lu chen

[pinay4life007]

lu chen

i was just wondering if she has an official site, and i've been searching for a pic of her and MK.

tnx in advance
kaye

 

[mzheng]

Re: lu chen

She's been given MK a lot praise during 2003 worlds, when she did commentary for CCTV.

 

[mathman444]

Re: lu chen

I don't know if this helps, but here's the 1996 Worlds podium:

heatherw.com/mk/pics/podium/9610834.jpg

Welcome to Golden Skate, Kaye. We hope you like it here.

Mathman

 

[tharrtell]

Re: lu chen

That's quite an impressive dress on Irina

 

[mzheng]

Re: lu chen

They all looked gorges.

 

[Idleracer]

Re: lu chen

[c]<font size=5><font color="#FF0000">Click <a href="http://www.geocities.com/g_bharucha/podiumphotos/98olypod.jpg" target="_new">HERE</a> for a picture of the 1998 olympic podium.<font size=2>

 

[Idleracer]

Re: lu chen

[c]<font size=4><font color="#0000FF">Oops. That doesn't seem to work with Geocities sites. Instead, click <a href="http://www.geocities.com/g_bharucha/podiumphotos.html" target="_new">HERE</a> and scroll down. You might have to deal with a pop-up or two.<font size=2>

 

[pinay4life007]

Re: lu chen

tnx for all the help u guys, it's kinda nice ova here i think i'm gonna stay here for a while

 

[mathman444]

Re: lu chen

Yeh, it <em>is</em> kinda nice ova here.

The second 1998 podium picture at IdleRacer's link is a neat one. It shows Lu Chen, overcome by her emotions, saluting the American flag as Michelle sings The Star Spangled Banner. I always wondered if Lulu got in trouble with her federation for that.

Mathman

 

[Kay118]

Re: lu chen

>It shows Lu Chen, overcome by her emotions, saluting the American flag as Michelle sings The Star Spangled Banner. I always wondered if Lulu got in trouble with her federation for that.>

Mathman,

Interesting question. I've always wondered if she was actually saluting the American flag or just made an innocent mistake. Could she be saluting the Chinese flag, not realizing she was not supposed to do it since the the US national anthem was being played? Putting a hand at the heart while saluting the flag is a Western thing.

Either way, I don't think she cared how her federation would respond. They almost destroyed her career, what more harm can they do to her?

The federation and her former coach waged a negative media campaign against Lulu. Even after she finished 4th in the short, all the Chinese media could write about was how "greedy" and "unpatriotic" she was, quoting her former coach. I still break my heart to think these people wouldn't leave her alone hours before she was going to fight for a medal at the Olympics.

Just to put things into perspective, China had never won an OGM in the winter games until SLC. In 98, iirc, China won 3 or 4 medals max. So a bronze should be a very big deal.

Anyway, Lulu and the federation patched things up after the Olympics. They allowed her to tour in the US.

 

[mzheng]

Re: lu chen

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Either way, I don't think she cared how her federation would respond. They almost destroyed her career, what more harm can they do to her? [/quote]

Yes or no. In the china federation also buildup her career. In China, government paid her all expenses when she climbed the ladder from the bottom. Not like here the family pay all the cost when your FS career started. They run a system much like former Soviet Union.

 

[Kay118]

Re: lu chen

>Yes or no. In the china federation also buildup her career. In China, government paid her all expenses when she climbed the ladder from the bottom.>

Mzhang,

I agree. What I meant was she already hit rock bottom in 97 due to the dispute, so she really had nothing else to lose regardless how much the federation disliked her.

I also like to get your opinion on the whole financial dispute thing. From what I read in the Chinese media, the initial agreed upon distribution of Lulu's skating income was:

- 50% to the federation (which was fair because they paid her skating bills all those years)
- 30% for Lulu to keep
- 20% for her coach Li Mingzhu

Li later persuaded the federation to change the distribution to 25% Lulu and 25% herself. And Lulu disagreed, which caused all the trouble.

The Chinese media used these data to show how "greedy" Lulu was. Somehow I felt the greedier one was Li. No matter how much a coach did for an athlete, he/she doesn't deserve half of the athlete' income.

Yes the Soviet has a similar system. But does Plushy need to pay 50% of his income to the Russian Federation then another 25% to Mishin? Probably not.

 

[mzheng]

Re: lu chen

Kay118,

I mean old Soviet Union system. Rusian may change now. And I believe china may have changed too. In old system once you've been choosen the goverment will pickup all your cost. And you had much much more previliges then everyone else your age even before you made your name.

I watched a TV interview from Luchen, where she said that chinese goverment took almost all her money she earned since chinese never had the athletes at that level can make forgein currency. And she hate her coach for have her cut her hair. etc... It just made me uncomfortable. As a person had lived there until end of 80s, I knew how things worked there. And IMO, you just should not bad mouth the one who give you everything or provide all the previliges to help your success.

Had you lived there you would know 25% still count a lot even in today's china. $1,000 US dollar you'd live like a King even in big city like Shanghai if you are native there.

That said. I'm really proud of her as the first chinese Olympic FS medalist. Her success in international FS did inspire a lot of chinese figure skaters. I believe she is a role model to one of the current Chinese male skaters. (sorry I forget the name).

 

[Kay118]

Re: lu chen

Thanks Mzhang for your response. Did she give that interview in the US or in China? The only TV interview in China I saw was after the Olympics and she didn't say anything about the dispute.

Yes I think she inspired a lot of young skaters in China. I believe it was Chengzheng Li who had admired her since he was little. I just wish he had half of her artistry . He is improving though.

 

[mzheng]

Re: lu chen

The TV interview was run on US TV.

IMO, Chenjian Li HAS the artistry. Just in different style. And much of it to do with the choreograph. The several numbers Lu Chen skated and the western audince like so much were all choreographed by NA choreographer(LEEANN?); though there were a few movements in 'Last Empire' were very muche Chinese.

Her international success did open the door for current and future figure skaters in china; help china becoming a force to be reconed in skating community. But as a person I admired S&Z much more than her. When S&Z were asked about what they do after they retired and will they join the foreign toure. They answered that they are properly have their own toure in China and will help china to bib 2010 Winter Olympic. They are grateful to the one who help them successful.

 

[mpal2]

Re: lu chen

I think part of Chenjiang Li's problem in competition is he is concentrating so hard. I almost fell out my chair when I saw his DC Worlds exhibition. He had so much life and energy and he was playing to the audience. I didn't like is outfit, but I wish he could put more of that kind of skating in his competitions.


Back to Lu Chen,

I guess I don't understand how the comment about the hair would make her ungrateful to the Chinese federation or her coach. Yes, they paid for her training, but does that mean that she can't have any say about her own hair style? What else did she say in the interview besides the hair cut? Was the biggest source of conflict her desire to have more say in her career?

I can also understand why she would be upset that the coach wanted the percentage of money changed in the coach's favor. I guess I'm just having a culture clash.

 

[THIZfiyaVIETgrl]

Re: lu chen

Here is a great pic of Lu Chen and Michelle:

www.luchen.net/nss-folder...chen_1.jpg

The photo is too big, I'll just link it.

 

[Kay118]

Re: lu chen

Toller Cranson choreographed Last Emperor program and Sandra Bezic had choreographed for Lulu since 96. IIRC, Lee Ann Miller choreographed Li's programs and most of S/Z's programs. So it's not that his choreography not being western, it's his athletic style that the judges have yet to reward. I would put Li ahead of Takeshi at Worlds but the judges like Takeshi's style more.

>I can also understand why she would be upset that the coach wanted the percentage of money changed in the coach's favor. I guess I'm just having a culture clash.>

Mpal2, no one is happy when your coach tried to squeeze more money out of you, no matter what culture you're in :lol:

 

[mzheng]

Re: Lu Chen

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>I guess I don't understand how the comment about the hair would make her ungrateful to the Chinese federation or her coach. Yes, they paid for her training, but does that mean that she can't have any say about her own hair style? [/quote]

The word 'Hate' she used in the sentence. It is a very strong word in western right? Well I might have culture clash here, if you translate word by word in some Chinese dialect it may not as the strong as western.

I read some where from the web that she said, after she lost 96 worlds to Michelle, that little girl has my gold. I don't know her personally. My opinion purly based on what I saw and heard from the TV, Media, Web. She was not as graciase, JMO. Though this understandable to some extend, in old chinese trainning system all the athletes just trainning, trainning and trainning, they don't prepare you for public. The athlete leave home at very young age, some time live with coach (The Chinese divving queen Fu MinXia as an example), they don't have a well brought up environment.

Now to Li. IMO he need the endurance in his LP. And I think this become the problem with all Chinese top male skaters. May be something related to the diary habbit. They should eate more steaks to get strong so can sustain thier energe through out the LP. His SP should've placed one place higher. Did Dick B. say he had the best quad in whole competetion. And Dick supprised me saying sometimes the athletics bringup the artistry. That's exactly what I felt about Li. He was totally alive in his SP.

I believe Li would benifit from CoP. His jumps, edges, speed, etc will gurantee his high marks. The judges can't blantly gave him lower presentation just based on overall impression that 'all chinese skaters' are lacking in presentation. It is just by tradition and culture they are very reserved emotional wide. It may take generations to change this tradition but I see it is coming with chinese open the door to the world. And with more and more Japanese, Chinese skaters emerging into the world scene I beliver there will be more Asia judges at the panel and these judge may know how to preciated asian style artistry/pres. But under CoP I guess this became a less factor.