Zhang and Bartholomay Withdraw from GP; split

jimeonji

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #41

USFS has confirmed their split. http://usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=50334&type=media

Felicia is retiring and will attend college at the University of South Florida and Nate will continue skating for the US.

 

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #42

jimeonji said:

USFS has confirmed their split. http://usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=50334&type=media

Felicia is retiring and will attend college at the University of South Florida and Nate will continue skating for the US.

Click to expand...

I find it noteworthy that Zhang herself does not use the word "retirement:"

"I will be stepping away from competitive figure skating to attend college full time at USF for now." (emphasis added)​

And interesting to me that she is remaining in Florida instead of returning closer to her family.

I do see that Bartholomay refers to her "retirement." :think: She is retiring from their partnership, but sounds to me as if she wants to leave the door open for a return down the road to skating.

In any case, thx for the official announcement, jimeonji.

 

M

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #43

It sounds like that the split was amicable and driven by Felicia's decision to step away and go to college full time. I do think she is leaving the door open to return after college, as golden411 pointed out.

 

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #44

Cross-posting from the Jason Brown thread:

The lovely sight of Felicia Zhang beaming as she meets the First Lady is a bonus in the background of Jason's great photo with the President.

https://twitter.com/jasonbskates/status/488853028078768128 (posted Jul 14)​

Best to Felicia and to Nate.

 

Mathman

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #45

golden411 said:

Cross-posting from the Jason Brown thread:

The lovely sight of Felicia Zhang beaming as she meets the First Lady is a bonus in the background of Jason's great photo with the President.

https://twitter.com/jasonbskates/status/488853028078768128 (posted Jul 14)​

Click to expand...

Maybe Felicia decided that nothing could possibly top last season and so it is time to explore rest-of-my-life possibilities.

 

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #46

Two more throwback images of Felicia and Nate, tied to the Skate for Hope show in May ... their final performance together, AFAIK?

Joyful photo of partners having fun together:

https://www.facebook.com/skateforho...3_o.jpg&size=1066,1600&fbid=10152487126532692​

SFH poster showcasing them:

https://www.facebook.com/skateforho...13_n.jpg&size=816,1056&fbid=10152247193862692​

 

Chemistry66

Mmmmm, tacos.

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #47

Mathman said:

Maybe Felicia decided that nothing could possibly top last season and so it is time to explore rest-of-my-life possibilities.

Click to expand...

Yeah, she's only 20 so it's a good time for her to do the full time school thing.

 

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #48

Gracious and seemingly upbeat reply tweet from Zhang:

HeatherC ‏@kwanfan1212

@felicia_zhang So bummed that I'll no longer see you skate but thankful I was in Boston to see you make the Olys team! All the best to you!!
10:20 AM - 16 Jul 2014
https://twitter.com/kwanfan1212/status/489459624429367296​

@felicia_zhang

@kwanfan1212 thanks Heather for all of your support these past years! Means a lot to us! All the best
11:19 AM - 16 Jul 2014
https://twitter.com/felicia_zhang/status/489474444398960641​

Wishful thinking, perhaps, but "Means a lot to us!" suggests to me that Z/B still have (present tense) an active friendship even though their skating partnership has ended.

 

M

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #49

I think it's still a strong friendship as well. Neither of them have changed their Twitter bios and are still listed as each other's partnership. Zhang's is more specific-- that she was a 2014 Olympian with Nate. But still I thin it's noteworthy that neither have removed their reference to the other.

 

M

makaihime

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• Jul 16, 2014

• #50

I really enjoyed this pair last season and it makes me sad to see they're splitting :no: I'll miss them but wishing the best for both of them.

 

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• Jul 19, 2014

• #51

Mathman said:

Maybe Felicia decided that nothing could possibly top last season and so it is time to explore rest-of-my-life possibilities.

Click to expand...

Another beautiful smile from Felicia at the White House ... this one as the President shakes her hand :

https://twitter.com/felicia_zhang/status/490583778516295680 (posted Jul 19)​

 

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• Jul 28, 2014

• #52

@NateBartholomay just tweeted an Instagram of himself at a ball game with both Zhang and Donlan.

http://instagram.com/p/rAyfnNAWNI/ (Jul 28)​

Seems to indicate that things remain amicable (at the very least?? :think between the former skating partners -- and are amicable between them and his new skating partner.

ETA:

Seems that Felicia and Nate threw out the first pitch at the Rays game.

http://instagram.com/p/rAxiF6AWLi/
http://instagram.com/p/rAwNp6AWJV/​

@NateBartholomay

Just threw first pitch at the rays game with @felicia_zhang in a sit lift!! Perfect strike! Hoping it makes #sportscenter!
5:14 PM - 28 Jul 2014
https://twitter.com/NateBartholomay/status/493912315884867587 (emphasis added)​

Photo of Z/B's lift as Felicia prepares to throw the first pitch:

http://onecompellingimage.tumblr.com/post/93224728788/figure-skaters-play-baseball-felicia-zhang-and
http://instagram.com/p/rDEnzRhA89/​

MLB/Rays video :

http://atmlb.com/1toqX0s
same video now also on IN: http://web.icenetwork.com/video/v34902043​

Photo showing Z/B's lift on the field (thx to OrioleBeagle at FSU):

https://twitter.com/RaysBaseball/status/493928807384903683/photo/1 (Jul 28)​

In the first photo, I think that they are with Lyndon Johnston, one of Z/B's coaches? Rusty seems to be Rusty Kath, an announcer-type person for the Rays (and for US Figure Skating??).​

ETA:

@rustykath

Big night for me: my work with the #Rays & @USFigureSkating comes together as @felicia_zhang and @NateBartholomay throw the first pitch.
2:06 PM - 28 Jul 2014
https://twitter.com/rustykath/status/493865197011222528​

 

M

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

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• Jul 28, 2014

• #53

Yes Rusty does a lot of emcee work at USFSA events, like giving a family upgraded tickets or doing entertainment/trivia when there's an ice resurfacing.