Caroline Zhang's 2009-10 season
- Thread starter Spun Silver
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But is there a change, even the slightest, in her jump technique?
Her loops and salchows looked great on Saturday. Since she did not do any axels or toe pick jumps (flips and lutzes) on Saturday, which are her problematic jumps, I can't comment on her change in techique.
Okay well besides Sasha, Caroline is the last top US lady that hasn't officially announced her music yet. We know Zigeunerweisen already, but I hope her LP is something good. I think Rachael and Ashley have pretty darn good choices, so let's hope Caroline's hold up in comparison!
As a side note, I think USFSA and IceNetwork are really trying to play up Rachael as the leading US lady. Just this summer, she's gotten more media attention than all the other girls combined. From all the IceNetwork articles about her, we certainly have a pretty good idea about her off-season preparations from music selections to choreography to training schedules and even vacations. And part of that may be the mentorship with Dorothy Hamill, but I can't help but feel like they've already punched her ticket to Vancouver before she's even skated this season.
As a side note, I think USFSA and IceNetwork are really trying to play up Rachael as the leading US lady. Just this summer, she's gotten more media attention than all the other girls combined. From all the IceNetwork articles about her, we certainly have a pretty good idea about her off-season preparations from music selections to choreography to training schedules and even vacations. And part of that may be the mentorship with Dorothy Hamill, but I can't help but feel like they've already punched her ticket to Vancouver before she's even skated this season.
It's interesting that loop and salchow have become her easiest jumps. Until last season, she didn't have a salchow in her programs at all. And her loop was prone to under-rotating -- the downgrade on the 3R at 2008 JW cost her the gold medal to Rachael Flatt.
I agree that she's probably working on her toe jumps and the axel, and that's probably why she's not using any of them for exhibitions.
I personally don't think anyone should assume this to be true merely based on the quantity of media coverage to date. Articles can only be written if and when skaters (or their agents) make themselves available for interviews, etc. Based on what has been posted previously here about Caroline, it seems like her team (including agent Shep Goldberg) has deliberately NOT been cultivating media attention for a while now. We'll have to wait and see if that changes in the months ahead.
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- May 15, 2009
Thanks for your thoughts Sylvia. I am very interested to hear how Mirai is doing since she switched coaches - but I don't see it as a conspiracy that she hasn't been in the news too much. I guess we did hear her new music slections last week and that is about it. It is possible she is training very hard under Caroll and they are not interested in doing interviews right now.
If Rachael is getting some publicity I say good for her. She had a good season, is a great young skater and maybe she has more time for interviews being that she did not change coaches this season like Caroline and Mirai did.
I haven't heard much about Ashley either.
You're right, it is no fault of USFSA or IceNetwork if Rachael is the only one willing to expose herself to the media at this point. If not the federation, then it is really Rachael's team that is feeding off of her success last season and trying promote her for the Olympics. I guess Caroline and Mirai had their time in the spotlight as rising juniors, and now it's Rachael's time. I'm just surprised that all of a sudden they are being very vocal, more so than any other skater at this point.
Well, she deserves it, doesn't she? She's been flying under the radar these years and had a better-than-expected debut at Worlds. Plus, she's showed consistency, something that hasn't been seen in U.S. ladies since Kwan.
If the USFSA has been promoting Flatt as the US' No. 1 lady, it's because she is. Sure, Caroline beat her at 4CCs and the WTT, but those are relatively minor competitions compared to Nats and Worlds, where Rachael placed a very respectable 5th. It's been said before, but Caroline was really hurt by not going to Worlds; if she had beaten Rachael there, there'd be no question as to who is the No. 1 US lady heading into the Olympic season. But we'll see; the way it all worked out may eventually be to Caroline's advantage.
Caroline and her team might also be consciously avoiding media attention, but I'm sure the USFSA couldn't be happier that it has someone like Rachael to promote as a star. So all-American, such an exemplary student, America's former sweetheart mentoring its future one; the list goes on and on. I also have a feeling Rachael knows better how to behave in the presence of the media than Caroline does. I've said it before, but Rachael reminds me in almost every way of Sarah Hughes, and I could foresee the former as OC in 2010, if not for the fact that it would take meltdowns of truly epic proportions from the elite ladies for that to happen.
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- Feb 17, 2007
We don't need to worry about whom the USFSA is promoting as our top lady. They can promote whomever they wish. The ISU judges will let us know who our top lady is in a few months.
If past history is any guide, the USFSA will promote a lady, then the ISU will demote her.
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- Jul 11, 2003
If past history is any guide, the USFSA will promote a lady, then the ISU will demote her.
It's all so AmericanaWell, it happened in '02 (the favorites bombed) and SH had a SOHL. Although she did very well, she also benefited from lots of luck, as well as placements working out just right for her to win.
But Sarah IIRC was a world medalist going into that year: Rachel is not a world medalist so the odds are definitely not in her favor. Judging by past history, the 2010 OGM will be one of Kim, Asada, Ando, Rochette or Kostner (all world medalists in the past three years).
At the current time, it's a challenge to imagine a 2010 Olympic podium without at least some combination of the five skaters I listed above. Still doesn't rule out a surprise however.
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- May 15, 2009
If I was betting on this I would follow your analysis very closely. But gamblers like to bet on longshots too. Who would be the most likely ladies after the five you mentioned to make it onto the Olympic podium?
I believe Caroline, Rachael, and Mirai could do it - if they have improved for next season. I list them because I believe younger skaters can and do improve at a faster rate than older skaters. Former Jr World Champions have come through before so I give them a fighting chance. What about from Europe? Or from Asia? Anybody you would bet on?
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- May 15, 2009
Alena is - 18? So she could show major improvement for next season. What about Laura L and Sarah M? Both are wonderful skaters - but they would need to step it up a notch imo to make the OLlympic podium. Is it realistic to think they can improve that much in a season at their ages? (are they both over 20?)
What about Fumie and Yukari? Are they past their prime (from an improvement pov)? Is it true as Hersh claimed after Worlds that Japan has nothing following Mao? And nothing from China or Korea?
A reason I like Caroline so much is her age. She is almost a year younger than Rachael, and younger than Mirai and Ashley. I see her improvemet potential along with what she already has to be very high.
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Japan does have some talented kids coming up, it's just those kids bombed Junior Nationals and didn't get sent to Junior Worlds. HOWEVER, none are as talented as Mao. This being said no one else has someone as talented as Mao. It doesn't matter though Mao Asada said she will stay in till Sochi if she doesn't win this year. Russia has some talented youngsters coming up, but lets see how puberty treats them.
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- May 15, 2009
But you say that like Mao will be unbeatable in 2014. Her body will have a gazillion skating miles on it by then and her 4th place finish at Worlds this year showed she is "human."
23 is not ridiculously old. It's around Kostner/Rochette/Ando's age. Its younger than Arakawa was when Arakawa won OGM.
Mao isn't that much older than Zhang/Nagasu/Flatt.. She's not going to have that many more miles on her than those girls have. As long as Mao takes care of her body, I see no reason why she can't last till Sochi.
And where did I say that Mao will be unbeatable? But the thing is that a lot of the people who beat Mao recently are likely to retire. And the up and comers have their work cut out for them if they want to beat Mao.
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- May 15, 2009
Age is relative. Mao at 23 will have been a top ranked skater for many years. Do you think a younger and healthier Michelle or Irina would have beaten Sara in '02? I certainly think they would have. They both were showing alot of wear and tear by then.
As to the age difference - Mao is almost three years older than Caroline but closer to two years older than Rachael. But American skaters do not practice as many hours a day/week/month as Japanese skaters. That is why I say Mao could be a very old 23. Perhaps she has magic genes and all of her joints and cartilage will still be in in good shape 5 years from now. Triple axles in particular can be rough on a skaters body and I would bet Mao has practiced many thousands of these.
But I think Mao is an incredible talent and wouldn't put it past her winning in Vancouver and even continuing on until 2014 and winning again in Sochi. It is possible and Mao seems to have the talent and drive.
It is just as possible that she will develope anlke, knee, hip or back problems by then. Or any combination of injuries. She may still be a top skater the way Michelle and Irina were as they got older - but hardly invincible.
We will just have to wait and see on this one.
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