What does Yu-Na Kim think of Caroline Zhang? | Golden Skate

What does Yu-Na Kim think of Caroline Zhang?

feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Apparently Yu-na thinks Caroline is at the level of Susanna Poykio, and not as talented as Fumie Suguri or Carolina Kostner:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/include/print.asp?newsIdx=4506

I wonder if Irina Slutskaya also dismissed Mao Asada last season as "merely a junior skater" and then was upset by Mao in the GPF. I'm surprised by Yu-na's attitude considering how well she did herself in her first season on the GP circuit.

Personally, I think Caroline is more talented than Susanna and Fumie (we're talking about talent, not experience, right?). Carolina has tons of talent in terms of jumps, flow, edgework... and I loved her SP and comeback last season, but she is notoriously inconsistent. It will be very interesting to see Yu-na up against Caroline and Carolina in Beijing!

What are your opinions?
 
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satorare

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 16, 2007
Mao had 3A and 3F3Lo. Without (one of) them she couldn't beat Slutskaya.
Caroline needs 3-3s to beat Kim but Poykio and Suguri are not factors at all. I think she will win bronze at least in China.
 

JonnyCoop

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
Well.... hmmmm.... first of all, skaters should be wary of making comments of that nature, especially with 4 months to go before the season even really gets underway. And talented as Yu-Na Kim may be, one should never dismiss 13 or 14-year old phenoms in this sport, especially those who have displayed a propensity for some pretty impressive scores in the new system. And to call anyone "just a junior skater" WHEN THEY AIN'T BEEN OUT OF THE JUNIORS TOO LONG THEMSELVES is just plain rude.

Beyond that, as far as the Beijing showdown -- I don't see Carolina being a factor at that point in the season. There are "early season" skaters (who seem to do well at the GP but don't do a lot when Euros, Worlds, etc, come along) and "late season" skaters (who may pick up a bronze or two on the GP at best but really shine at Euros, Worlds, etc) and based on her record, Carolina is more of a "late season" skater. Nothing wrong with that; after all, Euro and World medallists are much more remembered years down the line than who won the NHK five years ago. As far as Fumie -- next season is gonna be IMHO a make-or-break for her; she had a lousy season last year but one could argue she was kinda due; she was the only one of the established Japanese ladies who hadn't had one yet. So the question is, is she gonna come back strong or is it the beginning of the end? (I really really really hope it's the former.). As far as Poykio, I think Yu-Na Kim gave her a bit of a compliment in this article, but she rather lacks consistency; I can't even categorize her as either a "late season" or "early season" skater because her results are kinda all over the place.
 

feraina

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Yu-na usually strikes me as a humble, down-to-earth, sweet girl. They somehow picked a particularly "smug" looking photo of hers in ths article. Clearly it was picked out of context, but an unfortunate choice, given what she said in the article...
 

netnuts

Match Penalty
Joined
May 3, 2007
Yu-Na Kim

Yu-Na Kim, despite the hype, I don't like her at all. Her SP score was hugely inflated. She has rarely skated a clean long program. With 2 falls, she did not deserve the score she got at worlds.

With such arrogant attitude and injuries, I doubt she will go very far. She is just flash in the pan.
 

HCOSurfer

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
That had to be one of the most ignorant remarks I've ever heard from a figure skater. Realize that Zhang had only 2 major flaws last season (US JR Nationals) while Kim had a bunch of flaws throughout 4 competitions (Skate Canada, TEB, GPF, Worlds). To say that about a much more consistant skater than Kim is, is just rude and ignorant. Hopefully that remark will come back to her 10-fold and bite her in the behind.
 

psycho

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Good God, there is absolutely nothing arrogant in what she said! Let's get a grip, people. So she likes Fumie and Carolina K. better? That's her perogative. I happen to agree with her. These other two girls have proven themselves on the senior international stage and while Caroline has been great on a Junior circuit but we'll see what she can do as a senior. But as of now, Fumie and Carolina K are a bigger threat.
 

satorare

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 16, 2007
It's kind of a joke for a skater with three 2As to call the others "junior-level." The judges gave Kim highly inflated scores with some "expectations" and as an "excite" factor to play against Mao. Without technical progress (as certain), it wont last for another season.

Kostner can be a factor even in China. Since GPF is in Torino,she must have good motivations and the judges will give her best supports to make there.

As for Suguri, I don't see anything positive. The Japanese skaters are almost always held down in China. That's why the JSF is reluctant to send their favorites to China. Her disgraces at Japanese Nationals and 4CC will cost her status and the PCS as a consequence, and the flutzing penalty will hurt further. It's very hard for Suguri to go over 160 mark even with a fairly good performance.
 

Zuranthium

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
There's nothing wrong with what Yu-Na said.

All she's saying is that Suguri and Kostner are bigger competition for her. It's actually refreshing to hear skaters talk about these things rather than "I only compete against myself BLAH BLAH BLAH".

~Z
 

SO2

Spectator
Joined
Jun 3, 2007
I don't think Kim meant Caroline Zhang is worse than the other skaters but that at the moment she needs experience at the senior level. And Kim is probably right when she states that she is more worried about the performances of Carolina K and Fumie Suguri, who are more mature skaters, although inconsistent.
 

gio

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
That had to be one of the most ignorant remarks I've ever heard from a figure skater. Realize that Zhang had only 2 major flaws last season (US JR Nationals) while Kim had a bunch of flaws throughout 4 competitions (Skate Canada, TEB, GPF, Worlds). To say that about a much more consistant skater than Kim is, is just rude and ignorant. Hopefully that remark will come back to her 10-fold and bite her in the behind.

Congratulations!!! If this isn't bashing!
Yu Na didn't say anything bad, my dear bashing poster! If for you this is the most ignorant remark, all I have to say is Oh my goodness!!!
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Given the article, I don't think it painted Yu Na as a smug type competitor. I think it was more the original post which used the term 'apparently' which, imo, was not appropriate.

Yu Na was just sizing up her competition in CoC and being vocal about it. Some posters really like what they call 'being open', and I think those comments will stay with her, maybe unfortunately if she does not win CoC.

She has now put herself on the line to win CoC. She probably will.

Joe
 

HCOSurfer

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Sorry if you took that offensivley. I just thought Yuna's comment was ignorant. To be honest Yuna is one of my favorite skaters out there I absolutley love her programs, I just didnt think it was right to say that Kostner and Suguri are her only main competition while we still have 4 months to the beginning of the season. The ice is slippery remember, anything can happen.
 

gio

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
She said a completely innocent statement, that was all but offensive towards Caroline and fans from nowhere came here and bashed her as rude, ignorant, arrogant!!!
 
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gio

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Sorry if you took that offensivley. I just thought Yuna's comment was ignorant. To be honest Yuna is one of my favorite skaters out there I absolutley love her programs, I just didnt think it was right to say that Kostner and Suguri are her only main competition while we still have 4 months to the beginning of the season. The ice is slippery remember, anything can happen.

But she doesn't know Zhang! She never competed against her! For now Zhang is a darkhorse, meanwhile Kostner and Suguri are her main rivals.
 

HCOSurfer

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
You dont have to call us stupid based on our opinions. My opinion is that the comment was a bit ignorant, yours is that it wasnt offensive at all, no need to call others stupid based on their opinions.
 

gio

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
You dont have to call us stupid based on our opinions. My opinion is that the comment was a bit ignorant, yours is that it wasnt offensive at all, no need to call others stupid based on their opinions.

I have all the right to defend Yu Na, since she can't defend herself here! You called her ignorant, rude and arrogant! The fact is that she didn't offend anyone, and here people offended her without any reason!
 

netnuts

Match Penalty
Joined
May 3, 2007
bite her

I hope those words will come back to bite her mightily this season. Yu-Na Kim is a joke, I am quite offended by her attitude. I hope this season will teach her a biiiiiiiig lesson.

She is so bad.
 

gio

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Probably I used an excessive word and so I edited my message and apologize for the word! Now it will be good that the posters who offended Yu Na with no reason apologize too!
 

gio

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
I hope those words will come back to bite her mightily this season. Yu-Na Kim is a joke, I am quite offended by her attitude. I hope this season will teach her a biiiiiiiig lesson.

She is so bad.

I have no words! I hope the moderators will take some measures!
 
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