Is Chinese Ice Dance going to rise? | Golden Skate

Is Chinese Ice Dance going to rise?

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
I looking over teams that would be the Chinese number one dance team for the Beijing Olympics I saw Wang and Liu were 16th at worlds 2017 so while low very good for them and China. So will China for team trophy and maybe even a medal push Wang/Liu for big success?
 

likevelvet

#Bless this mess
On the Ice
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
Country
United-States
I hope so. I love Wang and Liu. Their Mika FD was one of my favorites last season. They are beautiful to watch live, such a gorgeously matched team, such cool lifts and they are truly athletic and creative.
I'll stop there because I could truly never run out of good things to say about them :laugh:

I've heard a lot about the Chinese fed focusing on pairs at the expense of other figure skating disciplines. I really hope it's not true, because while I love their pairs they have incredibly deep talent elsewhere. I hope they soon find a way to distribute their money and dedication to the other disciplines as well. If they do, their success on the international stage can only grow.
 

saturdaysun

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
If Wang/Liu don't get split up :)pray: :pray: :pray:) I think they can very much be in medal contention in a few years. They are gorgeous together. Their Mika program is breathtaking. Who knows what they're capable of with the proper coaching and support?
 

saturdaysun

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
Let's shoot for the top ten first, shall we? Things get exponentially more difficult after that.

They are pretty consistently top 10 in GP events already, 5th at 4cc last year. They should definitely be *aiming* for podium finishes, at least, starting pretty soon, especially if China is really going to be so aggressive regarding 2022.

But again, honestly, let's shoot for them not splitting up for now!
 

ssminnow

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Just looked them up on Youtube and wow, if judging only on posture and fluidity they are the most aesthetically pleasant skaters China has ever produced.
 

Ice Dance

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
They are pretty consistently top 10 in GP events already, 5th at 4cc last year. They should definitely be *aiming* for podium finishes, at least, starting pretty soon, especially if China is really going to be so aggressive regarding 2022.

But again, honestly, let's shoot for them not splitting up for now!

I meant top 10 in the World, not in GP events.

As far as medaling in GP events, of course Wang & Liu are consistently top 10. There are only 10 dance teams invited to a GP event. You can't finish lower than tenth. Unless you aren't invited. (And Wang & Liu have only been invited as often as they are because they are from a host country so they receive a guaranteed host berth, along with the one they have managed to earn based on World Standings--where they are borderline for making the top 24 cut).

You can never judge a dance team by its placement at 4CCs during an Olympic Season. Because none of the Olympic qualifying dance teams from North America attend. Aldridge & Eaton, for example, medaled at 4CCs during an Olympic Season and finished 6th & 7th in GP events the following year.

I like Wang & Liu. I'd like to think that, yes, with the right field, performance, and luck, they could one day medal at a regular GP event. But the dance field is very deceptive because the GP is actually deeper than Worlds. You've got teams from Russia & the U.S. that can't go to Worlds because their own National fields are too deep, so athletes like Hawayek & Baker and Sinitsina & Katsalapov sit home--receiving no World Standings points and earning no ranking at Worlds. Then show up on the GP and grab the few medals that aren't going to athletes competitive for a World medal.

-The lowest ranked team to medal this year on the GP finished 7th at Worlds. Stepanova & Bukin. (S&K weren't at Worlds).
-The lowest ranked team to medal last year on the GP finished 10th at Worlds. Stepanova & Bukin.
-The lowest ranked team to medal two years ago on the GP finished 9th at Worlds. Sinitsina & Katsalapov. (I&K weren't at Worlds).
-The lowest ranked team to medal three years ago on the GP finished 9th at Worlds. Stepanova & Bukin. (Coomes & Buckland and Hawayek & Baker weren't at Worlds).

Basically, if you want to medal on the GP and you are attending Worlds, you need to be good enough to finish top ten at Worlds. So let's shoot for top ten at Worlds.


Note: For some perspective, Sinitsina & Katsalapov--who medaled at Skate America this season without qualifying for Worlds--currently have a season's best score of 13th. Wang & Liu's season's best score is 28th. So that's about 15 spots below the medalists on the GP. Some senior teams above them will retire. And some junior teams will move up.
 

WeakAnkles

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Just looked them up on Youtube and wow, if judging only on posture and fluidity they are the most aesthetically pleasant skaters China has ever produced.

True, but there's not a whole heckuva lot of competition for that particular honor in China.

On the other hand, when the Chinese commit to something, they do produce impressive results. Look at Pairs.

But it will take time. Perhaps more time than 4 years.
 

saturdaysun

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
There's a Chinese article that I can only find a screenshot of, not the actual link, that says Wang/Liu will go overseas to train together and are preparing for 2022, which some fans are taking as confirmation they are not splitting. They are also scheduled to make a public appearance together in early May... A couple of good signs they will get to stay together. :pray:
 

lauravvv

Medalist
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Country
Latvia
saturdaysun - From what I understood, the Montreal team are also tasked with deciding who to put together and who to split (to put together with other partners) if necessary after some evaluation apart from selecting separate skaters/dancers with potential. I think they are not so stupid as to split Wang/Liu who clearly already have potential together. But let's wait and see.
 

ancientpeas

The Notorious SEW
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
As far as breaking up ID teams to make new ones I hope the Chinese feds look at the top ID teams and see that longevity is nearly always key in ID. P/C, V/M, D/W, B/S and most other successful teams have partnerships going back 10 or more years. It normally takes a long time for an ID team to gel.
 

BillNeal

You Know I'm a FS Fan...
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
As far as breaking up ID teams to make new ones I hope the Chinese feds look at the top ID teams and see that longevity is nearly always key in ID. P/C, V/M, D/W, B/S and most other successful teams have partnerships going back 10 or more years. It normally takes a long time for an ID team to gel.

Looking at their Wikipedia page, seems like next season will be their tenth competitive season together :)! They've shown great improvement and a versatile set of programs last quad. Hoping for a Top 15 finish from them at Worlds next season.
 
Top