On Site Reports:@ Euros 2016

Is anyone from this forum going to be there?
How are the practices going?
Who is doing well?
Did you meet any skaters?
What are you eating?
Please tell us!

Interspectator said:

Is anyone from this forum going to be there?
How are the practices going?
Who is doing well?
Did you meet any skaters?
What are you eating?
Please tell us!

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Yeah, give us the goss!!!

Hopefully there will be news tomorrow.

Is anyone watching practice?? How are my loves Gabriella and Guillaume doing??

Yesterday I arrived late on the hotel so I will write some of my thoughts now. (It will be pretty long maybe, but you don't have to read it )
First of all...I have got a signature of Tatiana Tarasova!!! I really wanted this one, but didn't know if I'll be lucky enough to meet here and also I didn't know if she is going to be there. During ice-resurfacing we just go around the corridor, hoping to meet someone, but we're in the sector B and I think many important people are in the sector A, but since I met TAT on the corridor of the sector B, I'm not complaining. She was just walking in the opposite way so I asked her (in Russian, she can speak English, but we thought she will be pleased when I try Russian) for her signature. She was OK, she gave me a signature. After she has left, it took me like 5 minutes to stop shaking. Well, that signature...it is probably in cyrilic or illegible or both...but doesn't matter, because I have TAT's signature!!!Then I was watching the arena, and couldn't find where is she sitting. At the very end of the evening, before Kovtun's SP I glimpsed her where commentators are sitting, and suddenly realized that someone here on the forum wrote she could be here as a commentator. My seat is good, but I don't see all the commentators, just Russians. Before Kovtun's SP I moved a little bit higher and sat on the stairs to see her and her reaction to his program better. She seemed like OK when he landed, when he fell she banged a table with her fist And then during spins she looked very focusing on them, maybe counting revolutions. When he finished TAT, again, banged a table with her fist ...Orser is jumping and spinning with Javi as always, nice to watch it
I will now talk about Men's SP:
I really liked Jiří Bělohradský from Czech Republic. He hasn't got 3A or quad but it was very solid performance, his interpretation was very good for his first Euro and he quite surprised me, because overall it was very nice and I didn't expect him to skate so good. I also loved Tomáš Verner, sitting with him, asi his coach in the K&C.
I'm a little sad for Patrick Myzyk, for not qualifying to FP.
First really good performance for me, was Jorik Hendrickx I enjoyed him. And then the last two groups were great, even with some mistakes!
It wasn't Kolyada's day, he couldn't skate the clean program the same way he did earlier in the season. I loved Florent! It was probably his last competitive SP so I wished for him some good program and he did. The step sequence was great, he was truly enjoying it. Sometimes, when I watched him on he TV, I thought he was over-acting a little, but seeing him skate SS like this, enjoying skating was great
Alexander Majorov was also very good and I was very happy for him, considering what he has been through . For Righini I could say the same what I said about Florent (except Ivan, hopefully doesn't want to retire). And Deniss ...first of all I was surprised when the announcer said he is the youngest, I didn't realize. It wasn't his best performance but he is very young, it is his first Euro and except the mistakes he was great. His skating is really great. Fall in the SS was shameful, but he really can skate. When he fell there the judge who was closest to him, was a little shocked I think, she leaned over her computer for a second. Like...oh what is this Anyway, I love Deniss spins, especially sit spin. Even though landing on the 3A wasn't perfect, the jump was high and looked nice in the air. Intepretation wasn't surprising for me, because Deniss performs for the audience, dances on the ice, interprets the music since the very young age, but he just has it all. For the future he will need cleaner skates than was this one but I believe he has a good chance.
Then the next was Březina. 4S again...but rest was very good, I like this program and I loved 3A. Spins seemed much better than he did at Nationals. Petrov was nice to watch, but he needs more personality.
Fernandez was great. This program seemed kinda weird on the TV, but seeig it live changes everything. Choreography is great, it is a great choice for Javi and he is playing with the judges and audience a lot Loved his jumps, and also loved Orser's performance off the ice!
Bychenko was good, but I enjoyed Samohin much better. Shame about 3A, with clean 3A he could've been higher. I loved the energy of the program, jumps look superb, when he lands them and I think we have another great talent here.
Very nice surprise was also Max Kovtun. I just didn't like his program when I saw it on TV, but same thing as Javi, seeing it live changes everything! It is interesting program and I like the way how he performs. Enjoyed it lot
For ladies:
First I saw last training group. Angelina had problems with 3Lz there, but fixed it in the competition. Roberta Rodeghiero left the ice early and didn't skate with music. Rajicova had a big applause from the local school children. I don't know what to say about the Russian because they were just doing their job during practice, just training.
About competition:
From the first group I liked very first skater from Great Britain. She didn't make it to the FP, and it wasn't anything superb, but she was nice to watch. From the second group I like Anne Line Gjersem, she is very elegant
The fourth group started pretty strong with Nathalie Weinzierl, it was clearly another level than skaters before. I also like Březinová, she looked better than on TV and 3Lz was pretty good, shame about messed 2T...Strongest in this group was Giada Russo, very enjoyable performance.
I'm so sad for Lutricia Bock, she is so elegant, and I loved the music. She is just a little bit slower and this wasn't her best. But I know she can do better. Joshi was great, I loved it!!!Face expression, nice program I loved everything and she enjoyed it so much. Same with Mae Berenice Meite. Also, I noticed some comments in the past, she is too big or fat or something. I don't think so. Yes, she is not tiny Russian. But she looks just normal, not fat at all.
Ivett Toth skated clean, I'm happy about her. Nice surprise was Laurine Lecavelier, didn't expect her to skate so good.
Elena was the best IMO. Here on the ice rink, I felt something in her program, it was also the music, but Elena's interpretation is great, she has very good face expression and she is just beautiful. Evgenia is also very beautiful very elegant but it didn't touch me the way Elena's program did. Anna's doubled loop cost her a lot, but they would've placed her 3rd even with 3Lo. But I like the program. Tsareva didn't seem so frighteeing I liked Kuchvalska as well, much better than TEB. Roberta Rodeghiero was a nice end I like her music and choreography and I just liked it overall. Deserved fourth.

Also, any tips how to meet skaters and coaches. I'm on sector B, and I think they won't let me to go on sector A corridor (where I could meet Tatjana Flade and others). Training rink is not for public. Some of my thought, where I could meet someone:
maybe in front of entrance for accredited. I could easily go somewhere near hotel, but I think there will be some security maybe, and I don't want to be too much of a stalker. Also I could wait on corridor and mabye some commentators will be leaving their seats after competition.I heard Kiira Korpi But I think most of them will be in VIP sector. Any tips how to get a signatures or photos?

Now I go to shop and then to rink, will be here later.

Thank you so much for your report!

Sophie-Anna, it's a pleasure to read your report! Thank you for sharing your impressions, and congratulation for obtaining Tarasova's autograph!

Thank you Sophie-Anna! I appreciate your comments very much

aw so happy for ya Sophie Anna!
haha Glad u got TAT's sig!:agree: well done gurl!

Thank you so much Sophie Ann. Please keep the 'live' reports coming. For those of us watching on TV screen, helps us in our own opinion too whether we are seeing something right or not as with regard to the speed of a particular skater, edges, etc.

Looking forward to more of your reports.

Hello, I really have almost no time here, I'm very busy spending most of my time around or at the arena. But now I will try to share some more with you from yesterday.
First of all, again signatures. Yesterday was very succesfull for me, because I got like 10 signatures, don't know exactly. There is an entry for "accreditated only" so I was just waiting here for a while and there I got many. Mostly from former skaters, coaches etc...Now I really desire for two more: Tatjana Flade and Deniss Vasiljevs. Tatjana F. is in the arena all the time I think, but she works all the time. She is on her seat, watching and writing or she is just running around the whole rink and I don't want to interrupt her when she is working. I will see about Deniss, but when I won't get it this year I can try in the future, he has many years to come.

About competitions:
I start with ice dance SD. In the first group it was clear that Tobias/Tkachenko are better than rest of their group. Better edges, speed, gliding etc...And also better interpretation. I don't know so much about ice dancing technique so I'm just writing how I felt it. Three Russian couples were great. I'm not a fan of Sinitsina/Katsalapov, but they were great, very elegant and pleasant to watch. For me the best Russians yesterday were Stepanova/Bukin. Once again, that doesn't mean they had the best technique or something, I didn't check the protocols so I don't know which levels they had, but for me as a fan I really enjoyed them. And those twizzles are just great!!! They are quick and they the first part (don't know how is it called, twizzles in sit spin) is . First I was like what is this? Then I realized we are watching S/B. These twizzles are really unusual and I really appreciated it live. Papadakis/Cizeron were amazing, I didn't watch for a technique and just enjoyed them because they're my favorite dance team. Maybe the twizzles could be better but it wasn't bad. I will try to go to practice tommorow and watch them more carefully. I was surprised when I saw C/B. They were better than I thought.
And about men:
Deniss Vasiljevs is just a great talent. He needs more difficulty but his moves, they way he was dancing at the final part of his program. Amazing!!!Loved it!!!Maybe still a little bit juniorish but it will come. He is really really good already. Position in the air, while jumping is very good. Duing warm-up he had some problem with 3A but landed it in the program. I was so happy when he finished. 12th place during a debut as a youngest competitor is a success.
Unfortunately Březina wasn't so good. To be honest I kind of expected this. His nerves just didn't make it. Everytime he is trying a quad he falls. It was just one bad jump after another. I'm really worried for him. Where is that young man with nerves of steel who performed clean programs? Please come back...
Another not so good performance was Max Kovtun. He started strong but then fell on 4T. It looked like he injured his knee or something for a while but then he continued. For his performace I was sitting on the stairs to have a better view on TAT who was again doing commenary. She stood up when he started and didn't sat down until he finished. Overall it wasn't such bad as Březina, not at all. He just fell and then, maybe he was still shocked from that fall on 4T. I didn't expect they will place him on 3rd I thougth he will be second. And IMO Max looks much better live than on TV.
Javi even with one fall was great. He is a real entertainer. When he lands a clean quad it looks gorgeous, really clean landing. Deserved win.
And now I want to talk about the performance of the evening. Florent Amodio was perfect. Dream skate for him. He ended the best possible way he could. When he landed 4S I was so happy, he had such problems with that quad(in the past). He looked like he is going to enjoy that, and also was pretty calm. After 4S I was pretty sure he will land everything but still was a little bit nervous. After landing last jump I saw Morozov. Again looked like some woodoo magician during program and after last jump, Morozov himself was jumping there and that last part of FP was amazing. But not just the last part, everything!!! We were standing in the end. I was smiling like idiot. This is the Florent we knew. He wasn't my favorite, but I always wished a good skate for him. I think they could give him a medal. Bychenko wasn't so good. His program was just like jumping skating, jumping skating, no concept. Florent was the best program for me yesterday, best so far from all categories I saw here. He was dancing there, with full energy, it really looked great. I'm really happy I saw his last competitive program, which was absolutely perfect, live. When I will have a chance I will take a photo with him. This is how you end a career.

I really envy you for being there during Amodio's skate!
It seems it was even more epic than on tv!

Sugarpova said:

I really envy you for being there durinf Amodio's skate!
It seems it was even more epic than on tv!

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I watched it a few minutes before how it looked on TV and it wasn't possible to hear how loud it was in the arena. We were clapping and cheering so much!!! All of us not just people from France.

Sugarpova said:

I really envy you for being there durinf Amodio's skate!
It seems it was even more epic than on tv!

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I re-watched it and I noticed a cute little sweeper jumping up and down all excited during his last sequence. The arena must have been ALL for him.

Sophie-Anna said:

I watched it a few minutes before how it looked on TV and it wasn't possible to hear how loud it was in the arena. We were clapping and cheering so much!!! All of us not just people from France.

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If I wasnt at work Id stand up to

bartlebooth said:

I re-watched it and I noticed a cute little sweeper jumping up and down all excited during his last sequence. The arena must have been ALL for him.

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i bet upon rewatch there may be tons of other cute things like that

Sophie - Anna I think if you want to have an autograf from Tatjana you should just tweet to her, because that way you will know when you are not disturbing, and I bet she will give you one

Would love to hear any on site reports for the ladies free!

Seruleane said:

Would love to hear any on site reports for the ladies free!

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There will be but I am in a big hurry now, so probably I will write it in the evening.

Great to hear that you're having a blast at the event, Sophie-Anna. I Didn't expectancy to see such a fully packed arena and Olympic-like atmosphere.Is there a wide variety of nationalities in the audience? I can't help feeling warm and fuzzy seeing the friendly, supportive crowd cheering for every skater. Euros may not be a deep field but now I can see why many people are enthusiastic about it. It's truly an event for solidarity and understanding.

I was also there and it was overall a great atmosphere and pretty well organized. There did seem to be a wide variety of nationalities in the audience, and huge support for ALL skaters, which was terrific!

My favourite moments:

* Michal Brezina supporting his sister in the Kiss n' Cry.
* Being entertained by the funny blue mascot!
* Seeing Alexei Bychenko doing so well. I was so impressed by his FP last Europeans, I was rooting for him!
* The utter friendliness and helpfulness of the Slovakians.
* Seeing the 'old' Amodio back again - and Morozov's emotional reaction. It was all anyone could do to stand up and cheer after that!


A wonderful few days - thank you, skaters and fans and thank you, Bratislava!