Handra and Sinek USA

All blue we are in..bits of black....lots of floaty stuff for her...and his hair is quite floaty too...and she's got the arabian thing going on as she starts lying in between his knees...well, they are married....and dance spin...couple of changes of position.... twizzles....miscalc on steps there....he hops as she spins...lift where she jumps on him legs all out behind her....surely that's an undignified move???....he kneels in front of her and lifts her, putting her down so she kneels beside him....out of that and into spirally things...she lifts him on her hip and glides along...twizzles and bobbles from him on them....glidey move where their legs are linked.....dance spin, and speed increases during it....and more spanish music...goody....s/s turns nice timing on...lots of turns in dance hold, onto running and gliding....lift...and spin...dicey moment coming out...down and another lift where he ends up giving her a jiggyback and brings her around so that she's lying in front of him....more going around, lots of bringing her under the arm....looks a little scrappy here towards the end....very rushed and frenetic...and they're done. Costumes I must point out are horrific....she's a better twizzler than he is and no mistaking....lift where his hand is between her legs...robin calls it not exactly pretty to look at...

marks 4.04-2....4.2-4.5

Yang and Lee KOR

Egads! Black and white leopard print bits of material stitched onto black and white...his top needs to be taken in by at least an inch on either side....lots of flesh couloured net on her torso...oh those are much worse than the americans....lift to start...drummy music...lots of kicking and speedy movement...lots of going to kneeling glides on the ice....spirals for a bit....she flaps his arms up and down and I"m pretty sure flying is against the rules...life....and another tiny one as they kneel andpause and stop...music changes to something a bit less drummy....and they do besti squats in the steps...oh joy...dance spin....lots of travel and going into a move where he lifts her...s/s twizzles and he falls out of circle on second pattern...carry lift where she's lying back against him....lots of bending over here and lots of side by side skating..music by Cirque du Soleil....were they meant to be that out ofsynch on the steps....rotational lift...robin points that the music has slowed but they havent...steps to another dance spin....and music changes again as they bend over and jump up....steps in a dance hold....not much interp of the music it could be anything....steps...not much work being done with the feet....glides and deep lunges...slide to stop...and he kneels and she does an assisted cartwheel over his shoulder and nearly collapses but doesn't.....well. Okidoke then....did I mention her hair is in that bun but that tthe ends are doing that sticky uppy thing? Robin thinks it got a little bit too frantic...oh lord, sing it boy! One speed all the way through, even when the music was telling them to go slower...and his top was disaster, let alone the bobble on the twizzle....

marks 3.8-4.2...4.1-4.2.

Golovina and Voiko UKR

And red and black...black pants for him, red top, more crimson actaully, going to black...she's the same, wisps of red in the skirt...end in very red...and normally I would make fun but compared to what went before....his is a blouse....and even now you can see the speed and power...lift.....nothing else matters by metallica in a choral thing....steven cousins skated to the original...ah....steven...she goes under his leg....steps where there's plenty of turning and changes of hold and position...lift....dance spin....4 revs....s/s twizzless...nicely done....lift where shes balanced on his shoulder....lift where her leg is nicely extended, her on his hip..dance spin, very fast...more revs than the last one but didn't count from start!...lift where she starts diagonanly in front of him, going to horizontal...waltz tempo robin tells us, but not doen with phrasing of music....very busy he says....spirals facing each other...getting a little ragged in the steps now...lift whre she jumps on him and leans back....and stop...and they're done. Robin tells us that it looked like the program was put togther without taking the music into account at all...which is true enough...what they did they did well, but it didn't have anything to do with what was giong on in the sounds. And Robin gives us the words Gregorian chant, which is what I was trying to remember! And he is in fact wearing more makeup than she is I can't help but notice.

marks 4.2-4.4.... 4.3-4.6. they lead.

Zhang and Cao CHN

Lots of maurve and purple and variations of...maroon almost for his tousers....oh this is bad...although it will help keep me awake. Until I'm 90. SLow violin to start...lift wehre he's in besti and she's throwing hsapes....into a one where he's standing straight, seamless trans....he dips her in a glide....she twizzles...he lifts her straight up...and spins with her to the side....into dance spin...5/6 revs? ....and stop as the music changes and speeds....nice unison...looks like they're step dancing but this is no step dance...nice unison...he's doing lots of little kicky steps as se hglides....she jumps and leaps back over his arm...robin says they're not keeping up with the music but they're trying....steps into dance spin...slower with fewer revs...llift where he's squatting she's leanign back on his kneeds...dance steps in dance hold....he spins her under his arm several times....nice picking of high points in music to pose and give breather....steps along the length of the rink....natialia dubova watches them....steps again...and lift to end and they're done. lots of strauss in there barry tells me...didn't do anything they couldn't do and they did it very well says Robin...is that damning with faint praise or is it just damning? they did have trouble keeping up with the music but there were some nice high points in there and they picked them out well...nice flow and speed across the ice, plenty of potential.... costumes a nightmare....

marks 4.1-4.5...6th in 4CC this year.... 4.4-46...they're thrilled! and second! and will finish 22nd!

Gudina and Beletsky ISR

Alexei Beletsky...what a great name! White and grey...with rectangular geometric designs on them...and lots of bits of materail hanging off him....greek plate breaking music here....steps to start off and quite nicely in time...dance spin where she kneeling on ice and he spins...is this zorba with vocals??? blinding twizzles but not so sure taht they're clean....rotational lift...very fast...is this routine sponsored by advil or what? and with all those bits of materail out of him, he looks like a grey maypole when he spins which he is doing now in dance spin with cahnge of position lift preceding it, and another now, where he carries her in front of him legs a kicking...lift with chagnes of position, starts with her standing then llying...and he loses it in those steps there....lift where she starts on top at one side, goes over and arcorss his back and down othe side...dance spin, 4/5 revs.... music changes again....s/s steps...very fast..zorba times two....very fast footwork....and they're motoring along....lift....hard coming down it looked like....lift as they encourage the crowd to cheer,....and spin and they are done. These are a Linichuk couple...and it was a greek medley...this a married couple...robin calls it wild in places, almost too fast...problem with some of the turns and twizzles...one of those lifts she was in front of him, her arms backwards around him and her legs in the splits.

marks 4.2-4.6...4.6-4.9...they're first.

Fraser and Lukanin AZE

Navy velvet trousers for him, pink sash and wingy thingys on his arm...pink and purple dress for her...avec sparkles...toccata? lots of power in their skating....lift where she leans back into him....steps along the ice...she hops over him and glides....jump where hse splits her legs....lift and spin...circular step...lots of turns but not a lot of footwork..as I say taht he does twizzles in sit position...into dance spin...s/s twizzles...not what you'd call in snych....lift where she's starting in arabesque, ends up bending legs...plenty of spinning her under the arm and lots of turning in various holds....lift where her legs are scissored in between his...and she stops and he skated around her...running on toes....turns s/s ...again slow....not in synch sometimes....move where she does cartwheel over his arm...dance spin...change of position..and they're done. To me, they didn't seem to do much with their feet in that...lots of turning and twisting but the holds were open a lot ,and they seemed to be quite far apart a lot...Robin preferred it to the Israelis as did I in a nonheadachey pass the advil kind of way, but I wouldn't be pushed on seeing eitehr one again...

marks 4.6-4.8...4.7-5.0...and they lead.

Faiella and Scali ITA

Long floaty dress for her...mauve, halter necked...matching top for him, deep purple trousers...4 Seasons....nicest costumes so far actually....start off kneeling on the ice...and stand and spinny moves...and around they go...turns and glides....he holds her arm behidn her back for much of it....lots of speed...him leaning back in besti against her....she kneels on ice and he spins her around as he files...lift where she's lying horizontally...nice how he got her into position...dance spin...and stop...facing one another...and kneel on the ice...around the y og....she lifts him...s/s steps...twizzles...he lifts hers...nice changes of position, her in v shape in gront of him...dance spin quite slow....steps along the diagonal of the rink....plenty of speed, she goes under his leg....s/s turns ...not in perfect unison but close....steps in dance hold...bit og highkicking there...he lofts her...she leans all over him and he hydroblades...and they're done. ANd the crowd scream because that was great...coach is jumping up and down....really enjoyed that....Robin says that it contained at least a third more steps and choreography than FP&M will have,and that edge for edge this guys a better skater than Maurizio (I feel the need to point out that my granddads a better skater than Maurizio and he's been dead since 1988) loads of tech content in here...lifts were great, very innovative...move where he hooks leg over her shoulder and uses the momentum to hop up so his legs are around her waist..

marks 4.6-4.8...4.7-5.1...and they drop behind AZE

Humphreys and Baranov GRB

Purple dress for her, most unflattering...he's in purple triousers, suspenders, cream shirt...Zoot Suit Blues...he's got his boots covered like shoes....nice tie....crowd are going already as they dance on centre ice...she jumps up and turns upside down in his arms and out...and the speed of these two...he hops behind her....and another jump, legs go around his waist hop again and to his hip...this is ncie.....lots of changes of turn....and hold....dance spin...nicely done to music and stops on cue...theysa schmoozing now....lots of glides here...lift where she puts leg over his shoulder and he turns her so that hse's going down against him....another lift where she's around his waist....andace spin...little off axis there and not on one foot.////s/s twizzles are nice...loss of timing going to the barrier? steps along the diagonal....music faster now...he helps her do a back somersault....s/s steps where both lunge backwards in usion...lift wehre she does scissors around his waist and hops to change of position...spin with illusion....very nice and the crowd like them....really unusual lifts....he looked tired towards the end....one major error on the spin (which I want to see again) we see the lifts again....and the steps were fine, I take it back...

marks 4.7-5.0...5 from ukr and rus...4.9-5.1...they lead.

Kovalova and Szurman CZE

Oh my. Purple and flesh....and lots of wingy thingys from both...what is it with these and costumes? Both start bent over on ice... and wave the arms a lot...lift where her legs are wide apart and she's facing down...this is dignified how? dance spin wehre both are crocuhed somewhat....lift where she goes into horizontal position, him in besti....steps around...quite close together in this sequence same hold, arms around each others back....into dance hold...lotsof turnign her....s/s twizzles are spot on and we've a great camera angle to prove it...stop and bend her back and forward and do it again...lift where she's in front of him...nice ...off on s/s twizzles, fine on the second set there....lift where she's straight up against him, going down to crouched against him...dance spin....nice points in music picked out for turns there...rotational lift....and hop and spin her...and lots of turnign her again...and lift and glide...and put her down...and posing around on the ice and lean her back and they're done. RObin says their edgework not as strong as from other couples...which I'm not sure you can see as well on tv at 1.25 in the morning....she's neater with footwork than he is....and we can see that on the slomos....she has much more control than he does...and we see him skidding on the rotational lifts, he's really sliding around it...don't we love RObin for pointing this out to us? night on bald mountain was the seocnd part, and something by st-saens the first

marks 4.4-4.7..4.5-4.8...5th overall...will stay where they are.

Nowak and Kolasinski POL

And oh oh oh eew! Pale blue dress for her, not a disaster. But him! There is pale blue. There is also white. There is also very pale but all but translucent material around shoudlers and chest and his top needs to be taken in...eew, eew ick and eew....give a little time for your love or something is the music? what about love for those costumes and the poor people who have to look at them? start with her squatting on ice and him moving her around...and little spins....hop and lift....and lots of speed anyhow...lift where her legs are straight up and out...s/s steps with twizzles...nicely done....lift where she's straight up in the air on his hip...turns from both...nice and close together on circ steps....good change of position form both....lift where she's lying on her stomach as he turns her, straight into dance spin...s/s twizzles, which he ;looked to lose on the first pass and not so great on second....and around again we go...she gestures....move where she's scissored on him....robin don't like the music...me neither....move where she's sitting on his lap, legs out in front....danc e spin....leg on his shoulder....to the boards...and we're into momentary calesthenics....steps the length of hte rnik....and I totally get robins point about the music...rotational lift, her facing the ice with illusion in it ,and it goes to one hand, his other being between her legs...ahem....steps...hydroblading move from him as he holds onto her...and they are mercifully done....good lord that got monotonous...and robin says we won';t be going to the record shops to find that one...not his cup of tea he says....hmmm....tea...I'd murder a cuppa....I'd murder that musician...and whoever did his costume...on the plus side, lots of speed. Lotsof power. He looks pooped coming off...

marks 5.0-5.2...5.1-5.4...row of ones.

Lang and Tchernyshev USA

Red dress for her...but hardly any back apart from two straps around her keeping it up....sparkles on it...he's in greyish black, white tshirt. ..and I note, looking quite fine. Shallow you say? Me? Just call me saucer girl baby....theres Handra and Sinek roaring htem on....start back to back...parisian walkwaway.....he does flying spin...lift where she's up in front of him and drop down to carry lift...lots of speed...glidey move where she leans back to look in to his eyes...wouldn't we all really? and they keepthe vocal!....spin where she's hanging out of him and wouldn't we all, and he's on one foot....she hops up on him...finish the sentence...and spins....I'm loving this me....nice turns and changes of hold....she come behind him and twirls low on the ice....hyrdobladeing..and you keep that hand off baby! kneel on the ice....this is graet.....lift and spin...he turns her under his arm....lift wehers she's horiztonal and he's flipping her over in his carry...s/s twizzles...perfect tming....she smiels at him..finish the sentence...he holds her by the waist and turns...he helps her run on the ice...she leans back in his arms....dance hold...steps along diagonal...so muc h to admire...spin wehre she holds on of her free legs behind her, the other in front of her...dance spin....stop and she skates around him....he chases her....slides her under....and lthing where her legs is over his..and lift wehre she's horizontal under his chin, no arms and he spins and drops her and that was fantastic! that was amazing! standing O and were it not for the fact that the house is asleep I would join! wow! gary moore never looked so good! fabulous! so sharp, so original so sexy says Robin....wow wow wow....and I realise that by my ravings I have more than likely doomed them....they greet Zimmerman and Dulebohn at the boards...we see the hydro move again...so good! Robin is awaiting boos....in 11th place....

marks 5.1-5.4....5.3-5.5...thye lead. row of ones.

Dubreuil and Lauzon CAN

Does she have a small animal trapped on her back? And a red dress...he's in tan trousers and white shirt....and no...it's netting or something? In a bustle like thing....she has very long red endings on her sleeve....Madame Butterfly is the music....and it's a bow on her back...ah. Makes sense now. As do the sleeve endings...starts with her up agaisnt him...lifts her up...and down ...and around we go...shes Mimi he's the american who let her down....and her costume gets caught in his buttons....or his belt buckle...and we're no thirty seconds in so they stop and go to referee....can't even see how it happened but it was in the spin....yep she went under and got it caught and ti's flummoxed her sleeve....Robin says she needs a pair of scissors....and it did indeed get cauhgt on his button...bad costume error says RObin...have to pick it up...and they do the spin....and they stop again...oh dear me....problem with the music, they needed a little more lead in...and this could be such a disaster for them....Joyce Hisey goes to explain what they need...she's smiling though....and they spin...and we're on the way now...ss/s twizzles....and good timing!....now we see why they needed the lead in...lift with her in lotus position in front of him....she's got great extnesion...ance spin...first with him in sit, then with her in camel...nice stps here....much waving of arms from her thoguh....lift and spin....he kneels in front of her....dance on cnetre ice...steps around...circ step...very intricate system of twisting and turnign....lift where she's horizontal and rolling....he kneels on ice and propells her...s/s twizzles...nicely timed again.....her arms behind and he lifts her on his side spins with one arm....spin....lift and put her over....and move where one of her legs is in bewtween his bent one....turns andkicks....lift wehre she goes under his legs to horizontal and out in front of him and thye're done...well done them! they got there! such a shame says Robin....he calls the sleeves distracting, detracting from the line...Barry wonders how he couldsee where hewas going...nice rotational lift that we see again..

marks 5.0-5.3...5.1-5.4. they're second. bul has them 1st. all together now - huh?????

Hugentobler and Hugentobler SUI

Oh me oh my...blue top for him which matches her dress....green and pink bits on it....and his is a jacket with blue trousers...oh and hers is a jacket and mini skirt too, with a little bra-type spangly top that's barely there underneath...and it's I Will Survive....they might, but will I? and tis the live version...starts with him kneeling and spinning her aorund...to dance spin...her foot on his chest in it....s/s tqizzles....lots of turning from Eliane....flying around are they....lift him in besti, her up, one leg over shoulder...and the same lift going the other way. with her going to horizontal....glidey move....turns from both...lkick up and she goes unde rhis leg....lift with her lying on his shoulder....s/s tqizzles with the little hop...little hairy there....too carried away...he tries to get the crowd going....lift and spin.....dance spin....four revs?? change dance spin....slow hand clap part...posing and dancing....dance around....circular step...dance hold....lots of her turning under his arm...lift whereshe jumps back into him....and another where she's lying horiztonal on his shoulder and he helps her do a somersault and tis done. Looks like they got ahead of the music a little? RObin thinks it was skated better at Euros...certainly got a better reaction from home crowd...music got ahead of them at times....we see the besti lift again...really good....and they did it twice!...yeah, andhe lost it a little at the end of the second twizzles on the seocnd step seq

marks 4.9-5.2...5.1-5.4...they're 4th. stay ahead of the brits.

Delobel and Schoenfelder FRA

Black velvet with purple wingy thingys on it....I've seen these before I know, they had this program last year...some really good stuff in it if I remember me rightly... crosses on the tops of flesh, at an angle...startwith her leaning back andhe pulls her up and puts her down again....lift her along his leg and down....and she hops and goes down again....s/s tqizzles....don't let them down this time...lift him in spiral her upside down...superb....and spinning coming out of it...he spins her with him in s/e then go into pairs bestis and do it again....gteat flow along the ice...morfe pairs bestis....her leanign back into him doing on...pairs spin...and out of that...and around we go...he kicks over her as she squats....lotsof very intricate holds and changes...and he falls while carrtying her and goes down hard....ouch....they were doing so well...0.3 off....carry her her legs split around his middle him in besti....dance spin looking a little untidy....around along the diagonal they go....in dance hold....and kicks and turns....s/s twizzles...not a problem and again they do them...he squats she kicks over him....music building....he can twizzle you know....lift hwere hes in best she does handstand and somersault over and kneels before him...and leans back and they're done...and oh my ....he's devastated....and it's such a good program and they were doing so well and for that to happen! oh dear....see first upside down and spiral lift...yeah, she jumped to him, and he missed his blade on a turn...boot went down onto ice...got up at the same time though! and that last lift took some guts after that...

marks he cut his hand too...and his face? oh the poor boy...4.6-4.8...5.0-5.3...they're 6th.

Chait and Sakhnovski ISR

And it's the gold and blakc with the Star of David costumes...I wasn't mad on this at Euros I must admit....6th after OD...starts off crouched..and spinny thing...louts of crouching from her...dance spin...good speed throughout...nice smile from her....plenty of speed...he slides her under...he lifts andswings her under his arms....s/s twizzles...hyrdobladking kick move...rotational lift...huge speed...her legs in spltis there....striaght line steps in dance hold...lotsof turnign and spinning...sequence of kick throughs...lift him in besti her facing the ice in stag position....and that goes on, and he throws her up and brings her down before coming to stop...dance spin....and out and around. ... move with him in besti, her courching one leg in front of her...spin her around in a deaht spiral where she's lunging indtead...lift and down she goes a litte...was that meant to be like that ? ends with her lying back in his carry....music changes again...stpes in cicrle mostly in dance hold....twizzles....good timing....liftwhere she's scissored in his legs and he lifts one in the middle of the spin and changes postiion...very well done...kpet up with the musci well...and skated it well, even if I still don't like it....very fast and powerful quotheth Robin....we see the steps again, and Robin raves about their tightness and cleanness in the footwork dept....and some of hte lifts weren't too shabby either...

marks 5.4-5.5(3) 5.6-5.7...they lead.

Winkler and Lohse GER

Him in grey pinstripe suit...grey jacket waistcoat, her dress is mostly grey...purple and green layers to the skirt and it sounds worse than it actually looks....and after all, it is Rene, yess??? And they start it from the boards, trying to get each others ahnds and missing....start with her bent over and leaning on him...Scott Joplin...he runs after her....little stutter from her...steps along diagonal....and around and down the ice...little kicks and turns....bit of facve to face....mug the judges....dance spin....and under him as she goes out...lift where she jumps up and turn horiztonal.....stop and pose on centre ice for slow bit....move where she s in spiral....he does lots of pulling her by the leg...nice lift starts with her leg over his shoudlder, then goes horizontal...and into s/s twizzles..and they were nice...steps...lift and roll so that shes up...and then him in besti her horizontal...dance spin, her in camel position...and stop right on time...and music gets faster...and they go around....circular step....s/s gootwork not in synch at start but gets it back...lift where she's bent over and in splits....s/s steps running the width of the rink....lift with a kic ending up stnading on his thigh and down and ends with her kicking up and theyr'e done...Chris Dean choreographed it, and so entertaining...loved it. But, compared with the Israelis, you could really see the difference in speed there...Robin says they had slight bobble in middle, and saved themselves at the end...shes draped all over him as they come off...which gets a hearty "You Go Girl" from me....ending lift she got a little stuck on way down but not too serious...

marks....5.2-5.4...5.4-5.6...second. LTU first

Navka and Kostomarov RUS

Him in blakc pinstripe trouseres big jacket...black sparkley dress for her. This is a Michael Jackson medley, and can't wait to see the American reaction to this, because it's a great program...jacket looks huge but I know from Euros it's not as bad once he's moving....her dress has big silver squiggle down the front, but she just looks amazing...no back to it....start with miming to in the closet..and the crowd love it thus far...very sharp turner is she...and lift wehre she's striaght up...to the corner and dance....along the diagonal ....great interp...she's just grea...lift where shes looped around him, holding by her skate blade...dance spin....kneel on the ice...open door step through...slow part...george benson into dance spin...besti squats leaning back against each toher...mirroring each other..very duchesnays....rotation lift with her legs scissored between his...and lift with him in besti and her in frontof him...s/s twizzles....stpes in dance hold....great choreograhpy.....stops right on music....and dance at centre ice...lots of turning and assisted cartwheel..s.he goes under his legs and does it again....long time of footwork on two feet get it back...and spin to lift and spin.....and dance on spot and they're done...and the crowd liked that...very clean and smooth says Robin...great attention to detail with timing of the music....and every little gesture and nuance awas taken into account, that was something else...loved it! Possibly, a little ragged near the end, but they kept it going well....arein 9th....

marks ... 5.1-5.4..and here we are with the boos....5.3-5.6. 3rd which means they hold their place. What a surprise!

Denkova and Staviyski BUL

Black costumes with the sun on them....her skirt is yellow and orange flamey stuff stuck on over the black....and behold the black wingy thingys on the sleeve....in 7th....start with crouching and facing one another....he follwos her around...lift where she's in wishbone in front of him....around we go....kneel and lunge...and hop and turn and kick ... and spin dance....speed fades in spin....good timing on the steps....diagonally they go....he spins her on his hip...stand in one palce and gesture wildly....around again...she kicks and he lifts her...the spin where she's flying out to the side....dance spin....lots of turns from her....mov ewhere she lunges in front of him....lift with him in besti her in front then goes horizontal....two bestisl eaning back against each other, s/s twizzles....stand s/s ...and pose and dance...little running steps....he turns her under his arm...circular step....and that looked messy as he went under...he does a little hoppy thing and they're done. Not the crowd appeal in teh music thinks Robin ....Cirque du Soleil is the music....I didn't like this myself...did nothign for me, especailly compared to the two that went before it....kept moving the whole time and we seee again where he nearly toppled over in the steps

marks 5.4-5.5(3)....5.3-5.7...they're in second. Their alloted slot. GER has them third behind Winkler and Lohse

Grushina and Goncharov UKR

Fabulous red dress for her...lots of gold sparkles...black and red for him, kinda tunicy top....Barcelona is the music...and his sleeves are way loose, I remember this one now.....spins her under to begin....and lift where she draped around his middle and legs go out....leans back into him as they skate along the diagonal....little runs...lift wehre she's draped in front of him....move where her leg is wrapped around his arms...dance spin, much travel....spirals face to face...and over she goes in an assisted cartwheel....steps along the length of the rink...s/s twizzles...lost it on the first pass....and glidey move....slow part...nice unison and mirror moves....she turns and he supports her....lift...her in stag and quite high...check position of his hand....another lift...where he's crouching and her leg is over his shoulder.....s/s twizzles...not the most in synch ever once more...she bestis under his leg....lean back and glide around...dance spin as music fades...run as it starts again....circular step...spinny lift....and more turning and turning....and lift where she's in between his legs and they go down, ending with him crouching on ice at angle adn shes all but lying on the ice. And once more, I'm like blah. RObin feels that this wasn't as good as Naomi and Peter - do I even have to type my agreeement? No, thought not. Robin points out two of their lifts were rotated in the opposite direction, ie clockwise, not something pairs would noramlly do.

marks 5.1-5.5...Linichuk pair again...5.2-5.6...thye're 4th. With five to go.

Anissina and Peizerat FRA

Grey outfit with ropes around it and the sun on the chest for him....yellow dress for her. Liberty is the routine....or whatever they call it these days....oh god I'm nervous....starts with him lying at her feet...MLK starts....and he rises us....I'd help him up any time...dancce spin....s/s twizzles....lift straight up and turn.....and down she goes....sigaonllay they go....kicks and turns....and more....kick from him and she goes under....he spins her under...liftw ith her in front of him...and down....aroudn we go some more....he does a little hop...and move where hes squatting and gliding....her straight on the ice...anod another...into dance spin with chagne of position....turns where they're facing away from each other ///s/s twizzles....slight loss of time...MLK speaks agian...lift from upside down.....steps....spirals fcing each other...he lifts, then bending, rocks her horizontally from side to side...seh lifts him on her hip, and he's upside down there....made it look easy....music starts to speed.....circ step in dance holds....he does his little hoppy thing...lift her.....her blade on his thigh...nice carry lift there....slide to stop right in front of hte judges...and they're done. and big smile and hugs...response from crowd could be more ecstatic says Barry....and he doesn't get the connection between MLK and this....Robin laments the lack of footwork...oh god I'm nervous....

marks 5.7-5.8(4)...oceans of room.... 5.8-5.9 (6) no doors closed....long wait but row of ones.

Drobiazko and Vanagas LTU

Black outfit for him, big grey wispy thingys off of it....grey and black for her....he's wearing silver gloves! Why? Why Povilas, why? Start facing away from one another....and she goes to him after he blows by her...leans into him.....dance spin...in sit position from him....stpes around....steps side by side...and he goes in circle, dragging her bu the back....really interesting holds in htis so far...rotational lift...s/s twizzles...great timing....fast adn crizp..lift where she goes up and the lies down along his body...great transitions...circular step....turns and kicks....and spinny travels....stop and he pulls her around...lift....where she's kneelng on him and leaning back...spiral from her and he leans back on her...dance spin....change position..but travel on the change...s/s twizzles..possible mistake from Rita on first pass.....she slides him under....and she kneels and spins on ice....more turns....lift...where shes on his hip and turns....more steps...assisted cartwheel over his thigh....s/s steps, slide to stop..in front of jdges...steps around, lift where she comes down all the way down and spin to end....and they spin her quickly and they're done. And that was awesome. A very very different program to Marina and Gwendal....more dynamic....faster across the ice it looked like....and they just motored about the place....real build of momentum in it....so well put together, the transitions between the moves are just seamless....and teh second twizzles look fine onthe replay, I just give up! <g>

marks and he only has one glove on! 5.5-5.6(6)....5.6-5.8...second.

oh my dear good lord. I am nervous.

Fusar Poli and Margaglio ITA

Black outfit pink collar for him....goes with her pink dress...much flesh net...and theres orange in her dress as well...I Will Survive is the music....take me now....start with her behidn him....she kneels he skates over her....and stop for a sec and away again...lift....long lift....dance spin.....stop pose and run fingers through hair... and danc eon the spot....s/s twizzles....he spiuns her under his arm....lots of footwork from her....he lifts and spins her to the corner...along the diagonaland he falls! he down! and they got up but he was down...and lift...and hydroblade move from him....and i'm not thinking it I'm not.....lift and spin with ehr out ....dance spin.....lift where she's backwards and iupsides down...and swingy move....deep move.....another lift where she upside down and up and around...not the most seamless...slow handcalp bit/.... ss steps....not great unison....along the diagonal we go...lots of speed....he spins her under....turns from both...and lift and spin.....and they're done. and oh me oh my and she's in tears, no pretty close about it barry! 4 tenths min off.....I'm not htinking what I'm thinking and I'm not typing what I'm thinking! 2 to 4 tenths RObin corrects himself....and now I'm really nervous! and we see six gazillion replays of the fall from two different angles...required sequence they were doing at the time....deep cleansing braeths...RObin picks on footwork , and calls him the weaker partner...marry me RObin...and they're devastated....

marks 5.5-5.7...(5.7 ITA) 5.7-5.9 5.9 us...2 5.7s ukr sui....in second. ltu has then third.

oh god oh god oh god

Bourne and Kraatz CAN

Lordy! Black and grey for her, and lots of exposed flesh...black trousers and whtie shirt for him...grey silver cumberband.....oh god oh god oh god....michael jackson...she starts camping and so does he...who knew he could move so well...twizzles neat a apin....lots of speed....tell me when it's over....billie jean....lift...lots of hcangeos of position....lots of energy....and theyre really going for it....kicks and turns....she runs after him...hey shes only human.....into in the closet....cicrular steps....striaght lines teps. him leaning on her...lift...and who can type??? dance spin....and out and pause....slow part...into smile and dance spin....kick though....lift...him in besti her insplits and up and change to the mirror im age of startign lift....breathe Jeanine....lift....breathe.....to the boards we go....striaght lines teps.....dont stop till you get enough...s/s twizzles....and its sell baby sell for the final bit.....and change ofpostions plenty there...kicks sideand they fall at the edn and was that meant???? right at the end they went down...like Jamie and David in short...and ti looked almsot meant...and Shae kisses hte ice...and Vic can't think! crowd don't konw what to do...and I cant think! I damn sure cna't tpye....for me that's ahead no surprise there....I want to see that endding again...she blows kiss in lift....breathe....robin has this ahead of fp&m....last lift...just weight went out of circle and down they went..and she really sold it,went straight down to the floor and he followed....cats! pgieons!

marks 5.4-5.7...2 7s....5.6-5.8....3rd...

I want to cry and so I do...

Lobacheva and Averbukh RUS

Black for him with bits of grey....her in white dress with grey things on it...Barry has said that the story in Lausanne went that these two were going to be the winners.... and I can so pull myself together.....start with her wishboned in a pretzel....he's got grey in his hair....lift to start after little turny things....lots of tuns from her....and he does his huge jump thing....and another one...as she skates by him.....and another lif twhere she starts on his soulders and ends up upside down....and dance spin....circular steps...as the vocal starts....s/s twizzles....nicely done....running after her he does....liftwith him in lunge position her leaning back....and another lift, her up in the air...not great on the old trnasition there....dance spin....and run int os/s twizzles.....and aroudn we go...lift where she's up in the air....he runs after her...steps....hes being especially flamboyant there.....lift her in loop...and down sheslides.....and they're done. And that will more than likely get them a silver medal......and I go in search of tissues beecause I'm amazed I could type this having cried me a river during it....and robins not calling it....which makes me nervous or would if I cared right about now.....he looks happy....glad someone is.....

marks....5.6-5.8...(5).....seoncd....5.8-5.9 (5)...

and the French win....L&A second....FP&M third.... first and second is 5/4 split! B&K fourth.

We see Gwendal backstage and he's delirious. His jo only makes me cry more....and Marina's in floods...so I"m in the good company....

To the podium....Babs not too happy ..she's bearing all the hallmarks of one who's spent the last 20 mins in tears, as I'm sure do I....he looks happier....have we seen two happier people than these? L&A out and big smiles here....and here we go.....and Irina andIlia have to hop off to hug the others! and big applause for Marina and Gwendal and fair play to them....nice hugs from and to everyone else on the podium....and I'm thrilled for Marina and Gwendal but to say that my heart is in a million pieces for Shae and Vic would not be a word of a lie. And so as the anthem plays, I retire to my leaba.