Figure skating - Lexus Cup of China 2013
http://www.cupofchina.net/
On Friday morning, will open the'' eleventh edition of the Cup of China, from this season called "Lexus" for purely commercial reasons.
Wednesday 30 October 2013 14 minutes reading time
The races will be held at the "Capitol Indoor Stadium" in Beijing, plant with a capacity of over 17,000 seats known for being the scene of the meetings in 2008 and Olympic volleyball for the'' epic challenge of ping-pong between China and United States'' s now 1971.
In the past, the Chinese capital has hosted six qualifying stages of the Grand Prix, not to mention the end of 2004 and 2010, but the past two years has competed in Shanghai.
The Cup of China it became part of the Grand Prix until 2003 taking the place of bofrost Cup, German stage which is always held in Gelsenkirchen.
It should be noted that the'' Asian event for the tenth time in eleven occasion will be the third act of the circuit.
DANCE
The main reason for interest in the dance competition is the challenge between the pairs winners of the last three European Championships. The Russians Bobrova / Soloviev, holders of the continental title, will have to contend with the veterans French Nathalie Pechalat / Fabien Bourzat, back to health after compromising a large part of last season because of physical problems. The students of Alexander Zhulin, forced by the federal commission to "revise" the competition programs initially set up, are veterans of the provision of thickness in'' Ice Star of Minsk, while the couple transalpine, now coached by Igor Shpilband, broke the Ice taking part in the Master'' s'' d Orleans in early October. In the light of the premises, ill test promises important for both associations.
The role of the third force in the field is up to the U.S. vice-champions Madison Chock / Evan Bates, who will go with credentials in the hunt for his first podium in the circuit, although they have stolen the'' eye in the first competition of the season in Finland.
Accompanied by Barbara Fusar Poli, the game will be even the French stationed in Milan Pernelle Carron / Lloyd Jones, sixth at Skate America and fresh'' s Olympic eligibility.
The field is completed by the participants debutantes U.S. Alexandra Aldridge / Daniel Eaton, students of the team led by Paschal Camerlengo climbed twice on the lowest step of the podium in the World Junior Championships, and the couples home Xintong Huang / Xun Zheng, convincing quarters in the Nebelhorn Trophy, Xiaoyang Yu / Chen Wang, holders of the national title, and Zhang Yiyi / Nan Wu, the first appearance in the senior Grand Prix.
FEMALE Sector
in the female, the underdogs are all for the vice-champion Carolina Kostner rainbow, on return to the Grand Prix after a season's absence. For the'' top athlete of the Italian movement, winner of'' edition of the Cup of China 2011, this will be the season debut in the race, the first opportunity to present new programs, choreographed by Lori Nichol as occurs continuously from ' 'summer of 2006. In short, the now twenty-six South Tyrolean'' skate to the tune of "Humoresque" by the Czech composer Antonin Dvorak, while opting for the longer segment of the race fell on "Scheherazade" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
The main opponents of'' Michael Huth should be a student of the eighteen year old Japanese Kanako Murakami, not brilliant in the Japan Open in early October, however, dealt with in poor physical condition, the seventeen year old Russian Adelina Sotnikova, preceded by a'' Kostner gluing in the last European Championships, and the sixteen year old Chinese Zijun Li, revelation of last season, but, in recent times, recovering from some physical problem too.
In optical podium, do not start jokes even fifteen Russian Anna Pogorilaya, winner of the last two stages of the Cup of Russia and the U.S. nineteen Agnes Zawadzki, who recently returned from the old coach Tom Zakrajšek.
A step below are asking the twenties Japanese Haruka Imai, triumphant in'' Ondrej Nepela Trophy Bratislava, and the seventeen year old Russian Nikol Gosviiani, selected'' s last minute to take the place of compatriot Polina Korobeynikova.
The ranks of athletes enrolled is completed by eighteen Chinese Zhang Kexin, skater of considerable technical soundness, and the sixteen year old compatriot Xiaowen Huo, chosen by the federation of the house to take the place of injured'' Bingwa Geng.
For the record, it should be noted that among Carolina Kostner and Haruka Imai, oldest athlete in the race after the'' blue, there are six and a half years of difference.
FIELD MEN
In the men's competition, the'' uncertainty seems to reign supreme and it is almost impossible to venture a prediction. Among the athletes to follow with interest stands the twenties Kazakh Denis Ten, vice-world champion in office forced to give up Skate America due to a number of ailments. However, the recent accomplices physical problems and the'' habit to find the best condition to form late in the winter, it is difficult to indicate the'' student of Frank Carroll as the real favorite.
Despite the contradictory appearance in the opening stage of the season, the skater who seems to provide more guarantees is the ventiquattrennne Japanese Takahiko Kozuka, already cut off from any discussion on the final because of disappointing sixth-place finish at Skate America.
They do not hide to point to the success of the hosts in the fight to win the Olympic place Han Yan, seventeen year old Chinese record holder as well as third in the Four Continents in Osaka, and Nan Song, twenty-three national champion. '' In the occasion, the fact that China has never won a success in a male leg of the Grand Prix could be an additional motivation for both.
Of course, the challenge is announced exciting changes to the sound of four rotations between twenty-three Canadian Kevin Reynolds, surprise winner of the last edition of'' Four Continents, and the eighteen year old Russian Maxim Kovtun, still undecided whether or not to quadruple five the sum of the two programs. However, with regard to the North American, remains l'' incognita of the physical condition after the forced withdrawal from Japan Open because of an annoying inflammation to a knee. Among those who do not hide warlike intentions, deserves a mention the twenty-two Californian Richard Dornbush, another skater willing to resort to'' unbridled use of the quad to gain positions in the hierarchy'' uncertain U.S. economy.
The podium is the'' minimum target for the twenty-three French Florent Amodio, at the first international outing with the new coach Shanetta Folle, but unconvincing in Master'' s'' d Orleans.
Among the participants of stage credits include twenty-five German Peter Liebers, fourth in the recent Coupe de Nice with a newfound mastery of the quadruple toe loop, and the twenty-one Chinese Yi Wang, not in possession of the prize list of opponents.
PAIRS OF ARTISTIC
In this case, it announced a challenge of the past among the Germans Aliona Savchenko / Robin Szolkowy and the Chinese Pang Qing / Tong Jian, pairs veterans of the circuit. The students of Ingo Steuer, who wish to submit in both programs of the race'' challenging triple axel launched, they decided to leave no stone unturned to win the Olympic success, the only title missing in the rich bulletin board, asking for the advice of David qualifcata Wilson for the choreography. Moreover, with success in the Cup of China, the four times World Champions become the third pair in history after the Chinese Shen / Zhano and Zhang / Zhang have to set it at least once in each stage of the Grand Prix.
'' In the last period, the technical staff of Pang / Tong, however, showed a very low profile because of a knee problems that have made the intricate preparation of Jian Tong. However, the possibility to win the fourth stage of success in the home and to match their compatriots Shen / Zhao could be a stimulus.
The Chinese Cheng Peng / Zhang Hao, binomial with little more than a year of life, should be the main pretenders to the lowest rung of the podium, but will have to watch their backs by U.S. Alexa Scimeca / Chris Knierim and Russians Anastasia Martiusheva / Alexei Rogonov, in seconds'' Ondrej Nepela Trophy in Bratislava.
Even the Americans Felicia Zhang / Nathan Batholomay, authors of the personal best at Skate America, does not seem cut out for third place, unlike the French Daria Popova / Bruno Massot and Xuehan Chinese Wang / Wang Lei, participants who complete the field.
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