London Worlds: The Hottest Inner Blades
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The first part is the 968 family. Since I have talked about it too much before, let us be brief today. W968. Representatives: Xiang Peng, Jang Woojin, Chen Xingtong, Wang Yidi, Kim Na-yeong, Yang Ha-eun. Grouping these players together, I can only say it is because they use the same W968 handle; as for whether some are actually W968-8 structure, I will not detail. Simply put: if your forehand is clearly better than your backhand, still choose the W968 or Q968, over the S968. The S968 has a thickened core, more springy, easier to borrow pace. But actually it just plays less transparent than the W968. I feel a more aggressive forehand should choose something more transparent, with bigger deformation — that arc is fuller, and ripping is freer. Q968. Representatives: Wang Chuqin, Zeng Jian. The Q968 is just a slightly harder W968. Choosing between the two? About the same — choose the cheaper one. S968. Representatives: Sun Yingsha, Shin Yu-bin. If your two wings are more even and you want a DHS inner blade, choose the S968.
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North Korean custom PRK-520X. Representative: Cha Su-yong. Cha Su-yong: 520X, D09c on both sides. This part is one of the article’s focuses. Looking at this Worlds, North Korea’s gear is a bit interesting. Sonu Song uses the W968 with Hurricane on both sides. Kim Kum-yong still uses the Nuli 70. Pyon Song-gyong also switched to the Nuli 70. What does this show? The Nuli 70 is not as bad as some players say. Actually, a few years ago I had a factory make a small batch of “Mozart” blades by the Nuli 70 structure. Feedback was quite good — nice wrapping feel and catapult. That was a small workshop of a few people. Not to mention Butterfly’s clearly higher craft. Players who say the Nuli 70 is hard to play may just have paired Hurricane and not gotten used to it. The hinoki-face plus Hurricane combination just needs adapting in feel. Back to the 520X: under medium power it has better rebound and catapult than the 968. Many who played the Yinhe Heima-tuned KLC also report that this natural acceleration and backhand explosiveness are far better than the 968’s. Of course, the 968’s forehand spin ability is still a notch higher.
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The Inn ZLC family. Representatives: Franziska, Yukiya Uda, Chen Szu-Yu. Franziska’s Franziska ZLC and Yukiya Uda’s custom are both thin blades, about 5.7mm. Chen Szu-Yu’s, though also an Inner ZLC structure, has a thickened core, close to 6.1mm. The Inn ZLC custom, even at 5.7mm thick, actually has two types. One is conventional, with a thin power ply and thick core, but also around 5.7mm — like the familiar Innerforce Layer ZLC, Franziska ZLC, Apolonia ZLC customs. The other is like Liu Shiwen’s old player issue, with a thickened power ply and thinned core, for better speed-up. Mid-month, my Heima-tuned MAX ZFC, which sold out in half a day, followed this approach. So far feedback is very good.
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Tomokazu Harimoto SUPER ALC. Representatives: Tomokazu Harimoto, Miwa Harimoto, Miyu Nagasaki. Tibhar Felix. Representative: Felix. Cybershape 6. Representatives: Moregard, Hana Goda, Jarvis. Joola Hugo ARY-C. Representative: Hugo. We have talked about the first three a lot; Hugo’s should launch in July.