Caroline Zhang's 2009-10 season

[Spun Silver]

What do we expect the coming season holds for Caroline? Will we see improvements in technique that might push up her scores? Will she find programs that excite people the way her exhibitions do? Will she be able to overtake Rachael as the USFSA favorite? Whom will she beat? And so on.

To me Caroline has the "it" factor that Rachael usually lacks (JMO), but it's been under a bit of a veil. I really hope it comes off in this Olympic season.

 

[janetfan]

What do we expect the coming season holds for Caroline? Will we see improvements in technique that might push up her scores? Will she find programs that excite people the way her exhibitions do? Will she be able to overtake Rachael as the USFSA favorite? Whom will she beat? And so on.

To me Caroline has the "it" factor that Rachael usually lacks (JMO), but it's been under a bit of a veil. I really hope it comes off in this Olympic season.

I am really anxious to see Caroline this season. I think she is close to being a medal winner at the biggest competitions if she can just ,,,,,,,ummm,,,, not sure how to say this......maybe skate a little faster into her jump entrances and fix the problems associated with that.
She has grown and I hope she won't have problems with that throughout this season. I do think she has "it" as I find myself mesmorized by the beauty of her skating. Maybe witth her growth spurt will come a little extra strength which could help too. I do read comments that her general skating technique is weak and I am not sure what that refers to. I watch other, older skaters who are praised for their technique (Caro K, Joannie) and see them off balance at times and having more shaky landings than good ones. To me - that falls under general skating technique too but I never see much talk about that. Part of it is reputation and that only comes after enough years on the senior circuit.
I hope her programs are top notch (and new) this season.
I guess after TEB we will have a better idea as to Caroline's possibilties for this season. I agree with you about Rachael and thinks she needs to jazz it up a little.
Mirai could surprise us all this season. At times looks more like a senior skater to me than either Caroline or Rachael.

 

[Alicja]

Since when is Rachael the USFSA favourite? Because she was invited to SA?

Anyway to Caroline, to me what Caroline needs is more presence on the ice, which I think will come as she gets more speed and the speed comes more naturally and she doesn't focus on gaining speed that much.
I'd also love to see her do a more upbeat type of program. I think there were plenty of great suggestions in the "What should Caroline skate to"-thread. It'd be awesome if she could fit her pearl spin into the program, as opposed to doing it as a "wow"-move. I think if highlighted by the music it would be even more impressive.
On a side note, I find her exhibitions absolutely boring, actually I feel the same for 90% of the exhibition program, especially for the ladies. I understand that skaters don't have much time to prepare exhibitions but there are some songs out there that aren't slow, melancholic pop music. So, please, get some upbeat stuff.
Unfortunately I think the scenario will be like this past season, with no American lady at the GPF. OTOH, that's very exciting for nationals.
Even if Caroline should place off the podium at TEB, she has plenty of time to fine tune her programs at SC. I expect to see her in very good shape there, so that she can enter nationals on a high.

ETA: I really hope Caroline works on holding consistent edges into her jumps and gets more stability in her landings that allow her to carry out as much speed as she had going into the jump.

 

[fairly4]

she got rooked at the gp events.
I think the usfsa had it in for her so they made sure she got the two hardest events.
like the made sure Sasha got two.

the usfsa favorites, ashley, mirai, alissa, rachel and sasha got the easiest events.

only caroline has to skate against sasha with other higher skaters.
rachel just int he us with just her Yu-na, sasha as the main ones for medals.
fumie maybe but i doubt it.

 

[Alicja]

she got rooked at the gp events.
I think the usfsa had it in for her so they made sure she got the two hardest events.
like the made sure Sasha got two.

the usfsa favorites, ashley, mirai, alissa, rachel and sasha got the easiest events.

only caroline has to skate against sasha with other higher skaters.
rachel just int he us with just her Yu-na, sasha as the main ones for medals.
fumie maybe but i doubt it.

Omg, don't exaggerate. Have you ever thought that the USFSA might think that Caroline is the one skater they have that HAS the ability to beat Asada, Rochette etc. as she has outscored them at least twice on TES this past season?

 

[fairly4]

yes she might but they havent really been in her corner.
All you need to do is look at nationals and the scores they give her.

Yes that is a possiblity.
I like your way of looking at it.

 

[janetfan]

Omg, don't exaggerate. Have you ever thought that the USFSA might think that Caroline is the one skater they have that HAS the ability to beat Asada, Rochette etc. as she has outscored them at least twice on TES this past season?

At WTT Joannie beat Caroline by 4 points. I think the gap is closing between Caroline and Joannie, Miki, Caro K, etc. Wasn't Caroline at TEB last season? Perhaps the French wanted her back.

 

[feraina]

At WTT Joannie beat Caroline by 4 points. I think the gap is closing between Caroline and Joannie, Miki, Caro K, etc. Wasn't Caroline at TEB last season? Perhaps the French wanted her back.

Yes, she was at TEB last year. And she skated two clean programs (well, except both 3-3 downgraded). The French luuuuurved her, and said Mao was very lucky to come ahead of her -- considering she had her worst LP perhaps in memory: a doubled loop, a singled loop, a singled salchow with a fall. The commentators were really gushing about Caroline during the exhibition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8OV-gJLDM0

I think the French are delighted to have a strong field, and Caroline was a little unlucky to be picked by them. I so wish she had gotten SA instead. I had a bad feeling from the start that with Sasha's comeback she was going to be screwed out of SA and into a much worse situation. TEB has the worst possible line up of opponents she could possibly have faced: best out of 1-3 (Yu-na), best out of 4-6 (Mao), the best skater not attending World's besides herself (Yukari), the most dangerous unseeded skater (Carolina), the comeback lady with her own federation's warmest backing (Sasha). I don't think one could've imagined a tougher field for Caroline had they tried.

Sasha will have an equally difficult field, with the difference that if Sasha places 3rd or 4th, she will be given a pass as it's her first competition in 3+ years; and if Caroline places 3rd or 4th (if she doesn't make it to GPF), she will be written off early in this Olympic year -- her 5th place at SC last year really dogged her the rest of the season, despite being sick and injured there with 4 inches of newly gained height to contend with, and despite lots of clean programs with 7 triples after SC.

By the way, Caroline is now 5'4. She's the same height as Alissa and Kimmie, taller than Mirai, Rachael, Ashley, Sasha, Bebe, Michelle. She will probably surpass Alissa & Kimmie in the coming months, and become the tallest among the more competitive US ladies skaters. Can you believe it? Our little OO a tall lanky lady now?! I hope it means more power and strength in her skating, and not obstacles to her jumping. Please, please...

 

[LeCygne]

Haha for a while there I was like what the heck is OO?!? Before I realized.. Haha it's cute!

 

[PolymerBob]

I can't say that the USFSA tried to screw Caroline. They could have put there before the other ladies were placed. By the way, what is OO ?

 

[Mathman]

I can't say that the USFSA tried to screw Caroline. They could have put there before the other ladies were placed. By the way, what is OO ?

OO = Yuan-Yuan ("round-round"), Caroline's name in Chinese.

 

[Spun Silver]

By the way, Caroline is now 5'4. She's the same height as Alissa and Kimmie, taller than Mirai, Rachael, Ashley, Sasha, Bebe, Michelle. She will probably surpass Alissa & Kimmie in the coming months, and become the tallest among the more competitive US ladies skaters. Can you believe it? Our little OO a tall lanky lady now?! I hope it means more power and strength in her skating, and not obstacles to her jumping. Please, please...

Caroline is now taller than Ashley? I remember how Ashley towered over her and Mirai when they were all on the junior worlds podium! It must be very hard for her skills to keep up with her changing body. But lots of women stop growing by the time they're 15 or 16. (At least vertically. )

 

[Particle Man]

she got rooked at the gp events.
I think the usfsa had it in for her so they made sure she got the two hardest events.
like the made sure Sasha got two.

the usfsa favorites, ashley, mirai, alissa, rachel and sasha got the easiest events.

So TEB (to which both Sasha and Caroline are assigned) must be both the hardest and the easiest event? That's amazing!

 

[janetfan]

Caroline is now taller than Ashley? I remember how Ashley towered over her and Mirai when they were all on the junior worlds podium! It must be very hard for her skills to keep up with her changing body. But lots of women stop growing by the time they're 15 or 16. (At least vertically. )

I read that Caroline has an older sister who is 5 '7. I believe Mirai is still growing too. Looks like Rachael and Ashley will be the "little ones" in the future.
Or until our next batch of prodigies arrive on the scene which should be no later than next season. By then Sasha will be long gone (again) and Alissa will be an old hag. I take that back. Alissa will always be a doll in my eyes.

 

[Spun Silver]

So TEB (to which both Sasha and Caroline are assigned) must be both the hardest and the easiest event? That's amazing!

:chorus:

I just thought of something. If Caroline is the tallest skater at TEB (I think) she'll be able to psych out all the other skaters in practices and warmups! Listen up, you shrimps - don't mess with Big Mama!

 

[janetfan]

:chorus:

I just thought of something. If Caroline is the tallest skater at TEB (I think) she'll be able to psych out all the other skaters in practices and warmups! Listen up, you shrimps - don't mess with Big Mama!

Caroline may still be growing - but she needs atleast another year to catch Caro K who is 5'7. And speaking of warmups - does anyone think Sasha may revert to her earlier years and buzz a few skaters during warmups this season :disagree::

 

[Spun Silver]

And speaking of warmups - does anyone think Sasha may revert to her earlier years and buzz a few skaters during warmups this season :disagree::

That would be pushing her luck.

 

[evangeline]

Caroline may still be growing - but she needs atleast another year to catch Caro K who is 5'7. And speaking of warmups - does anyone think Sasha may revert to her earlier years and buzz a few skaters during warmups this season :disagree::

Re: Sasha: Doubtful. Sasha seems to have grown up and matured, and anyways--were those allegations even true? I assumed they were sort of like SBS' ridiculous accusations of Japanese skaters disturbing Yu-Na's warm-ups.

As for Caroline, I can't help but be a bit pessimistic and say that her difficult GP events will probably leave her off the Olympic team as I doubt she will be able to make the GPF. BUT I hope Caroline will make me eat my words and prove me wrong. In any case, Caroline will definitely be the skater to watch in 2014.

 

[Mathman]

^ I have watched Sasha warm up quite a few times, and she did often find herself going against the flow of the other skaters. I think it was because she was so intensely focused on her own preparation.

About Caroline making the 2010 Olympic team -- no problem. Caroline gets 8th at TEB behind Kim, Asada, Kostner, Nakano, Gedevanishvili, Korpi and Cohen, and then she and Rachael go 1-2 at U.S. nationals -- a done deal.

 

[janetfan]

Re: Sasha: Doubtful. Sasha seems to have grown up and matured, and anyways--were those allegations even true? I assumed they were sort of like SBS' ridiculous accusations of Japanese skaters disturbing Yu-Na's warm-ups.

As for Caroline, I can't help but be a bit pessimistic and say that her difficult GP events will probably leave her off the Olympic team as I doubt she will be able to make the GPF. BUT I hope Caroline will make me eat my words and prove me wrong. In any case, Caroline will definitely be the skater to watch in 2014.

There was a clip around of Sasha buzzing Michelle at 98 Nats. Also an article with Michelle and a few of the other skaters talking about Sasha's warmup harrassments. I believe it is true coz I saw the clip and Sasha did not ewven try to hide it. Naturally, Michelle skated well and won and Sasha messed up, fell, etc. Usually the skater concentrating on her program wins and the one concentrating on disrupting other skaters loses. Ask Surya .

As to Caroline's GP"s.....it will only be a very small factor in determining her fate. If she wins Natls she goes to Vancouver. If she comes second she probably goes. Only 3rd place finish from Sasha might bump Caroline from Olympics and it would not be popular if that happened.
Nationals is - was - and most likely always will be the ticket to Worlds and Olympics.