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.
Please tell us!
