Gelsenkirchen: I will confess that I was so busy taking photos there that I wouldn't be able to tell you too many technical details on the competitions, so this will just be an ensemble of impressions on the place and the skating. Gelsenkirchen itself is not too interesting a place. And from Dusseldorf airport we had to get two trains to get there, changing at Essen. Having a flight back to Milan late in the evening yesterday, my friends and I had time to go shopping and walk around some. But didn't find the place very exciting. Strangely, it's colder here in Italy than there right now. It's cold in many ways. I noticed on various occasions German people literally 'refusing' to talk in English or try to understand me. Just bad luck ... probably. But I really don't speak a word in German, so... The ice rink is very nice, tho. Intimate, I'd say. And very warm (literally speaking, as I didn't find the crowd all that 'warm' actually), which is not bad at all when you spend so many hours at ice level. It's a modern multi-sport complex almost outside the city (well connected via bus) and the organization of the event/pressroom facilities etc... was almost perfect (if you don't expect a photo lab or a lot of 'gadgets and memorabilia' and press stuff to be available like at Europeans and Worlds, of course). Probably some more places to eat inside the ice rink would have been better, as the main restaurant was reserved to vip and skaters most of the times and the rink was in the middle of nothing.

On the competition: four days of intense skating, a nice - but too long - end gala on Sunday, and excitement, yes. Pairs was, well A&B definitely deserved to win, you'd expect something more from P&T and T&M than what they presented. I don't remember their programs all that well even after so little time. Men was ... I'd find Plushenko another choreographer that could create something different than these - excuse me but... - a bit too 'Urmanesque'-'Mishinesque'programs for this great skater. Sandhu is an incredible skater. And we share the same name, uah!. : ) Love his Indian traits. A very intense and unique look. Ladies was... I'll just mention two names. First free (it really was the best) should have been Malinina's, she was simply breathtaking, so musically intense. Sasha Cohen makes me think of a young 'T.O.M.'(Tara+OksanaB+Michelle) all together, she was - photographically - the most interesting 'subject' of the entire competition. This girl may be an Olympic champion. I haven't pronounced this sentence since Baiul's times... Where can I read more on this girl? She's Talent. Plus the proper 'environment' to grow, I see. Vanessa, pleaaaaaaase change the free. Now. I love her but this new free is... well didn't like a thing. Dance was a delusion. Except for the winners and for B&K's original dance. I wonder what is so hot about W&L's free... I found it even slightly offensive, costumes included. Idem for the OD. Made me tink of Rahkamo & Kokko that one. And I expected more from D&V after what they showed last year. The OD is funny and entertaining but not more, the free is like 'seen this already'. I won't comment on F&P's programs as I can't be impartial, being friend of them. They're my 'Angels' after all. I'll just say they skated the programs well in Gelsenkirchen. I kind of like the new costumes, tho my (photog) dream is to see them skate the free in plain black. Many eyes watched and will comment. Gala was too long, wonder how the skaters survived on Sunday. Phantom of the Opera wasn't the right choice (made us wait 20 minutes for the final salute listening to four of five songs in German from Phantom. Love it but... didn't add anything to the gala besides... boredom). So that's it. Shot 18 rolls of photos, for you guys. : ) Well for me too. You'll see them online, but I won't say 'soon'. So much sorting work to do.

Manuela