At the moment, Anna Rechnio is in second and Diana Poth is in the lead.
Eurosport didn't show Diana, but according to Simon and Chris she was
absolutely fantastic. Now, since Simon and Chris, and Chris especially,
would rave about Diana if she just skated in circles to Twinkle Twinkle
Little Star, since she pulled up over some of the others to be in the lead,
she must have been good. Rechnio is in the lead on the day though - she had
a nightmare yesterday in the short, falling twice and singling the axel, and
bawling in the kiss and cry. I'm not a huge Rechnio fan, but she skated this
well, especially after yesterday. She doubled the loop but put it back in
later on. She wore a dress that I wasn't crazy about, in spite of the fact
that she wore the Meath colours of green and gold, albeit in spangly things
hanging off basic black.

Simon and Chris have just told us the results of the ladies US nationals
short - someone had better have spoilers sitting in my inbox when I send
this!!!

Tamara Dorofejev (HUN)
Life is Beautiful soundtrack - this girl is the 3rd place Hungarian really,
but so far she's done the best. long wind up for the 3loop....green ruffley
dress.....clean 3lutz, huge smile, camel spin, into illusion
spin....3sal/2toe combination....triple flip....spiral.....biellman position
in the back spiral...this is really lovely....triple toe on its own into a
layback with a nice back position, not sure about the leg though.....crowd
clap along as she stumbles out of the 3loop, which was meant to be a dboule
toe combo....she was very deep on the edge as she took off, which gave the
lean in the air. Gets the sal (?) though.....3toe double toe, and now she's
cooking on gas again! spins combo, no a lot of speed but nice
positions....and she's practically jumping up and down! Simon has a real
feeling about this girl....6 triples at the age of 15..\A joy to watch says
Chris....Be interesting to see who the Hungarians send to worlds - they only
have 2 places there
Marks 5.0-5.4 / 4.6-5.6 - first overall


Julia Sebestyen
Had a great free in Prague last year, great qual here (2nd to Maria B) but
fell three times in the short. Costume very like Irina's from the 98
Oly,mpics, didn't like it on her either. Hand down on the lutz to start.
clean 3flip and the toe loop....she has amazing elevation...nice backspiral,
and then something that started life as an Ina Bauer and ended up as
something else....nice spiral.....clean on the loop...just may have stepped
out of the axel.....and in the spin combination she does the Sandhu butt
spin, and if you think it's unflattering on a man you should see it on a
woman! My eyes, my eyes!!! doubles the lutz in midair, and kneels on the
landing...3toe double toe....layback spin and I've seen better....3sal, and
she is thrilled with that!...flying camel.....in the home stretch
now....another odd positioned spin, kinda bent at the waist...not
flattering.! To say the least! Well, she's happy and Simon is in raptures
about the Hungarian team - all three of whom have acquitted themselves well.
They all train in Hungary.....great technical ability from the three of
them...
Marks.... 5.1-5.5/ 4.9-5.6
7 of 9 first places, and she's in the lead overall.

Alisa Drei
Pinky red dress, with sparkles. Tango.....my favourite dance......3toe,
3toe, hand down on the second.....and she flew into it! doubles the lutz,
no height on it. And she doesn't look happy...step sequence, with spirally
bits in it, into a great spin...she motors in her spins I must say. Wavy
arms movements....and she leaned all over the lutz and came a cropper. Hands
down knees down the whole bit.....just hangs onto the flip....a spin with
more travel than Aer Lingus.....fantastic back spiral, great
extension......and leans on the 3loop, hand down.....she just doesn't have
the timing today......and over-rotates the sal..... and stumbles out of the
2ax...2ote.....fast spins to finish, including a nice biellman....oh dear.
She shrugs - what else can she do? SHe's been so secure all week, in the
qual and the short, but she just couldn't get it together today. She's
inproved immensly in the presentation aspect of her skating since
Helsinki....she's finally emoting and projecting to the audience, and to the
judges. Her spins are fast and well positioned,but they tend to travel all
over the place. Chris has informed that it was a double axel, half loop
double toe....excuse me!
Marks...Annik Galhaiget trains her too! How many students does she have?
4/5-5/0 and she can hardly look / 4/7-5.3
Second overall, but behind the Hungarians and Rechnio on the day.


Julia Lautowa.....Austrian
And the home crowd go wild. Woeful dress....green bikini type thing, lots of
flesh coloured fabric and spangles sequins and sparkles oh my! She takes a
heavy fall on the lutz and is a long time getting up. Clean triple
toe.....El Condor Paso.....she was meant to do a 3flip/2toe instead of the
3toe but changed it to get her confidence back.....just out of the
loop....nice camel....fantastic exntension on the spiral, ditto on the back
spiral....3toe/2toe.......triple sal...pops something, not sure what it was
supposed to be.......singles the axel, no height or speed.....layback spin,
nice and fast.....gets the 2ax this time.....doubles something......combo
spin.....and she'd done, not sure if she was behind in front of what of the
music. She was 10th going into the free, and could drop.....didn't do the
flip though...weight wasn't over the right foot in the lutz at all.....same
thing with the loop, you could see her falling out of the circle.
Marks, and there goes the head....4.3-5.0 / 4.6-5.4
6th on the afternoon, 5th overall, out of the top ten.

Mojca Kopac
9th going into the free.....nice dress. Jet black, matches her hair, with a
red spangly rosey blob on the straps, and a mathcing one on the back,
linking the straps - it sounds worse than it is, it looks really well....
that doesn't -down on the lutz....3loop/2toe........good
spins......3toe.....meant to be a step sequence before that, but not a hard
one....down on the axel.....3sal.....spin....not the best spiral I've ever
seen - leg a total right angle....down hard on the loop.....crowd are
clapping to get her back into it....doubles the flip...even the spins look
slower......she is slower across the ice.....combo spin, again with
travel.....oh well. She looked like she gave up with about two minutes left,
she just looked resigned and gave up the fight. She's definitely out of the
top ten....I would say, but I've been wrong before.
Marks 4.2-4.8 / 4.5 -5.2
7th overall, with to go......

Mikkeline Kierkgaard
This girl is 15, Danish and apparently phenomenal! My mother raved about her
in the short - my mother knows nothing about skating! Nice spin to
start.....3loop.....baby pink dress....clean triple toe........doubles the
flip....back spiral, with bent leg, it was meant to be though!......flying
camel, nice position and speed.....just hops after the 2a....3sal......for a
little thing she's flying, and the best sit spin I have seen all week! Right
down low on the ice,,,,great extension on the back
spiral.....3toe/2toe......step sequence, circular.....sal triple with a toe
on the end, thisis really good, and there's that sit spin again, we'll keep
you honey! just a hand down on the 2nd 2a........but who cares? The rest of
it was wonderful....1st major senior competition and she has just been
great. 5 triples, but so much talents, and artistry and
interpretation....this girl has so much promise.....her coach is just
bouncing! Literally! The coach jumped for joy!
Marks... 4.6-5.1 a smidge muted I think....go up....4.8-5.6
In third place on the day , second overall.

Maria Butyrskaya
And according to Simon and Chris, she did not look any better in the
practice this morning. It remains to be seen if she can pull it together
here. Dress is black with feathery white streamy yokes flying out of it.
Swan Lake.....she looks nervous.....perfect triple lutz! arms like tree
limbs.....just enough height on the triple flip....nice camel spin.....did
you ever feel like someone was going through the motions with no artistry?
Hops out of the triple toe, but half loop, triple sal, and now a triple
something or other before a layback spin......could we please have some
connection with the music?? doubles the lutz.......strong double
axel....triple toe...crowd gets into it which is more than I am
doing......she stares down the judges......combo spin to finish.......and I
must be honest and say that that did not a thing for me. 6 triples.....Simon
rates the choreography as superb, but I just felt that there was no soul, no
spark there. She could have skated to anything. And it's not just that I'm
disappointed that I won't get to use my 101 Dying Swan puns! She's won
Euros with less....and the judges are behind her, no doubt about this. What
will they do?
Marks 5.6-5.7 / straight 5.8s, 1 5.9
Hmmm.......


Slyvia Fontana
I am so looking forward to this, although considering the history of my
skaters......La Boheme....same dress as last year, sparkly ivory confection,
and she looks gorgeous! Just a hand down on the lutz,...not enough height,
but great speed......and she's down on the flip, which was a double....great
catch foot half Biellman type spin.....come on Slyvia.....and she pops the
loop to a single..........clean double axel......comeon.....triple toe,
that's more like it, spins......stop.....slow piece, into a great
layback...spiral......back spiral......double axel from a
standstill....3flip, turn double toe......down hard on the sal....next time
I will shut my mouth! Oh dear me....she smiles and shakes her head.....such
a shame....Chris says disaster is harsh, Simon counters "one triple?" Chris
talks about being in the final group for the first time, and the inherent
pressure ,and following Butyrskaya, and that she can learn from this. She
says hi to everyone and Johnny..
Marks 4.5-5.0 / might just stay in top 10.....4.8-5.6
In 4th overall CRO has her 12th,


Vanessa Gusmeroli
Legends of the Fall...in a short white dress. bare midriff and bikini top..
And thems some tassles on the skirt! yes!
3lz,2toe......3flip.....3loop.......I am smiling, but not actively
supporting, I learn from my mistakes......lovely steps, to the slow part of
the music, you build on the artistry! triple sal.....3lutz.........great Ina
Bauer, we don't see enough of them! Backspiral.....3toe.....clean double
axel and look at that for a smile! combo spin........half
biellman.....layback.....unusual position on the final spin.
And now I clap! Yay! Go Vanessa! Woo-hoo! And she is in tears! And I am in
chills! She has never skated better! She should beat Butyrskaya...mind you
she should have twice already this week, now if she doesn't, I shall be
throwing things. Very very hard.
Marks 5.5-5.8 oh boy..........5.6-5.9
three have her in first.the rest second
I am furious. Donna, out of respect to you and the list, I will refrain from
further comment...but there are boos around the rink. Simon says Maria was
lucky this week. I say she should buy a lottery ticket........

Sluteskaya
Carmen....gorgeous dress....deep red....stunning, very flattering. I like
the new look Irina. 3lutz 2loop......3sal......flying camel......3lutz on
its own.....flying sit....to an upright.....now she sells.....crowd are
clapping, both for her and to work off excess anger from the crappy
judging.....perfect 3loop from steps.....great step sequence
too....3flip...triple no5........fantastic combo spin, amazing speed,
including double biellman.....spiral step.....2ax.....3toe......split jump
into excellent layback......and she's done! Huge smile......she must win!
Never a doubt, she just looked so confident, so much more mature than she
was a few years ago. She just shines! And you never felt like she was going
to blow up, you never doubted she was going to go out and be clean.
Marks....5.8s. 1 5.9 tech.......1 5.7, 1 5.8, rest 5.9s - she must have it!

Volchkova
A pink dress. Pinkily pink one might say. And nothing to break it up. except
silver spangles on the midriff..The Summer Knows...huge triple lutz double
toe....she lifted right up on the lutz! lovely flip....loop.....camel
spin....over-rotated the sal, had to put a turn in after it....and she's
down on the triple toe....and there;s the gold gone. And she must be careful
now.....doubles the toe loop......and the lutz goes into a single! Simon
thinks the medal is gone, and I'm not so sure I disagree! Genuine dismay is
setting in to me here......and she fights the landing of the triple
something and lands a clean something else......combo spin to finish.....Now
THAT has set the cat among the pigeons. Liashenko goes next could make all
the difference. Simon is projecting....we need Liashenko between Volchkova
and Gusemeroli for Vanessa to get the bronze.....looks like Maria has the
silver....which she in no way shape or form deserves. THis girl is injured
though
Marks 5/4-5.6 / behind Vanessa on the free 5.2-5.6
Third overall.....but if Elena can do the business for me, I might yet
spare my voice. The crowd are whistling because Vanessa is out of the
medals

Liashenko
Grieg, Piano Concerto....nice silver white dress......just falls out of the
lutz.....the french commentators wince, as they want her to do well but not
too well! flip....flip! She popped it to a single....double toe....triple
loop.....slow part, gets up the artistic mark....doubles the sal.....triple
flip.....too little too late.....3toe...now you can jump?? NOW??? Nice spin
to finish. She was in fifth after the short.
And now we are almost sure that we have our Russian 1-2-3. Simon thinks he
has a sour taste in his mouth.....and Chris thinks Maria is lucky to be in
second place.
Quandry for the idiots....I mean judges.....
Marks.....4.4-5.3 / 5.1-5.6
She's fifth.


And we do indeed have our Russia 1-2-3. Sluteskaya. Butrskaya.
Volchkova...Gusmeroli in 4th.