As we start, we get slomos of a couple on the ice, so we've missed the first couple - Nicky tells us that the Germans, he didn't think, were marked fairly in the original dance; he'd have had them first and Navka and Kostomarov second...Chris doesn't see anyone beating Lobacheva and Averbukh this year...we've missed the first group, I'm told, and now we have the warm up for group two...

Petetin and Jost FRA

Big red head of hair on her, white dress with much flesh coloured net, and he's in white top and black trousers, his top has accents of black on it.. he's also borrowed one of Vanessa Giunchi's headbands, and if you though they looked funky on her....concerto for violin....those trouseres on him are like knickerbockers...good lord....steps around to begin...and he lifts her upside down and then turns her horizontal and spins... he walks as she turns and he swings her under... straight line step, nice unison... turns in steps.... circular step this, ... and he spins her over and lifts her...then a move where she's lying across him, leg on his shoudler...rotational lift where he holds her out and turns...lift where she's in between his legs and holding her as they go forwards....dance spin... stesp ... and slide to stop and dance spin... could do with more speed says nicky.... steps and down she goes.. but up quickly and they get back into it well and they do have nice unison.... she goes under his leg... spining lift wehre her hands are on his thighs and he spins her....cantilever moves to end. What a pity says chris, and she's devastated... he gives her a nice big hug... they go over to the french supporters and take a bow to them... nicky thinks they need more power...they were very cautious he says....they were 19th last year... there's the fall, and she just slipped...chris thinks the side of the boot caught the ice...

marks (6th in lalique, 8th in gelsenkirchen) 3.8-4.6...4.1-4.8... they have a row of ones

Paoltetti and Pedrazzini ITA

Holy hair...he's got blonde ringlets...red blouse and black pants...she's in a little top, black, with a red skirt that might in another life have been half a tutu... well, it is from the back, but not from the front.... lara flynn boyle would be proud...only teamed up last year... music is Carmen. Just what we needed in our lives; more carmen...she skates away from him, and he follows her.. catches her...very sharply defined moves I must say at the start.. striaght line step...little hop from her... dance spin... travels a little... lift and spin.... steps facing one another...he twizzles... steps in circular... nice changes of hold and position and on the s/s steps just slightly off kilter at the end...lift wehere she's draped across him, her back to his chest... change of music... their twizzles aren't quite in synch...lift where sh'e on his hip, legs spread...and change ofi position...into dance spin... steps where she leasn against him in cantilever... lack of height difference points out nicky.... steps the length of the rink... nice picking out of high points in the music throughout... move where she umps around his body...nicely done...and they're finished. Chris enjoyed it, and I have to say so did I.... lots of runs he says, lots of the lifts on two feet...but lots of energy says nicky, good accentuation of the moves... she elbowed him in the nose at one point, just befoer a lift...chris picks on the twizzles...they almost came to a stop before them he points out...

marks as they say hello to the world... 3.6-4.6... 4.0-4.7 they will slot into second.

O'Connor and O'Dougherty GBR

Blue dress for her with no back, he's in matching blouse and black trousers...as chris and nicky fly the flag.... with names like this, they've got to have irish roots right? funeral for a friend... first euros, new national champs... startat boards, him holding her, and woman behind them waves... he picks her up and turns her upside down, then horizontal... twizzles atre not terrible, but slow? seem to have nice speed along the ice, good flow... she hops into his arms and turns...lift where she's tucked up against him.... dance spin... moves on centre ice, nice unison.. no there's not ... hang on...are they turning in opposited directions ? then turn in smae direction....lift... and steps and she gives him a big smile... dance hold, and the do the circular strep... plenty of kics and turns... nice amount of work from both of them....and to the boards for the steps... and down they go and tha twas nice...lift wehre he's in spiral and she's hooked around his body... steps and slide to stop, dance spin.. lift wehre she starts on his back and spins around his body.... more steps... oooh dicey there...she nearly overbalanced.... steps whre he lifts her over his shoulder and then down and spins across, and then they stop. Program never let up says chris, loads of change of holds... nicky thought the presentation was excellent... for nicky, there needs to be more flamboyance on the presentation....I think he means strength more so than what I would noramlly mean by flamboynace...he means it in a good way!

marks 3.8-4.8... 4.0-4.8...they go into the lead ahead of the french. and they are happy.

Golovina and Voiko UKR

Looking kind of Gladiatorish, with him in leather trousers, and black t-shirt, her in hardly anything to be honest....little top, little skirt, skirt half hanging off her..one glove on her hand..his hair greased to ewithin an inch of its lift..twizzles to start and they were all over the gaff.... steps along the diagonal, fast ice coverage notes nicky... lift where she ends up with her leg around his neck, he spins, and they are flying...i put a spell on you is the music...and dance spin...raggedy and travelling... she tucks up on his waist and he spins...twizzles are a disaster once again...and it's him more than her... steps... have I mentioned that I hate this music? because I do. she's rests on his hip and poses, then skates away from him.... but he catches her and wheels her around in a dance spin...kisses up her arm... she leaps on him and leans back...he rubs his hands up her leg suggestively...ick.... circular step... ok, that was a slap to her rear - keep it up and this is gonna be the first dance every to have an eighteens rating...dance spin... steps... lift wehre she's horizontal on his chest, then down she goes....more steps.. I really hate this music... lift... spinny lift after steps...and blessed be they are done. the lads question the choice of music... nicky thinks they didn't have the freedom or the passion to show it off...he likes it, but from waht they did with it, it was too adventurous for them he feels. nicky invokes the brilliance of wilson and mccall of choosing music like this, and they were great at, and I quote, "not down and dirty, that's the wrong word for it" - well, based on what they did here, not really nicky!

marks 4.1-4.7...4.4-4.7..they lead overall.

Break for ice resurface.

Veronika Moravkova & Jiri Prochazka CZE
Him in tails, her in gold dress, with orange inserts and sequins...hello dolly...lift her up and spin to begin....he's got a red waistocat on and he fell off those twizzles...andnother lift where she's up on his shoulder....steps...and lift and over.... little running steps from her, and turns... going up and down the length of the judges so far... adn around.. circular step... lift wehre she's on his hip leaning back... little stumble as nicky points out how they let go of one another to changes holds...twizzles were better on teh second pass...striaght line step... and stop... more dancing in front of hte judges... and steps around... trying to pick out hte hightlights of the music...lift wehre she's up, then upside down against him... her doing the splits on his hip as he spins her...dance spin... and more dance steps... diagonal steps... move where he's in cantilver she leans against him, and spin to end with her lifted up and that's done. Chris enjoyed it but felt it lacked light and shade - thought it was a little old fashioned. not fond of the music was I, and nicky thinks that the whole story of it didn't quite come through as it should have... needed to have more flow he feels... too much letting go to change hold he feels also...

marks is that linichuk beside them? and it is... 4.4-4.9... 4.7-5.1...they lead.

Nora Hoffman & Attila Elek HUN

She's in a gold bikini top with a white skirt, and gold belt, him in white shirt and brown velvet trousers... lovely sunset is the music... there is so much glitter in her hair I just want to shower her with water and give her a good shampoo...less is more people! steps to start...and speaking of lack of height differential, I think she's tallker than he is...he makes her cartwheel in a lift..twizzles where she looks better than him, then the reverse....lift where she's facing him... quite open says nicky but good speed across the ice and nice flow.... dance spin... he helps her up then spins with her... twizzles and that was much better.... lift with him in cantilever... kicking turns from her as she supports him... circular step... plenty of turns from her, not so many from him.... and now he turns ... and lift and spin her... and him nearly hydroblading as she leans against him... steps along the diagonal, with her doing the lion's share of the work... and down the cetnre of the rink... he's on two feet a lot of the time notes nicky...which is what i've been saying all along....not balanced with her...another move with him kneeling and gliding her against him...dance spin... twizzly steps...and stop with her leaning right back and him supporting her. he looks very young.... nicky says teh program was constructed with him presenting her... and even taking the bows, he's standing right back.... nicky has a question about her outift, thinks she's pushing it... judges might think it's too showy or revealing, but chris admits he quite likes it and nicky agrees....why am I not surprised? <cue jeanine remembering everything she's ever said about marcus leminen, and wondering who she get to replace the panes of glass in the glasshouse> they were second in isu junior grand prix final good lord loook at that eye makeup! she's got eyeliner going into her hairline! less is more people!

marks 4.3-4.8... 4.5-4.9... they are in second place. behind the czechs.

Natalia Gudina & Alexei Beletski ISR

She is in bornw and peach, with sparkles on the middle, he's in brown mostly, and one side white with brown nad peach flames...notre dame de paris, and I'll forgive them anythign after that....he lifts her to start...and into dance spin... these another linichuk pair... very dast footwork as the bells toll... she saktes ahead of him, him cupping her head...twizzles where they're not quite doing the same thing with their feet... big lift as teh music crescendos...and she ends up leaning over him thigh...I sing along in english...move where hes' in gliding squat, she's standing in tbetween his legs...ok, the edits...help me now.... remember the sellotape from last night? it's back! circular step... and steps out of that as I ateempt to tear my hair out.... she hops up and hangs out ofhis outstretched arm, very nice... back twizzles...lots of s/s skating notes nicky and forward runs...lift...and glide to stop for dance spin... to the boards tehy go.... straight lin steps along the diagonal... very open in their holds and steps... could be more content in footwork... spins where she's right out...and they're done. well, the crowd liked it, and the crowd liked it and htere was great speed across the ice, but chris denounces it as not challenging and thinks that it should go behind the czechs on the tech... nicky points out that judges are supposed to be looking for something other than crossover crossover element... he thinks that detail should be rewarded, these are from ukr originially, training in delaware, and rep israel....

marks 4.5-5.0...first 5 we've seen... 4/7-5.2..they are by some way in the lead.

Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin RUS

Pea green and deep green, bare midriff for her, not so for him...latin afro mix is the music...making move from junior to senior ranks...jgp champions from december... start off with steps ...and twizzles into one anohter...timing ok, but htey look slower...certainly than the last two..lift wehre she ends up upside down at his side...serpentine lift nicky tells me...one side then the other without turning around....dance on centre ice as he mimes playing the drums... twizzles... loads of energy says chris as my phone beeps and I wonder if it's aprt of the music...lift where he turns her over ands he does the splits... circular steps... moves wehre they're in cantilevers...good rhythm, great pacing...move where he's squatting and she's on top of him.... more steps... and serpentine moves... dance spin... and apart from one anohter...dance on centre ice...lots of drums going... and he swings her over... lots of speed in steps along the diagonal as nicky points out that there are lots more content and difficult holds...spinning lift to end and that's tehm done. chris calls it fanstastic, kept interset from start to finish....he sold her really well... 13th at the moment... nicky liked the changes of mood that were in it, they weren't just doing the open side by side skating...he wasn't sure about the outfits vis a vis the theme ,and nor was I. I just didn't like the colour.... flip over helicopter lift was the one that I described earlier...

marks.. it's his birthday tomorrow you know.... 4.4-5.0...4.6-5.2...they've moved up a place. they're in second behidn teh israelis.

Group 4

Federica Faiella & Massimo Scali ITA

Did they talk Barbara's and Maurizio's outfits from last year and cut them up? Sparkles on my, and she has no back and precious little front really... he's got that whole deep cut out on the chest thing going on, with many sparkles also...and it's a body suit, and you know how I feel about them! latin american music... start off with her leaning against him in spiral with great extension... him in ina baurer, her doing cantilever behind him...twizzles are really well done... sharp movements notes nicky...and he jumps over her.... loads of speed along the ice... he hops her over his arm... circular stpe... nad it's all very fast but it looks a smidge disjointed in places? and a stop bang on the music... posing steps to let theem get their breath back...and go into dance spin... gloria estefan sings as he does cantilever and she's in front of him, hanging out of his neck, one legs up between them....twizzles...and she carries him as she crouches and glides, he leans back with legs out...more steps.. and she leans back on him and he carries her... nicky is happywith how they're skating...and music speeds again.. dance on the spot... crowd are getting into this... diagonal steps... lotsof little steps right in time with the music... pick her up and down they go in the final spin...and what a hshame says chris...and oh my...and they just stare at one another as she stands and he kneels and htey're likw, what the heck? bestemianova and bukin did the choreography and I really did enjoy that I must say...she's taking out the hair... nicky comments on the training that they do... lots of conditioning and it shows... chris mentions how quiet they were along the ice... why is their coach holding a rubber chicken? no, I'm serious, he totally is. and he did change edge in the serpentine lift...cantilever) coach cam during the fall was a panic! yeah, he just lost his balance in the fall...straight up again...

marks...and the crowd are right behind them...andshe's hanging out of him in kiss and cry...4.5-5.2... 5.2-5.5...wow! they lead.

Sylwia Nowak & Sebastian Kolasinski POL

Red dress off the shoulder for her, white shirt for him, with black cape stitched on to one shoulder, and black trousers. Yeah. Ok. Right. Not gonna say a thing. Not a thing! 9th place... 26 and 27..Phantom on Ice... at least he didn't wear a mask, let us on the bright side look...a heliopter lift to being...and those twizzles are a mess... run around and wave arms expressively... trunning steps adn he lifts and carries her in front of him...good speed across the ice...and chris thinks the cape distracts from the lines... lift where she's horizontal against him... and goes around adn up and swings her around out of it... glidey moves... hyrdoblading kind of moves... she jumps up so that hse rests against his chest and waves...dance spin... around the back of him... steps... lift where he's crouching half, and she' on his hip... good carry lifts notes nicky but no much content in steps... and that cape is annoying the crap out of me... music begins to speed... lift wehre she's on his shoulders, then down on his chest and around him, then out horizontally as he spins her...looked ungainly going up; everything else was fine. circular step... not a single change of hold...stop at centreice and dance apart from one another... into dance spin from steps... and stop. fair bit of travel on teh spin notes chris. nine years ago they were junior world champs...nicky points out that that was very open and that the long movements didn't capture the crowd or him... I have to say it did nothing for me either... at one point chris tells us that the cape nearly got stuck over his head at one point....they liked it as much as i did, I can see...

marks 4.7-4.2.. 4.9-5.2.. they are second.

Kristin Fraser & Igor Lukanin AZE

H'es in black. with sparkles. she...oh me....mostly red, yellow across one breast and and the cuff...no sleeves on one hand, on other arm is a ribbon of mauve wound around in xs...it's quite the picture. and we've lost chris and nicky it looks like... maybe they were so shocked over the dress that they pulled out their mike jacks. music is piano to begin... and then it speeds into something latinish...steps... she twizzles... he doesnt... steps with nice changes of hold... big smiles from tehm both...her esp... lift and spin... circular step... lots of turns from her... lift wehre she throws her leg over his shoulder, ends up around his nekc as he spins her then sets her down... puase as music changes and he spins her onthe ice... spirals from her as he crouches... him in cantilever leaning back, she balances on his legs and lean out..nice! lift again him in cantilever ,her on his shoulder...twizzles.... nice... into dance spin... and chris and nicky are still gone.... lift and he does like his cantilever.. music speeds again and they're selling it for all they're worht....twizzles.... crowd are also getting into it..lots of turns in the steps... good unison... steps along the diagonal... losing speed towards teh end... dance spin... and stop, just slightly behind the music. we see some of the lifts in the slo mos and there were lovely positions on them...the whole thing didn't reach out and grab me..the one where she floated on him as he did a cantilever as my favourite... really great looking and you know it was tricky too...

marks...and i miss chris and nicky...come back lads... genrich stretenski in k&c....4.7-5.1... 4.9-5.3.. they are third.

Galit Chait & Sergei Sakhnovski ISR

Fabulous dress from her. White and sparkley and wonderful. Love it love it love it. His outfit is black, red on shoulder, designs of sparkles on teh front...and you just know that chris and nicky wherever they are, are spewing facts about how they must hate to be in these positions...and good lord, how much white powder is on his face? and what's evgeny platov doign there? in a horrible jacket it must be said! ...strats off with him cartying her as hse's horizontal at shoulder height... steps around... lots of speed...her holding crouched around his thigh...you couldn't pay me to do that.... around we go again...lift where her leg is around his neck and that iddn't look pretty getting up there...dance spin... lift wehre she's horizontal at shoulder height, then upside down... and out of that into steps, corcular steps...lots of speed again...but not much interaction with the music... he glides back on two feet, she leans back...striaght lines steps... very good... she jumps up and end sup with him in crouch and her leaning going forward... lovely movement...enya if memory serves is singing...fdance spin... glding crouched move.... twizzles.....first passs mighty slow and nicky is back! yay! spiral from him as he holds her in front of him.... she crouches, he leans down and back in front of her... nice.... spins her around by arm.... lots of arm waving..and commentary gone again...twizzles.... straight line step...along the diagonal...nicely done... so fast on these turns... and spinning lift where her legfs is around his neck, she slides down and they're done. chris is back and wow he sayts..loads of ice coverage, intricate footowrk, difficult program...evgeny is now their coach... as he notes they seem to change coach every year... love her dress might I say again, it really suits them... nicky speaks of a controlled power - he thinks it was very open, not a lot of changes of hold, but it worked for him and also for me... he thinks they should move up on this skating...

marks... 5.0-5.5... 5.2-5.7...two have them second, then a row of ones.

Isabelle Delobel & Olivier Schoenfelder FRA

Shades of pink and navy blue, borwn suede studded ribbons going along both and around.... she's 24 he's 25...the hooters roar and ther'es gwendal! in a black polo neck! looking yummy! but these two are now skating to vangelis and i stop my drooling to comment on their dance spin... and around they go, and chris comments on teh good use of the edges early on... moves where he's holding her through her knee and lifts her that way....that was great.... lots of power in this as well... circular step wtih changes of hold... and nice lift... more stesp... into dance spin...lift werhes he's reaching out and on his shoudler...and down from that and leaning back... twizzles... nice timing...great flow along the ice... him in cantilever, her all the way upside down leaning on him, her hands on his legs... that were great... twizzles...first pass didn't look as on time as the second... steps where they spin one another...and he lifts her and turns her... he kicks throuhg and we're in the striaght lines steps along the diagonal... helicopter lift... steps into turning steps...lift where she throws her leg over his shoulder and he turns...and they're done. fast across the ice notes chris, a powerful skate, not as intricate as C&S; nicky once more bangs on about the holds and staying close to one anohter, and that really did come through well...the lifts were good he thought and hte overall construction was great.... nice gliding move where his leg is outstretched and hooked behind her knee that went into the spin then.... very difficult...we see my favourite lift again... clever nicky calls it...

marks... 5.1-5.4... 5.2-5.5... gwendal claps as they are in second on a 5/4 split.

Break for ice resurface.

Albena Denkova & Maxim Staviyski BUL

Her in white dress with no back and glove on one arm of dirty gold, him in white kinda gladiator looking thing... also wearing tights/leggings...some oriental music that I'm not even going to try to spell...she's got a gold snake on her head... posing at centre ice to begin... and steps wtih great unison... she leans over his back as he glides backways...dance spin where he lifts her so that she's across his side... steps... lift wehere she's right up in front of him, legs over her head, which he's pulling on...more steps, circular steps as nicky prasies the edges and the speed in the circ step... nice turns... he pulls her as she glides with leg out.. stgeps into lift wehre she's lying horizontal...and music changes and posing on centre ice.. off we go again..twizzles nice... not much speed though... upside down lift with him in cantilever.... dance spin... and lift...wehre her leg is over his shoulder and she leans back as he spins..more twizzles...and was that a loss of time at teh end or was it meant to be like that? drummy music.. diagonal step...lots of speed but not much in the way of steps... s/s steps...and they're done. well, that weas a fast four minutes...couldn't have skated it better chris says, but is it enough to keep them second? egyptian feel to the concept worked well for nicky... he comments on the quite long stop points in the program... he would have the israelis higher than this... her legs in that cantilever lift were very open...

marks ...they have the biggest moose ever ... 5.4-5.8...5.2-5.8... they are in the lead with one judge having them second.

Kati Winkler & Rene Lohse GER

Holy holy hair. Are they sponsored by some gel company? Look at those spikes....if his head hits her the wrong way, he's gonna draw blood! Costumes are techno looking, with wires and monitors and the whole thing on them...steely gray colour... starts off with her draped all over him...and who can blame her...energy is the music... spiiny thing to begin, her around his waist facing out... posey steps to begin... twizzles are great... turns...and the crowd are clapping... great speed... steps...nicky is already saying wow... circular step... steps... grbabing of the head...around the corner....lifts her areound the waist, and then up and back down...pose in front of hte judges....bit more...off they go... s/s steps...great unison.... lift wehre sh'es in splits then leg over shoulder, the somersault out... move where he hydroblades behind her, into dance spin... steps the length of the rink...lots of separations though, I;'ve counted at least three.... lift where she's leaning on his arm and upside down, then striaght horizontal, into cantilever with her like that...stop at centre ice...walking steps and dacning steps....music speeds and lookand he's gone down!ooooh no.... and it's takign him an age to get back into it and hte crowd are so into it..and look at the steps..little bobble there..spinning lift...more steps... and they're done...oh no.... and hse tells him it's ok it's ok.oh no no no no no.... what a shame....it was going so well too...the speed, the moves the whole thing...quite open nitpicks nicky... but he loves the speed and precision... and he grabbed his right hip as he went down... that was great... good pure fun says nicky... we see the spin... the line between them with the free leg... and another of hte lifts... serpentine lift.... his hip just went back too far....

marks... they say sorry... 4.9-5.5... 5.3-5.6...but where are they...into second. their allotted slot at this stage. and so, we wait.

Irina Lobacheva & Ilia Averbukh RUS

Who have said that this is going to be their last season. oh my god! flouresceny yellow jacket from him over black tshirt and pants, her dress is also flourscent yellow...oh my god that is hurting my eyes...oh my goodness....and she's got a kneelength skirt, and very little on the midriff from the back, and I'm not so sure that it flatters her frankly... linichuk and karponosov look on...rock and roll medley...one would hope with those costumes... he turns her over straight away.... and he jumps over her! wow....little shimmys.... and she runs and he chases her.... oh my god look at those feet! look at that speed! great lift and the speed of it as sehe throws herself all over him...steps ... gonna have some fun tongiht is the music and are they ever...look at the speed of the diagonal steps... slide to stop in front of judges as he dances for all he is worht...twizzles are rigt in front of judges and great...adn helicopter lift with her ON HIS HEAD!!! fever...and check this out! into dance spin... twizzles.... steps...her gliding against him... great use of the music, just litlte touches wtih the arms and heads.... circular step... in dance hold.. oh this is good.... lift with her uspside down and swing her around so that she's horizontgal.... dance spin.... wipeout...and jump jive and wail! and they're flying .... great tunrs from her in the diagonal steps... blows kisses.... lift wehre she ends up swinging all over him then does it again for fun..and he makes her somersault at the ned....and they're done! that was fantastic! loved it! I have never ever never in my life enjoyed them so much! nicky points that they are pushing the limits - the lift on the head, the somersault pullover at the end, the separations...they are close to the limits...he adored fever... jump jive and wail too ka bit to get going he feels...and it did...and the jump over her head....doing the things that surprise you.... that was wonderful - and can you IMAGINE this in Washington???? fever was inspired...ph my lord....

marks... i'd give a six. i'm totally cuaght up, I don't care. 5.5-5.8... well... someone dedcuted... 5.7-6.0...two 60s! and one has them second!

Elena Grushina & Ruslan Goncharov UKR

Her in red dress, with no midriff...him in black with red on the left shoulder...sparkles aplenty from both, and there are little scaly things flying from his right leg...music is from Bond...the film or the band i'm not sure...and weith that violin, it's the band.... spins and steps to begin... into a dance spin.... and out of htat... dpinny move with her in spiral position.... steps and twizzles... move where she's leaning on the ice and him and does it twice for emphasis...moves...lift with loads of speed... she runs ahead of him... around hte corner they go...lift whre she's leaning over balancing on him... steps in the ciruclar pattern... good changes of hold and position... lift wehre she's on his hip... lift wehre he picks her up from behind and brings her around to the side...and then to the front... he's so strong says nicky... she stands on his thigh and does a spiral postion as he carries her..spins her out of it... twizzles... and again.. good unison in the s/s steps.... kneels and turns from her in front of judges.... lots of turning her in the stesp...losing speed wehn they become more intricate says nicky... lift wehre sh'es upside down flat against him.... and down from that...and slide and turn adn they're done. chris calls it fantastically energetic, but ran out of steam, some of the transitions ungainly he felt...looked awkward. nicky says that it was very open at the start... also, he doesn't see the concept idea... not pushing it as much as he thinks they should. he'd have the israelis first...they're now training with tatiana tarasova, late of linichuk's stable...also working with maya usova... who is working with tatiana if you know what i mean...chris attempts to rumour monger, telling nicky that he was talking to maya till the early hours of hte morning. it's called research counters nicky. i've heard it called a lot of things retorts chris. Yeesh, and y'll thought that I was bad!

marks 5.3-5.8..and look at maya's hair! i didn't know her! 5.2-5.9...thye are behind the bulgarians. these in 3rd.

Tatiana Navka & Roman Kostomorov RUS

Yeah...black from both of them, her baring quite the amount of skin... he's another man in a headband, and I think we need to start a campaign to stamp out headbands on men....it's just not a good look...he's also baring quite an amount of skin in the chest area... and is that top seethrough? not that I'm against that in a man per se, I'm just saying...you know, conversation.... music is the feeling begins from passion - peter gabriel...didn't pasha and platov use this in 97? and they did... starts with her kneeling down and he pulls her up as they do snake charmer movvemtns....one way of getting the makrs ....spin...great control from her...and loook at that free foot....dance spin again... lift where she's uipside down, legs out in front of her, and hesets her down from that...twizzles are so fast... and stop and pose at centre ice...arm movements in time with the music, very definite.... crowd are now clapping... turns into one another,,, and dance along... circular step, nice innovations..lift him in cantilever, her again leaning back and making circle with blade thorouhg his legs...s/s cantilevers...lost a bit of costume on the way between those moves...nicky is pointing out that they have to be careful...steps wehre she's swung through his legs... so lcose to it, nicky nearly died...him in cantilever, her going through his legs in splits looking up at him.... more steps as both show prowess at cantilever...lift wehre she's horiztonal as he rotates.... steps to the barrier...undulating hips towards one another before straight line step... he brings her around the thing on the ice as they do their steps...she does spiral and cathc foot, he goes through that and lifts her and rotates...and spins again and they are done. he lifts his hands to heavne...incredibly intense notes chris..powerful dramatic fast, he loved it. as did I...and for me that's ahead of the bulgarians. both say that he's improved out of sight... you don't just look at her any more. he's moved up a gear. nicky thinks the program could have let up more, stayed too much at the same length, not enough light and shade.... thinks you need respite after a minute and a half...chris didn't feel that so much...but he loves the music you see.... great shapes... great control in some of the lifts...and roman tore off the armband or whatever the heck it was... but he knew where it was even if my heart was in my mouth as they skated near it, and they did go very near it. didn't lift crowd as much as nicky expected. he thinks they'll stay in 3rd

marks as chris points out that her blade ishanging by a thread...5.3-5.7.. 5.4-5.8...they have the bronze.

This is the first medal for bulgaria in any discipline.

L&A, D&S, N&K, G&G, W&L, C&S are the one to six.