Grushina and Goncharov
Old frizzy hair himself......she in the pea green dress......Spente la
Stelle.....I love this music.....pairs spin.....he has very flying
sleeves...a bit distracting......lift and turn.....more pairs spin, with her
leg thrown over his shoulder....looks painful.....he chases her across the
ice....slow on that lift....nice unison on those steps.....carry
lift.....and they're done....not sure about that. The music is fantastic,
really powerful, and the skating is very good, and very in time with the
music and all, but I thought that it could have been more...something. Chris
says something about the speed across the ice...which there was, but I felt
that there was a loss of speed going into the lifts all the time, although
it was a lovely routine, I must admit, I did like it. I jus tthougt there
could have been more.

Anjelika Krylova was talking to Simon...she's back training, wants to come
back, it's hard to just watch but they don't know yet. She misses competing,
and misses everyone

Chris didn't like the sleeves either. It's not just me!
Marks 5.1-5..5 they're first.......his hair though...is that
real???....5.4-5.6.... a row of ones.


Winkler and Lohse
There are feathers in her hair. Why are their feathers in her hair?? Ticking
clock movements....Time Goes Millennium.....and the lift where she's a
pendulum....Dali clocks on the costumes, and he just looks so fine, I cannot
even tell you.....crowd clap along, and they are flying with that
lift!....bit out of kilter onthe steps but who cares......that's unison!
lift......where he swings her around....walking on the ice, looking at
watches...slow part into the steps as some idiot flashes a flash into their
faces,.....hydroblading move......pairs spin, with a change of
position........good grief, he;s gorgeous......another pairs spin as water
drips....and footwork and the drums crash as they vogue for the
judges.....and very nicely too....straight line step.....lift.......more
pendulum like movements....high lift....spin...and that was great! Loved it
in a huge way! She has glitter in her hair. Glitter. In her hair. Her hair.
Scotnicky is beaming...he's a happy man. The Germans loose the
cowbells....Simon and Chris rave about the synchronisation......slight
moment where she gave him a whack over the head.....and what a lovely head
it is.....Chris picks on Rene's lack of boot covers and you thought I was
picky....and she gives him a hug...you go girl! Katarina looks on...
Marks....5.5-5.6...should be in the lead.....5/6-5/7...again all first......

Lang and Tcherneshev
I can't spell his name...these two had an accident in training with Denkova
and Staviski...it was his blade that cut Albena.....Anytime Anywhere by
Sarah Brightman....her in pink...him in dark pink and black......I wouldn;t
put her in pink me,........and already I can see CHris Dean all over this
routine!! Oh the flow, and the oomph.....did I mention the flow?? nice
tricky lift where he flips her......great use of the knees.....spins with
them almost at hydroblading angles on their skates....almost a death spiral
now from her.....and there's Chris at the boards.....nice diffiicult
spins...camel positions with arms intertwined....steps......drums heavy just
there...not sure about it,,,,,another lift...and now back to the classical
again....lift where he goes into besti squat......side by side spins and he
looked like he nearly came a cropper....no wonder he's covering his
face....and they are finished.....I liked it...and he looks dead
tired....nice hug there.....Simon isn't sure about it all the way
through...I thought the start was nice, but then they did the heavy drum
beat thing in the middle and that kinda killed it for me...they never got it
back/ Chris thinks the accident probably subdued them, and that the
performance wasn't skated from the soul....I guess in the wild and wacky
worlds we've had so far that it's taking it's toll on everyone.....Simon
waffles on about their coaching problems....and there's Chris in K&C! Oh
he's fine!
Marks 5.1-5.5....5.4-5.6....third at the moment....behind W&L and G&G


Novak and Kolasinski
9th last year, and they've dropped....blue costumes....piano music...and her
dress is this floaty blue confection which needs about a yard of material
gone from the waist......ok I don't like this music....lift....sounds like
something you'd hear in an elevator, or on hold on the phone.....upside down
lift....pairs spins...slow slow slow....he spins her around....twizzles
while they mime running their hands through their hair...he does a
spreadeagle.....next move, her almost in a death spiral
postion....lift....ho-hum....|Robin Cousins looks as I feel....and when
you're scanning commentary boothes for reaction you know that's not
good....steps the length of the rink....dancey footwork....s/s spins...and
the unison is off....is this over yet??.....another lift....and thankfully
the music stops....Simon says they couldn't have done more.....<to put Nytol
out of business ...but that's just me> It left Chris cold....can I get a
hallejuliah brother on that one! He also hated her dress...did nothing for
her figure.....say Amen! She's lost a lot of weight but you'd never have
known from the dress....oh yes....I'm not just being a prize b**** here,
they agree with me!
Marks.....5.0-5.4.....5.3-5.6

No change from OD ...all is as it was.....

I should tell you that Silverstein and Pekarek were great and show real
promise for the future...as were D&L form Canada...they're 5th at the moment
so will be 10th.....S&P will be 12th....wing and lowe are 10th at the
moment.... I think....

S&C talk about the lack of movement as they go to commercial and ice
resurface.

I'm not good with writing about dance.....with the rest there's jumps and
spins and things I can pick out...with dance it's more subjective....

And they're coming on for warm ups and I can tell the noise level is just
going to go through the roof.....between French and Italians....and it's
starting already! Simon and Chris say that the feeling is that the French
will do it.....

I can see Irina Lobacheva who also has glitter. In her hair. Her hair.

Simon and Chris are in shock. And speechless. Which rarely happens. It's
like a boxing match says Simon, and people are standing!

The French have been introduced for warmup...it's incredible....and they're
booing the Italians! Nice applause for Rita and Povilas as well....much is
being made of the fact that they have a Lith judge on the panel, whereas the
Russians don't.

Have Lobacheva and Averbuhk gone back to Jesus Christ SUperstar? And as I
ask the question Chris tells me they have! As a matter of fact, that got me
in serious trouble with my mum back in 98....I exclamated a certain name
when I saw their outfits, and Mum was not impressed....language Jeanine and
all that. Picture me, replying with a straight face, saying, "No Mum, that's
who he's supposed to be..." - innocence unbound.....

The Italians have also got new costumes. Instead of that great Irish colour
of red, they've gone to that **other** great Irish dancing colour of purple.
I swear to God. At least he's not showing his chest this time. So far.

I'm getting nervous now......the French are first, the Italians next and the
Wave is starting!!!

The French have been perfect all the way, except for Gwendal's slip in the
OD.....they're just skating around now ....here we go!!!

A&P
Carmina Burana...same as Euros costume wise....music is deafening.....here's
the head lift.......how cool is that.....steps across the rink the crowd
clap......Gwendal does his little hoppy things, lifts Marina.......as O
Fortuna starts.....look at her expressions.....and the flow across the ice
is great......the looks......spiral step....pairs spins.....lift with her on
his knees.....and at least we didn't get a closeup on her face this
time......Gwendal hops aggain onto one knee......lift upsidedown......and
she lifts him!!! that is four minutes that flew by!!! the noise is just
incredible! Incredible....and everyone is standing......they must have
it.....no mistakes this time says Simon.....and he still doesn't have a hair
out of place....it never fails to amaze me that while most women want
Gwendal Peizerat, I'd be happy just to have his hair....Chris says it wasn't
as good as he's seen it....the routine not the hair....he thinks it was a
little slower....which is something that I thought too....at the risk of
sounding blasphemous.....and I must say that I would have it ahead of the
Italians who I'm not a fan of, I will warn you now.....the ice is apparently
covered with flowers....the crowd chant six-zero......even my French knows
that! But they're skating first
Marks.....5.7<1> 5.8...there are 6s......4 of them.........oh my GOD!!! I'm
deaf! There's this silence, while the crowd waited for the marks ,then just
this ROAR!

The italians can't beat that....they can't......can they????

Fusar-Poli and Margaglio
I don't like those costumes..purple and sequins..at all. Lord of the Dance/
The Duel as they call it......somersaulty thing to start......she gets swung
around.....steps the length of the rink....she's lifted and spun....Irish
step dance kinda....music picks up....as they do some fast tiny steps.....I
get the feeling that what they're doing with their feet has no relation to
the music but Chris says it's brilliant....lift....pairs spin....as we're
into the slow part.....Braveheart....which is still Scottish not
Irish.....hydroblading inda thing as he lifts her....lift with her upside
down against his chest.....into the corner of the rink for the Lord of the
Dance theme as they step dance the length of the diagonal.....crowd clap and
they exchange a look that says isn't this cool??? They step some more and
they are done.....and they are happy....not as much noise this time.....big
smiles from them......Simon and Chris are gushing but you know my opinion
already, and for once I'm not going to ram it down anyone's throat.....but
for me, it wasn't as good as A&P. Tarasova ,say S&C has transformed
them....Chris says it was faster across the ice, which I did actually get,
and give them credit where it's due but still....for me it's the French.
They might take it on the technical but not the artistic...and that is the
tiebreaker...which is the way to give the judges daylight I suppose.
Marks...hold on to your hats........5.6-5.9...not tonight, come back next
year.....Simon can see the second mark....5.8 and 5.9 and a row of seconds
and you should hear the scream from the French!!!!!

Lobacheva and Averbuhk
There are no words to describe my reaction to the resurrection, no pun
intended, of this routine. I'd ask Why God Why? but that's the wrong
musical. Her dress is new....a nice shade of crimson, but more flash
coloured net than sequins....Chris said earlier that this routine looks
dated......not quite 2000 years old say I, but getting there.......lift..and
she;'s flinging herself all over him....into Gethesemane....and he paints a
smile on.....seriously, it hasn't moved in 60 seconds....stop it, you're
scaring me! into a dance spin.....big lift......ho-hum....another big lift
and she didn't look comfortable.....another spin....music picks up as he
acts for the judges.....step sequence .....the silence in the rink is
profound.....as we go into the main JCS theme the crowd come alive
again....as much arm-flinging is done....and they end with that lift....and
good applause....although that's relative. Simon says simply
glorious....right....a six for the armwork..... don't know....I'm hesitant
to predict.....you know my history with handicapping the judges.....although
Simon is riding that "there is doubt" hobbyhorse for all it is worth...Chris
questions the wisdom of going back to the program....the Liths is their
strength he says....and they hammer home that there is no RUS judge, but
there is a LTH.......
Marks...5.5-5.7.....can you spell daylight......5.7-5.9....Simon doesn't
think they'll hold off the Lithuanians if they go clean...

Drobiazko and Vanagas
They kept their costumes from Euros as well... and like Torvill and Dean,
they set the tone from the boards! Spente la Stelle........typing with
crossed fingers am I....straight into the spin........and a huge round of
applause.....pick up and spin,,,chase her a little......and the flow from
these two is something else altogether...and look at the spiral postion from
her!......lift........bang on with the music.....and there's the lift they
botched in Vienna clean as you liek, and the step sequence is clean as you
like....circular step sequence, and it's perfect! mores
steps......pause.....into pairs spin.....this is great.......lift.....really
great.....another unusual lift,really dast turns......spontaneous applause
from me as the crowd really get into it and clap the beat.....lift where
she's on his back...she drags him along the ice....spins.....woo-hoo!!!! yes
yes yes yes yes yes yes.......I am bouncing bouncing bouncing!!!! That was
better than the Russians.....soooooo much better.....Simon thinks they have
it, Chris is sure...I am hopeful....which is frankly the kiss of death
usually, but I don't fancy the judges' chances of getting out alive if these
don't get a medal! They trained for a while in Bracknell so Chris knows
them, and he says they're the nicest people you'd ever meet - he loves them
to death...he says it was something special...and no disrespect to the
French but that was my fave
Marks....and I am so hopeful......theres a boo...please no.....5.6a and7s
and a 55 from the italian....oh please....oh please.....they've done it!!
Simon says they've done it! And they have! 5.7-5.9! they have it!!!! yes!
Kotin in the K&C with them just went yes the minute he saw it! oh yay! and
the noise from the crowd! Rita is in tears! I'm not far behind! Yay!!
Woo-hoo!!!

OK Primal Scream

Better now.

Chait and Sakhanovski
1492....skating to Elvis music in a Todd costume.....she does have a pretty
dress......and they are flying around the ice! he doesn't use the same hair
gel as Gwendal...it's flying all over the gaff......she twizzles.....he
lifts her in a besti squat position.....shoot the duck from both...not a
move you usually see in ice dance.....I get the notion they're a smidge
behind the music.....very difficult lift, where she flies all over
him.....into a dance spin and I can see the presentation committee in the
wings! Steps the diagonal of the rink......now the length of the
rink....unison is there but it looks slow to me......lift....again a tad
behind the music...although they end right on it, and the applause is
great.....it wasn't an anticlimax...they kept the buzz going! It's a great
routine and I must say that these have come on in leaps and bounds this
year...the original dance, Senorita Sexy....no I"m not making that up...is
great.....the straight line step is amazing in that....Simon and Chris
enjoyed that more than the Russians.....boy am I on their wavelength
tonight!! They gave everything!
Marks....do the math on this one...and I hear boos.....5.4-5.6...and they're
5th...bad news for my lovely Rene.....5.5-5.8....the only movement was at
the top....between one and two and then three and four.

There's Sarah and Stephane backstage

So the French have the gold...can't wait for the noise on the podium.....and
Rita and Povilas have the bronze. For the first time in over 30 years, no
skaters from Russia on the podium.....1968.....

As the French sing.....the crowd now, not the skaters....we wait for the
podium. Barbara backstage gets a hug from the boyfriend......Marina's mum
looks near tears....I'm telling you, she didn't being the wrong baby home
from the hospital! The air sirens are blaring....those klaxon yokes.....you
know what I mean! And we wonder....will the roof stay on the arena??

Here's Rita and Povilas....and the two women hug,...isn't that nice! I
remember the podium from Euros...a very happy friendly podium....the crowd
are getting impatient...where are the French.....and from the noise, I think
they're here!! They're back=stage...talking...oh let them out onto the ice
would you ever!! Joyce is gonna be mad says someone.....you should hear the
noise from the arena........

Slowly slowly the girls come on with the medals....and the crowd clap time!
I've never heard that!

And they're out.....Wow......just wow......I have
chills.....goosebumps.......wow.......Simon compares it to worlds in Ottawa
when Underhill and Martini won gold......and the Italians get a nice round
of applause as well.....Barbara mimes stabbing Gwendal in jealousy.....and a
huge roar for the Lithuanians....and that's just from me!!! And big claps
from the podium too........and huge smiles and hugs....this is so
nice.......I can see Chris Dean in the BBC box with Sue Barker....it's right
behind the podium you can't miss it....Samaranch is there to present the
medals......and Barbara is the first to applaud as the medal goes around
Marina's neck.....Barbara is 28...is anyone telling her she's too old????
Big smiles from Rita and Povilas......Gailhaiget presents the flowers.....

And now for the anthem....can you imagine, can you just imagine the
singalong on that??? people are bawling!!

OK.....happy now! Chris is exhausted...I concur!