So, it's four minutes past midnight. And many's the night that I was only going to bed at this hour of the morning. But today, it's the Olympic men's short program, thusly I have already grabbed myself three hours of sleep, and have set the alarm to rise myself from my nice, warm, comfy bed, to look at this until half fourish, and then go back to bed until eight o'clock. I then have to teach a full day of school, and do yard duty as well. Oh, my cup it runneth over.

Judging Panel - Australia, Finland, USA, Romania, Ukraine, Germany, Bulgaria, Japan, Azerbijan (how do you spell that anyway?)

Michael Weiss USA

How much would I not like to be him right now? Glitterball shirt, shortsleeves ,sparkley Vs on it...we see Lisa with her flag on her cheek and her heart on her sleeve, and his dad as well, as the Americans in the arena give it up for him....he's taking his time getting started....looks to have good speed to start with... quad toe is double footed, to double toe...round we go....triple axel...that was clean....sit spin really low, nice position change to sit...first back one was excellent...circular step....well done with the music....steps to lutz...flying sit....well centred and nice and low....down to the boards for the straight line steps....end to end....stars into camel to sit change sitto upright....and he's done. And that wasn't bad at all. Lisa's screaming, someone behid her is wiping away tears...Malaguena was the music...the Americans stand...as Lisa screams I love you and the camera mikes pick it up....quad was badly double footed, so 1 or 2tenth deduction, but he'll be happy with that.

marks...he says hi to the kiddies...long wait for the marks....Dad points to the jumbotron and says, "That's me" .... 4.9-5.3....ok, finnish judge no 2 is marking low...5.5-5.6(1 from the usa)

Sergei Davydov BLR

Real men do not wear teal blue with sparkles on it....round and round he goes...where he stops noone knows....axel triple and triple toe and that was fabulous...flew into and out of it...steps to triple lutz, leaning but clean....steps to sit, so fast...change sit.....well centred, no loss of speed on change...straight to the boards for the straight line step...lots of lunges...in both directions...double axel...clean as a whistle....flying camel...takes while to get it centred....serpetine step....camel to sit to layabck change sit to upright...and done. Very well done, although Robin doesn't htink that the spins, esp in the combo are held as well as Michael's were...and there were indeed a lot more changes to it...that combination axel toe was fantastic...little tight on the landing of the lutz, was reaching with the hand but pulled the shoulder back in time and got it...he'll be happy with that you feel...

marks ....what do you do with this....4.5-5.3...fin has him 5.3 ....ok..... 4.7-5.2...second.

Stefan Lambiel SUI

No triple axel from this guy, but I did like him at Euros....red shirt, black pullover type thing and black trousers...come on Stefan....violin type music to start...only 16....lutztriple, triple toe...equal in size notes Robin...steps into the flipand a very low landing but hte free foot stays off....steps serpentine....double axel...and that was scrappy! flyinf camel....got it centred, but not great position, leg could've been higher...sit spin really low...change sit and he doesn't move....look at that ice tracing!...combo spin sit with vatiatrion, and travel.....change of foot to sscratch....great speed there, really fast...and he's done...Robin points that he could have lost the flip very easily, but he just waited to getthe leg out...he is doing the triple axels in practice....takeoff in double axel was too hunched in the shoulders, nad he was oscillating out of the circle and he was bloomin' lucky onthat I have to tell you....andRobin tells us about the Swiss skaters spinning like clocks....do clocks spin? I'm just wondering...

marks 4.5-5.0....4.3-5.4...how's that for all over the place...3rd.

Kyu-Hyun Lee KOR

All in black as he talks to Robert Tebby, ex coach of Steven Cousins, yay! He didn't expect to be here...Lee, not Steven or Rob...24th in Nagano....he's got blue streaks in his hair...hope he skates a blue streak too...Godfather is the music...triple flip is horribly double footed and dshort, double toe is fine....steps around to triple toe and had to fight for that, deduction for lack of steps leading in...sit change sit and he's crawling in that and will suffer compared to Stefan....steps from one end of rink to otehr in straight line, and again with the lack of speed....and difficulty, although he puts in a spread to please me...camel to sit, great position on back sit, change sit to upright, and that was so slow!...steps....perhaps is the music.....I think that's meant to be in time with the music, but it needs speed....double axel...and again, just held on.....flying camel ....wellcentred, but lsow and he's done in time with the music. RObin says he'll be happy with that, as I"m sure he will be, but he looked to me as if Rob could've got out there on the ice and given him a push....second step seq was circular....yes, half turn short on flip,landed the rest on the ice...loose in the legs of the other jumps ...but happy with that...21 years old from Soeul...I know that's spelled wrong but at 0.45 in the morning what do you expect...

marks 3.4-3.8...3.8-4.3...4th.

Vakhtang Murvanidze GEO

Yay! Vakhtang! And again, real men do not wear peach shirts. With wine bolero waistcoats and matching trousers, with gold accents...why baby why? Around he goes....come on now...triple axel down hard...I'll shut up now...too tight in the air Robin tells me...footwork...lutz was clean and off steps...flying sit.....nice and centred...stops nad mugs the judges..double axel, also looked off kiltrer in air...camel cahnge camel..slow on the spins.....claps his hands and goes into circular step...which is as you would expect from Vakhtang...sell baby sell...and down to the boards fro the straight line...he flies from ned to end....camel o sit...cahnge camel catch foot to sit...and scratch which travels and then he's done. And you can see it in his face, four tenths off for the mistake on the axel...bad fall that....leaning in the air...no way hecould save that...lutz was much better...great personality...and he makes a face at the end and taps his head...

marks...3.6-4.6...4.3-5.2....all over the gaffe...in 4th

and warmup for the next

Emmanuel Sandhu CAN

Was supposed to be next, but he withdrew due to injury. And my thousand and one butt ugly butt spin jokes go unheard...although on the bright side, at least I might be able to get to sleep after it without nightmares....

Margus Hernits EST

Black tshirt...black leather look trousers...and I notice that the place is packed tonight....he's 25...around we go....axel popped to single, no combo either...he took a long way to build up to that, nearly too long...triple lutz was fine and well off steps...5 tenths off for the omission though...flying sit, nice and low and well centred....steps...terrific footwork there....circular step....half the circle without taking the bladeoff and that was great....spreadeagle just for me....double axel was fine...serpentine steps...sit spin, great position cahgne sit...travels on second....down to camel to catch foot to sit cahnge sit with variation, and so slow...and he grimaces over that. Missed the combo, travel on the spins, slow slow slow on the final spin...and helooked to heaven when he got the pop...he knew, he knew....and it's a shame because it could've been a really good program otherwise...this will not be pretty...and the head is in the hands, and a rueful smile as the coach motions to the crowd to get going, and they do! You just gotta love American crowds! You really do...coach tries to get him to smile...

marks 3.6-4.2...of the ouch....4.0-4.7..he's fifth

Roman Skorniakov UZB

Black trousers...cream shirt, undone black bow tie...has he lost weight? Because he looks it....I just want to give him a good meal...yes, I said meal, get your minds out of the gutter, God! Robin tells us he can be hit and miss....and he misses the triple axle, going down, and deep landing on the triple toe...3tenths off...steps around...lutz, and I'd deduct for puase...really lotw sit cahnge sit and equally low on both, which I like....down to the end for the straight line step...that was nicely done....axel...clean...around for the camel to sit to pull up to change sit to cross foot...stop on the ice...and pose....and steps, of the circular variety....flying sit....noteworthy positions on the spins, and he's done. Barry points out that his combo spin was done onthe T of Salt, and that the judges can check and see the amount of movement - I'm presuming that means there was none? steps out of the triple toe in the combo, but it was done from very little speed...he did well to get it off at all...free leg was too tight on the triple axel Robin tells me...there's Tatiana and coach in k&c....she's looking well this weather...

marks 4.1-4.8 …4.6-5.0

Brian Joubert FRA

Red tshirt, black trousers, matching piping on both...Annick Galhaguet and Pierre Trent send him out...Barry reminds us of his debut at euros....didn't make quad combo 3 times in warmup.....handd down here, and too little running edge to get the double toe on, that was short on rotation....circular step...axel step out of the triple...no lift on it...little overbalacne there, think he maenat that....sit change sit, dead centred....flying sit....again dead on...straight ine step, as RObin says he dind't land flying spin on b/o edge....he cheated...liek the steps...triple flip from steps...camel to sit to upright change sit...variation by grabbing blade, to scratch spin and he's done. See Annick clapping...smile from him as he comes off...nospeed coming out of the botched quad...not enough height on the triple axel ... flip was fine...Robin has between 5 and 7 tenths....we see Kristi Yamaguchi in the stands and she waves then waves her American flag to huge cheers....and just to have a Gwendal moment, I realise that I want to have her hair, becuase itlooks wonderful...I'm just saying...

marks 4.2-4.9...4.8-5.4...he's fourth.

Gheorghe Chiper ROM

White shirt, black trousers, red dicky bow, neatly tied...and due to the no props rule, he had to leave the Wine List in the locker room..slicked back hair...more grease than my frying pan...hmm...fry up...sausages, rashers, pudding....me want breakfast...I have the strangest urge to shout "Oy, waiter!" at him and order some...must.not.do.....posing steps to begin...tripel axel triple toe to begin...off axis on the double toe, hand almost downon axel but kept it off methinks....steps to lutz...nicely done...no wait at all...sit spin, flying....circular step....good changes of direction nice flow, nice interp of music and down on double axel...leaning on take off and that was never on...camel to sit to upright grab foot cahnge sit to sit.....and moving a little on that...more steps..sit arms out behind him change sit...speed it up...and he's done. and he claps his head in disbelief, as I would had I missed the double axel, were I able to do one in the first place that is....he urges the crowd to scream and they get in on the act admirably...looked as if he was going to try it and he coming off theice! and the hand did go down on the triple axel, I'm wrong....great lutz from steps, no puase at all....close to the barrier on the landing...the grimace of him on the axel! oh dear....and the coach knocks his forehead...and he mimes punching himself, then the coach does it too....he get the crowd going, I think he's starting a wave!

marks ...wife and choreographer beside him....4.0-4.3...4.6-5.0..he's 7th

Anthony Liu AUS

Go Anthony! Although I'm not shouting too loudly because I've jinxed you before, but a nice little you go boy can't hurt can it? Pale khaki shirt, stars on the pockets, black trousers...Soldier Boy again, but no blue velvet (see Nice 2000 Short Program review for explanations) Must not shout for him. Must stay quiet. Must not want him to do well. No. I am neutral, impartial and unbiased. Pearl Harbour....lovely flow to start....speed...quad toe double toe and that quad was a beauty...camel cahgne camel....nice position...really nice position....round he goes....spread just for me....steps treiple lutz....and no puase....flying sit that was huge!...nice and centred...no, I'm keeping quiet! stop it, I am! steps, serpentine? ....hard to see pattern on tv....axel.double...could've been triple, but played it safe...steps...camel to sit to upright change camel to sit...travel on teh end...and he's done! yay! and now I can shout for him! yay Anthony! woo-hoo! see what happens when I stay quiet? Evelyn Kramer the coach...I could look at this quad all night...lutz was a corker...and he was happy with that I think...clenched fist at the end...big wave to the crowd...Evelyn's bag is the Australian flag, I kid you not...

marks 5.0-5.5...oh yes....stay high...4.9-5.3....he's second. I might just personally have him ahead of Weiss, as do three judges, one has him third...but then, I'm a biased little thing remember?

Yosuke Takeuchi JPN

Black velvet suit with multi cloloured tissue paper in pinks oranges and yellows....my Friday art lesson gone wrong....Barry talks of sequisn and ruffles etc etc, and Robin tells us that there's too much etc on the costume for his liking...heee! I knew I loved him! This guy also needs a trip to yonder barber...night on bald mountain is the music...steps look like he's about to fall over any moment....speedy...falling out of triple lutz, double toe....round he goes and a big single axel that should have bee 3...flying sit...well centred....circular step...and I'm not suer what to make of the movemtns that preceded it, because helooked as if he'd decided to stomp some grapes...circular stpe was nice...triple flip from steps...and he runs on the spot turnign in circle...sit spin change sit..lwoer on first than on second....more turns out of it, flying leap... steps.. into camel to sit to upright change sit to scratch.and he's done, kneeling on ice, one leg out to side. Rather disappointing Robin anoints it, and he has 6tenths in deductions....I;m too busy trying to figure out what the heck that was all about, as Barry notes that he can think of one judge who might deduct for the excessive costume...for those of you who won't get to see it, trust me, it's truly that bad. There's like a deep v going down his front and it's filled with ripped tissue paper like material...is it meant to be the morning sun coming through the night or something? More ruffles on the sleeves in grey and blakc, and stuff onthe trousers as well...just no!

marks 3.7-4.5...4.4-5.1...he's ninth.

Chengjiang Li CHN

In a charming red tracksuit with knee high boots...or maybe pajamas...black piping with gold criss cross, matching pattern on boots....speedy steps to quad and a perfect toe from steps there....well done....triple axel triple toe next...and he made it look easy! flying camel.....and out ...plenty of rotation...low sit spin change sit....not as good on back sit as on first...circular steps...good speed....and he really closes the circle...double axel out of nothing! camel with much teravel to sit to upright change sit to scratch..travel and no speed in it....straight line step....much better...lots of changes of edge and foot and position and he's done and that was good. Not sure that I liked it, but he skated it really well, and Robin anoints him the new leader...I won't disagree with him, because the tech was something else, apart from the spins that is. The combo spin in particular was quite weak, but the jumps were oh my goodness me. He should be really happy with taht...trad Chinese music, with a marital arts theme...his speed around the ice was good, RObin worries that there weren't many steps leading into the quad...put it this way, I've seen worse....

marks ...big long wait...5.4-5.6..best so far by a way... 5.2-5.6...and we do indeed have a new leader.

Alexei Yagudin RUS

You all know what the winter costume looks like...definitely the nicest costume on his warm up group...and I feel that I must show for him on Nora's behalf, but I won't because she knows of the Jeanine Jinx and would kill me dead if I thought about it. Covers his face with his hands...and we start....wide eyed and adorable as he throws up the ice....combo to start...quadtriple..and he nails it. Little forward on the landing perhaps, but clean....rounf for 3ax....and that's beautiful, looked like a double....flying sit...and that's great...does not move. throw up more ice....steps...let me rave of the footwork....crowd love it too...blows kisses....stpes triple lutz and hes flying now and straight line step...I would write a sonnet had I time but I don't so let me just say you go boy! right to the boards....and down for the camel to sit to layback change sit to upright with leg out...down the ice to sit really low...change sit with a grab of free skate...and he's done..and throws up more snow....wow. Wow wow wow wow wow. Wow. And just in case you didn't hear me, wow. Loved it. And Barry can't see that being beaten tonight...I really can't either, but I got burned badly last night, I'm still blistered in fact, and am not counting my chickens. Quad looked better in slomo....axel was lovely..so light and easy...and look at the footwork, the footwork! and I do hate the phras,e but i"m going to use it, he's the whole skating package. (he may also now be doomed, but there you go)

marks 5.7-5.9..(one of each, the rest 8) 5.8(5)-5.9(4)

row of ones.

Takeshi Honda JPN

Creamy shirty/jacket thing, with sequins and sparkles...black trousers....not disastrous....and I now see it's a cream shirt and waistcaot....there's Doug! yay Doug! I know this music...DOn Quixote...music of Petrenko and Curry....quad toe,landedover the toe rake, triple toe...good boy....triple axel...solid...camel to sit change camel to sit..to shotgun...lots and lots of travel on that...he could have gone all the way back to the athletes village....around he goes....striaght line step in front of the judges...triple lutz from steps and he's cooking now....sit change sit yet more travel....better position though...circular step...much arm waving to the booms in the music...leaps and touches foot...stars into flying sit...a little more centred than the others...and he's done with a big smile! And how good was that! That's Yuka and Jason we just saw there...like Lisa, she's got her flagon her face...quad, he really had to fight for it, you could see the hand just itching to go down...but he kept it off...5.5-5.7...those are good....he should be second surely...andthere I go counting the chickens...5.-6(2)-5.7...and he's indeed second. Big hug for Doug from Michelle there. Aaaw bless! and theres Yuka nad Jason again!

Dmitri Dmitrenko UKR

Still with the costume sponsored by Interflora...and it's still beige with flowers. Beige is a most unflattering colour on many people, and more so on him than on most...Barry says something about the line on the costume being a snake...I'm trying not to look that closely...oh yeah, so it is....Real World Eve the music...axel toe...down on the triple axel does the double toe...over-rotated the axel, 3tenths off....down for hte double flip, late after steps...flyinf camel....with harding variation...and stop...slap...steps...lots of turns and twists...not much other foot movement though....double axel is clean....dance on the ice...glide and swing arm listlesslly..combo spin with layback cahgne to upright...nicely centred...kept speed the same all the way through...steps ...into sit cahnge sit...not great sit position...and he's done, arms raised to heaven and well he might for that was not the performancefor which he was hoping. Robin says he looks tired and laboured...slow in comparison to others,

marks...and I cna now see the head of hte snake, it's on his right shoulder...3.8-4.1...4.8-5.3...he's 11th.

Yunfei Li CHN

Dark blue trousers, and two tone blue top....the right arm of which has a blue wingy thingy....lots of sparkles and sequins galore...now 22...quad to start...hadn down and double toe....he was flying into that....looks the judge sin the eye as he goes by...triple axel looked shaky...takeoff slipped, and landing was deep on the edge...steps...as music gets more militaristic....steps around and into camel change camel...looks to travel but I cna't be sure from the camera angle...steps to lutz and that was clean...flyinf camel...and that does travel I'm sure of it...into camel which takes forever to start...to sit with shotgun cahnge to scratch, and he's really happy with that...didn't do much for me on a presentation level, and aside form the hand down on the quad and the problems with the spin, he skated it well... didn't see the same level of difficulty in the footwork as in some of the others...and he had real trouble with the final combo spin...

marks 4.5-5.3...4.6-5.2...he's sixth.

Evgeny Plushenko RUS

Holy silver jacket Batman! I hope the lights aren't too bright or that people have sunglasses, or htey might just be blinded...also, there is an abundance of dark netting and sparkling diamonds on his chest...which we are all most grateful for, let me be perfectly clear! Black trousers, as Robin gives us a verse of the dangers and pains of skating with a groin injury...and if I was one who noticed these things, I'd tell you that he's wearing more slap than a pantomime dame. But I'm not so I won't. You could hear a pin drop as he gets ready to start...eitehr that or someone's pulled the sound, and when I hear the announcer, I realise that tis the former...here we go....michael jackson....quad to start...and hes down! hes down! opens his arms up wide as he floats down the ice...axel triple....flying camel....nicely done...to catch foot....lovely...stop and speeds now...stop! oh god! the hip thrusts! now I'm awkae and not i na good way! steps and steps to billie jean...forever ruined for me now....great steps though....steps into 3lz....camel to sit to biellman....change sit to shotgun...and out....and to the boards... and he dances a little..and straight line step...from end to end he made sure! sit change sit....and he stops right on the music...and that, my dear friends, is the cat well and truly set among the pigeons! He kept going though, didn't let it get to him, and Robin considers that the tariff would have been 5.7 or 8 beofre the fall so have to take off 4tenths from that...we shall see...he had it in the warmup, didn't make the last half rotation here...steps not many and not difficult Robin says off triple lutz and we get slomo hip thrusts eeeew eeew eeew! I had an eye checkup today adn was told they were fine but not anymore! eeew!

marks 5.3-5.5...5.-6-5.9, 3of the last...he's third, rom has him 4th....did those come prettily wrapped with a bow on them?

Min Zhang CHN

White shirt, dark mustard trousers...he carried the flag...very Philippe in the three musketeers of Nagano.axel triple to open and that was clean as you like...aroudn we go for the quad...and he's down on the quad...and down hard...was flying into it....camel wit htravel..to layback to sit change sit and out....and around the corner and down the diagonal for the double lutz...footwork worked on the way in...sit change ist looks ok...flyinf camel...muchly travel....around we go some more...steps....circular, not much difficulty that I can see....stop...and he's done? Is that it? And he's disappointed, you can see it in him....20th in Lillehamar, music was Braveheart...lutz just looked scrappy all the way through ,didn't pull in enough on that...quad was fine in the air, just lost it on the landing...

marks ... 4.1-4.7...4.7-5.3 he's 12th

Tim Goebel USA

Oh the little curly headed bonce of him! Grey shirt with red flames....grey trousers. And that is one curly head of hair as the place erupts...come on Timmy....starts arms over head...he's talking to himself....violin...quad sal...please god...yes! triple toe! woohoo!!!! ahem....triple axel...yes! I see frank claps as he goes ...triple flip from steps...camel to sit change camel... to sit...nice speed to cross foot....this is really good....spread eagle...steps serpentine with little jumpy hops..sit really low and fast...not much movement change sit...a little travel on the cahgne I thought but good position in both....steps...straight line, not straight...stars to sit flying....and he's going and going....and he's done. can't shout can't scream house is asleep but I can pump my arms and this I do with a big smile on face ! go timmy! go timmy! and he's crying, bless his little cotton socks! wow! good boy! quad combo was a joy to watch...I was there when he did the first one in Helsinki y'know....sign of the cross as he comes off the ice...

marks...5.5-5.7, One 5, one 6, the rest 7. 5.5-5.7..he's in third? Who's second? fin has him 5th ukr 4th...he's happy with that. who's second? (takeshi?) (who did lutz rather than flip?)

Ivan Dinev

Black outfit with the red and silver lines...which is not disastrous, in fact, by his standards ,quite muted. but only by his. This is Spring...he should've skated right after yags...this is a tango..by piazolla....and he's down and hard onthe quad...short on rotation....triple axel scrambled the landing....camel cahnge camel...trilpe lutz from steps...flyin sit...huge in the air...steps... looks to be slow to me but who can tell....straight line....camel to sit....to upright change sit to upright and that was untidy and he's done. And I must admit to my attnetion wandering all over the shop in that one...possibly from fatigue, possbilby from realising that Plushy is 4th now, wheres he gonna be at the end? Short onthe quad was he. Axel was well saved, over rotated it...triple flip was fine...

marks 4.5-5.1...5.0-5.5..he's 8th.

Zoltan Toth HUN

White shirt, black trousers. Very simple and plain, and he's another one who needs a good meal...where did that waiter go from earlier? And he has the gloves of black...35th in Vancouver...Barry likes not the gloves...quad toe double footed ,triple toe loop...down on the lutz from steps...piano music....flying camel...nicely centred if slow....circular steps....axel double was fine....sit spin, nice in the forward...change sit....and tothe boards and along the diagonal for hte straight line step...this music is a lullaby...not what I need...camle to sit to layback change sit to upright spin....and he glides and the hand goes up and out and he's done and I go in search of some cold water to splash on my face....quad was so nearly there ,just late in getting the free leg back...enough speed for triple....lutz was leanign all the way ,there was no way he could have saved that one...RObin has 5 to 6 tenths off...studying sports management is he...

marks 3.9-4.6...4.5-5.0 he's 19th.

Angelo Dolfini ITA

Black tshirt, black leather look trousers with sparkles on the end of them....final words of advice from coach....the last man in this group before my nerves go the heck on edge....nightmare of warmup...music sounds like Zorro, so some flamenco thing...round he goes....triple toe triple toe...steps around avec arm waving and rotating....down the ice to the lutz and a double and no steps before it...camel to sit to layback change sit with travel....axel clean....and pause and pose and milk the crowd....and hop and turn....flyinf sit...looked troublesome but got it udner control...straight line step....and around he goes once more...into the cennre...really low sit cahgne sit, and equally low on each...and he'sdone. Barry thinks it will be a battle for him....to make it to the free that is...I;m not keeping too close track right now, but I'll fix that inthe resurface...Barry also praise the american crowd...combo done from spreadeagle...prep was bad for the lutz, Robin attacks his bad form in the arms....sit spins were great. good presentation .big waves from kiss and cry.

marks 3.7-4.4...22nd to skate, he needs 18 or better....4.1-5.1..he's in 20ht place...will have to wait and see.

Yags Honda Timmy Plsuhy are the one to four....Anthony is 7th. With Abt, Todd and Elvis to come. Not. Saying. Anything.

Alexander Abt RUS

And the tin foil costume makes an appearance....he's been describedas a wild card by Barry and Robin...oh this is so not fun, I could be asleep now and watching this spoiledsilly tomorrow afternoon....they're right, I am mad, I must be....here we go...slow build tothe quad....quad triple easy... round for axel..and he just hangs on...forward on landing but no touch...flying camel, little bobble on landing....circular steps...closes the circle well, he really made sure of that...camel to sit to ghigher sit change camel to sit....down the ice we go steps to triple lutz , not many steps, late getting leg back...camel change chamel...Robin queries cheat on lutz...striaght line step...well matched with music but I wouldn't have thought the difficulty of Yags. And he's done, nad I have a suspicion that that might get second, I think I'd have him behind Timmy, but I'd not sure that have them both in front of Takeshi, so I'm off the charts as faras the judges are concerned....combo was fine... lutz yes, quarter turn cheat...axel, he really worked to keep that hand off, cause it was going down! Robin says not clean enough to challenge top three, from his mouth to God's ear say I....

marks 5.5-5.7 (1 5.7 from Bul) ... (nah, too easy) 5.4-5.8...and he's fifth behind PLushy. Ok. Not sure about that.

Todd Eldredge USA

Basic black from him, red lines going down right side of top and horizontal on left cuff..very elegant...did quad in warm up....there's Kristi and Bret with the flag, Kristi holding it in between prayer joined hands!.... canyou believe they were both at Olympics together in 92? I want him to do well, I admit it....sentiment is a terrible thing! Choral music....opens with combo....quad toe just kept foot off, RObin says not, no rotation for double, did turn and half...and he's down on the axle, this is all my fauly you know...flying spin and the foot goes down on the landing , oh Todd I'm sorry....steps to lutz and he gets that....sit really low change sit....great position....and out of that...straight line step....not the speed of those that we've seen in the past...serpentine steps...I think....and stop and go into the camel to sit to upright change sit to scratch spin nad stop right on the music...and he shakes his head....and Kristi claps and she's in tears...to be honest, I'm not far behind, my heart is just breaking for him right now....I've never been a fan, but he seems like such a decent chap, and I would have liked for him to do well, just for him....and he taps his head too....toe did go down on the quad, short on the double, and landed forwards, messy....axel, leaning in the air and off he went, 7 tenths total there, another for the touch down o nthe spin means 8tenths mandatory...oh dear me.....

marks ... 4.6-5.1...i'm getting bruises here, ouch! 5.5-5.7...8th.

Frederic Dambier FRA

Black leatherish tousers...top is brown, sleeves are flesh, with leaves going down them...eew...Annick and Pierre send him out...the top is see through dark netting...with red lines of beads....okidoke then...it's still ick....good speed though....axel and a pop....combo quad sal double toe....music that petergabiel arabian thing....combo spin is nicely centred....ncie positions in it as well....steps, circular....triple flip, just held onto ....spread...flyinf sit....striaght line step...nicely done ot the music good changes of edge as well....sitcahgne sit....second one is better , he doesn't move on it, and he's done with that. quad sal slow in air leaning on landing...but got it...had to do the double on the end...

marks ... andwe wait and we wait and my hair grows grey.... 4.6-5.1....5.2-5.5....10th

Kevin Van Der Perren BEL

Blue navy suit....sparkles on it...the Belgian brickie...who'd'a thunk it? Takes a big drink before he goes out....I could do with one myself, and not just water...nerves are getting up there now.... around we go as the violin wails...triple axel triple toe...he liked that and so did I...steps t o lutz and that was clean and good steps as well...that's what i like to see....striaght line step, lots of speed...crowd clap...flyinf sit.....but of travel....ok, lots of travel....double axel and he's flying now....into the camel to sit to layback to camel to sit variation on sit...more travel there, he needs to work on that...but nice flow and nice ice coverage...tango music, and he does the circ step as if he's holding someone for part of it which is nice...fabulously low sit change sit...and he's done and he jumps up and down on the ice! Shades of Tara in 98 there, and he's thrilled! A Dark Secluded Place is the music, RObin picks on his spins, then admires his jumps...love the facial expression o nthe end of the axel...and he should be thrilled, I really really enjoyed that! that reaction at the end is so cute, I jsut love it!

marks ...come on now, do your job....4.8-5.4....mouth depressesd in thin line that's me.... 4.8-5.4....and 12th. what-the-frell-ever

Sergei Rylov AZE

Black with red slashes on it...and the nerves are now kicking in big time, I'm not going to be able to type by the end of htis....around he goes....dboule flip triple toe....no wonder he don't look happy....around for axel...double...flying camel...nicely centred, nice position....steps along the diagonal....quite slow....not really keeping up with the music..steps to lutz...long pause over-rotated it and fell out...sit to upright cahnge to camel to sit and out...more steps ...serpentine....bit more speed in these....although that's not saying much....sit spin cahnge sit spin...and he's done. And the standings to date have just hit me and I'm on another planet now....he's too by the looks of him, not happy at all...he just wants to do it again says Barry....

marks 4.1=4.6...4.5-4.9..he's 21. will make the free

Elvis Stojko CAN

Oh takeme now...either God or him, I'm not sure I mind....black from him as well, red trim on is, and there's a word on his sash that I cant quite make out....nerves, tiredness, who knows what it is? Robin speaks of the trying of the quad lutzes...4.08 in the morning and I could just faint here now...but not for another two and a half minutes....oh god....please god....lion is it? ... steps to start....and around we go...please god....step out of the quad, triple toe....it's better than Plushy did....axel yes! triple! shakes of the hands, mine are too! and here are the drummers...and no it's not my heartbeat!..lutz long wait but its' clean...sit really low and fast...change sit not as low but just as fast....striaght line steps...remember not to clap house asleep....come on baby......end to end...fylkkgin sit...and no touch down and lots of speed and rotation...robin thinks a cheat, shut up robin...serpentine step....he's just flying....so dast on his feet....sit nice and ow to pull ip camel to change sit to ipright scratch....and yes! yes yes yes yes yes! he's done and hes done well! not so sure that it's good enough fo r the tope three, but it should be fourht surely. Surely they can't put Plushy with his fall in front of htat? Can they ? Can they? just free leg too far forward on landing - three tenths deduction says Robin....he was happy...oh god....

marks...long wiat....4.9-5.4...he got hosed. 5.5-5.7...well I hoped, but I had a feeling.

So then Yags Honda, Timmy Plushy (ribbons and bows) Abt, Chengjiang Li, Elvis, Weiss Todd Anthony Dambier Dinev Van Der Perren Li Davydov Lambiel Joubert Vakhtang Min Xhang Skorniakov.

And that's that for tonight. To the leaba at 4.16