I'm not sure about Caroline having a *better* physique than other skaters! But I would also be cheered by the thought that Caroline's jump problems are not due to her natural ability but techniques. Techniques at least can be corrected, with a good coach...
Caroline Zhang's 2009-10 season
- Thread starter Spun Silver
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
Caroline has gotten taller since last summer. Recent pictures show she has gotten more muscular as well. When she is healthy, she can land a full arsenal of jumps. Now that her knee injury has healed, the only question is whether she will have enough time to train for Trophe Lalique (TEB).
I know this is quite radom, but has anyone found a video older than this of caroline?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5j1zAIn1Wc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5j1zAIn1Wc&feature=related
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
That one is pretty old. Caroline first made headlines at the Junior Grand Prix event in Mexico back in 2006. She won the event by about 53 points, which is an ISU record. I have seen her long program from Mexico on YouTube, but I have never seen her short program. The event was sparsely attended, and she was nobody when she skated her short, so it is possible that no video of her short exists. 
hwell:
hwell:That's the oldest one of her that I know of. It was a club competition (Golden West?) before her first JGP assignment in Mexico.
So, this is interesting...
Mingzhu Li has taken off both entries about Caroline from her website, the first one about Caroline moving on to Wong, the second one about her coming back.
Maybe discussing Caroline's "condition" generated too much controversy? There are usually a lot of comments from people on her blog entries, and they are much more blunt that what we say on GS (or even FSU) -- no concept of political correctness in China and in general it's a very blunt culture when it comes to critical analysis. I didn't see the comments on her new entry about Caroline before she took it down, so I can't say for sure. But judging from people's reactions on Chinese forums to her latest comments on Caroline...
Mingzhu Li has taken off both entries about Caroline from her website, the first one about Caroline moving on to Wong, the second one about her coming back.
Maybe discussing Caroline's "condition" generated too much controversy? There are usually a lot of comments from people on her blog entries, and they are much more blunt that what we say on GS (or even FSU) -- no concept of political correctness in China and in general it's a very blunt culture when it comes to critical analysis. I didn't see the comments on her new entry about Caroline before she took it down, so I can't say for sure. But judging from people's reactions on Chinese forums to her latest comments on Caroline...
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
That is interesting. Is Caroline popular in China?
Yeah, Caroline is very popular in China, since she's the highest ranked ladies skater of Chinese descent. Also she has Mingzhu Li as her coach, and Li coached LuLu to a World Championship. So there's a lot of interest in Caroline.
I just rewatched Caroline's programs, I now think that her SP and LP both have potential. She obviously had two off days at GW, and much of that had to do with her injury and coaching changes. All that affected her jumps more than anything else, and I felt like every time she made a mistake on a jump, she was a little deflated, and it took her a while to get back into the program, and then she would make another mistake... It wasn't just that she had little time to actually train the programs, but that she was probably out of skating shape by the time she was allowed to train full-on again. Hopefully she's been training hard, and she will really get herself ready as much as possible in the ten days before she sets off for TEB!
Lately on facebook she's been posting pictures of herself in the gym instead of the latest junk food she's indulging in. Who knows what she chooses to post, but I take it as a positive sign that she's taking training seriously at the moment...
I was thinking that TEB will be an impossible start for her. But most of her competitors seem to be struggling with own demons at this early part of the season: Mao and Yukari both had troubled outings (jump-wise) at Japan Open, Sasha Cohen did not impress jump-wise at Skate for Heart, Alexe Gilles has yet to establish herself as a serious contender, Carolina Kostner is a total unknown but she usually starts her season very slow and peak at the end, and Yu-na Kim is an unknown too but we can assume she will come out quite strong.
It's actually not looking impossible that Caroline could win a medal here, maybe bronze behind Yu-na and Mao (I'm thinking Mao's PCS could save her even if she bombs it badly, although her Japan Open LP score of 102.94 is only marginally higher than Caroline's GW score of 102.22, which I would never have imagined possible before JO). That would be quite a good start for Caroline, against such a strong field (trivia: how many world championship medals do her competitors have in total?).
I just rewatched Caroline's programs, I now think that her SP and LP both have potential. She obviously had two off days at GW, and much of that had to do with her injury and coaching changes. All that affected her jumps more than anything else, and I felt like every time she made a mistake on a jump, she was a little deflated, and it took her a while to get back into the program, and then she would make another mistake... It wasn't just that she had little time to actually train the programs, but that she was probably out of skating shape by the time she was allowed to train full-on again. Hopefully she's been training hard, and she will really get herself ready as much as possible in the ten days before she sets off for TEB!
Lately on facebook she's been posting pictures of herself in the gym instead of the latest junk food she's indulging in. Who knows what she chooses to post, but I take it as a positive sign that she's taking training seriously at the moment...
I was thinking that TEB will be an impossible start for her. But most of her competitors seem to be struggling with own demons at this early part of the season: Mao and Yukari both had troubled outings (jump-wise) at Japan Open, Sasha Cohen did not impress jump-wise at Skate for Heart, Alexe Gilles has yet to establish herself as a serious contender, Carolina Kostner is a total unknown but she usually starts her season very slow and peak at the end, and Yu-na Kim is an unknown too but we can assume she will come out quite strong.
It's actually not looking impossible that Caroline could win a medal here, maybe bronze behind Yu-na and Mao (I'm thinking Mao's PCS could save her even if she bombs it badly, although her Japan Open LP score of 102.94 is only marginally higher than Caroline's GW score of 102.22, which I would never have imagined possible before JO). That would be quite a good start for Caroline, against such a strong field (trivia: how many world championship medals do her competitors have in total?).
Last edited:
Feraina, I think you're right about the beginning of the year. Most people are still ironing out the kinks. Sometimes the skaters just smooth out their routines, and sometimes they even recast them in some manner by the end of the year. So now's not the time to worry about anyone--well, not too much, at any rate. Of course, this year the stakes are so high that the worrywarts among us are already losing sleep...maybe if just the skaters and the coaches stay calm, we'll manage.
I root for certain people, but my hope is always that everyone skates to the top of his or her game. It's so heartbreaking to watch someone who's worked for years fall apart on the Big Night. For that reason many of my favorite Olympic memories are things like the Battle of the Brians in 1988, Elizabeth Manley in the same year, and of course Paul Wylie in 1992. I hadn't even been particularly a Manley fan before that competition, but it's so heartening when skaters just zing it into that sweet spot. I love when skaters fight gravity to a standstill, instead of the other way around! Here's hoping that all of them play out that scenario this year.
I root for certain people, but my hope is always that everyone skates to the top of his or her game. It's so heartbreaking to watch someone who's worked for years fall apart on the Big Night. For that reason many of my favorite Olympic memories are things like the Battle of the Brians in 1988, Elizabeth Manley in the same year, and of course Paul Wylie in 1992. I hadn't even been particularly a Manley fan before that competition, but it's so heartening when skaters just zing it into that sweet spot. I love when skaters fight gravity to a standstill, instead of the other way around! Here's hoping that all of them play out that scenario this year.
That said, regardless of how everyone skates, there can only be ONE winner...
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2006
i don't really see this happening, it is not like she picked something out of her comfort zone or anything. But anything can and usually does happen.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
I would like the see the long program performed when Caroline has had a chance to get back in shape. Until then, I can't make any kind of judgement.
its her own account
Speaking of Caroline's FB page, she posted some photos recently in which she appeared quite fit, certainly more so than earlier in the summer. Hopefully this means that she'll come out skating stronger and faster this season!
I take it you guys know her personally? Or does she accept fans as "friends" too?
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
fans as friends, it seems.
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
Yes, I second that thought and wish Caroline a good start to her competitive season. :agree:
Gooooooo Caroline!!!!!!!!!!!!
Similar threads
