Shen/Zhao expect success of new routine in Skate China

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, November 07, 2003

Shen/Zhao expect success of new routine in Skate China

The wildly popular Chinese figure skating pair Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo drew the most applauses in Beijing Thursday night but they were expecting more tomorrow.

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The wildly popular Chinese figure skating pair Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo drew the most applauses in Beijing Thursday night but they were expecting more tomorrow.

On the opening night of Skate China, the third stop of the ISU Grand Prix series, two-time world champions Shen and Zhao earned 63.46 points to lead the short program with an enthusiastic performance.

The crowds cheered aloud even when Zhao nailed a triple loop throw with Shen in practice and rocked the stadium after their dance to the music Kismet by G.Y. Westerhoff.

"We were so happy tonight because we could finally perform before the home crowd," said the sweaty Shen. "The feeling of excitement made me totally forget the fatigue."

The pair arrived here Tuesday night after 19 hours of flight for Skate China, the first figure skating Grand Prix China has ever held, following their runners-up finish in Skate Canada on Monday.

"Generally speaking, we did a good job tonight but hope to be better tomorrow," added Shen.

The Chinese ace pair will present their much-expected new routine Nutcracker before the home audience for the first time in the free skate.

"It is the first time we play Nutcracker in China so it adds a little pressure on us," said Zhao.

Their new routine Nutcracker, originating from the ballet play Nutcracker by Russian Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, made its flawed debut in Canada as Shen and Zhao presented with a less coherent dance compared with their successful Turandot.

Shen fell on the ice during a turning move in the free skate in Canada after the pair got off to a nervous start and finally surrendered the pairs title to Russians Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin.

"We have only practiced the new dance for some three months, which is really too short a period for us to make it perfect," said Zhao.

"But we will try our best tomorrow," said Shen, adding that thecrowd would see a different style of performance.

Turandot, which earned Shen and Zhao the world championships title in March in Washington, tells a moving love story, while in Nutcracker Shen plays as a fairy tale heroine who experiences a miraculous journey with the Nutcracker prince in her dream.

"Compared with the passionate Turandot, Nutcracker needs us to show more gentleness and more attention to the details," said Shen."I can't wait to show the new routine to the Chinese audience."

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