Joanne is in the studio talking to the studio guy whose name I don't know. She's backed Yags, her favourite Plushy being absent, but thinks that Abt will run him close. I'm thinking that Abt will have to have the skate of his life and that Yags will have to fall apart totally before that happens, but hey, what do I know?

And we've missed the first group so you miss the Marcus drool fest...pout....colour me quite unhappy ,since I love me some Marcus, as you all know.

Which means we start with...

Gheorge Chiper ROM

Tango....black trousers white shirt and little dicky bow...hand dow non 3ax, does the double toe.....2 off for that ..triple lutz was clean....flying sit....steps...circular with lots of looking at the judges....he looks like a waiter, I alsmot expect him to offer them a drink...double acxel was fine....camel to sit to upright thing that looks ugly change of foot taht was worse....not much speed on that....lots of travel says nicky....crowd claps as he does more steps incl a sliddey stop thing.....sit change sit with arms extended out....and he'sdone. And he's pleased with that, pumping his arms like crazy! Just a little too much lean on the axel...lutz was great and well out of steps as well...he did hte back sit first in the combo spin which is more difficult....0.2 or .3 off for having to recentre the spins....

marks 4.5-5.0 pres 4.5-5.2....row of firsts

Gregor Urbas SLO

Wearing a fetching tunic of black, grey shirt and brown trousers, a fabulous ensemble....really....prep for jump ....triple lutz fell off the end turned into triple toe...brave effort syas Chris...I know this music....triple loop...and he telegraphs his jumps....flying sit.....straight line step....doesn't seem to be much speed in anything....sit change sit with travel on change...and lousy position....doulbe axel as nicky anoints the style jerky....gee ya think? I think this is the circular step into a combo spin ......which isn't much to write home about....and he's done with this back to the judges. Music was Robin Hood and he sure looked as if he was about to climb trees in Sherwood Forest. Might also have been more entertaining to watch. Not much oomph in that ....nicky says he needs to get down more in the ankles and knees to help with the softness inthe landings....8th in ISU JGP finals....27th in Euros last year, he's only 19.

marks 3.8-4.5....4.1-4.8...second overall

Sergei Rylov AZE

And the black trousers are ok...shirt is black with rips and red inserts in the rips....currently living in Alaska I hear....Selos??? is the music and I know I've spelled that wrong....down on the flip....and down bad...lots of speed but no real commitment....double axel....flyinf sit.....that should've been a 3ax...steps...which are quite slow....gets the speed up now...falls out of the lutz, which didn't have great steps leading up to it...combo spin.....nice speed and centring....serpentine steps....nicely done but I'm not sure how they connect to the music as Chris comments that it's all gone a little flat...lacklustre is NIckys word.....sit change sit....and he's done. And in more ways than one and his expression just says it all. After the fall he just went....flip was landed on two feet before the fall....Igor Paskevitch is his coach...

marks 7th in Lalique, 3.4-4.2...youch....they are not two happy campers...brit judge is number 6...4.0-5.1...third overall...american is last judge.

Angelo Dolfini ITA

Will be in SLC....black tshirt, black leather throusers with sparkles at the end...Tango Flamenco....nice steps to start setting the mood...triple toe triple toe out of steps....two spread eagles going in,very nice....and he got the lutz all wrong and fell out of it....really gerat sit spin position but travelling all over....linking steps are great, good use of edges....double axel, wasn't sure about the entry, didn't look secure....steps, circular....he cna barely see over the boards...flying sit....mores teps, straight line....combo spin....I love his sit spin position on the forward sit...and he'sdone. Difficult program artistically...and he's looking good...I think he cut his hair, so it's nice and short now and it really suits him. And the girls seem to love him.....steps were in tune with the music....combination was great, esp the second one....lutz was all wrong, almost out of room too....quality of skating was nice to watch....

marks....3.2-4.4...4.1-5.1...he's third overall.

Matthew Davis GBR

Allow the lads to bang the drum of national pride....he's all in black, with spangles on the top and the arms...polo neck, very Toddish.....nice flow right away...double axel which was meant to be a triple because it was huge....steps....turn out of triple lutz then double toe...triple flip very low with the free leg...linked wrlll with steps...spin incl nice layback, really nice....not sure about the speed but nice positions....music is Beethoven....circular step...nice spread eagle....sit really low....change sit....good spins here nicky says...straight line step....flyinf sit to finish......as he covers his head inthe spin and it wasn't that bad! In fact it was very good! Chris calls it much better than his qual, good feel for the music and that he just about nailed the elements as NIcky picks on the elements - jumps need to be cleaner....not usre if the axel was supposed to be 3 or not...maybe not, but it was pretty big. Looked like he wanted to land an inch in the air before he actually did! We see replays of spins and while they\re not Neil Wilson or Stannick as regards position and speed they're pretty good!

marks 3.7-4.3...4.4-4.9...third overall.

Hristo Turlakov BUL

Much pleather. Much on the arms and the tousers and the chest...much shine. If he falls, he's going to slide like a toboggan....and there are black pleather gloves....anda male vocal wails....down hard on the triple axel...maybe the wailing upset him....flying camel.....you know I'm really not sure about the position on his free leg throughout so far....the wailing stops....blessed be....single axel! oh no!....camel to upright change camel with travel to sit to upright....and it's all gone horribly wrong Chris says....spread eagle...steps...into triple flip...music speeds as he goes into steps....music a little obtuse says nicky and he's not capturing the crwod or me....sit cahnge sit, nice position...and he's done. Very suddenly he's done. He's 22 and the look on his face says it all. Chris calls the music bland....I'm calling it rubbish, and that's being polite....those are some shiny trousers....

marks....chris says he's going to do well to qualify...so he might be safe....six won't go through and I think my little Finnish favourite may be for the chop...ah Marcus, we hardly knew ye....marks....3.0-4.0....4.0-4.8...he's in 9th. Of 12. SO he's gone.

Making it through are Chiper Urbas Davies Meier Dolfini and Rylov.

Out are Shmerkin, Leminen Turlakov Zakany Peinado and Jonas

Ice resurface

Tomas Verner CZE

And it's a black and white print shirt that is very hard on the eyes, black trousers and he's 15....youngest man here...Victory is the music...by Bond....and he just looks as if he should be aksing me to correct his maths homework.....and I teach nine year olds.....turn out of the 3ax did double toe...nice sit spin...change sit...nice knee bend thus good flow across the ice....music speeds and crowd clap...triple lutz from steps...serpentine step....double axel...striaght line step...not sure of the difficulty but it looks pretty....camel to something change camel to sit and there was no speed in the combo spin...flying cmale, with nice position and from the lights I now see that the trousers are green....and a little judder at the end, but he got it! Only just made the qual for Euros...had he been born a month later he wouldn't have made it....spins weren't great I must say...Chris says he could have done the axel with a little more strength and conviction but he didn't hold back going in so well done him. He's all on his own in kiss and cry....awww.....and there's the coach coming to join him...

marks....4.1-4.6...4.2-4.9...he leads overall.

Juraj Sviatko SVK

Men should not wear leopard skin trousers. Just no. And not with a fringey yellow and dirty yellow shirt. With a mouse on his back says NIcky...some sort of indian music.....expressive arm waving though...maybe not a mouse he says....just a bobble, and that's much better??? double axel....nickys riffing on that mouse thing....triple lutz triple toe, well done....flying sit...maybet he mouse if that's what it is is his lucky charm....I think it's just a tassly thing as he dances for the judges....steps...stops at the end and the straight line step....nice ....and from one end to the other....triple flip....out of steps...c.amel to sit....change camel no speed after the change to sit...gets it then , and into upright....circular steps as lion roars on sdtk....sit change sit...lion roars again and he's done. Interesting choreography, horrible costume. And someone throws a lion onto the ice for him. Nicky is still riffing on the mouse thing and I can confrim that they are in fact tassley things, but very thick tassley things. Oscillating on 3ax looking for anotehr turn, but not to be....

24th in euros in 2000

marks 4.4-5.1...4.4-5.1..he's in second overall

Margus Hernits EST

25 years old...black tshirt, trousers could be leather....piano music....are his blades black nicky wonders and they are.....but at least theres no mice....turn on the triple axel, way down in the knee, dropped the hip on way in, did 2toe at the end....triple lutz from steps....nicesteps too...fyling sit...really nice position on the sit....touched down with free foot on landing but....circular step...good content nicky says....nice spreadeagle tehre....double axel....sit....low but travel...cahnge sit....music has gorwn more rocky....camel to sit......cahnge sit to weird position...and he's done. well done says chris, and it was. Not sure about the music he says, Pay the Man by the Offspring. Step sequences and linking steps were well done...worked hard on that combo, really had to work it. and he did touch down with the free foot on the flying back sit...and we get a closeup of the footwork and there's some nice steps....3rd in Nebelhorn...Finlandia 10th, Golden Spin 11th.

marks 4.2-5.1...and he don't like that 4.2! 4.7-5.3...in first overall.

Kristoffer Berntsson SWE

3rd Euros...21st last two years...black and grey squares on top, black trousers...Fight CLub is the music...and he's not Brad Pitt let me tell you that. He's not even an Ed Norton (he was in that right?) and he's down on the axel...just couldn't hold it....camel change camel....sloooooow......music speeds and he does little hoppy things...down also on the lutz, but puts a 2tow on the end....also hesitated before doing the lutz.....steps...and he's down hard onthe flip....flying sit....circular step....camel to sit....change sit....camel....to scratch and he's travelling all over the place....and he's done. Dynamic program from the 19 year old Chris says....and if I were going to make a bad pun I'd say that he lost in the fight club, but I'm not going to do that. Oh lookee there, I just did. Chris thinks he has a full mark in deductions...has him short on rotation in the flying spin...and that fall on the flip will bruise. IT'll bruise me, and I just watched it!

marks 3.3-3.8....4.4-4.9...he's 9th overall.

Stefan Lindemann GER

And here he is! Little Larry Lindemann the Leprechaun! No longer in green, instead clad in silver and white lines on the shirt, black trousers. Nice steps to set the mood....woohoo! tripleaxel triple toe! and he stopped dead onthe toe but it counts! yes! steps..and he';s down on the lutz.! so close to the boards...combo spin with really good centreing and changes of position, kept the speed and he does again in the circular step....goodcontent there too...flying sit was huge but paid for with travel...nice and low though in the ist..... steps...into double axel....straight line step....crowd clap....and he goes from end to ned.....more steps...sit change sit...held that well but starts to treavel after change and he's done! What a shame says Chris...and he said it! And Larry knows it! He's a fighter Chris says and he loves him for that ....can you believe he's 21? He might have left the lutz at little late.....combo was great...down in the knee on he axel...coach cam is classic!...no, left shoulder too far back on teh lutz (saw it from o/h) and he may have caught the heel either....great focus....and we see him look right in to the camera as he marks the start of his straight line step.

marks 4.8-5.2...5.0-5.5...and he's first. 2 seconds. Has to be 8th or higher to qual for Olympics.

Vahktang Murvanidze GEO

Baby, you know I love you. But real men don't wear peach. Ever! EVER! Much less with a little scarlet waistcaot and matching trousers with gold inserts and spangles! No! Baby no! He mines the playing of the violin....spreadeagle in starting steps, he's doing that for me.....down on the triple axel....steps..long pause before a clean triple lutz....steps...into flying sit.....really fast....and he mugs on cetnre ice...great personality...good timing....slows the music....and he singles the axel....and I had to say I loved him didn't I? Camel change camel....steps...cicrular step...bags of personality.....smile Vahktang....straight line step...great footwork....camel to sit change catch foor camel to sit and upright and he's donw and the spark is gone. His heart went out of it with the singling of the axel. He's 22 and he's bitterly disappointed, I can see it in his face....OPening axel was huge...too much swing couldn't control the end....and we just saw his face when he landed the single....nicky said the straight line step wans't great....not much difficulty...he's qual for SLC...bronze at Golden SPin....and he looks devastated!

marks 3.6-4.4...he can't look.....4.6-5.3...6th overall with 12 to go.

Thus endth group three.

Andrejs Vlascenko GER

He starts and this looks like the one from last year...in his classic type of costume, borwn shirt , deep v neck...triple axel triple toe....steps leaning on the lutz but he did a clean triple....flying sit....very fast and nicely centred....couldn't have done it better Chris says....steps and the crowd clap...serpentine step....covering a lot of ice....double axel clean as you like...sit change sit....stops and then moves some more circular step....lots of footwork in that....mugs the judges....camel to sit to layback. change sit....nice positions, unusual...and he punches the air! That was great. Did nothing for me on an emotional level, didn't actually like it, but he skated it very well! And he's thrilled! Combo wasn't pretty Chris says but there was plenty of speed going into it....and he just bored holes into the ice during the spins...as opposed to boring me, as he normally does.

marks 5.2-5.5....5.4-5.7....number one with a bullet.

Gabriel Monnier FRA

Shot of the French fans....and holy hairdo Batman! Black trousers, green tshirt with black blousy waistcaoty thing....not sure what he looks like....charms of the night is the music....interesting choreography to be sure...lots of leg grabbing....triple lutz was dodgy in the landing but got it...triple axel, no wehre to go, got the 2toe on it...fell out of the end though...flying sit...interestin steps...nearly too frenetic....little stumble there...sit with difficult entry change sit....striaght line step....double axel...camel to sit cahnge camel....interesting positions in the spin...and he's done. Not an easy bit of music to interp....Pierre Trent and Annick Gailhaiget.....very different shapes, didn't look like anyone else....I'm not so sure I liked it though....very different...but I miss Stannick! <g>

marks...4.8-5.0...and the pres should go up because he did sell it well. Really did the music justice...5.0-5.3....he's second overall which is right.

Frederic Dambier FRA

Black top and trousers, see through sleeves...leather trousers...top with spangles going down the arms...last temptation of christ by peter gabriel....I am amazed he can move in those tight trousers...much less do that triple axel triple toe out of nowhere....really fast rotation....triple flip...steps incl ina bauer....camel....to sit...cahnge cmale...to sit.....and upright....steps by the judges...circular step...good energy and speed in the program....double axel....dicey moment looked like it was too big...lvoely spread eagle....and he skidded on step! or going into his spin...think it was the latter...more steps, in straight line...nicely done...steps to centre ice ...sit change sit......and hes' done with hands joined in prayer over his head. Hes 24, he was 8th last year. Yeah and the mistake was going into the flying spin...got there, had to put a turn in but got all the rotations...might take off for incorrect entry....no take off on toe loop in the combo... sharp crisp positive enthuses Chris....yeah...flying sit, went right over on his toe....do they take that as repeating an element or a stumble on a step???

marks 4.7-5.1...5.1-5.5...he's in second place...although theres a 5th and 7th there.

Stephane Lambiel SUI

Black trousers and wasitcaot, red shirt, Tango....triple lutz triple toe....easy as you like...nice running edge....triple flip and he looks thrilled!.steps....big smile to the judges....crwod are into it...nice steps....double acxel clean...flying camel so fast!...didn't get good flying postiion though....steps...is he selling this or what? sit really low on the back sit changes sit with change of position and he travesl but what they hey! camel to sit with changes of position change sit and so fast! to upright and he's done! and you can smile baby that was graet! and he really can't believe it! but you'd know he was swiss from the spinning...just amazing! and the speed throughout the whole thing...and of course, I've just realised that he's a home town boy, how I missed that particular one I don't know...but there you go....nicky picks on his extension in spiral position in spins...combo was lovely....and he looked like he loved it, really enjoyed it! great personality, really relaxed style....nice footwork...made eye contact with the judges ....and look at those spins!

marks....5.0-5.4...the teddy bear is bigger than he is! 5.0-5.6...and he's second overall, with two thirds. that was great.

Sergei Davydov BLR

And the first pastel nightmare...blue blue blue...so bluely blue with sparkles that are also blue. Steps around to 3ax triple toe...flew in and out of it....triple lutz with very long lead in and not much elevation....sit change sit...nice and fast asnd didn't lose speed which is good....piano music is blah though...straight line step....makeseyes at the judges...long lead in 2ax as well...no t the personality say nicky...flying camel....solid in elements though....circular step...plenty of eye contact with the judges....camel to sit layback change camel to sit to scratch spin and he's done. And that was good. He was focussed and he did his job, but there just wans't the charisma or the personality for me in that routine. He's won Nebelhorn, Karl Schafer, Golden Spin...very upright in air on combo jump...never looks ruffled...reminds nicky of yags....so positive on landing positions opines Chris...

marks 5.0-5.5...marks for pres nicky thinks will go down...5.1-5.5...and he's 4th overall.

Kevin Van Der Perren BEL

Who'd'a thunk he'd be here? In navy blue...has been working on a construction site to fund his skating....has to be in top 12 for SLC....down on 3ax...great elevation...he's only 19....lutz with triple toe at the end and a long lead in that was....straight line step and he made sure he was at the boards....flying sit...not great position in air, could've touched down....triple flip was leaning leaning all the way...combo spin with much travel....circular step...and you just get the feeling that he's skating through the musci more than a little....crowd clap...sit spin....change sit....and he's done. Not quite perfect says Chris, but not bad. 23rd last year. 16th in Jun WOrlds....and look where he is now. Like I said, who'd'a thunk? (Actually, when my sis rang and told me the results of qual group B,I thought she was having me on. Really) So close on the triple axel....lutz-toe combo was foot perfect....comedic tango this was, and it didn't quite work. Didn't quite suit his style of skating. In training, he's done three triples in a row. And he's terrified in there, knows he has to be top 12....

marks 4.4-50 and he can hardly watch....4.9-5.3...and he's 7th...this is not a disaster....he's almost there...

Ice resurface

Alexei Yagudin RUS

Black with silver under it, and black webbing over it....kinda nice...black gloves...did he just throw up a chunk of ice? 4toe triple toe! clean as you like....and tehres such flow....this is Bond isn't it? triple axel....just phenomenal says Chris...flying sit....and he throws up the ice again...circular step...crowd are clapping and hooting...and he does little turns on he spot....blows a kiss....triple lutz well from steps and stops in teh corner.....straight line step and tis' great...really hard too....great choreography...and end ot end.....up and into camel to sit to upright to layback achange sit to upright....and sitreally low change sit....and grabs the skate blade in the sit....and he throw the ice again and hes done and the crowd are roaring! Yags at his best says Chris and it really was super. Just super. If he'd gone last, we might've seen 6s and you know, even with, I still wouldn't be against it. that quad triple was a beauty, not strain at all....so strong....butterly into back sit...footwork was something else, nicky singling out the straight line step...showmanship he says, the phrasing of it was something else...

marks 5.7-5.9....5.8 (1) and the rest 5.9s...he's in the lead.

Ivan Dinev BUL

All in black from the man known for the dodgiest of dodgy costumes...has he been reading me? Spring in Buenos Aires is the music...and yet another spanish theme....and he's also gone blonde.....not the flow of yags...and he's down on the quad....and just got hte triple axel, right over the toe pick on that...camel change camel...nice postion on the camel....and leaning all over on the flip and a hand down....dlying sit...circular step...very definite choreography nicky feels....everything snaps...camel to sit change sit fast spins....and he's done. And there are spangles of silvery blue and red on the top, but so that they blend with the black...it looks nicer than it sounds....let down by the technical nicky feels...he was close to the quad, the triple axel was squeaky...he didn't arrive here until Sunday, the plane was delayed, he lost his baggage, when he did his qual, he hadn't skated in the main rink...

marks 4.8-5.1..head is down he doesn't want to look....53-5.6...he's 4th overall

Brian Joubert FRA

3rd in Fr nationals, but a revelation in his qual group apparently. I trust Chris and Nicky. Hes 17...red top tshirt, blakc trousers, trim on sides of trousers and on sleeves of tshirt...Mexican Hat the music....quad toe double toe! circular step....and he's flying! great speed! teiple axel! this is good! more steps...and nicely done in time iwth the music....sit change sit....nice and centred....flying sit....straight line step...and ehs flyign some more....treiple flip....camel to sit changes it....grabs skate....to scratch spin and he's done! More trad than a lot of French, but good lord, look at that team! Hes quoted as saying that it won't be long before he has four different quads in his free program...and you wouldn't be against it...jumps looked so secure, so safe....so over the skate...chris and nicky agree that he's lacking in presentation, esp in the middle...not interpreting the music at the same level all the way through...

marks 5.5-5.7....5.4-5.7...he's second across the board.

Alexander Abt RUS

And it's the thanksgiving turkey tinfoil costume! showing more of his chest than I need tos ee. An Armenian selection. Great qualtiy....quad toe triple toe....great speed out of nowhere....triple axel very deep landing...flying camel....leaning off it as he meant to...a harding spin is that the name? circular step...camel to sit cahnge camel to sit...out of that and around the houses....back to triple lutz and not much steps....camel change cmael.....nice and fast and his centring is better this year....straight line step and he's smiling now...big elements out of the way....hes flying..and he's done. And the crowd are standing and Chris calls it wonderful! Can you believe that he's 25? He just flies across the ice ...his speed built up out of nowhere...that quad combo was safer than I've ever seen it....bit leany on teh lutz, but it all counts....not the quality of a yags the boys agree but good

marks 5.6-5.8...mostly 7s though....5.7-5.8...and he's second across the boards.

Dmitri Dmitrenko UKR

Gotta shout for the sentimental reasons, so he's probably doomed! And dear good GOD what the hell is he wearing! Cream coloured body suit with flowers on he sleeves and on the V on teh chest...and birds sing on the soundtrack....is he a plant? triple axel triple toe, toe was doublefooted....theres a vine going down his leg....triple lutz which he just held onto, had to put a lean on it and turn...flying camel...music is real world eve by peter gabriel thus the costume, as we hear the munching of an apple on the sdtk....oy! straight line step...costume is horrible I don't care why iy's there...double axel....camel to sit to layback to change sit tpright...to full upright....hravy breathing on the soundtrack....circular step....sit change sit....good centreing....and he's done. And here starteth the rant - the costume is a disaster. Aside from the fact that it's ugly ugly ugly, the colour just totally drains him. Washes him out. The flowers are too many for nicky, and for me. Flowers are for vases, not for skaters. there was something missing nicky feels....linking the theme to how it came over. I can go for that.

marks ...chris reminds us he's often skating to music he wrote...I miss the days of the short game program wehre you could, you know, look at him without feeling icky...4.8-5.3....he's not happy....5.3-5.6...he's 6th overall.

Ilia Klimkin RUS

Never seen him before...black velvet, dark net inserts..got three days notice for this event....starts off slow....nice interp of music though....quad toe triple toe! like a walk in the park says chris....round for the axel...and he's stepping out of ut...couldnt hang onto b/o edge...camel change camel....nicely extended and centred....steps...triple lutz and he made it look easy...stars to flying sit...nicely centred again...he's got good spins....circular step....camel to sit change sit to camel....and other variations.....straight line step...much running to start...not sure about that, but he went from end to end and made sure we knew it and he's done! And he's very happy with that. Kicking himself for the crucial error...he's only 21? Strange program Chris tells us ...Nicky thinks he almost went off the straight line at the end....and I see a nice back spiral on replay....first skater to land 2 diff quads in a program...at Nebelhorn a few years ago...

marks as chris ponders a 123....markls 5.3-5.6....5.6-5.8...and he's 4th. That's the axcel that made the difference

So Yags, Abt, Joubert, Klimkin, Vlascenko, Lambiel, Dmitrenko Davydov Dinev Dambier Monnier Lindemann Vander Perren, Hernits Chiper ...missed the rest!