It's a quarter to eight in the morning, so I"m up. I'm up and I'm dressed, once more without my bowl of Rice Krispies,trying to get the first group watched at and reviewed, or at least some of it, before I have to go downstairs and get myself ready to go to school and teach the kiddies.

Tomas Verner CZE
Black trousers, black and white ziggy zaggy lines on the shirt....bit dancey on the old eyes this early in the morning, but there you have it....steps and turns to begin...around he goes...axel triple and he was leaning on that but he got it with deep knee bend and double toe...sit change sit....not great position but seemed to be well centred....steps and the crowd get clapping...triple lutz from steps...steps....double axel is clean....straight line step...camel to sit ish spiin to camelto sit and out of that....and flying camel....bit of travel towards the end on that, and he's done. ANd he looks happy - he's only 15, it's his first worlds, but Simon calls this something else....didn't look nervous at all...Chris calls the footwork not that hard and I can't exactly argue with him...we see the axel again and he only just about made it....there was travel on the sit spin adn Chris points out that he was spinning on a forward inside rather than a back outside edge - which is a bit much for me to notice at 7.56 in the morning, but I'll trust him.
marks .... big long wait for the marks... 4.0-4.4...4.3-4.5..one of each and everything else a 4.4

Gregor Urbas SLO
Kinda tunicy thing going on, brown velvet, brown trousers, grey shirt, sdtk to Robin Hood....which explains it.... around he goes triple lutz with a lean triple toe....chris says hewas short on rotation on the lutz....triple loop from turns.....flying sit...nice and fast in the sit and well centred too....straight line step....lots of hopping in it and not much else....sit spin horrible position change sit with lots of travel....lots of rotation too chris points out....double axel.. circular step....again not the most difficult thing we'll ever see...camel to sit to layback change sit to scratch spin to end. Jumps were okay, and clean, but not the neatest looking
is the only thing that I'll say about them...Chris notes that he gets his rotation quite late which gives the illusion of not getting the full rotation done...and it was indeed squeaky on the lutz...Chris calls it clean, but I know from the Olympics taht Robin Cousins might just have called that a cheat, and it did look like he did the final bit of the turn
on the ice to me...he's only 19...6th at world juniors
marks ... 4.0-4.7...4.0-4.7...5/4 split and he's second

Kristoffer Berntsson SWE
All in black, with grey squares on his top...he looks like a lino carpet...Fight Club is the music...what is he, the mat? He's got gloves as well, did I mention that? double axel....he can do the triple....lutz triple, does triple toe and falls out of toe.....sit spin change sit....steps...straight lne step and it's better than what we've seen from the other two.. steps to triple flip and he stepped out of that....flying sit...with travel.... footwork out of that....more steps....circular this time...into camel to sit change sit to camel...to scratch...very slow on that combo spin there...and he's done. I must point out at this stage that the position on the landing of the lutz was not the best at all, very deep knee bend with a long wait to put that triple toe in there and it took serious guts to do that triple toe... how he didn't put his hand down neither Chris nor I can tell you...

marks ...as Chris picks on the lack of choreography.... 3.0-3.9...3.8-4.6...all thirds.

Markus Leminen FIN
I should be gone to breakfast and yet strangely I'm not...for a feast for the eyes is this fine thing ....26 years old...looking resplendent in a greyish blue shirt and black trousers....dire straits brothers in arms....a fellow west wing fan maybe? oh i love this boy....yes triple axel with deep bend double toe...lovely steps coming out of that....steps into the triple lutz.....nicely done....camel to sit really fast sit to change sit...and music changes....he's selling it now .... steps,....chris thinks it strared late, but I am drooling...it's really good to....sit chagne sit bit of travel on that....circular steps.....best steps we've seen thus far if you can believe my biased eyes....he's flying around the ice...double axel....more steps....flyinf sit absolutely huge....and he's done! and he's happy and so am I! This is worth skipping breakfast for! I can now face the kiddies with a smile on my face....axel had such a deep landing...double toe didn't look the best but it counts...lutz was perfect....chris's only question mark was on the step sequence, it should have been end to end but wasn't...
marks ... come on now....neil carpenter the coach with him, plus choreogpraher michelle mcdonald....4.5-4.8.... 4.7-5.0...he's first and he thanks everyone at eurosport for all these years...aaaw bless him!

right - breakfast!

Back from school and am currently watching the wondiferous Markus again...have I mentioned yet how do I love him let me count the ways, for I do...I verily do. Just in case that didn't come across this morning.....

Sergei Kotov ISR

Attired in black and gold and yellow...replacing Misha Schmkerin who has now gone pro....Alan Parsons Project, Lucifer...so this would be the fires of hell on the costume? crowd clap along...triple flip, under rotated double toeon the end of that....goes into the flying sit spin... not great flying or sit position.....and around he goes....steps....to loopand he's down on the triple loop....long puase before it too...sit cahnge sit.....lots of travel on that....ina bauer with no arch....double axel,very low in the air.... circular step....into the camel to layback...to change sit with variation...and upright spin and that was very untidy looking right the way through...straight line step....and he looked to have lost his balance on that.... and he's done. I'm not sure about the music....it was very building building building music and I'm not quite sure what it was building to, but Chris seemed to like it...I think it could be good music, I'm just not sure it's good for him because as Chris is saying now, he just didn't look comfortable right the way through. and I just notice now that the black of the costume is shiny pleather....

marks 3.4-3.9....3.8-4.4...5th of 5

Yosuke Takeuchi JPN
And it's my Friday art lesson boy! Remember him, he of the tissue paper stuffed inside the chest? Seriously, a little Easter chick peeking out of that there, and you're all seasonal and festive...this his first worlds...you wave those arms boy....he's certainly flying.... triple lutz triple toe...well done.....around he goes for the axel which is landed forwards and down he goes....fyling sit, nice position, nice and low....steps....he's using the music well Chris says....circular steps here.....dude if he waves his arms any more, planes are going to land, but his feet sure are catching up...steps out of the triple flip....and he stops...wow!....sit spin change sit...he's got a really fast spin and nice position in that.....diagonal step in straight line....camel to sit to Y spin change sit to upright and he's done. And Simon is exhausted watching it and he threw everything but the kitchen sink into it! Tatiana Tarasova choreographed it and you'd know it...no prep time for the jumps, it's something to behold. He just flies around the ice adn he throws himself into it one hundred percent....axel was caught halfway between double and triple...and he took a couple of backwards running steps to try to control it but went down anyway...the steps were great, and I love his sit spin...one of the best i've seen in quite some time.

marks....3.4-4.2...should go up for presentation... 4.2-5.2....3rd of 6.

Ben Ferreira CAN
Excuse me while I find my Canadian flag to wave wildly.....in purple shirt and tie, black trousers....tie has piano keys on it...22 years old....who's that creeper byscotty morris....jazzy and bluesy and me-likey.....axel yes and boy that leaned! double toe....how did he do that? steps in tothe triple lutz....nice running edge....camel to sit...change camel to sit....bit of travel? to upright....and out of that.....steps....circular step...nice footwork here....axel double and that was fine....sit change sit....selling it now he is....this is really good.....steps....serpentine I think....stars into flying sit....and he's done! Oh yay oh yay oh yay, he's Canadian, and the legacy continues! Simon tells us that he talked with Elvis beofre he came to worlds (Ben, not Simon) and that he gave him advice on how to prep and be focussed...as S&C pick on his skating in between the jumps...he looks untidy they say...I did notice that he seems to be late getting his free leg around...but what do I care? He sold it so well, and there's Doug! And Michelle! Go Ben!!!!!

marks 4.4-5.0....4.6-5.2....he's first (8/9)

Sergei Davydov BLR
In his colgate mint green outfit it's the shortest guy in the competition we're told....there are sparkles on the shoulders, did I mention? Kinda piano-y thing....triple axel double toe.... down on the lutz and he was leaning all the wa.y... steps to sit change sit...great sit spin, lovely position centred and speed...to the boards he goes..and the striaght line step.... not as fast as some we've seen but nicely done with teh music.... axel double and no trouble there...flying camel.... and out of that....steps in a serpentine pattern.....into camel to sit to layback change camel to sit to upright....and he's done. Simon and Chris raved about it...they loved it...I'm not sure that I was quite as emanoured of it as they were...certainly a lovely program, nicely skated, but it didn't ahve that certain oomph for me that it seems to have had for them... footwork was great...using every part of the skate and the music, as Chris uses the term "Complete package" Vladimir Kotin is with him...

marks 4.1-4.6...4.6-5.1...he's third. Behind Ben and Markus.

Juraj Sviatko SVK
In his leopard skin trousers and his goldy browny tassley top....21 years of age....waves arm to cowbell to start...and no I'm not making that up.... axel double to begin...and he took a long time to set that up... steps into the triple lutz triple toe.... flying sit....with variation... steps including besti squats get him to cetnre ice... steps to the edge...lion roars and he beats on drums before going into straight line step....which suffers in comparison with DAvydovs.....triple flip from steps, foot just stayed off...camel to sit change camel to sit to upright with leg at knee...loads of travel on that...circular step...looks to be a very small circle.... sit spin change sit...with even more travel....and the lion roars and he's finished. He liked that....Simon thinks it tapered off towards the second half...Chris points out that it was heavily weighted towards the front end of the program... good footwork into the lutz, and the combo was a beauty it must be said - textbook perfect... flip, the free foot was very late in coming around, and how he managed to keep that off, I do not know....

marks 4.1-4.4...4.4-4.8...4th place at the moment.

Dmitri Dmitrenko UKR
You know the best thing about worlds? That after today, I will never have to write about this "I am a walking ad for Interflora" costume...you all know the one...with the snake and the flowers and the flesh coloured body stocking and those are words that one should not have to type....peter gabriel the music....axel and he df it and fell out of it...did the double toe.... not much speed going into that....triple flip....much better...flying camel.... with variation...goes into f/i edge at the end...music changes and he starts selling it...straight line steps.... uses every beat of the music so well.... double axel, easily.... into camel to sit to layback change sit to upright.....to scratch....and out of that and around he goes.....circular step....(but wouldn't serpentine have been more appropriate? Sorry...couldn't resist the pun)... sit change sit......and he's done. Chris says that he just snatched at the take off of the triple axel..spins were very good... they seemed to travel a little bit though, although the position in them all was first rate....

marks .. 4.0-4.7...4.6-5.1...he's 4th.

Ivan Dinev BUL
Black costume....bits of red about the place....sparkles...Spring in Beunos Aires... the costume is surprisingly understated for him.... steps aroudn the ice.... into triple flip, easily done... lots of little steps and lunges scattered around here.... leaing on the axel but does the doulbe toe after it....camel change camel...nice position and nicely centred..... double axel...into flying sit, query touch down with the foot...steps... circular step... straight line step... seemed a bit of gap between end adn boards.... into spin camel to sit to upright change sit to sit variation to upright...and he's done bang on the music....and he looks pooped! They note that he doens't look happy, nor does he...going to be a father soon we're told...triple axel was lovely...so high and plenty of length on it... footwork was well done as well, very intricate... and he grimaced when he finished....is he injured I wonder?

marks 4.8-5.2...5.0-5.3...now he can smile!

Andrejs Vlaschenko GER

Lindemann isn't here...and he's in black trousers with a brown dark blouse.... I know this music...I know I do... around he goes... axel triple wit a double toe....very nicely done... flies into a very easy triple lutz... flying sit.... and thats done right in time with teh music....steps....and this is really good...have I ever said that about him before? crowd are clapping...I might be typing in rhythm.... serpentine step....into double axel.... turns in steps coming out...to sit cahnge sit......more steps now...circular this time and he's really really selling this....camel to sit layback change sit...to variation...to upright and he's done. And that was great! Never in my life have I enjoyed a program from this man and now I have and I am sure that apocalypse cannot be far away....that were fantastic that were! flowed in and out of the lutz... and some of hte footwork was so hard....but he made it look easy...

marks 4.9-5.3... 5.1-5..5....7/9 have him in first and how you can have him in second baffles me ( ok where is the real Jeanine and what has been done with her?) but he's first at the moment.

Song Gao CHN

Never seen him before...all in black at his first worlds....only 20 years old..does have the quad...the heart of the brave is the music...very lyrical flowing style to start with... nice flow along the ice... axel triple with deep knee bend and triple toe... steps ...and into sit with travel cahnge sit.... and around we go... into lutz triple and that was fine... as if it was nothing... and to the boards he goes for the straight line step... which was not great... at all....double axel with weird entry he was almost bent double...fyling camel.... circular step.... into camel to sit change camel to sit....and upright...and the idiot controller decided to give us a closeup as he was spinning??? hello! Jumps were fantastic...foot work not so, very simplistic indeed and the spins weren't the mae west either... fair amount of travel on them... he didn't do quad in qual...

marks.... 4.7-5.3...4.5-5.0...he's third.

Roman Skorniakov UZB

In his cream shirt with the bow tie undone effect, and brown trousers.... he's 26...Jalousie... steps to begin...around for the axel... steps out of it and does the double toe... lutz and that was fine... sit spin really low change sit with lots of travel... to the boards goes he... slidey steps to start... little bitsof kneeling on the ice and turning...axel double and that was fine... camel to sit to upright cahnge sit... and cross foot upright... . and stop and step and pose a little...circular step.. flying sit... and stop. He recovered well says Simon... kept on fighting... did well to put the double toe on there in the combo... lutz there may have been a puase between the steps and the jump...nice footwork.... there's Tatiana in the k&c... Sasha Zhulin did the choreography...

marks 4.1-49...did they hammer him or what? 4.6-5.1...he's 5th - and looks like he stepped on Tatiana's foot when he stood up!

Sergei Rylov AZE

Red and black nightmare....black is ripped with red peeking through...could be art but just looks messy. around he goes... triple flip treiple toe and he flew into that and out of it....steps along into the axel double...flying camel....and out of that.... diagonal steps.... really fast along the ice...lutz and doubled it...got it all wrong...steps... camel to sit to uproight change camel... to sit... steps ... serpentine... into sit really fast...change sit with much travel.... and he's finished right on time with teh music... Simon points out that he fell on lutz in qual, and that maybe that was in his mind when he was doing it, and the deduction is the same as if he fell, that is to say 0.4 off.... lots of length on the combo...not much height mind you.... steps were good.... but the lutz is going to kill him. .

marks...there's Igor Paskevitch with him...silver at Euros in 96 you know... 4.0-4.7...lordy, if i thought they hammered Roman! not that I blame them mind... 4.5-5.2...7th overall... ordinals from 6th to 13th

Anthony Liu AUS

Now you know I like this guy so I am keeping my mouth shut.... Pearl Harbour....not thinking it! Soldier boy khaki.... I'm so tempted to fast forward and them comment...quad toe toe tripel toe and he had to hop o ntriple landing! but woohoo !!camel cahnge camel.... steps around....triple lutz.... huge flying sit and that was great! and stop.....slow part now.... speeds up now for hte steps...circular step... not as busy as some we've seen... axel double... straight line step... camle to sit change camel to sit...loads of travel on that in teh middle...and he's done. That quad toe was a beauty....and how will the hop affect the marks? and he had it, just the weight too far forwards... landed right on the toe rake...lutz was mammoth.... and I'm not celebrating too soon because he still has four minutes on THursday morning to do, so I'm keeping my mouth shut...

marks... 5.1-5.5...and those I will take! I say, those I will take! 4.9-5.4...he's first...but second on the short.

Kevin Van Der Perren BEL

And I liked this guy at Olympics.... he's in all black again, little sparkles on the left hand side of the shirt.... the tango lesson is the music... triple axel tripel toe...good boy....turns and steps into the lutz...and he nailed that too! andwell out of steps..... hands go into pockets...as he goes to the boards for the straight line step... flying sit is huge and query touch down with teh toe.... double axel... and aorund for the camel to sit to layback..not great position on layback... change to sit with variation and out.... and slide and stop and run a little.... steps ... circular step... arms in tango hold..which is a nice touch... sit spin so low...to change sit... nice speed on that....and he's done...with a big smile! No jumps this time, but he's thrilled with that... Simon and Chris think that he has to sell it better but then he's only 19...and hedances coming towards the coach which is just so cute I can't tell you.... Chris tells us that he'll stick a triple toe on the end of anything...and I loved that I have to admit it...they say that he ran out of the rink after qualifying...they think that he might be sick...

marks ... and he's doing a fair bit of coughing in the K&C... 5.1-5.3... that's one heck of a cough... 5.1-5.3..he leads overall... second on the short.

Vahktang Murvanidze GEO

Yay! I love this guy! He's in his tangerine shirt (real men don't wear tangerine - I should get that put on a tshirt) and wine trousers with gold accents, matching bolero waistcoat...a car ran over his foot last year? Hey I know I jinx skaters, but you cna't blame me for htat! starts off slowly...around he goes... axel and he skidded on the takeoff and just baout did a double toe on the end... and around as the music speeds....lutz triple with long pause before the jump....flying sit...great speed in that and nicely centred.... double axel was fine.. camel change camel...and music changes to speed again as he does the circular step and he sells it for all he's worht... this is great stuff and the crowd are behind him too...striaght line step... and more sellage... camel to sit to Y spin cahgne camel catch foot and upright scratch and he's done. Great fun but he don't look happy... Can I just point out here for the record that he's growing up well? I'm just saying.... and you could see it in his face when he missed the axel... it makes you smile watching him says Chris and I have to say, I was bouncing along here during this... he sells it so well adn he never gives it less than 100%...Kotin and Tch-whatshername iwth him..

marks 4.3-4.9... 4.4-5.1... he's 7th. And he's gone!

Jeffrey Buttle CAN

Black trousers red shirt...black sleeve on red shirt...very russiany looking shirt...and I wave my maple leaf flag oncemore..and he's all blonde and cute and i've not seen him before...last emperor....ah, remember Lulu??? triple flip triple toe....and he made that look easy... triple axel on its own..no proble...so low on the sit spin...butterfly into it.... around he goes... little hop there... steps in a striaght line... nice footwork into the triple lutz....yay!!! camel with treavel....change camel...great position in first camel....nice variation in it... spiral to die for...bits of spreadeagles....sit psun to vairation on butt spin and I can't count th epositions.... change camel to sit.... tp upright.... circular step.... and he's flying... and head grabbage.... and he's done. And i'm in love. Seriously seriously in love. You all told me about him. You warned me and I did not believe you but I do believe you now.... the legacy is safe in his hands....wow wow wow! he's only nineteen....call the police, there is a cradle I am snatching....look at those spins! look at those positions! just amazing....I'm so looking at that again later on... wow!

marks and there's Doug! 5.1-5.6! yes! 54.5-6...all first but the german has him third! national bias ahoy!

Frederic Dambier FRA

OK...all in brown...sleevesare flesh coloured...shirt is seethrough...ahem... moving on the beats at the start... axel and couldn't hold it..not enough height... no combo there... quad sal ! double toe... back spiral with bent leg... camel to sit change camel to sit... to upright... circular steps... around he goes... triple flip... spreadeagle coming out...flying sit... travels muchly on it... striaght line step.. slide to stop... sit with ahdn positions nice...change sit... and he stops. axel just toppled off towards the end, nearly over rotated it... steps were great... tight on spins sometimes I'm told... all smiles from Pierre and Annick on the couch with him..

marks 4.5-5.1... 5.05-.4...2nd to 11th he's 5th overall . I kid you not. the fin has him 11th.

Matthew Savoie USA
First worlds... in dark winey brown shirt... black trouesrs...Cirque du Soleil... flying camel to begin....lovely arch of back on that... not so sure of the ruffles on his sleevs...axel triple and clean... triple flip triple toe... he's flying along.... circular stesp.... nice footwork here.... sit really low...great postiion and just as nice after the cahnge... .around the corner and down.... steps to the lutz and he's down on his hip! ouch! and diagonal step now...and the lutz looked so good! it was right out of steps! little split hop in the steps now as he goes around again... and spread eagle just for me.... camel to sit change camel to sit... with variation where his boot is over his head...to scratch....and the first two words Simon says are "IF ONLY" And I can only echo that....none of us can believe that he missed it... oh matthew.... not much height on the jumps but boy can he jump.... weight just too far back on lutz freeleg stayed in front too long...but look at those spins....all I can say is ouch tothe final one...

marks ... 4.7-5.1...you can add .4 on to every one of those. 5.1-5.6...he's 6th overall. 3rd to 8th.

Brian Joubert FRA
Black trousers, red tshirt, trim on shirt matches trim on the trousers... only 17... around he goes for the quad toe double toe.... steps circular... simon calls him a young yags.... triple axel over rotated, turn on the end....no control on landing thus deductino...steps... sit spin....cahnge sit...nice speed on that... good centreing also... flyin sit... so fast on the rotation... to the boards for hte straight line step... and he's motoring in that too... steps to triple flip and that was clean... into camel to sit to upright change sit to variation... to scratch and he's done. Very nearly excellent says Simon, but he's smiling and that's the main thing... plenty of speed across the ice and in the spins ...quad combo was great...chris wonders if he gave it a little too much...he did well to stay upright in the axel... 5ht in his qual (where he 2f the axel, faded towards the end, struggled with 3sal)

marks 5.1-5.6...fin gives 5.6... 5.1-5.4...2have him 1st 2 5th he's second overall. Behind Jeff. Yay Jeff! ahem. sorry.

Min Zhang CHN

Philippe! Someone robbed your 3 Musketeers from 98 costume! Call the police! And he robbed your music from the world pros a few years ago too! Braveheart! There are black gloves which you never had, but you've got a case here! axel triple on its own....clean as a whistle... spread eagle.... that was nice too.. around he goes for the quad... and he falls out of the toe and he does a double toe.... camel with travel to layback... to sit change sit to upright with leg out in front of him... steps into the lutz which was clean....sit change sit....nicely done although he moves at the end.... steps...flying camel.... nice position but a bit of travel... circular step... and he stops. Chris points out that he doesn't have the presentation although he does have the jumps - did quad sal in qual... axel was a thing of beauty... quad toe.. lots of height, just couldn't get the weight right...lack of conviction Chris thinks ... .didn't trust himself...

marks 4.8-5.2... 4.8-5.4...he's 7th. Jeff still leads. Go Jeff! Go!

Stephane Lambiel SUI
Red undershirt, black waistcoat matching trousers....little bit of posing on centre ice to begin... lutz triple with triple toe which he stepped out of...ran out of rink! steps into the flip and he puts a foot down in stepping off it too... serpentine steps.. nerves seem to be showing a little bit...steps some more... axel double, and that was fine...fyling camel with travel.... nice position though.... circular step... he's got such nice flow along the ice...sit spin great position change sit...he's got his head in his hands...it's not that bad surely? camel to sit with variation change sit with lean to cross foot upright and that's him. And he don't look happy.... seemed a little flat tonight as Simon sings the song of the burden of expectation... 15th in Olympics....Chris raves about his style which I agree he has in bags...but he doesn't have the quad, he doens't have the triple axel and he really does need them...very close to the boards on the combo... and look at the position on those spins! my goodness me! by his spins shall you know his nationality!

marks ...4.1-4.8... 4.8-5.4...he's 11th overall.

Takeshi Honda JPN
Black trousers, cream bolero jacket with sparkle and tassley trim... cream shirt underneath that....the hometown boy and we get a nice closeup of Doug giving him some final advice....3rd in the difficult group..Don Quixote... the girlies were screaming in the stands during warmup every time he landed a jump... quad toe triple toe, just held the triple! close to the barrier..little turns in the steps.... clenched fist there.... andaround for hte axel.. nailed it! into the camel to sit to upright change camel to sit.... nice centred spin and up and out..... pose a little....steps as the crowd clap.... steps into the triple lutz and they roar! sit spin.....change sit.... and out... around we go... circular steps.... really nice.. and using every beat of the music....look at these steps! leap...and stars into flying sit....and he'sdone! oh yes that was excellent! Standing ovation, and the canadians are on their feet! And the normally reserved Japanese are stampeding to the barrier to throw flowers... as Chris sings a verse of Remember John Curry....but how good was that! big hug from doug who tells him he's proud of him... oh bless! canadians behind K&C have adopted him... and he sold it so well aside from the jumps being so good.... excellent stuff.

marks 5.7-5.8(5.8x2) very good.... 5.6-5.8...first across the board. (4 6s. 1 7 , 4 8s)

Alexander Abt RUS
And again I point out the one good thing about worlds...after two years it is surely surely time to retire the tinfoil costume. I mean come on...how many turkeys are going unroasted to make that outfit? And they're roaring for him too.... something seems to be wrong with his skate...chris hopes its the boot cover and not the boot...second in his group behind yags... quad toe trple toe! take that! right in the corner.... triple axel nails it.... flying camel.....great position in the spin, and variation on the way out... steps....circular... lots of turning on one foot....camel to sit to upright to change camel to sit...around we go.... steps to the ltuz..and he nails that too....camel change camel....well centred....steps as the crowd roar...straight line step....and he's selling it now baby! that was something else and he's done and done well he did too! And the thing I find myself noting is that his spins have improved a lot over hte past couple of years...I distinctly recall slapping him around the place over it...Chris has a lump in his throat and I really enjoyed that... Abt and Vlaschenko, who'd'a thunk it? and he looked so focussed throughout the whole thing... never a hint of a doubt... I'm so tempted to log on and find the results before looking at the rest. But no! I will be strong!

marks 5.6-5.8 (2 6s, 2 8s the rest 7s) this is close... 5.6-5.8...5/4 he has it. (2 6s 1 7 the rest 8s)

Timothy Goebel USA
Come on Timmy! I should delete that. Really. Red and grey shirt black trousers...can you believe he's only 21? Danse Macabre.... steps to begin.... woohoo! quad sal triple toe... and he made that look easy...chris calls is triple sal.... trple axel was clean... triple flip....and he beams... into camel to sit love that position cahnge camel to sit.... and upright cross foot.... and around he goes... mini spread.... steps... jump in the step... sit bit of travel cahnge sit.... spin timmy spin!... around he goes again... steps... stars to flying sit.... and he d idn't move! and eh's done! and another great short, three in a row. and this is some night! chris was wrong it was a quad sal...and chris is feeling for hte judges..simon wants abt to lead you all know where I am....chris agrees...they say abt had more passion...I'm blinded by timmy's smile and curly headed bonce...just call me saucer girl for I am shallow...and theres Frank Carroll with him and I love Frank too...Timmy says hi to the world but not to me....

marks 5.5-5.8...5.5!!!!the czech, the hell! (2 6 2 7 the rest 8) 5.5-5.7....he's third on the short. second overall. 1 1st 3 2nds the rest third. Can someone explain that to me using small words and visual aids?

Chengjiang Li CHN
Red pajama outfits once more....knee high boots... martial arts thing... lots of power in the music... quad toe on its own... tripel axel triple toe.... flyinf camel... into sit with travel but nice position change sit... steps... steps.... axel double and that was clean.. into camel to sit... to Y spin...change sit... with variation.... and out of that....crowd are clapping ...to the boards goes he for the striaght line step... did he just make a face to the camera? And he's done and he pumps the air... thye liked that and so did he. Chris raves about the quad's speed height and accuracy... and it was lovely there is no doubt of that at all... presentation has improved chris says and that is true although he has a ways to go....

marks ...big long delay....and small wonder because I'd hate to mark this one... here we go... 5.3-5.7...czech says 5.3... 5.3-5.7...4th overall and on the short. Which is wehre I'd have him too.

Michael Weiss USA
Wine glittery tshirt, black trousers... 7th in salt lake... and he can't afford to make a mistake based on what we've seen so far...malaguena....crowd are clapping... tried quad lutz in qual.... missed it.. aquad toe triple toe here...late getting free foot out in quad but I don't think that it mattered.... axel and that was clean adn triple....sit..really low... change sit not as low.... but nice and centred.... steps...circular... triple lutz was spot on.... and huge flying sit... and you spin michael.....to the boards...striaght line step... not as good as some we've seen but good...stars into camel to sit to change sit with leg gripped...scratch to finish...and I'm shaking my head! what the heck is in the water in Japan this week? this is something special....and I can't take the day off on Thursday for the free because I have to take the kids to a hurling blitz! big hug from Audrey.... and the free leg was not in fact off the ice on the quad which we can see on the slomo.. and that is going to cost him dearly...hard to spot at full speed....0.3 off they say... he sold it well I have to say, give the man his due...

marks ... chris puts him behind honda for the 2foot landing... 5.4-5.8..only one eight, the fin....he didn't see it. 5.5-5.9..fin has him first...he's 4th overall. and he'll take that - he dodged a bullet.

Alexei Yagudin RUS
You know the costume...the black and frosty silver deal as Simon compared him in warmup to Tiger Woods, Zinadine Zidane and Michael Jordan as one of the four best sportsmen in the world. 22 yesterday.... Winter.... throws the snow... quad triple toe and that was effortless...triple axel...faultless...flying sit....lovely in the air... throws more snow.... steps.... circular step...which is something else I needn't tell you... and we loose the feed...it's back to a wide angle shot...tripl lutz with a lean but he got it...striaght line step that has them scremaing......this is great.... and he keeps going and he's using every inch of the blade and the ice...camel to sit to layback to change sit to spin with leg in frot of him...and theb out to sit change sit with variation holding leg...throw snow for last time and he's done. Dazzling Simon calls it...and I say what is the use of having the mark of 6 if you don't give it out for something like that. Just sublime. On this night of nights, what else could you give it. He's milking the crowd and you should see the ice...it is littered with flowers etc....we see replay of the combo...lvoely...and he nearly ran out of rink there too.... ooooh that lutz was hard work...but just see him punch the air when he landed it....that was special. That was very very special.

marks ... 5.8-6.0! 2 8s, one 6, the rest 9s.... 5.9-6.0...4 5.9s, the rest 6.0s. Never seen that in the short before....

What a night!

so...Yags, Abt, Timmy Honda Weiss Li

Buttle Joubert Van der Perren Dambier Liu Vlascenko

ZXhang Savoie Dinev Gao Lambiel Ferreira

Vahktang, Roman, Markus (YAY!!!) Rylov Davydov Dmitreenko

They qualify.

Out are - Sviatko Verner Takeuchi Urbas Berntsson and Kotov.

And all I'm saying is that my kids had better kick seven kinds of ass in this hurling blitz to justify me missing Thursday morning's skating!