2016 Nebelhorn General Chat & First Info

mrrice said:

What is the start time for those of us on the west coast of the US? I don't want to miss Tuk.

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The ladies skate on Friday, mrrice. 11.30 a m CET (or is it CEST now? - I don't know... ), so I'm guessing somewhere in the wee hours your time - hopefully someone else will have a better answer. Also, yay for Liza! Be sure to watch, mrrice, I'm convinced you'll be lucky for her, and offset any jinxing I may inadvertently cause by watching live...

mrrice said:

What is the start time for those of us on the west coast of the US? I don't want to miss Tuk.

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Friday, but I have no time yet, as the draw will be a bit later. keep ya posted.

mrrice said:

What is the start time for those of us on the west coast of the US? I don't want to miss Tuk.

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West coast is 9 hours behind so in your time zone the competition will start at 2.30AM.
There are 15 entries so 3 groups of 5 plus resurfacing, I think the competition will last about 2 hours (or a few more minutes) so it will end around 4.30AM.

It's possible there will be LIVESTREAM on yt also: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCudRcsbI-RnY02njVa5kCTA If it'll work, they really pamper us!

I can't wait to see Aljona and Bruno!

@ Doris,

if you still need any music of any skater, let me know, we have the full information here now, but it should also be online.

Had some fun at the practice with the Ladies now, Isa, Lutricia have not shown up yet, but Emmi joined us, I so love her Axel! Not sure yet, if I will write anything about the practice, the ladies draw is now and I want to make a quick interview with Karo.

So, I just did a little interview with Karo. Will post it at the fan thread later.

As for starting orders,

Mai 1
Karly 2
So Youn 4
Brooklee 5
Emmi 6
Serafima 10
Gabby 12
Amber 13
Liza 15

huge thx for the report!
yay cant wait for teh hip hop!!! u have me pumped

Also spoke to Broklee, will post it in fan thread as well. Also have PPC´s

Not sure who else I will be able to get a talk with, I aim for Madi and Evan to talk a bit about Hip Hop

As it happened thursday

This is not a full summary of today, I sadly have to call it a day, but before I do that, I will post a few minor things that I have noticed today.

As someone who only spends a few weeks a year with this great sport, I certainly don't have the knowledge of others and it comes out especially if you talk to skaters or coaches. I often need some time to progress what they said and might sometimes ask silly questions because of that.
That being said, it is great to see how patient skaters are and how willing to come over for a quick chat. Each interview was done spontaneous, no script and I have quite some footage now, more than last year and there are still a few more days to come and I hope I will be able to bring you the results of this after the Trophy.

Today, I heard the story of Liubov and Dylan´s first meeting on Facebook, that Karo has not as many fans yet as Kiira, who she admires and that Madi and Evan don´t just sit on what they got, but try to come up with new things all the time. Besides that, Aljona is happy to dance and not think too much during their skate and Brooklee likes and respects everyone, even those who compete against her, for the Olympic spot.

It was also quite fun to see how different an interview can be, mind you I don´t talk to any of those people every day, so it´s a bit like a box of chocolates each time. With Karo it was all smiles, Dylan and Liubov both had to say something and their chemistry on ice totally translates to off ice as well, while Brooklee was very talkative and honest about a lot of things, like her own strengths and weaknesses, while Madi did most of the talking for the Americans and pretty much answered all my questions about Hip Hop within one big quote, leaving me a bit speechless about further questions.

As far the skating goes,

we saw Jorik with one of my favorite tracks of all time "silence by Delerium" one of the most remixed ambient tracks in history of electronic dance music, I myself have about 10 different vinyl's featuring bits and pieces of that award winning track. It´s music like this, that I think should be used more often, it just adds so much atmosphere.
Great atmosphere, we also had with our dancers and I fully understand why Luca and Anna made it to the top. I like the Americans a lot, I love Hip Hop and believe that they are brave to skate such an intense second half in their SD. But Anna and Luca, did not make a lot wrong, they do what they are good at and I believe that´s alright and they have presence, a different one, but a huge one nonetheless.

Another aspect of ice dance is the never-ending interaction with the crowd and the Canadians did that "wunderbar". So much joy and you really felt like you were in one of those old-school rollerblading clubs, just having a good time. It´s the diversity that Ice dance offers, which makes it so great and it did not end at the podium, each couple brought something to the table and each one of them, wanted to show what they got.

At pairs a similar picture, Aljona and Bruno on top, but still stuff to improve like all the couples and yet, they came out today and showed us their current programs, programs that will get some fine tuning and a few new elements like for our Canadians and it´s a real pity that both fields, dance and pairs are so small this season. It takes so much to get where these athletes are and we always should be grateful of so much bravery and will, to go through so much pain, but also pleasure like those who came here.

Not here yet, is Lutricia and her situation shows how hard it can be to just be a skater. Mind you, she was at the big event´s already and yet, she has to go to school and has therefore arrived very late today and will only have one practice here, tomorrow morning.
Or look at Liza, she is a world champion and yet had to start from scratch again and since her triple Axel didn´t work yesterday, she is now going for the one with tano. Just like Karo said, "you have to go out there and do it, that´s what skaters are made for and what makes them stronger" and if you could have seen the huge smile on Karo´s face, when she told me the good news and said "I did triple - triple", something we spoke about just a few minutes earlier. Isn´t that great! It means so much for these athletes to go out and give their best at all times, it is really amazing to see.

Great to see it was as well, that we got some nice cake today, at the press room and that skaters were so kind to sign me a few pictures which will get a special spot in my apartment (I have a room, for memories of my life) and while the sun was annoying at times, as I could hardly see anything on my laptop it was one of those days that I am grateful for and we all should be, as our world is not what it once was and Syria or Yemen, could soon be everywhere.

With these words I wave goodnight and look forward to what happens tomorrow.

As it happened, friday

I don´t want to leave to many words now, as it was a full packed day, with a lot of worries from my side and all except one didn´t come true.

Once again, I had the pleasure to meet skaters backstage, talk to them and I say that a lot, but really, they are all absolutely great, each one of them. I spoke to Piper and Paul, for a total of 15 minutes, so much insight and every single detail explained and of course, I met Madi and Evan again and I found out about their secret ingredient music wise and of course, the sad moment with Serafima, who not even me as funny as I can be, could pick up again and she kind of also broke my heart today, I just can´t see a girl like that.

Skating wise, we saw Karo who did what she told me, go for it and even if it didn´t work this time, it can work next time and it´s again a step forward and our Liza, she made many steps forward and even as many backwards over the years.
A world champion who is so down to earth and currently leading and picked up quite a few English skills on the road and today, she also signed my picture which now makes 7 skaters who did.
Talking about signing, skaters like to add a small heart on pictures, that´s just so lovely. Maria Sharapova never signed my pictures with a heart...

Or what about Amber, seriously I love what she does on ice. That girl is my discovery here at Oberstdorf, I just like her way of skating and I do not care about smile or no smile, for me she interpreted the clowns in her way and that is good so.

Then we of course had our ice dance competition and it was amazing! I have so much to tell in the next weeks, hopefully my visit in the hospital will not interfere too much there, as I so want to let you know about all the beautiful things that I saw and the men, while the falls were there, it was as well, a very interesting chat backstage and especially Jorik who picked that "silence" track, absolutely made my day when we talked about it, as I so love the fact, that he is really going for something completely different and yes, the judges might not yet be up for it, but it´s a step into the right direction I think and I hope he will find a place to sleep, so that he can skate at the Gala as well.


8 AM is practice again, my neck hurts and I still worry about Sima and something else, so fingers crossed that it will all be fine when I wake up again, as always at 6 AM to get ready for the final day, at Oberstdorf.

Goodnight

Grant Hochstein ‏@Grant_Hochstein · 46m46 minutes ago  Oberstdorf, Germany
I saw cows today!! #NebelhornTrophy
https://twitter.com/Grant_Hochstein/status/779701864606601217


Note: In his IceNetwork blog he said he was looking forward to this - judging by his happy face, seems it lived up to expectation.

PiperGilles ‏@PiperGilles · 2h2 hours ago  Oberstdorf, Germany
It took all my will power to not go down the mountain flying #nebelhornbahn #parasailing… https://www.instagram.com/p/BKvcyocgqyy/

As it happened Saturday

Today,

was our Gala day and of course my special day, as we had the Ladies FS and Alex likes the Ladies a lot even if they never do what he wants... Really, I don´t want them to marry me, I mean I do want that, but sadly that wouldn´t work, what is someone supposed to do with 15 wife's? Just think about the expenses, they all want shiny things... I mean, did you see our glamour girls today? Amber or Gabby, who were dressed like for the red carpet or our Liza, the Cleopatra who is not just admired by people in Egypt, but worldwide. I could never afford that, really!

No, seriously, I only want the Ladies to do what they always do in practice, like our lovely winner Mai, who did practice longest this morning and when others were already back at bed, she was still grooving around with that passionate smile that she always shows. Yes, she is a real cracker so to speak, I have never seen her unhappy, the total opposite to our Sima, who at times had such a threatening look on her face, that you only wanted to run away, before she pulls out the gun and shoots you. She would make a great Terminator, Arnold is a daisy compared to her...

But on a more serious note, I had a fine day and I believe most other people as well. While we had many falls and issues on ice, - backstage, was as lovely as always. Bruno who won gold with Aljona, was once again a joker, while Dylan found out that a spectator didn't like his beard as he got some shaving tools as a present, while Liubov was flexing her muscles when she held the trophy up high and Liza was the usual lovely girl, as she always is, kind and just a super charming figure and yes, we all love your outfit my dear.

As it was the last day, there was also that typical feeling, that it all went past, way too fast. It´s like yesterday, when I picked up my ID, talked to Karo and Brooklee, got pictures signed, had a super interesting look into Ice Dance judging with Piper and Paul or walked through cow poo. I wish, there would be many more opportunities like that, minus the poo though! I would find it super interesting to see Skate America or Canada and how those who are our guests here in Germany, reside at their home, but sadly, this may stay a dream for now.

Therefore, I will now put on my sunglasses and do a few twizzles with the broomstick here, trying to figure out, how I can look as cool as Madi and Evan did today, until I fall asleep.

Goodnight!

P.S.

You can expect my column most likely at the end of the week, it all depends on what Monday brings.

Photos:

http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=photogallery&id=2016nebelhorn-day1

http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=photogallery&id=2016nebelhorn-day2

http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=photogallery&id=2016nebelhorn-day3

It was a very nice competition as always! Could meet Alex D and discuss some things.

Gala photos:

http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=photogallery&id=2016nebelhorn-gala

red cat said:

It was a very nice competition as always! Could meet Alex D and discuss some things.

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It was nice meeting you

LRK said:

Gala photos:

http://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=photogallery&id=2016nebelhorn-gala

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Thank you!

I met these two lovely ladies, responsible for the pictures, very kind people with great endurance!

@ release of my Column

for those waiting, I have just finished Ice Dance and also the Ladies are done. I am sitting at 11 pages and hope to finish pairs and men tomorrow, so that the What I like about you, will be finished on thursday. I decided to integrate the interviews to some degree, which is hard if you have over an hour of footage.

Thank you for your patience.

Looking forward to it, Alex!