ice doll" -- named by her father, a hockey player.

I hope the Chinese federation considers sending her to MingZhu Li for summer training if not year-round, since Li can coach her in Chinese, and probably there are enough Chinese-speaking kids (including Caroline) around the rink for her to make friends with. They might also consider letting her train in Chen Lu's rink/school down in ShenZhen, although somehow I have a sneaking suspicion that there must already be political/financial rivalry between Chen Lu's private rink and the national training facilities up north.

It would be wonderful to see her in JGP's next year.

 

[Tinymavy15]

i am very impressed. She reminds me a lot of caroline but with a better lutz and a worse spiral. Only thing is... Bingwa is not a hope for China in 2010... sh won't be old enough unless they change the silly rule by then (i can hope). I am amazed that she is only 12. Considering how good the pairs are from china, and the skating camps that the chinese children attend from a young age, i am surprised that more great singles skaters have not come from that country. Pretty much none recenlty. I understand that this year is her secong time winning the silver at her nationals... why have we not seen her on the grand prix?

 

[netnuts]

. I understand that this year is her secong time winning the silver at her nationals... why have we not seen her on the grand prix?

Not really. They are having a so-called China Grand Prix(two stops). She won two silvers at these two stops in Dec/07 and Jan/08. She was 4th place at Nationals in Oct, 2007, and was 6th place in 2006. If you compare these two videos, you'll see she has made tremedous progress over the past year. Her lutz and flip are getting more consistent this season. 3loop was still underrorated.

She can not do JGP events or Jr. Worlds due to age restriction. I think she'll be eligible for 2008/2009 season for junior international competitions.

 

[feraina]

Considering how good the pairs are from china, and the skating camps that the chinese children attend from a young age, i am surprised that more great singles skaters have not come from that country.

Lack of good coaches, especially for singles, and especially for ladies (ice dance is maybe even worse, to think of it). The Chinese federation can't or won't hire international coaches, nor send their athletes to train abroad unless they're already achieving great results -- Chinese fans complain that the sporting bodies (as well as sponsors) are putting more money into sports that have more popular support, like basketball, soccer, etc.

The only good ladies skater to have come from China is Chen Lu, and her former coach Li MingZhu has said that back then the two of them were pioneers, struggling on their own to master elements and artistry without much guidance. Li is now coaching (Caroline Z among others) in southern CA. Chen Lu and her husband opened their own rink/school in the southern city ShenZhen. They apparently have good coaches and promising kids there. So many in a few years, we'll see more good singles skaters from China.

The only successful discipline in China is pairs, and Yao Bin too was a pioneer. He said he watched video tapes of top pairs skaters to try to figure out what they were doing.

 

[Hsuhs]

The girl is adorable. Russian 11 y.o. Liza is adorable too.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_66EreCuhq8

To me, the thing with the skating wunderkinds is that their skating is about ... nothing, and therefore ... meaningless? I believe in skating with one's head and heart, not just with one's pair of legs. But yes, they are so adorable, and their dresses are so pretty. JMO. JMO. JMO.

 

[feraina]

Elizaveta is so cute! When is her birthday? She has such long legs and arms! Good jumps (great 3loop), nice spins, great posture.

When is her birthday? Will she turn 12 before July 1?

She can compete with Bingwa in a couple of years.

 

[netnuts]

The girl is adorable. Russian 11 y.o. Liza is adorable too.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_66EreCuhq8

To me, the thing with the skating wunderkinds is that their skating is about ... nothing, and therefore ... meaningless? I believe in skating with one's head and heart, not just with one's pair of legs. But yes, they are so adorable, and their dresses are so pretty. JMO. JMO. JMO.

I like how Liza uses her arms, very pretty. She is very musical.

I found Russian ladies are very good at doing 3loop, but not 3lutz/3flip. Lots of North American female skaters can not do 3loop, but are able to land 3lutz/3flip.

These little girls need to survive puberty monsters. Right now, they are just flash of the day for diehard fans.

 

[Hsuhs]

When is her birthday? Will she turn 12 before July 1?

She can compete with Bingwa in a couple of years.

I have no idea, I'm not her mommy!

Oh I'm sure those two will meet one day in one competition.

 

[Ms.Anthrope]

Arakawa and Miki are both pretty big Asian girls, and they're both world champions (and Arakawa of course has the OGM).

Big as in height or weight? The most recent picture of Miki shows that she is shorter than Mao who is about an inch shorter than YuNa.

I agree with netnuts that it's hard to know how BingWa and Elizaveta will do until they go through their growth spurt. BingWa looks like she has a potential to go through a major growth spurt height wise. Really enjoyed both their skating, though.

Another poster posted the SP & LP of Da-Bin Choi of Korea on another board. Apparently she is only 7. Not sure how good she is compared to other 7 year olds, but I do love her SP music & LP costume with little angel wings.:yes: Both programs made me laugh.

SP http://youtube.com/watch?v=dYVdEZ_SSHQ
LP http://youtube.com/watch?v=hTt3dQhPB8M

 

[feraina]

Another poster posted the SP & LP of Da-Bin Choi of Korea on another board. Apparently she is only 7. Not sure how good she is compared to other 7 year olds, but I do love her SP music & LP costume with little angel wings.:yes:

She's very cute! I guess Yu-na is inspiring a whole generation of young skaters.

She's very good for 7. Compared to the top juvenile (lowest level) girls at U.S. Junior National's, she needs a 2A (I only saw single axels) and 2-2 and/or 2-2-2 combinations (I only saw 2-1 or 1-2 in her programs) to be competitive. The juvenile champion last year, Nina Jiang, was 9, and hailed as a prodigy. I think with good coaching and hard work, this little girl Da-Bin can certainly hope to get to a good level by 8 or 9.

I'm a little surprised there's no internet vide of Nina Jiang, actually. She's an amazing little 10-year-old (she was the U.S. intermediate champion this year): great artistry, posture, energy, speed, fast & centered sit spin, great 3S, 2A, and other double jumps (in combination too).

Oh, and I just looked up her birthday (now it's an automatic reaction, I want to know whether a young skater's b-day falls before or after July 1), and whew, it's in April.

 

[athlet]

This is the protocol for Bingwa Geng's FS.

2A 3.50
3Lz 6.00
LSp4 2.60 + 0.70 = 3.30
3F+2T e 6.80 - 1.20 = 5.60
CSSp3 2.30 + 0.20 = 2.50
SlSt2 2.30 + 0.20 = 2.50
3S< 1.43x - 1.00 = 0.43 (fall)
FCoSp4 3.00 + 0.20 = 3.20
SpSq4 3.40 + 0.20 = 3.60
3T+2T+2Lo 7.48x - 0.40 = 7.08
2A+2T 5.28x + 0.20 = 5.48
3Lo< 1.65x - 0.62 = 1.03
CCoSp3 3.00 + 0.10 = 3.10

TES: 47.32 PCS: 42.32 DED: 2 (1 fall, time) TSS: 87.64

Two triples 3S, 3Lo were downgraded, so she landed 3 triples.

China doesn't seem to inflate scores from domestic competitions. I like it.

 

[Wrlmy]

They are all so adorable and amazing! I'm especially impressed with Elizaveta Tuktamesheva. She does not have that awkwardness most skaters of her age have. I have a feeling she will be more of a Marya Butyrskaya type of skater than Slutskaya, I don't know why though lol. It's too early to tell how these girls will turn out. Is Mao Asada still the most impressive prodigy ever BTW?

 

[feraina]

Wow, tough tech panel! A lip deduction, two downgrades, an over-time deduction. It's good they're grading them tough, though, no surprises when it comes to int'l competitions...

 

[feraina]

Is Mao Asada still the most impressive prodigy ever BTW?

Heck, yeah. 3A, 3F-3R-3T, altogether eight triples including 3S attempted in a LP (some under-rotations, but she was close; anyway, most ambitious ladies' program ever?), at age 12! Plus good spins, spirals, basic skating skills, and presentation. Just phenomenal. Jump-wise, she only needs to get back to a level she achieved by age 12 (and clean up the landings), to be totally unbeatable. I don't think anyone else can ever say that.

 

[Hsuhs]

Is there a video out there of a 3 year old doing - I don't know - double axels?