Zoya Douchine GER
West Side Story.....3toe 2t.....triple lutz double footed....flip double
footed ....triple sal.....layback spin....spiral....spent an age lining up
the loop but clean on it....steps....biellman....triple toe on its
own.....there's not much between the jumps here....double axel.... sit to
layback...to sit.....and she's finished. Yeah, she seemed to go into the
jumps and forget all about choreography...a lot still todo, but for the
first one out, not bad and it's only her first worlds......5 triples....and
she's in the first group! Simon tells us she has great potential. She looked
happy with it and look at that smile!
Marks 4.4-4.6.....4.3-4.5

Ivana Yagupcevic CRO
Passage of Life...hops out of the triple toe, but puts a double toe onthe
end,.....winds up the sal and it's double footed and stepped out
of.....spins.....very slow.....nice pink dress. but the sleeves are
unflattering orangey netty things...2ax......triple loop double
footed,,,...circular step sequence with which she does not look
comfortable....very nice layback position though......great spiral position
and back spiral too.....double lutz in to a double toe.....triple toe on its
own.....falls out of double axel....camel spin to sit to layback chnage
camel to sit to rudy spin.......oh dear. Not what she was looking for,.....
Marks....3.7-4.2 /3.8-4.2

Shirene Human RSA
Nice navy velvet dress from her....Titanic........she's cut her hair since
I've seen her last.....back spiral....lands heavy on the toe but it's gonna
count......ina bauer which we don't see enough of....doubles the
sal.....camel spin....change camel....double axel double toe...hydroblading
move......down onthe toe....she's got great speed across the ice.....nice
steps....double flip double toe....camel to sit to y spiun change camel sit
rudy......lovely lovely layback......spiral....backspiral....double axel on
its own....double flip.....double loop.......flying camel.....and she gets a
nice round of applause....it was a nice routine, shame about the jumps! This
is her fifth worlds but the first time she's qualified for the free.....
Marks 3.6-4.0.../3.6-4.0

Siyin Sun CHN
15...first comp out of Asia...Barber of Seville...and she nails the double
axel right out of the box....light green dress with gold glitter....triple
toe double toe.....double foots the triple loop - it was under-rotated - but
throws in the toe.....a double by the way for a combination....layback
spin.....3sal....right in front of the judges.....camel spin.....camel to
sit to upright moving all about the place.....a horrible horrible fall on
the toe....she landed on her side....I can feel the bruise
forming!....spiral steps.....doubles the loop.....and she just steps off the
triple sal which was meant to be a combination and she went down........and
she's finished. Not bad for a first worlds....Simon is using the word
potential to describe her....youch! they just showed that fall again....she
never gave up though, even after the fall.
Marks 3.9-4.3/ 3/7-4/4....she's second

Anna Lundstrom SWE
Nice red dress......spanish music....sounds like the mask of zorro but don't
quote me......double foots the triple loop, and underrotated to boot and she
was all over the place on the triple lutz...double axel is clean......triple
toe, turn turn triple toe.....one of those won't count since it won't be
marked as a combination.....still don't know the music...spiral
steps....that was nice...a full stop in a spiral position and then a turn on
the toe....the audience liked it....and she's down on the 3flip.....flying
camel to sit to upright....straight line step sequence.....double
sal.....sit spin to upright.....triple sal....combo spin....and there's an
end to her! Good thinking with the second triple ....she really needed it!
Marks...we think Zoya will overtake her...4.4-4.5 and she will indeed
drop....4.2-4.7...shes second

Sylvia Fontana
Excuse me while I cheerlead.....she doesn't belong in this group....21st in
the short....big smile from her....Puccini La Boheme....same nice dress as
last year....triple lutz double toe good girl!!! doubles the flip....camel
spin to half biellman.....someone shouts Go Sylvia from the crowd....I
agree.....doulbes the loop.....the italians are trying to get her
going.....comeon......step out of the triple sal.....triple toe on its
own.....into the flying camel....she's changing the program halfway through
says Simon......nice slow part....layback spin to die for.....spiral also
exquisite.....double axel.....and she pops the toe loop to a double says
Simon....I thought it was a flip, and I thought itwas a single...double
foots another double axel...lovely combo spin to end....and a lovely smile,
but she knows.....she knows.....such a lovely program, such a lovely
skater....Simon thinks she puts herself under too much pressure...Chris
concurs, says she snatches at the jumps, tries to force them too
much....she's engaged to John Zimmerman! I didn't know they were engaged!
Apparently John and Michael Weiss were bowling last night....just incase you
wonder.....Simon got creamed by Hendryk Shamberger
Marks....4.2-4.5...Simon is surprised that they're better than Zoya....she
did have the lutz....4.4-4.9...she's first.on the day third
overall....lundstrom second and douchine in the lead.

Warmup group 2 on the ice...Diana POth gush fest after the break!

Tammy Sear is in the commentary box with Simon.....which spares us all from
Chris and his love affair with Diana Poth. And there's a lot of talent in
this group....and what is Diana wearing? Or not wearing as the case may be?
No wonder Chris is so quiet....his tongue's probably hanging down on to the
ice!

Alisa Drei FIN
Red dress.....triple toe on its' own, it was supposed to be a combination
with another triple toe, but Tammy tells us she was too far back on her
heel....doulbe the lutz....Tammy says she doesn't appear as confident as in
the past....but reminds us she has changed coaches....nice spin.....wavy arm
movements very Alexander Zhulin ish there......triple loop.......doubles the
lutz...into a spin.....lovely spiral step sequence....just held ontothe
triple flip ....hand down on the sal....flying camel.....steps.....double
axel double toe.....combo spin....mores steps.....finitio.....
She's training with Trent and Gailhaiget....everything looks like a real
struggles says Tammy and Simon and Tammy says she looks untrained.....has
been strong in the past and Tammy is shocked to see her miss jumps...
Marks...4.4-4.8/ 4.3-5.2

Galina Maniachenko
Anthony and Cleopatra...purple dress. with peacock like/eye like things on
the netty sleeves......looks weird but nice.....doubles the lutz.....she
used to be a pairs skater.....hand down on the triple loop...this girl got a
build up from Simon so it now stands to reason that this will happen. Tammy
tells us her jumps are brilliant when they work.....triple flip and that was
a beauty......pops the lutz to a single....2ax and she thought about a combo
then thought again......sal all off axis.....layback spin incredibly
fast.....spiral......and down on the toe loop....a big shame says
Tammy.....single the axel.....another ......combo spin.....crossfoot spin to
finish....oh dear....she looks devastated! Oh they're gold braceletty things
coming down along her sleeve....I see I see I see
Marks 4.0-4.5 / one clean triple....4.2-4.6....she's fourth overall

Tatiana Malinina
In 17th place....no place for her. Malaguena.....crowd clap....and she lands
the triple lutz, which she flew into, on her side....eep!...triple
flip....double footed....triple toe that was fabulous......down and leaning
all over the triple loop and she lands heavily on the ice..double foots the
sal, and puts a double toe at the end....one clean triple so far.....oh
dear....back spiral....spiral.....doubles the lutz.....layback
spin....doesn't look confident at all.....straight line step....and she's
down on the double axel....scratch spin to finish.....it's been a long
twelve months for her...death of her coach, injuries....
Marks....4.1-4.7...Roman in the kiss and cry .... 4.2-5.0

Chris comes back...as Simon says, if he had to watch Diana Poth standing up
he'd probably faint!

Diana Poth
Wearing what can only be described as a gold bikini top, flesh coloured net
to beat the band, and a gold and black skirt.......Another Cha Cha
....triple toe double toe....just gets the triple lutz! Chris has turned his
mike off.....this is like me with Elvis, I sympathise with
him!......spin....dead on, she didn't move an inch.....doubles the
loop.....pops the flip toa single....layback spin and we've seen better
tonight....arch your back woman!!!.....spiral and that is nice........as she
stares down the judges.....she crawled going in to that flip and down she
went....Chris is silent! Hasn't said a thing!! This is too funny! triple
sal...good girl!!..double axel....camel spin to sit. to half biellman....all
sorts of positions here......as she motors around the ice, selling it all
she can......scratch spin and she's done.....better than in
qualifying....but room for improvement....she just needs to get confidence
back....Chris has found his voice.....too too funny!
Marks....4.6-5.0 / 4.6-5.1 gonna move up above Alisa Drei.

Anna Rechnio
Right. Red dress. Dark red. With that hair. Sure. Whatever. Gypsy Flame.
steps to start,,,,,triple flip and down she goes. triple lutz, touchdown, 2
feet.....camel spin slow as slow canbe.....triple toe.....doubles the
loop.....layback do NOT start me on her position......spiral step sequence,
which includes a besti squat......not flattering......triple flip....left
foot looked low but it didn't touch.....triple loop nailed it....third
triple.....steps the length of the rink....flying sit....and she's down
heavily on the double axel....another combo spin.....and that's the end of
her. Touches her hand to her head.....she doesn't look happy.
Marks 4.5-4.9 / 4.6-5.2....she's third overall. Diana leads Drei second

Yoshie Onda JPN
I saw this kid from 4CC and her jumps would blow you away! Multicoloured
dress......reds pinks and silvers....sounds worse than it looks....triple
flip to start.....hand down on the lutz.....layback spin and
combination...little bit of movement....triple toe double toe.....just hung
onto the sal....good double axel.....flying camel...slow
part.....layback...position not great.....spiral......backspiral...not great
extenstion and not held....and she's down on the loop and she took forever
to set it up...triple sal double toe.....camel spin.....triple toe loop on
its own, her fifth triple....double axel...and I think she thought about
putting something else in there, but she didn't have the music!! Chris tells
us that her technique on the axel is just like Midori Ito's and he wouldn't
be surprised if she lands it soon....her coach is Ito's old coach, Machiko
Yamata (did I spell that right?)
Marks..4.7-5.2 / 4.5-5.0 She's first.

Ice resurface....back soon

Mikkeline Kirkegaard DEN
Same pink dress as Euros....nice layback to start....and a clean triple
loop....3toeloop....doubles the flip....backspiral with a purposely bent
leg..camel spin, nice position, to upright....this girl had a disaster in
the short...double axel....triple sal...camel to sit change sit to crossfoot
layback.....nicely done....spiral....backspiral....triple flip double
toe....or Simon says it was a toe.....steps.....triple sal double toe, her
fifth triple...nice sit change sit...double axel....good girl! Well done!
And a big big smile.....such a difference from yesterday...and the Danes are
standing...can't see Michael though....
Marks ....4.7-5.2 and they're booing that.....5.0-5.6....1st across the
board.

Sabine Wojtala POL
Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini.....second worlds.....nice black dress. with
sequins galore....triple lutz, deep landing but gets the 2toe on the
end.....doubles the flip.....flying sit spin.....triple toe double toe
.....layback spin.....very nice stretch on her spiral....very
nice.....double axel....pops the loop to a single...biellman .....pops the
loop again....she looked like she slipped doing footwork there.....doubles
the sal and this isn't her day....but she puts it in here!! Good girl! Combo
spin....and we're done. She needed that last triple....talk about thinking
on your feet....she was 10th....Simon and Chris think that she's going to
fall....
Marks.....4.5-5.1....4.5-5.1...5th on the free, 3rd overall.

Viktoria Volchkova
Black dress. with a long seethrough skirt....The Summer Knows by Michel
LeGrand.....huge triple lutz double toe....effortless......triple flip and
she flew!...the elevation in these jumps is something else...pops the
loop.....triple sal....perfect....spreadeagle....triple toe .....layback
spin......footwork....single axel.....and she's down on the
lutz...underrotated.....camel spin....travel. on the change....doubles the
loop....spiral....combo spin....started well....Chris is going on about the
dryness and the warmth in the arena again.....she just lost her sharpness
halfway through. Four triples all in the first half.
Marks 4.5-5.3.....she's gonna be first which is where she should be if she
want to hold her place.....4.7-5.5.
She leads on the day and overall

There's Maurizio backstage.

Angela Nikodinev
That lovely blackand gold thing again...ahem....The Mummy.....hand down on
the triple lutz.....which Simon is ignoring.....triple loop...just kept the
free leg off.....spirally steps....layback....very nice......doubles the
flip......camel change camel......double foots the second lutz, and she puts
the toe on after a turn....doubles the sal.....spreadeagle.....backspiral,
with good extension.....flying camel spin.....doubles the flip
again.....she's skating through the music a little...double
axel....combination spin....and that's that. We're seeing a pattern
here...strong beginning, and then it all goes kablooey. And as regards the
music, I feel I simply must insert at this juncture that Elvis, I can
confirm, did it better. Chris mentioned that she skated through the music
as well...not just me being snotty.....Simon thinks Volchkova will take
her....
Marks...someone gave her a Kermit!!! 4.6-5.1....3rd on the free. second
overall.....4.9-5.4...ita has her 7th! cro in 1st.....


Jennifer Robinson....
Elvis leads the applause...can't see him, but Simon says it and I trust
him.....Navy dress......Papa Can You Hear Me...Simon says is the
music.....triple sal, and it looked good.......lutz....triple, with a double
toe at the end.....flying camel.....triple flip...think the free foot stayed
off.....lutz...triple onits own but the left foot wasa close, Chris thinks
she got away with it...nice spins.....the triple loop was
2footed......triple toe was
clean.....spiral....backspiral.....steps.....triple sal double toe
loop....sit spin....this is really good, if she can just keep it up!
2ax....layback.....and the Canadian are standing and the coaches are jumping
and she's in tears! I'm not far behind no harm in telling you! Oh good on
you Jennifer Robinson!!! She must be in the top ten....she claps coming
off....one possibly two df landings....
Marks....you should see the coaches! 4.9 then 5.3and 5.4...Michelle Leigh is
bouncing.....5.4-5.7...first across the board, 2nd overall.....the joy in
the kissa and cry is great ans she is just bawling!! oh that was great!

theres Rita and Povilas in the crowd

Elena Liashenko
Silvery white dress....Griegs Piano Concerto.....triple lutz and that was
great.....very near to the boards....down on the flip.....triple toe.....got
it all wrong o nthe loop....halfway between adouble and a triple....nice
smile in the middle of this slow piece....spiral.....spin.....double
sal....layback.long long travel.....triple sal double toe......double
axel.....camel spin to sit to layback t ocatch foot camel to finish.
Marks ...4.8-5.2.....she's gonna be 4th....5.1-5.6

She's fourth....that means that Jennifer is 2ndand with 6 togo you have to
figure that she's gonna be 8th! Great! Woo-hoo! Volchkova is first!

Warm up!

Bounce!

ELVIS IS IN WITH SIMON!!!!!

Talking about the injury comparing it with Urmanov.....Simon tells him that
he became a hero to a lot of people in england in nagano....he says that
what jennifer did was terrific....sluteskaya is in the hunt he
says....hughes can jump in....butyrskaya has a lot of experience...

Michelle Kwan
Nice crimson dress...Red Violin.....triple loop to start......lutz...triple
with a double toe.....she's looking good.....triple toe triple toe!!!
3sal.....layback......dress is actually purple....triple flip....she's bang
on on everything....spins....souvle axel...flying sit......nice spiral.....c
stop......sit spin to y spin......to crossfoot layback.....yes! 2nd
3lz......and the roar of the crowd.....steps....upside down c spiral
thing........and she's done! And yes! she says and yes we say!! that was
great! it's gonna have to go some to beat that and if only she wasn't
skating first! oh god! 7 great triples
marks...i hear whistles....5.6-5.8......i hear boos.....5 5.8s 4 5.9s.

Vanessa Gusmeroli
New costume.....huge roar....it's brown suede....like an Indian
dress...choker and all....fits /Legends much better....double footed the
lutz double toe...triple flip....3loop....circular step and that's just
lovely....triple sal...3lz....clean.....ina
bauer.....backspiral.......triple toe and she had to fight to get the leg
around.....spin....double axel....you'd want to hear the
crowd...splits...and I think she meant that! combo spin....layback very
pretty...... final combo spins.....and Sarah and Stephane and most of the
crowd are on their feet! It was lovely, it was great. She's crying.....but
she's not gonna beat Kwan.....oh what a shame.....Chris says that the girls
are showing the men a thing or two about handling nerves!
Marks 5.5-5.7.....boos are the order of the day.....5.6-5.8...she's a strong
second....the qual round where she was 7th hammered her.

there's Katarina

Julia Sebestyn
Some traditional folky soundy yoke with outfit to match ....red tunic and
white shirt....hand down on the triple lutz....and she's down on the
flip....spiral.....ina bauer or what is meant to be one.....really good
spiral.....triple loop....the free leg just touched. and she steps out of
another triple ....into a combo spin including a Sandhu special....which
traumatises me.......that is one ugly sight....ban it now! triple lutz, did
a double toe and hit the decks on the toe....triple
flip/toe......layback...leaning all the way on the sal and down she
goes....flying sit into combination spin, including one where she's on two
feet leaning at the waist...kinda odd...and that's her gone. She suffers
from the nerves, and there's nowhere to hide in this place at all, and so
she knew just the reaction that Kwan and Gusmeroli were getting....so the
pressure of the final group was just too much for her, but she'll be better
for the experience of what she's done here. they replay the sandhu butt
spin...why?????WHY???
Marks... 4.9-5.3 / 5.1-5.4
she's fourth.

Maria Butyrskaya
Swan Lake.....the costume is the same from Euros...her short was great,
performance of her life.....what will she do here? spot on on
thelutz......chris wonders about a combo.....triple flip, which I think may
have been double footed....camel spin, nice position......skating through
the music a bit here.....triple toe, half loop horribly double footed sal on
the end....hands down a nd all....lands the loop....layback not as nice as
Michelle's......spiral.....backspiral....and she doubles the sal......camel
spin...to upright with the free leg in the spiral position......steps into a
clean double axel....triple toe, .....nice spiral........she looked scared
going into that last jump.....now more steps....spins ....looking slow as
she finishes. She taps the forehead....in the words of Simon, close so close
but I don't think it's enough. It depends on Sluteskaya....and Simon is
wondering out loud about the possible permutations and flip flops regarding
the factored placements. Which is too much to work out at 6 minutes past 6
on a Saturday evening....Kwan needs someone between her and Butyrskaya to
get the gold.....
Marks....5.4-5.7.....Kwan is in front on the free but second
overall.....5.7-5.9.....Maria is first overall.....she doesn't look it...and
the crowd have seen the placements and they don't understand....

we see Michelle backstage

Irina Sluteskaya
Same costume for her as for Euros.....nice dark red
number....Carmen....triple lutz double loop.....double sal.......triple sal
double loop.......triple lutz, she looks nervous......sit spin.......to
upright....and now she sells and the crowd show they're buying by clapping
along....triple loop.....steps steps.....triple flip.....camel to sit to
layback to biellman and change catch foot camel to biellman and other things
as well which I cna't catch because I'm typing, but it's dead good, as is
the spiral... double axel.....triple toe......layback......mimes a stab and
she's done.....but has she done it? Technically, Kwan has it over it,,
artistically, not.....Chris gives an emphatic no to is it better than
Kwan.....the 3/3 makes it he reckons. .....if she gets between Kwan and
Maria, then Michelle has the world title.....but there is room with the
marks for technical Kwan got....dear me I'm all a-fluster.....it could go
either way.....she could have it, she could have given it to Michelle! Hurry
up with the marks!
Marks.....she's smiling inthe kiss and cry...and here we
go.....5.6-59.....Simon talk to me!.....5.6-5.9....she's second on the free.
Maria goes third and Michelle has the title!

And screams go up in the arena as the americans see it...michelle is lying
backstage. she has no clue!

what the hell is Sarah Hughes wearing!!
Sarah Hughes..
Blue....blue and spangles.....double axel, clean as anything......3sal3loop
and she just had to step out of the triple loop.....triple toe, goes for
triple loop at the end and steps out of it....slow part.....nessun
dorma....triple lutz.....layback with a little travel.....catch foot
biellman......triple flip.....spiral......double axel......steps....triple
toe....spins.....the americans stand....final combo/scratch spin.....and her
coach is bouncing! Absolutely dancing! We see a banner saying Wow and wow it
was! I wonder if Michelle knows yet.....change of edge on the lutz says
Chris....looks like Maria has 3rd, Vanessa 4th....this has been a stormer of
a ladies event!
Marks.....5.3-5.7...boos all around.....she's 5th. 5.4-5.6.

there's michelle. with frank ....and she smiles and waves! couldn't have
been closer....her and Irina have tariff of 3.6....michelle won the free,
so she gets it. There's Jennifer in 8th! and we can see michelle and frank
get the confirmation...smiles and hugs.....she must have only just found
out! fair play to her....to come out and skate first and skate like
that....and I must say, I wanted Irina to win but on the day, I must say
that Michelle was the better skater on the night....same 123 as
Minneapolis.....isn't it amazing the road that the three of them took to end
up back there.... we've just seen the pictures in slo-mo....she's doing an
interview now.....there's Maria waiting.......and there's a man who stayed
at the same youth hostel in Helsinki as I did last year! there's Yags
hugging Maria....giving her flowers....

Here's the bugles........as we watch more slo-mo replays....Michelle and
Maria mug for pictures.....and a big hug between the two of them ,and real
genuine smiles. And the crowd clap along as the presentation committee come
out.....here's Michelle! big applause, and what a smile! A big round of
applause for Irina as well...and for Maria.

And the anthem plays....you can see the tears in Michelle's eyes....and will
anyone ever wipe the smile off her face?! Good on you girl!and the three of
them smile for photos.