For those of you who love Steven Cousins, let me tell you you're going to
need a video if your tv stations broadcast his routine. His short was
great, he was unfortunate to be only 7th. He was skating 3rd in the 2nd
last group (9 to go after him) and he was great. He was landing quad sal in
practice all week, and was apparently very positive before the free. His
first jump, 3lutz, and I nearly died. He sat on the edge for ages before he
jumped but landed it, next the 3Axel&2toe, and all the triples. (6
overall)There is room in the 3sal (3rd jump) for another rotation. He
doubled the solo 3A and rightly so. He did in a 3toe(?) at the end, but it
was the artistry that sold it. He was wonderful. I screamed and whistled
all the way through it, my family thought I was mad. He went into the lead,
but then came Phillippe........

Break out the videos again, because you will need it. I cannot say enough
about this routine. It's to the 3 Musketeers soundtrack, and it blows me
away every time I see it. Technically he was ON, and artisically, wow. He
got a couple of 5.9s and one 6.0 for presentation, with 8 skaters left.
There is a straight line step sequence right down the middle of the rink
which is amazing. If he is on, he could be a real wild card in Olympics and
worlds.

Yagudin was technically brilliant. Landed the quad although he had to fight
for it. Artistically, not my cup of tea. Chris Howarth, the Eurosport
commentator, swears he'll e doing quad axles next year.

Dmitrenko kinda self destructed.

Plushenko - wow. Started with quad triple combo, slightly double footed on
the quad, followed it up with a clean 3axle 3toe combo, then a solo 3A.
Skated to Jean Michel Jarre, with a false start - they began to play the
wrong music. I liked it. His rotation is amazing, and he was a strong
second.

Zagorodniuk was lucky to be where he was in the short, and didn't rally
redeem himself. He dropped. to where I'm not sure.

Vlaschenko has just gotten his marks, and according to the tv, marks are
all over the shop. Things could change. Hes 3rd, Philippe 4th, Steven 5th

Abt is skating now and has just fallen off the end of his quad. He's
vamping away merrily, and several Italian ladies are swooning. Little prep
on the 3A and paid for it, stumbling out of the landing. He's the last to
go BTW. Nice footwork(........Jeanine is actually thinking that a blond
Russian ain't bad looking.....I'm working too hard........) Triple
flip.....Double lutz.....footwork, really good footwork, double footed
3loop I think, 3sal, (Slightly Arabian music, sounds familiar, can't place
it) Good spins..... We're waiting on the marks now, but I must say this
Russian team is really strong. And theyve got Kulik injured? Out of the 3 I
like Abt the most. He seems to have more artistry than the other 2,
especailly Plutshenko, who is a little jumping bean.

Abt 3rd overall , lucky.
Russian 1-2-3
IN ORDER : Yagudin, PLushenko, Abt, Vlascenko, Candeloro, COUSINS,
Zagorodniuk, Dmitrenko

As for the dance, PLATOV FELL. As in on his backside on the ice. The judges
gave 5.6s and 7s for tech, 5.8s and 9s for artistic (6 5.9s ????) As Robin
Cousins said, that means your base mark is 6.3 when you deduct. Crazy. BUT
perhaps in the shadow of Munich, 7 of the 9 did their job when K&O skated
clean, and put them first. Anissina and Peizerat were 3rd, the rest as
were. But we have a competition!!!!!!!!!