2025 Ephesus Cup | Jan 20-26

[CaroLiza_fan]

Never seen Diane SZNAJDER / Jáchym NOVÁK (CZE) before. But, for a partnership that have only been together for a few months, they were really good!

Diane wearing a strange white top, and black skirt. Jáchym wearing a white shirt and a black suit.

You know, I would put them between the Blaas siblings and the Klesal twins. But nearer the top of the gap.

And that is exactly where they do go. Into 3rd position, 1.18 points behind the Blaas siblings.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Group 2 now, and we take a temporary break from our Czech Championships (we will return to them for the penultimate partnership).

Martina LAVAZZA / Raphael Raymond MEUNIER (ITA). She is wearing a white top with white leggings, while he is wearing a white shirt and black trousers.

It's amazing when you know that you are going to get ABBA just from the costumes! A VERY slowed down "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme", followed by a normal speed "Mamma Mia".

Don't think I've seen them before. But they were good. Even with being annoyed with the speed of "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme", I enjoyed that.

I would put them somewhere around the current leaders.

But they are not! They go into 4th position.

No. I thought they were better than that.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I've definitely not seen Sofiia BEZNOSIKOVA / Max LELEU (BEL) before, because I would defintely remember his shirt! It's sending my eyes screwy!

Sofiia is wearing a black dress with silver lines on it. Although the skirt part is barely existant - it is more like a few tassles. Max is wearing a wild black and white shirt, with black trousers.

Can't say I like the music.

That was a lot more lively than we have seen so far.

Although everything else wouldn't be my taste, the skating was very good. To the extent that I would say new leaders.

Yep, they do go into the lead.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

We now complete our Czech Championships with Eliška ŽÁKOVÁ / Filip MENCL (CZE)

Eliška is wearing a pink dress. Filip is wearing black shirt and black trousers.

The stream was misbehaving during their programme. But what I saw looked good.

I think I would have them as the top Czech partnership.

Yep, they are! Into 3rd position, just 0.55 points behind Irmak YÜCEL / Danil PAK (TUR) in 2nd.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

We finish the Juniors with Laura FINELLI / Massimiliano BUCCIARELLI (ITA). Laura is wearing a bronze coloured dress (correction, it's actually silver), while Max is wearing all black.

Chic and Donna Sommer. OK. Don't think I personally would have put "Le Freak" and "Hot Stuff together, but hey.

Nevertheless, they were good.

I don't think their position will match the colour of her dress.

It doesn't. They go into the lead.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Mmmm. It is the time that the Seniors are supposed to be starting now, and the resurfacing is only beginning!

And there I was hoping that this would all be over in time for eating. Now I am going to have to delay the start of my dinner, because my kids are the last to skate.

CaroLiza_Fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

We finish the day with the Senior Dancers.

And unlike the Juniors which were practically the Czech Championships, there are no Czech partnerships in Seniors.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

When Mariia IGNATEVA / Danijil Leonyidovics SZEMKO (HUN) came out, I was not expecting them to be skating to an Elvis medley. Her dress was screaming "Firebird" to me! He is wearing all black.

I know I'm not a big Elvis fan, but the music didn't sound great. I am hoping it is just the effect of echoes in the arena, rather than bad quality recordings.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Second time in the past 45 minutes that I've watch a partnership where the girl is wearing a pink dress, and the guy is wearing all black. THis time it is Anna BODRONE / Stefano FRASCA (ITA).

Aha! That's why I recognised Stefano 's name. He was Noemi Maria TALI's long time partner!

Yes, I enjoyed them.

They go into the lead.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

First of the SK teams competing in this.

Hopefully their team-mates winning the Unversiade will give them a boost!

ALL THE BEST SOPHIA AND ANTONIO!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Sophia BUSHELL / Antonio PEÑA (GBR)

It's been a long time since I've seen Sophia in action, and I'm not sure that I've seen Antonio before.

Sophia wearing an orangey-red dress. Antonio wearing a white shirt, braces and black trousers.

Music des not match what the graphic says they are skating to. But, I really enjoyed that programme.

Kirill with them momentarily. (He probably has to go see to Sofía and Asaf, who are out in the next group).

They go into 3rd position.

They look very disappointed.

But I liked it, so

WELL DONE SOPHIA AND ANTONIO!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

That was a lot of fun from Gaukhar NAURYZOVA / Boyisangur DATIEV (KAZ)!

Gukhar is wearing an absolutely gorgeous black dress. Boyisangur is wearing all black too.

I really enjoyed that.

They go into 2nd position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Took me a while to spot Sofíá and Asaf. She is wearing a red jacket, and he is wearing a black jacket. And the team from Brazil are the only ones not wearing red or black jackets!

It really helped when they took off their jackets. Because, although everybody is wearing black to some extent, I know Sofía and Asaf's costumes well enough to spot them without difficulty.

Not really much I can say about the warm up.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Natalia PALLU-NEVES / Jayin PANESAR (BRA). Yes, I nearly wrote "GBR".

Natalia wearing a beautiful gold dress with a black sash. Jayin wearing a black jumpsuit with gold neckline. Skating to a Donna Summer medley.

That was fun!

I really like these two, and I love the way that they are getting so many opportunities now that they are representing Natalia's country.

They go into 2nd position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Well, from the massive cheers when Natalia and Jayin were waiting for their scores, I didn't need to check who was next. Katarina DELCAMP / Berk AKALIN (TUR).

Katarina's black and white striped dress is sending my eyes screwy. Berk is wearing all black.

They were good. But it was really hard to watch because of the dress. I hope she changes it. But, it's a bit late in the season for that.

They go into 2nd position, just ahead of Natalia and Jayin.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The Indonesians!!! Tasya PUTRI / Dwiki Eka RAMADHAN. Tasya wearing a black jumpsuit. Dwiki Eka wearing a black T-shirt and black trousers.

A "Grease" medley. "Hopelessly Devoted", "Greased Lightning", and "We Go Together"

Not songs you normally see being used in a "Grease" programme. And the costumes did not say "Grease". But, I loved it!!!

Going into this, I set my expectations low. But, they were really good! And I think they are going to shock a few people when the scores are announced.

Into 7th position.

I thought they would be higher.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Now for the newly crowned Universaide Champions.

ALL THE BEST SOFÍA AND ASAF!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Twizzles not as in sync as they were on Thursday.

They are just so good. I couldn't spot any other issues.

Asaf said in his Universiade profile that this would be their last competition of the season. Well, if it is, I will miss this programme.

Kirill the coat man greets them!

All three of them are wearing all black. And all three are smiling.

They go into the lead. But only by 1.47 points over Mariia IGNATEVA / Danijil Leonyidovics SZEMKO (HUN).

WELL DONE SOFÍA AND ASAF!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

And believe it ot not. That is the end of the opening day.

See you again tomorrow. I was going to continue and say "Same bat-time, same bat-channel", but the action is actually starting an hour earlier tomorrow.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

It is now 50 minutes after the Junior Free Dance was supposed to start, and there is still no sign of any action happening.

And I just had a thought. Two years ago, this event was cancelled after an earthquake hit the eastern part of Turkey the day before skating was due to start, killing over 53,500 people.

Yesterday, there was a fire at a hotel in the ski resort of Kartalkaya (300 miles north-east of İzmir) that killed at least 76 people. And today has been declared a national day of mourning.

I wonder if today's skating has been cancelled, and the YouTube channel or the Entries / Results page has not been updated to reflect this.

I checked the Fed's website, and there is a page with a message of condolence on it:

https://www.buzpateni.org.tr/haber-detay/milletimizin-basi-sag-olsun-32

But it does not mention anything about any effect on the Ephesus Cup.

Of course, my thoughts go out to all those affected by the fire.

CaroLiza_fan