Live Report

[Pandicorn]

Here is my short live report from Oberstdorf and I apologize now for my bad English.
I was there Friday and Saturday and enjoyed it like the last 9 times I was there. It was very well attended, especially the Gala.

Friday
First we went to the exhibition for 50 years Nebelhorntrophy. It was very small, a few pictures, costumes from V/T and Norbert Schramm and a memorial corner for Denis Ten.
We arrived in time at the ice rink for the last ladies practice group with Alina, Mai, Mariah, Loena and Ashley. I was impressed how stable all the ladies were, I haven´t seen a single fall.

https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-d41378-1538751696.jpg.html


Men SP:
Artur Dmitriev presented very well, not the most elegant skater, but the dramatic music fits him. I haven´t realized that he showed a 3Lz-3F, it looked for me like a popped 4Lz and I was glad that it was still a triple. And he showed a huge triple Axel at the warm-up.
I´m always afraid when Samohin is skating… And it doesn´t make it better that before skating he always laces his shoes again. :hopelessness:
Keegan saved the men’s event and was a real crowd pleaser and got the loudest applause.

But I must say the costumes were very boring, almost everybody in black.

Ladies FS:
Matilda had to skate first. Last year she still landed on the podium, but this year it wasn´t her best day. And it is always hard to focus on the skater when Stéphane Lambiel is standing on the side. I must admit that at the end of the program I was watching more Stéphane than Matilda…:
I LOVE Marin Hondas dress!! :luv17: It´s just so beautiful. And I really liked her skating too; she was so elegant and seems to fly over the ice. It is definitely one of my favorite programs this year. Too bad she wasn´t better at the SP.

https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-eeee13-1538754818.jpg.html
https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-d867e3-1538754911.jpg.html
https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-fdf1bd-1538754941.jpg.html


A surprise for me was Ashley Lin, never heard of her and only 15 years old. She can be a real contender for the other American girls in the next years.
And then finally Alina. Wow! :2thumbs:She was so stable, I had no doubt for a second that she wouldn´t land the jumps. I especially like the music in the second part, I had it in my head for the whole next days.
Mai Mihara was lovely as always.
And then I really hoped for Loena to make the podium. And she delivered! She has such a powerful skating and presence on the ice.

https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-1e4d11-1538755343.jpg.html

After Ice dance was the Medal ceremony. I don´t know what they were thinking to give the winner a medal, a small trophy, the big trophy (it´s only for the ceremony, she can´t keep it), flowers and the diploma. But Alina managed it very well.

https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-53bc7c-1538755731.jpg.html
https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-07d411-1538755786.jpg.html
https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-a8c601-1538756010.jpg.html

To be continued...

 

[WhiteProphet]

Thank you so much for the report! So glad you enjoyed your time there, what a show it was to be spectator :luv17:
I honestly didn't know Alina couldn't keep the cup, in fact i was very perplexed when I first saw it, such a huge trophy for a challenger event

Ladies FS:
Matilda had to skate first. Last year she still landed on the podium, but this year it wasn´t her best day. And it is always hard to focus on the skater when Stéphane Lambiel is standing on the side. I must admit that at the end of the program I was watching more Stéphane than Matilda…:

This was for me the highlight of the day ::

 

[Pandicorn]

Saturday

Saturday began with ladies Gala practice. I was too early and left the hall again and almost ran into Alina. I was too perplexed to ask her for a photo. (I even had my phone in hand…).
At training she was still practicing with her leather jacket and how to take it off. Afterwards she was skating some parts of her FS and practicing 3Lz-3Lo-3Lo and 3Lz(?)-3T-3Lo combinations.
The other girls left early, she and Broklee Han stayed to the end. I waited afterwards hoping I can take a photo with Alina, but when she finally came she only took 2 or 3 pics and left.

https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-3914a2-1538815836.jpg.html

Men FS
Samohin was again lacing his shoes before skating and I noticed that there were 6(!) ambulance men standing on the side...
Majorov´s program was very entertaining and he could climb into second place. Keegan was standing on the side and was dancing to Alexander´s music.
Keegan was great again! And that save of the 3Lo with the twizzles! One judge even gave him a +1 for it. :agree:

Pairs FS
Efimova/Korovin had a nice and almost clean skate and deservedly won.
The Knierims didn´t have the best skate, but at least they fell in sync.
It´s great to see Aljona as coach on the side.

https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-72ef28-1538815936.jpg.html


Gala
I was there very early for the Gala and standing outside the hall when Alina and Eteri arrived. But I must admit I was too shy to speak to her… :

I have never seen the hall so full, seems a lot of people wanted to see the Olympic winner. The opening with the little children in Tracht were very cute, but I must say I found the Gala quite boring; too many “sleeping”-songs. Really standing out were Alexander with his matching number “Don´t stop me now” and of course Keegan, that was a real fun number. And I also liked the programs from the winners, especially Alina´s Survivor.

Still some photos from the Gala
Alina https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-65ac27-1538816321.jpg.html
Alina https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-af87bc-1538816396.jpg.html
Children https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-bdacea-1538816198.jpg.html
Mariah https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-429004-1538816252.jpg.html
Bruno with his new partner https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-e8dd7e-1538816488.jpg.html
winners with hats https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-3b7bc7-1538816511.jpg.html

After such a figure skating event I´m always felling very tall (I´m only 1,65m), but all the female skaters were smaller than me, even Loena, of which I thought she is around 1,70m.